| need a good, portable, recording device - Click HERE for Original Thread |
| dvdwmth |
Can someone here recommend a good, portable, recorder of some sort to make two channel recordings of music?
Im not looking for mixing stuff or interested in setting up a studio, but I would like something with good sound. Analogue would be fine as long as the tapes are still available.
Any suggestions for microphones?
Anyone here able to recommend a good forum where I can ask some questions about recording music. |
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| Silhy |
Simplest thing I've found that works is just using a small Mini Disk Recorder. I think they run anywhere from 100.00 CAD to 350.00 CAD for a consumer unit. I've had mine for 3 years now and recorded a ton of stuff on it. Dependant on what type of microphone you use, the audio quality is actually quite good for what you pay.
Paul |
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| dvdwmth |
I've heard many people on the recording forum of Harmony central advising others to steer a wide path away from mini disks. I gather they are a lossy format so your sound is handicapped right from the start.
I wonder if a used walkman pro would be a good way to go. I've also seen a handful of revox recorders selling on Ebay that were used to make the famous proprius recording of choral and organ music in the seventies. I've heard these are difficult to calibrate and are no good if they're not set up right, but who knows. A nagra recorder might be cool but I dont know what the sound is like for music and they dont go cheap.
I have a feeling I'll end up buying a reel to reel from a second hand shop somewhere and see how it works out.
Steep learning curve ahead, i think.. :eek: |
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| dvdwmth |
I dont really know. Maybe. I dont really know what there capable of audio wise, just that they were once everywhere in the film industry.
I want portable, decent sounding, and not incredibly expensive.
Having said that if I came across a good deal I'd grab one cause they have a kind of fetishy thing about them. |
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| usekgb |
Check out the Marantz PMD670. It is a bit expensive, but it has excellent recording quality. It records uncompressed .wav files directly to compact flash media. It has two XLR mic inputs w/ phantom power, so you can use any good condensor mic for your recordings.
Cheers,
Zach |
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| Mike Gergen |
Go to
Rec.audio. pro
It's a forum for recording. |
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| dvdwmth |
| quote: | Originally posted by Mike Gergen
Go to
Rec.audio. pro
It's a forum for recording. |
cool thanks |
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| Enzo |
Also, EQ magazine is all about recording. Visit them at www.eqmag.com You can see the mag at newstands and music stores. They also have a forurm, a lot of recording experience hangs out there.
You didn't mention what you were recording and for what purpose. If you are directly recording a performance in the field - say setting up a couple mics for a guitar and a vocal to be mixed and mastered later, your need are far different than if you wish to record a concert from the audience.
I know people who record nature sounds for use in film and broadcast, and their mic needs are different than those of someone singing. ANd if you wish to record high sound levels, again the mic choice is affected as migh tbe the recording process.
The Nargas are popular with professional field recordists. Those Marantz recorders are very nice, I have serviced a few. (I work in pro audio)
There are many good mics out there. The Shure SM57 has been a standard workhorse for years. Very sturdy and sounds good. Good live mic. On the other hand there are many condenser mics now on the market. You can get a fine sounding large diaphragm condenser mic for under $100. Does it sound as good as the $1000+ model? Maybe not, but they sound darned good - check the reviews. Check some of hte deal in the latest Musicians Friend catalog on inrexpensive condensor mics. I wouldn't use them on the stage at the local dance club though. |
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| dvdwmth |
thanks for that info enzo.
I'll be recording musicians in the field. No audience. For example, a small vocal ensemble in a church. My inspiration is this proprius recording. Made with two mics and a revox.
http://www.proprius.com/7762sacd.html
The selection of mics is overwhelming. Can you suggest a specific model amongst those condenser mics under $100 you refer to.
I dont expect to get top flight quality at this point. I just want to jump in a play around abit. |
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| Enzo |
I think when you select a type of mic, ther is not going to be a "wrong" one. I think that for the inexperienced recordist, the benefits of a multi-thousand dollar Neuman mic will be minimal.
I am sure there are some good music stores in the Toronto area. You might walk into one or two and discuss your needs. The mics used for close micing and then mixing will be different from the ones preferred for distant micing a group. In the business there is even a subset of mics called "choir mics" made specifically to hang over vocal choirs. Not saying you need that, but I point it out to show there is a mic for most anything.
You can also talk to them at Musisians Friend or a similar dealer. or call someone like Sweetwater SOund, a dealer noted for good customer service. SOme giant place like Guitar Center may not be the best place to get real information.
See if EQ mag has some mic reviews to help you. I know a while back they had a cheap mic shoot out. Cheap as in inexpensive, the very things we are discussing.
One note, you will need the shock mount for these condensers. They can be relatively expensive. A $3000 mic might have a $150 shock mount and so what. But a $90 with a $75 shock mount is less a deal than it seems. So if the mount is included great, but make sure if it is or not when comparing prices. A nice sounding large diaphragm condensor mic is still a bargain even if the mount doubles the price when it starts under $100.
See if you can borrow some different mics to try them out. Perhaps a store will let you audition some mics. Or at least let you rent them for a couple days to get an idea. If you find something sturdy and multipurpose like an SM57 gives good results, or doesn't especially sound better than the fancier mic to you, then why buy the fancier mic? A lot depends on what your recording unit is and your technique, beyond the mic itself.
Recording techniques will vary with the job. And the acoustics in an empty church will be different from those full of people. You may love the results or you may be better off recording them elsewhere. It is up to your ear. |
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| dvdwmth |
thanks for the info.
i think I'm going to look for a couple of inexpensive mics that aren't bad and find a low maintenance recorder and just start recording some stuff and see what happens. Once I've done a few things it will be more clear what I need. |
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| Enzo |
| And don't overlook the newest generation of hard disk recorders. They have come way down in price and have great performance. |
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| dangus |
VHS HiFi. Even if you go with something better, this could be a good backup unit.
Laptop. Based on what I've heard about USB1 audio performance, I'd want to use a laptop with USB 2.0, and something like an MAudio outboard ADC. However, check the line-in performance of the laptop; maybe it's acceptable.
"poor man's Nagra". embedded (industrial pc) motherboard with PCI or ISA sound card (ideally with S/PDIF in and an external ADC), LCD character display, and run something like HardDiskOgg to record to Wav. http://www.fridgesoft.de/harddiskogg.php
(HarddiskOgg accepts commandline input, so it should be feasible to run it screenless, and use a program like Girder with some mutant input device like a hacked gamepad to generate "record" "pause" "stop" commands from push buttons mounted on the case.) Remove the drive and mount it in a USB 2.0 caddy to transfer wav files to editing computer, or load a network driver on the embedded pc and share the record directory.
Or use a lunchbox PC (if you can find one), upgraded to a Pentium or better mobo and appropriate sound card.
At least one of those Ipod-like portable hard-drive music players can also record to .mp3 OR WAV. |
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| dvdwmth |
| quote: | Originally posted by dangus
VHS HiFi. Even if you go with something better, this could be a good backup unit.
Laptop. Based on what I've heard about USB1 audio performance, I'd want to use a laptop with USB 2.0, and something like an MAudio outboard ADC. However, check the line-in performance of the laptop; maybe it's acceptable.
"poor man's Nagra". embedded (industrial pc) motherboard with PCI or ISA sound card (ideally with S/PDIF in and an external ADC), LCD character display, and run something like HardDiskOgg to record to Wav. http://www.fridgesoft.de/harddiskogg.php
(HarddiskOgg accepts commandline input, so it should be feasible to run it screenless, and use a program like Girder with some mutant input device like a hacked gamepad to generate "record" "pause" "stop" commands from push buttons mounted on the case.) Remove the drive and mount it in a USB 2.0 caddy to transfer wav files to editing computer, or load a network driver on the embedded pc and share the record directory.
Or use a lunchbox PC (if you can find one), upgraded to a Pentium or better mobo and appropriate sound card.
At least one of those Ipod-like portable hard-drive music players can also record to .mp3 OR WAV. |
Interesting suggestions.
This isn't the first time I've heard positive comments about the recording quality of VCRs. About 10 years ago I tried recording some LPs from a tweeked systemdek iix on to a VCR and playing them back side by side. It was almost impossible to tell the difference.
That might just be worth looking into, for the time being at least. Certainly nothing else will be as cheap, especially if I pick one up at the local pawn shop. |
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| dvdwmth |
| Anyone know what the soundcard quality is like in the orange clamshell Apple ibooks. I have one of those kicking around but I assumed that it wouldn't be particularly good. |
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