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Re: Stereo recording with hydrophones

Subject: Re: Stereo recording with hydrophones
From: "Kawika" dkuhn012001
Date: Mon Jul 26, 2010 1:39 pm ((PDT))
Hi folks, I'm sust returning from an intense recording trip in California, 
hence my tardy response. This message is in response to a request below from 
Kevin Colver for stereo whale recordings, and to answer a question from Robb 
Nichols in message 41547, "I remember David Kuhn from this group writing about 
this last winter (northern hemisphere), though I remember it from the context 
of the challenges that the currents provided. Calm, still water is always a 
blessing to clean
hydrophone recordings. David, do you have anything to add?"

I have posted a short clip from my Humpback recordings last March (Aquarian 
Audio xlr phones into phantomn power into Sony pcmd50) 

http://tinyurl.com/2dwq2jk

Since my last time out in a kayak in April, I have devised some improvements to 
my techniques, for this configuration: hydrophones attached bow and stern 
(about 16 feet apart), each 10 m cable weighted to keep them from arcing up 
behind the kayak, hence lessening the water surface noise; a drogue, or sea 
anchor, like a plastic bucket, to slow the kayak to lessen the noise effects of 
currents and wind and to keep the craft oriented with wind and current. The 
recording is inititated before launch, to avoid needing access to it at sea. 
Recorder is sealed in a ziplock bag.

I'm really looking forward to getting out this next Hawaiian Humpback season 
(Dec thru Mar), and also to get out in deeper water for the more pelagic 
mammals in these waters.

Aloha,
David

--- In  Kevin Colver <> wrote:
>
> I suspect that our head width isn't wide enough for our ears to  
> capture a meaningful stereo effect under water.  Still, I vote for  
> optimizing a recording for our listening enjoyment.  Does anyone in  
> the group know of a whale recording done in stereo that we could  
> listen to?
> Kevin
> 
> On Jul 21, 2010, at 12:25 PM, Robb Nichols wrote:
> 
> > I don't know if the human hearing system is capable of directionality
> > underwater. Any divers in the group? The increased speed of sound will
> > minimize the phase difference between our ears and our body is made
> > mostly of water, so I have to assume that sound travels though it  
> > pretty
> > effectively underwater. I assume that this sense is severely limited
> > while underwater.
> >
> > But, as with so many other things, there is no reason why we can't use
> > the proper tools to enhance our senses. This seems like more of a
> > philosophical question of whether sound should be recorded to  
> > accurately
> > recreate our auditory sensation, or whether it should be optimized for
> > our enjoyment.
> >
> > On 7/21/2010 8:10
> 
> 
>








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