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Re: Beginner Equipment Question

Subject: Re: Beginner Equipment Question
From: "Rick Munday" baumann1965
Date: Tue Oct 5, 2010 10:48 am ((PDT))
Rob,

Thanks for the analysis!

Even though I'm somewhat familiar with single source audio (i.e. basic
studio mics and etc.) I can see I have a lot to learn in stereo wide field.


Here is a quick quicktime movie comparison this order:
> (A) aif download
> (B) aif download- equalized with stereo field adjusted.
>
> download and play with QuickTime or MPEG Streamclip:
>
> https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/type/public/temporary/Blackwell092210_BlueMic=
ey_OrigVsEQdStereoAdjusted_AnimLrg.mov.zip
>
>
Could you share what adjustments you did? I would love to learn this aspect
of it as well. I tinkered some in Audition but my result was nothing like
this! Sounds like it's from a completely different setup.



> Nature recording places different demands on mics than pocket
> recorder designers have in mind. Here are a few observations with
> the distant subject:
>
> a) The mic capsules in this particular unit don't seem to be matched
> very well in terms of tonal response.
>
> b) The lower midrange seems less clear, more jumbled than I am
> accustomed to with lower cost electret mics.
>
> c) Not surprisingly, the left and right sides of the stereo field are
> bunched in the middle.
> Hear the low "grungey" drone in the middle of the stereo field?
>
>
I thought that some of the mid-field rumble was traffic noise, didn't
associate it with the fields overlapping.

Hopefully before spring I will have a new rig to record with. I'm looking
for something small which is why I tried the Mikey since I already had the
iPod Touch (and iPhone provided by my day job).



> d) Close placement of the mics helped stereo imagining considerably.
>
> Of course, you can expect much better results when close-micing
> robust sounds like voice and music.
>
> I suppose one could liberate the mic capsules from the housing and
> place them in a better stereo array, but it might be better to keep
> your Mikey unit intact and get some of these mic capsules for
> experimenting: http://www.frogloggers.com/BT%20EM172.htm If the
> Mikey doesn't have an external mic jack, I guess you'll need a
> recorder that does. Sure hope it does!
>
> More on recorders and mics in the list FAQ:
> https://docs.google.com/View?id=3Ddcvd49w8_23fbw2vqg2 Rob D.
>
>
Thanks for the link! I had seen it before but will dig through it again.

I have the first generation Mikey, The Mikey 2 has line in capability so
that might help in the future if I purchase another one. I've been debating
getting out the tools and building a miniature PBA out of it. This will be =
a
future project once I get something else to record with.

I've got my heart set on a nicer rig and am looking, reading and learning.
Problem is budget :) I can see where I can have a fairly nice rig for ~$500
and an awesome rig for ~$5000, big range.



Rick









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