Hello everyone,
Thank you all very much indeed for your helpful replies. The naturerecordis=
ts group is the friendliest and most supportive of all internet resources f=
or field recordists.
It's been a real pleasure listening to those excellent recordings from Aust=
ralia, Iceland, the United States and elsewhere.
The points which stand out as particularly relevant are:
* The Rode NT1A is remarkably good for what it costs. However, high wind sp=
eeds and moisture or humidity levels can pose problems. The Scottish Highla=
nds have plenty of both, yet the Icelandic recordings come from an equally,=
if not more challenging environment and they show how patient and skillful=
recordists can overcome them.
* The Audio Technica 4022 looks very promising as a more robust workhorse w=
ith wider application. Tony/Binaural Brisbane - thanks very much for linkin=
g to Vicki Powys's series of comparisons. It was good to see how well the A=
T 4022 did alongside much more expensive mics like the MKH 8020. But this i=
sn't a total surprise - I own an AT BP4025 and would recommend it to anyone=
who wants a go-anywhere single-point stereo mic.
Someone asked what environments are so quiet as to require mics with extrem=
ely low self-noise levels.
About ten years ago I began hiking and hill-walking in the Cairngorms and e=
lsewhere in the Scottish Highlands, equipped with a tent and a supply of pa=
sta and instant porridge.
It was in mid-March and daytime temperatures were just above zero centigrad=
e. I was heading eastwards from Corrour towards Ben Alder and Loch Ericht a=
long a small valley. It was a tiring journey and eventually I climbed out o=
f the valley onto a path skirting the western flank of Ben Alder. What a re=
lief to walk on a path again, rather than hopping from peat hag to peat hag=
, or sinking into boggy patches of moss!
I sat down on a small boulder to get my breath back. The Alder Burn chatter=
ed a few dozen yards away. Geese honked briefly in the distance on Loch Eri=
cht, then stopped. My breathing slowed and without the sound of my backpack=
creaking my ears began to adjust.
I became aware of what sounded like a jet flying high up. Even here it seem=
ed you couldn't get away from them. Minutes went by and it didn't grow any =
weaker - faint yet somehow monumental in its changeless and indifferent sou=
nd. Then I realised it must be the sound of the wind, of great masses of ai=
r rushing and spilling over the top of the mountain. It was a moving moment=
and one which I think of from time to time, here in the city with all its =
meaningless racket.
Best wishes
Ian
- - - -
The London Sound Survey http://www.soundsurvey.org.uk
--- In Peter Shute <> wrote:
>
> David, you mentioned earlier that you intend making a windshield using ha=
nging baskets, so I assume you mean spherical. Is that the best shape, or w=
ould a flattened sphere be better? Wouldn't a sphere be more likely to crea=
te turbulence on the downwind side because of the large cross section prese=
nted to the wind? Or a football shape (not soccer, I mean egg shaped), poin=
ted into the wind, assuming the wind direction is constant?
>
> Peter Shute
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From:
> > On Behalf Of Avocet
> >Sent: Wednesday, 12 September 2012 11:49 PM
> >To:
> >Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] Re: Advice please on what mics for
> >recording in quiet outdoor environments
>
> >The windshield itself must produce minimum turbulence by having as
> >rounded a shape as possible all over, not just it front of the mic.
> >Avoid all sharp corners or sharp curves. Make sure a stand or support
> >is not producing turbulence.
>
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