Thanks everyone!
Ok. Looks like I should get the Olympus LS-100 $400 instead of the DR100 a=
nd then buy the Rode blimp for $300.
This brings my total upgrade to $700 ($200 over budget, however still close=
)
-----------
If I want to increase my budget for a much better system, I understand tha=
t a good kit would be:
Tascam 680: $590 (sonicsense)
2 Audio-Technica AT4022 mics at $350/each =3D $700
Message: 3.
Subject: a DIY SASS modeled after Kurt Olsens "Olsen Wing" $50 in parts
Message: 4.
Subject: Some sort of blimp or wind shield for this (not sure about how to do
thi=
s)
So this level of equipment looks like it'll cost me about $1500 possibly mo=
re since I don't know about the wind shield.
So my question then is, how much more of an improvement would I get if I up=
grade to this higher end kit or something equivalent to it. Would it be wor=
th it? How do I solve the blimp issue for the SASS?
Thanks - I've learned alot!
Ryan
--- In John Crockett <> wrote:
>
> 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 =3D -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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