Field recorder suggestions?

[Winstontaneous]

All the fancy stuff is mouthwatering! Having done my share of live/field recording for video with a Zoom H4n and Q3, I can see the value of time code and super-quiet preamps. That said, I agree with the best recorder being the one you have on you, and for that the Q3 is hard to beat for its size and convenience.

If you use a recorder with built-in mics, try to get one with a remote...this will greatly reduce handling noise when adjusting. I've learned this the hard way

I've actually had good results with inexpensive dynamic external mics in noisy outdoor conditions, where their reduced sensitivity worked to my advantage. In any case you'll probably end up cleaning stuff in some sort of restoration program, I've been having good luck with the spectral tools in Adobe Audition. And Adobe Premiere can sync crappy camera audio to a good field recording by waveform matching in the absence of timecode...this has saved my @ss on a couple recent projects.

Curious, has anyone investigated the sonics/noise floor of the most recent crop of iPhone mics in comparison with budget recorders?

[ThomasHelzle]

Those are really nice Simon. What mic do you prefer with it?

Maybe a little more than can be spent to begin with though.
(This is something my wife is asking about for anniversary/xmas ideas).

Any suggestions in the hand-held range? Or is the recording quality make them not worth considering?

If it's a handheld you're looking for then before you buy check these audio samples out:

http://www.wingfieldaudio.com/portable- ... mples.html

I ended up with a PCM-M10 to keep on me at all times. There's an anecdote among photographers, "What's the best camera to use for...?"


"The one you have on you."

I can recommend the PCM-M10 for non-super-high-end-use and always on. Very solid, good quality, VERY inconspicuous since the microphones are internal, outside it looks more like a slightly bigger phone, good screen, very easy to use, good knobs, cable remote included, works with AA batteries or accumulators, works also great as a high-quality walkman, feels good, looks good, works great with my external contact microphone that needs cable power, uses SD micro cards and M2.

Definitely get a fluffy hairy windshield for it - keeps the fingers warm in winter

Love it.

Cheers,

Tom

[goldenanalog]

Optofonik, an OT (but related) Q:

I have a couple of older Sennheiser 441U dynamics that I'd like to use for field recording

Part 1: is that crazy? and:

Part 2: any recommendations for a portable preamp to handle their 'soft' output?

Others here are free to chime in with the appropriate derision, insults, jokes, etc. as well as perhaps something possibly pertinent...

[t3toooo]

i bought a sound devices usb pre many years ago, it's the usb 1.1 version though.
the original software doesn't work on 64 bit but there is a driver from usb-audio.com so i can use that interface also with win 7 64 and i guess with win 8 64 bit too.
my portable recording devices for that is a asus eeepc 1005pe with win 7 starter 32 bit,works flawless.

i also have a sound devices 302 which i love very much,i can use it for multiple purposes,at the moment i use it mostly as my soundcard mixer.
the little drawback maybe could be that the 302 introduce some more noise since it needs a A/D converter but it has a nice inbuilt limiter which it turns out is very useful.

the versatility and the reliability is what makes the 302 an absolute winner.


so far,this stuff already survived some computer builds.


i preferably like to buy all my gear separated (controller,keyboard etc.).

[optofonik]

Optofonik, an OT (but related) Q:

I have a couple of older Sennheiser 441U dynamics that I'd like to use for field recording

Part 1: is that crazy? and:

Part 2: any recommendations for a portable preamp to handle their 'soft' output?

Others here are free to chime in with the appropriate derision, insults, jokes, etc. as well as perhaps something possibly pertinent...

That is an interesting question.

They are interesting mics and I've heard them favorably compared to condensers, albeit, as you've intimated, not as sensitive. I don't have any experience with them but I am familiar with their fine reputation in the studio. If you have a vendor that stocks the aforementioned MP1 I would bring them in and give a listen. If I were to venture a guess I think the sound would be very good and if those are the only mics you have for recording in the field then use them. Like the best camera, or best recorder, the best mic is...

Post some wav files if you decide to venture forth outside with them.

EDIT

Something I think bears mentioning is that talented experienced sound designers like Martin, Simon, Colin, Raphael, et. al., will be able to take sounds recorded with an old cassette recorder and built in mic and create something interesting. Go out into the world with whatever you have available and record it. Get that experience. We've all heard it before but it's always good to remind oneself not to let the limits of the gear limit the imagination.

I'm just sayin'.

[goldenanalog]

Optofonik, an OT (but related) Q:

I have a couple of older Sennheiser 441U dynamics that I'd like to use for field recording

Part 1: is that crazy? and:

Part 2: any recommendations for a portable preamp to handle their 'soft' output?

Others here are free to chime in with the appropriate derision, insults, jokes, etc. as well as perhaps something possibly pertinent...

That is an interesting question.

They are interesting mics and I've heard them favorably compared to condensers, albeit, as you've intimated, not as sensitive. I don't have any experience with them but I am familiar with their fine reputation in the studio. If you have a vendor that stocks the aforementioned MP1 I would bring them in and give a listen. If I were to venture a guess I think the sound would be very good and if those are the only mics you have for recording in the field then use them. Like the best camera, or best recorder, the best mic is...

Post some wav files if you decide to venture forth outside with them.

EDIT

Something I think bears mentioning is that talented experienced sound designers like Martin, Simon, Colin, Raphael, et. al., will be able to take sounds recorded with an old cassette recorder and built in mic and create something interesting. Go out into the world with whatever you have available and record it. Get that experience. We've all heard it before but it's always good to remind oneself not to let the limits of the gear limit the imagination.

I'm just sayin'.

Thanks!

Well: The idea was either to go out and buy a Rode, etc. or basically use what I have; not only are they superb mics but quite robust, so with proper pres my assumption was/is that they in conjunction with a decent recorder (I have a korg mr-1000) could cover a wide range of venues.

I already have used a couple of all-in-oners with fair results; the *only* one of that type that actually approaches a pro recorder/pro mic combo that I'm aware of is the Sony pcm-d1 because of the no-holds-barred attitude Sony took to that pieces execution...

The translation of the question I asked would be if someone had a couple of dynamics and a decent say: Marantz cassette recorder (the pmd-431 is superb) what pre between the mic and the recorder would do the job for them...I'll go ahead and pick up a couple of the mp1's early next year, and put together a nice high-end portable rig-I guess that the mm1 is also widely used with great results.

Thanks again for your helpful consideration, optofonik!

[skipscada]

Røde (and others?) make a stereo mic for iPod touch. I don't know antyhing about the usefulness or quality, but if you already have an iPod you should probably check it out.

One of the things I mislike with my otherwise very useful Zoom H2 is the file naming system. The files get generic names and cannot be renamed within the recorder. Since date/time is reset everytime I turn off the recorder and I usually forget / can't be bothered to set date/time before recording (I guess this is only a problem for those of us who use it without batteries), finding files can be bothersome, especially if they aren't transferred to the PC immediately or if there are many files. A device with a proper screen like an iPod should make it easier to name/rename files etc., which could be a big plus depending on how you intend to use it.

[BBFG#]

I try to stay away from anything that has the ubquitous 'i' in front of it.
In fact, the one thing I don't like about the big Tascam is it having a FW port instead of USB.

On another note, preamps have been mentioned often here. and I'm wondering about their size and other specs.

Does a field recording set start looking like a batman belt at some point?

[ThomasHelzle]

Yeah, IMO one has to decide between those two: Either you have a small, inconspicuous, "always on" setup that you can use in basically any condition, with slightly reduced options and quality, or you haul around a rather fantastic set that can do real amazing stuff, can handle different microphones, preamps and whatnot but is neither inconspicuous nor light nor small.

Basically the same as with photography: Do I take my 7D with me and all the lenses and the tripod etc. or do I just grab my tiny Ixus or even just my phone camera.

I personally would start out small, look how it works out and then improve over time.
Just never go without a catskin, that's just not cutting it at all.

Cheers,

Tom

[BBFG#]

Yeah, IMO one has to decide between those two: Either you have a small, inconspicuous, "always on" setup that you can use in basically any condition, with slightly reduced options and quality, or you haul around a rather fantastic set that can do real amazing stuff, can handle different microphones, preamps and whatnot but is neither inconspicuous nor light nor small.

Basically the same as with photography: Do I take my 7D with me and all the lenses and the tripod etc. or do I just grab my tiny Ixus or even just my phone camera.

I personally would start out small, look how it works out and then improve over time.
Just never go without a catskin, that's just not cutting it at all.

Cheers,

Tom

Definitely looking in this direction of seeing where 'small' leads me. A handheld with some dead animal on it with a couple of different tripods and maybe a remote. Better mic, isolation pole/tripod, an larger dead animal in the second phase. Third phase, if history repeats, I'll probably enter yet another realm of thought that separates me even further from my f2f community.

Do you ever have to deal with suspicious rangers?

[optofonik]

I try to stay away from anything that has the ubquitous 'i' in front of it.
In fact, the one thing I don't like about the big Tascam is it having a FW port instead of USB.

On another note, preamps have been mentioned often here. and I'm wondering about their size and other specs.

Does a field recording set start looking like a batman belt at some point?

If you end up putting together a full kit you'll look like this on those days that you purposefully leave the house with recording in mind.


http://www.portabrace.com/products/audio

Basically the same as with photography: Do I take my 7D with me and all the lenses and the tripod etc. or do I just grab my tiny Ixus or even just my phone camera.

Perfect analogy.

[skipscada]

I try to stay away from anything that has the ubquitous 'i' in front of it.

Good decision.

[optofonik]

+1

[BBFG#]

Does a field recording set start looking like a batman belt at some point?

If you end up putting together a full kit you'll look like this on those days that you purposefully leave the house with recording in mind.

http://www.portabrace.com/products/audio

Somehow, this is what I pictured as the inevitable reality.

[Luftrum]

Yeah, IMO one has to decide between those two: Either you have a small, inconspicuous, "always on" setup that you can use in basically any condition, with slightly reduced options and quality, or you haul around a rather fantastic set that can do real amazing stuff, can handle different microphones, preamps and whatnot but is neither inconspicuous nor light nor small.

Exactly! I sometimes miss the portability and hasslefree setup of my Zoom H2. Now I'm stuck on a big bag of gear and it's not something I bring along "just in case" - recording sessions are timely scheduled for that purpose alone.