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Re: Time to buy a microphone

Subject: Re: Time to buy a microphone
From: "TJ&LJ" littledoglaughs
Date: Mon Jan 5, 2015 3:10 am ((PST))
Yes, thanks.Is there any point in just getting one omni?TJ
From: " [naturerecordists]" <naturerecordists@=
yahoogroups.com>
 To: 
 Sent: Monday, 5 January 2015, 15:53
 Subject: [Nature Recordists] Re: Time to buy a microphone

=C2=A0   As it has been said, nature recordings really suffer with low grad=
e equipment. It's hard to get into this stuff half-way. Ultimately, it depe=
nds on what your goals are and what level of quality that you think will be=
 satisfactory.

A few years ago I was in a similar situation, so here's a road map of the s=
teps that I took with a comparison of expectation versus satisfaction.

I started with a Tascam DR-100 and just using the internal mics. I found th=
at for nature recording in the desert southwest the Tascam by it self was n=
ot satisfactory, in fact, pointless. Next a friend loaned me a Sennhieser M=
E-66 shotgun mic. That was an improvement, not too bad for ponds and wetlan=
d (they tend to be louder and more consistent areas), but not too good for =
songbirds in the forest. Overall the recording still had a pretty high nois=
e level and it was mono.

Next, and after a bit of research, I ordered a Naiant Tinybox pre-amp and a=
 pair of his X-O (omnidirectional) microphones, while still using the Tasca=
m recorder. I think the purchase was about $350. This was a big improvement=
. Now I was making good recordings in the wetlands, and much better recordi=
ngs in some forest areas where conditions were good. Plus the recording was=
 stereo, which had become a priority for me.

I probably would have stopped with that arrangement, but an unexpected oppo=
rtunity presented itself, and I decided to make the leap to professional gr=
ade equipment - a pair of Audio Technica 4022s, a Sound Devices MixPre-D an=
d a Marantz PMD661 recorder. Now I can record almost any sound that I hear.=
 The Tascam/Naiant combination would have been satisfactory for a lot of lo=
cations that I was interested in recording. Under most conditions it can ma=
ke a good recording, but the pro-level gear is without a doubt an improveme=
nt by an order of magnitude.

I hope this helps.  #yiv6497877801 #yiv6497877801 -- #yiv6497877801ygrp-mkp=
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