At 1:28 PM +0000 11/9/09, oryoki2000 wrote:
> Robin,
>
>Thanks for this well-written, non-technical presentation.
>
>Here are four suggestions to make a good article more useful.
>
>First, be sure to explain the tech jargon. Terms like SPL and
>phantom power will be unfamiliar to a reader who is new to audio
>recording.
>
>Second, since you point to EIN as an important criterion, it should
>be explained more fully. At least tell people how to interpret the
>EIN values in the table. I'm thinking of statements like, "EIN
>higher than -100 means pre-amp noise easily will be heard in your
>recordings."
>
>If this seems to complicated for your audience, then I would not
>present the actual EIN numbers, and substitute a rating of preamp
>noise, such as "high, moderate, low, very low."
Categories might be easier for beginners to understand and could be
tied to our consensus that mics with 16dB(A) self-noise or lower will
provide more or less acceptable noise performance with high gain
settings in quiet locations. Do people think something like the three
performance classes below would help?
Recorders with Excellent Mic Input Noise Performance:
Recorders with measured EIN of -127 dB or lower (A weighted).
Excellent input noise performance is appreciable only when the
recorder is used with very low-noise mics such as those with a
self-noise rating of 10dB(A) or lower and when used at high gain.
Recorders with Good Mic Input Noise Performance:
Recorders with measured EIN between -125 dB and -120 dB (A weighted).
Good input noise performance is obtained with mics with self-noise
ratings of 16dB(A) or lower and when used at high gain in quiet
settings. Note that the recorder's mic preamp will add noise to high
gain recordings when used with mics with low self-noise (around 12
dB(A) or lower).
Recorders with Compromised Mic Input Noise Performance:
Recorders with measured EIN of -119 dB and noisier (A weighted). The
compromised input noise performance of these recorders will not
become audible unless one uses mics with self-noise ratings of about
20 dB(A) or higher when recording in quieter settings with moderate
to high gain. Note that the recorder's mic preamp will add
considerable noise to these recordings when used with mics with lower
than 16 dB(A) self-noise.
I've tried to incorporate sensitivity into the EIN ranges. I feel
that the role of mic self-noise has to be in there centrally if the
recommendations are going to address noise performance quality. Rob D.
= = =
>Speaking of EIN, I would provide greater credit to Raimund Specht
>for his work that provides insight into the EIN of portable
>recorders. Perhaps you could include a footnote, as well as a
>hyperlink to his web page.
>
>Third, you describe several criteria you think are important in the
>process of choosing a recorder. But then you don't provide any notes
>about how well the 20 recorders in your list meet most of those
>criteria.
>
>For example, you write (and I certainly agree) that ease of use in
>the field is important. You could add a column to the table that
>rates ease of use using a scale of 1 to 4 (1 = poor, 2 = fair, 3 =
>good, 4 = excellent).
>
>Fourth, your table includes lots of information about recorder size,
>but the article text doesn't mention size as an important criterion.
>You could leave out all the dimensional data, and just keep the
>three categories, "pocket-size," "hand-held," and "shoulder." That
>would make room for ratings on the criteria you do say are
>important, such as ease of use, speed of boot up, pre-roll buffer,
>battery life, build quality and so on.
>
>--oryoki
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