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Re: question about new Olympus LS-100 purchase

Subject: Re: question about new Olympus LS-100 purchase
From: "Jez" tempjez
Date: Wed May 30, 2012 3:08 am ((PDT))
i've been doing a fair bit of research on various hand held recorders recen=
tly - partly beacuse I tutor on field recording courses & folks of course h=
ave different needs & indeed budgets so I try to keep up to date, but also =
a friend has been looking for one & so i've been getting to grips with the =
newer models.

What I can say is that below say =A3400 the LS-100 comes out at the top of =
the field on various points alongside the DR-100mkII & the Roland R-26.

One things to watch though is that there's a 0.2 second delay on monitoring=
 live sound - this is a problem imo & something they really should sort out=
 with a firmware update. I've spoken to Olympus but the UK folks didn't eve=
n know about it & expressed no interest in looking into it further.



--- In  "Raimund" <> wrot=
e:
>
> Hi Jon,
>
> Except noted otherwise, all the noise measurements at http://www.avisoft.=
com/recordertests.htm where taken at the maximum gain setting available on =
each recorder. So, the -125 dBu(A) value for the LS-100 also applies to its=
 maximum gain setting (which is quantified by the -48 dBu clipping level on=
 the table).
>
> The LS-100 provides a slightly higher sensitivity (gain) than the Fostex =
FR-2LE (-48 dBu vs.-45 dBu).
>
> The 1 dB difference between the noise floors of the two recorders in comb=
ination with the KU-81 should be inaudible because the overall (comboned) n=
oise floor difference will be only 0.13 dB (the two noise voltages add geom=
etrically). So, there is no reason to care about that tiny difference.
>
> Regards,
> Raimund
>
> --- In  "Jon M." <tanyet@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > I've been trying to learn as much as I can about nature recording the p=
ast couple of years and I'm on the verge of a new purchase that I wanted to=
 ask you guys about.
> >
> > I was able to purchase a Neumann KU-81 dummy head at a reasonable price=
 awhile ago and I paired it with the Fostex FR2LE because my budget went mo=
stly to the KU-81 and I couldn't afford the sound devices gear.   I've been=
 fairly happy with the Fostex but I have a few issues with it that is makin=
g it difficult to keep.  The main issue is that I don't think it really has=
 enough gain for my tastes.  I don't like the preamp section (the trim knob=
s and the recording level) and the overall workflow is starting to get on m=
y nerves.  It is extremely quiet for the price though.
> >
> > I tried in vain to find a used sound devices 702 for a decent price but=
 I haven't been able to do so.  This led me to take another look at the low=
er end recorders.  The olympus ls-100 seems to be the one I keep going back=
 to.  Here is my question.
> >
> > The ku-81's mics have a self noise rating of 16 db and a sensitivity of=
 10 mv/pa.  This means I would need a preamp with at least an EIN of -126dB=
u for it to not introduce added noise.   According to Raimund, the preamps =
in ls-100 have an EIN of -125dBu a-weighted.  I'm not sure at what sensitiv=
ity level that measurement was taken at though.
> >
> > With my current setup I realize I would gain 1 db of added noise at max=
 gain but I was wondering if this was a real world concern or just numbers.=
  Would I really notice that much of a difference with mics with a self noi=
se of 12 to 16 db?  Also, what are the gain numbers with the ls-100?
> >
> > Any replies would be greatly appreciated.  I've learned a lot from grou=
p and hope to continue to do so.
> >
> > Jon
> >
>








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