Field recording

rvx · 2017-09-01T14:11:03.459Z

the bubblebee windshields are excellent!
I’ve used them on both the Usi and with a pair of DPA 4060 taped to my ears for a pseudo binaural recording outside - it came out great.
Which Marantz do you have? I still use the PMD660 as I like it for wild-track recordings whilst I’m doing other stuff.

Larrea · 2017-09-01T14:13:49.201Z

rvx:

F&V articulating arm - holds the mixpre but handy for whatever.

How is this attached to the K&M stand? I can’t make it out.

Thanks!

rvx · 2017-09-01T14:13:51.378Z

I’ve been chatting with Jonas at LOM and he said he’d be more than happy to answer any questions about the Usi mics, just email support@zvukolom.org

rvx · 2017-09-01T14:20:59.549Z

camera clamp mount - something like this:

amazon.co.uk

Phot-R 5cm Articulating Magic Friction Super Arm Clip: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo

£5.95

hamildad · 2017-09-01T15:48:48.857Z

I also use a PMD660, and have used it professionally and non professionally for a long time, i like its heft and the simplicity of it.

As mentioned though, it does eat AA for breakfast when using Phantom power,

Incidently I found a field recording website which measured the stats of a load of handheld recorders and the PMD660 came out well. In fact well enough that I didnt see the need to upgrade.

Wouldnt mind an android/IOS mic for keeping on me for impromptu recordings, (especially sad I am on holiday now and the Marantz wasnt feasible to pack) but the changing connectors for each phone makes it obsolete with every upgrade.

ermina · 2017-09-01T16:07:46.581Z

i have an old PMD660 in a drawer but it has not been too useful to me. The preamps are not particularly quiet and don’t give much headroom, making dynamic mics difficult to use. I had other recorders (including a slighlty less hissy but “3h-on-8-AA-batteries”(!) PMD690) at that time so i did not bother with it. I read someone did a preamp mod for the 660 which apparently made it a good machine.

azurga · 2017-09-19T08:42:51.901Z

Hi! I’m thinking on doing with some field recording. I would like to start with something small and portable, not very expensive. Maybe a Zoom H4n, ¿some suggestions?

razzkazz · 2017-09-19T09:18:30.138Z

Don’t get a Zoom H4n. The microphone pre-amps are terrible with the built-in mics useless in all but noisy situations. I have one and have been very frustrated with it. I now use external mics with it and that helps a lot.
The feature set is good but the overall quality is very poor. At first I thought it was ok, but after about a year I realised it’s crap

Here is an article worth reading, a guide to entry level recorders.

papernoise · 2017-09-19T15:23:27.927Z

I think Sony PCM-D100 is what everybody suggest as the best investment, with the PCM-D50 being the second best. It’s not really what you are looking for… because it’s pretty expensive. I do have a Zoom H5 and it seems pretty decent to me. There’s a bit of noise coming from the mics, but it’s a lot better than the H4N (did use that once and found it terrible).

Might want to check this: http://www.creativefieldrecording.com/2015/11/18/field-recording-gear-buyers-guide/

azurga · 2017-09-19T17:06:49.474Z

papernoise:

I think Sony PCM-D100 is what everybody suggest as the best investment, with the PCM-D50 being the second best.

Wow, that’s way over my budget. I’m afraid to not get hooked on field recording and ending with a 600 $ piece of gear in a drawer…

Thank you for the link, I’ll check those options.

GoneCaving · 2017-09-19T17:11:50.245Z

What’s the consensus around here on the Tascam DR-100mkiii? LIke @azurga I think the Sony is a little expensive (and if I was spending that sort of money I’d be looking at the Mixpre).

papernoise · 2017-09-19T17:16:59.294Z

azurga:

Wow, that’s way over my budget. I’m afraid to not get hooked on field recording and ending with a 600 $ piece of gear in a drawer…

Yeah, wasn’t really suggest you get that. To be honest the H5 is a lot of value for what you pay (about $300 round here). You can also use it as an audio interface and that can be handy.

azurga · 2017-09-19T17:44:53.199Z

papernoise:

You can also use it as an audio interface

OK, now I really want an H5, thanks for your advice.

Larrea · 2017-09-19T17:45:20.287Z

There’s the discontinued Sony PCM-M10:

https://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-audio/resource.latest.bbsccms-assets-cat-audio-solutions-pcmm10.shtml

I’d consider selling mine for somewhere in the vicinity of $300. Red faceplate. Very handsome.

Larrea · 2017-09-19T17:47:26.509Z

By the way, @rvx, thanks for the tip on the K&M stand. I bought one. It’s actually kind of cute! Smaller than I expected. I like it a lot; small, well-made. Very useful!

razzkazz · 2017-09-19T22:55:11.733Z

You need to think about what your goal is. If it’s just for fun, or documenting something were pristine or even clean audio is not required then I guess there are lots of budget recorders available… even the H4N, or get a gadget that attaches to your smartphone. But if you want to capture what you hear clearly (especially anything quiet in nature), and use/present/enjoy/process those recordings, spending a couple of hundred euro extra really pays off in the long run, and really enriches the process of field recording. I’m in a “buy cheap, buy twice” situation but can’t afford to upgrade at the minute.

hamildad · 2017-09-20T12:26:52.567Z

Almost every field recording thread ends up in a race to the top. you can enjoy/use/process and present a shitty recording…

The best camera is the one you have with you, so maybe buy something small and cheap and when you feel yourself outgrow it, then spend on a pro device. you’ll know that you get something out of field recording, and also know what is important to you ( functionality/ portability)

I am just weary of everything ramping to BigSky,MF-104,Cirklon levels of expectation/budget when unles you are actually being paid to do this, good enough is usually good enough…

I’m Kent Brockman, and thats my 2c.

vehka · 2017-09-20T13:04:17.230Z

In that vein, if somebody would make a smartphone with a decent built-in microphone, I’d get one immediately.

A few years back, I did a year-long fieldwork in Southeast Asia. Recording equipment used: Rode Videomic Pro, Zoom H2n, and my smartphone. I have hundreds of hours of recordings, mostly speech, some music & ambient sounds too. The real gems I managed to record were the ones I did with my smartphone, because I happened to carry it when the magic happened. Needless to say, audio quality is awful.

beo · 2017-09-20T13:39:35.159Z

re: sound and equipment qualities

What are you listening to? General

truly exceptional mix by Andrea Zarza, Curator of World and Traditional Music at the British Library here is a description of sound materials, etc. : http://www.nts.live/editorial/british-library-sound-archive

in these rec. there are a lot of energy (ie emotions), which is what i am looking for regardless of sound quality and equipment quality.

ermina · 2017-09-21T09:33:32.577Z

yet most of those sounds were certainly recorded with gear of the best quality available in the era they were made.