Hi Ryan,
Preamp noise and microphone noise is a somewhat complicated subject
that has been discussed extensively here. In theory, you want at
least 7 dB difference between the microphone output noise and the
preamp equivalent input noise, which means the preamp should be -121
dBu or less for use with the NT4 (output noise = -114 dBu). I have
never used the DR100-mkII. What you will find from the link that
Robin and Marco gave you is that the DR100-MkII is on the margin of
acceptability for the Rode NT4. In theory, its preamp noise (-119
dBu) is going to add noise to the NT4, while the minidisc (-124 dBu
if you are using one of the sonys) does not. But, again in theory,
you may not hear any difference between the minidisc and the Tascam,
because it works out to only a 0.8 dB difference in noise between
those two recorders, which may or may not be audible to you. And this
is all theoretical. Your results may vary in practice. But I have
found Raimund's list to correspond very closely to my experience.
On Raimund's list, the least-cost recorder with XLR inputs and
preamps that are quiet enough for the NT4 is the Olympus LS-100
($400). Oddly, the 3.5 mm input on the LS-100 is much noisier than
the XLR input, and much noisier than the 3.5mm inputs on the
LS-5/10/11 series recorders. If you were to get the LS-100, it would
only make sense to use the NT4 via XLR cables. If cost is a factor,
and you really need to use XLR cables (maybe because you anticipate
long cable runs), and you don't mind slightly noisier preamps, the
Tascam may serve you well. Maybe someone here has used the DR-100MkII
with the NT4 and can report their experience.
There is another variable to consider, which is that the 3.5mm cable
that came with SOME Rode NT4s has a -12 dB pad in it that needs to be
removed to get the best results with it, or else you need to use the
XLR cables, either into a recorder with XLR inputs or with a stereo Y
adapter to change the XLR to 3.5mm. I can tell you from experience,
this makes a real difference. Before I removed the pad resistors, I
was getting 5-6 dB more noise from the NT4 than I do now. I thought
it was a very mediocre microphone! I removed the pad from my 3.5mm
cable, and the result is now indistinguishable from using the XLR
cables. Basically, the pad lowers both the signal and the noise, so
the noise voltage drops well below the preamp noise of nearly any
recorder, and you start hearing the recorder noise on top of the
microphone noise.
Here's a a link to the -12 dB pad issue and how to fix it:
https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/type/www/audio-reports/
Rode_NT-4_Cable_Mod/NT-4_CableMod-index.htm
Or just get an XLR->3.5mm stereo Y adapter and use the XLR cables.
Hope this helps!
John
John Crockett
Let us live in harmony with Earth
And all creatures
That our lives may be a blessing
On Feb 20, 2013, at 10:14 AM, wrote:
> 1b. Re: Is my equipment outdated?
> Posted by: "tankramjet" tankramjet
> Date: Tue Feb 19, 2013 12:17 pm ((PST))
>
> Hi John,
>
> This is the first I have heard of pre-amp noise. How did you find
> out about the level of pre-amp noise of a minidisc recorder
> compared to for example the olympus ls-11?
>
> I was pretty convinced that going with a recorder with xlr inputs
> was the way to go and was prepared to get the Tascam DR-100 mkII,
> however I have no idea what the pre-amp noise is of this machine.
> Is there a website or a place to find out about the pre-amp noise
> of various recording devices?
>
> Thanks
> Ryan
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