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Re: Shotgun mic Vs on-board mics

Subject: Re: Shotgun mic Vs on-board mics
From: "John Crockett" naturalcontemplative
Date: Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:23 am ((PDT))
I wouldn't think that impedance matching would be an issue with the
PCM-M10. It has a very high impedance input (I think it's 20k ohms), so
very little loss from  voltage division.

I was thinking as I drove to work this morning that it makes sense that
the overall signal would be higher using the built-ins on the PCM-M10
because they are grabbing sound from all directions - they are
omnidirectional microphones. Whereas the shotgun microphone (I wish we had
a less violent word) is rejecting sound from the sides. So if there is
abundant sound energy coming from the sides, the omnis will be picking it
up and the "shotgun" will be reducing the level of those sounds, so the
overall recording level could be much lower using the "shotgun," more than
just the 3 dB that can be attributed to the lower sensitivity of the NTG2.
But if the only sound source is, say, a single bird, and the "shotgun" is
pointing right at it, then I would think the "shotgun" microphone would
result in a higher level than the omnis, even if it is a little less
sensitive.

Does that make sense?

John

>> I have had a Sony PCM M10 for several years and I recently purchased a
>> Rode NTG2 shotgun mic. It works and both channels show equal recording
>> levels, but I am disappointed to find that the actual decibal levels
>> shown are quite a bit lower than when I just use the on-board
>> microphones.
>
> Don,
>
> This has been answered, but another reason for lower level nay be
> impedance
> matching. You can get over this by using a matching pre-amp, but low leve=
l
> is not a problem except perhaps for listening at the time of recording.
>
> One of the things I bang on about with digital recording is that it is
> better to record low than risk hitting the limiter with unexpected loud
> sounds. Peaking to as low as -20DB is fully recoverable afterwards.
>
> The best check is the pile of bedclothes test. Record "silence" with both
> setups in a quiet room under absorbent material and listen to the hiss
> levels at high gain afterwards.
>
> As has been said, recorded volume is not the problem, it is the relation
> of
> bird to hiss which sets the limit.
>
> David Brinicombe
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
> Posted by: 
> ------------------------------------
>
> "While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
> sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause.
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo Groups Links
>
>
>


John Crockett

Let us live in harmony with Earth
And all creatures,
That our lives may be a blessing.







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