#767

I bought the LS-P4 because reviews and specifications said it had a good SNR, great battery life and recording to FLAC was a great option too. After I had confirmed plug-in power it was a no brainer, I bought Usis just for it.

As with any small recorder, there is handling noise, so a handle might be a good idea.

Because of it’s size and battery life, it’ll get a lot of use, then just pop out the built-in USB and transfer stuff over.

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#768

I just got these, and for the price, I have to say I am pretty impressed. Really makes for a small kit. The wind bubbles are pretty much a must. It’s 3.5mm plug in power, but I am using a splitter to dual XLR on my DR-40 and it works great. The guy responds right away and provides excellent service.

https://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-TFB-2

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#769

You’re welcome!

Just think if the cables worn off I can replace it easily.

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#770

I don’t even have omnis with detachable cables (hopefully soon…), but I can say I sure wish I did. They aren’t mine but I have access to a pair of Micbooster Clippys I frequently use. The attached cables are rather thin, and while they aren’t super flimsy it means you have to be careful with storing/transporting them and have to carry around a separate small hard case rather than say having them fit in with my recorder and being able to carry cables in a soft bag with everything else (windjammers, mini tripod/grip, extra batteries/cards, so on). I think being able to have various sets of cables for different situations is a big bonus. If you are running lots of long cables where they might get stepped on/tweaked or otherwise abused, you want to use something more robust, otherwise opting for thinner/lighter cables is a bonus. Also having a spare in your bag - if the cable on the mic breaks or the connection gets a bit picky over time from wear and tear you are stuck with it until you can repair it at home instead of swapping a cable out. Often times though I am just using the omnis as a substitute for the built in mics on my tascam since they sound better and will clip them on to the mic guards on the recorder, but then rather than being able to choose a shorter cable for a more compact rig you are stuck with all this long dangling cable, which even if you tie it up with velcro is bound to get bumped and create more handling noise. Unless your idea is to have a light/small as possible set up while still having external mics, if you only have one pair I think having detachable cables is a big bonus.

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#771

This is good info. Thank you. I would have to weigh the size of the setup with the UsiPros vs Mikro Pros. I like the higher sensitivity of the mikros too.

Are there other mics one can use with a UsiPro set, something akin to the new Zooms’ modular mic approach?

#772

Yes it is exactly what I’m doing! I use the minijack cable for a ‘stealth’ setup (mount the mics on my bag with the official clips), and the XLR cables are bounded on a stereo bar with a short tripod. With this arrangement I can minimize the setup time on cable management.

#773

well the body is so small that the plug itself is basically the mic body, so by changing “capsules” you would basically be changing mics. most mics with interchangeable capsules I have seen tend to be higher end studio mics…
although it does look like Naiant offer some pretty compact mics that would get you that sort of result, one with switchable patterns and one with interchangeable capsules, but both at a higher price tag.
https://naiant.com/studio-electronics-products/microphones/x-r-interchangeable-capsule-microphone/
https://naiant.com/studio-electronics-products/microphones/x-8s-multipattern-condenser-microphone/

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#774

Thank you.

And so if I wanted a cardioid mic for example I could order one of these capsules from Naiant and put it on the Usi Pro cord?

Sorry for all the noob questions. I appreciate the help.

#775

from what I can tell the Usi Pro just uses a standard XLR mic cable. But no, you would have to attach that capsule to the Naiant body which they sell separately.

Swappable mic capsules like that tend to be a proprietary thing because the capsules are designed to work with the specific electronics in different mic bodies. So I can’t say buy a capsule for a Neumann and stick it on my Behringer B-5 mics.

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#776

I was afraid of this considering when I did a little research Blue Bird popped up and I figured that was proprietary.

Ok. Thanks again!

#777

I am new here but an experienced field recordist. Lots of different conversations in this one thread!

Some clarity regarding microphones. It’s important to distinguish between mics that need no power (dynamics), those that work off plug-in-power (PIP), and those that need professional phantom power (48V).

Dynamic mics are OK for voice but aren’t going to be sensitive enough for ambiance and don’t have the sort of clarity most of us, who might wish to manipulate the audio, require. But if you are totally into LoFi, they are fine.

PIP mics tend to be small electrets, which are highly portable and can capture nice sound… good enough for most purposes. The battery drain is small and some recorders can last for many hours.

The larger condenser mics that require 48V were originally designed for studio work, where you control your environment. In the field they force you to think about battery pack options, mic stands, wind protection, etc. So you need time and money to invest in your craft. Pros use them, but the rest of us need not. (Until you get obsessed.)

I have a comprehensive article here which is part of my larger series. My blog has a wealth of info compiled from dozens of people and practice over a couple decades.

But in short I recommend mics based on the Primo EM172 capsule, which is a good compromise of low noise and clarity. I have endorsed Audiotalaia in Spain and LOM in Slovakia.

When it comes to recorders, the most important aspects are what power it provides and how good the preamps are. If you don’t need phantom, you can get smaller recorders and use those EM172 mics. I find this very liberating. (Though as a professional I have two larger recorders as well.)

There is a big difference between the Zoom H4 and H4n, which have fairly noisy pre-amps, and the H6 which has a 13dB or so improvement. My favourite recorders are the Sony M10 and the Olympus LS-10, LS-11, and LS-5 because they can hide in a pocket an sound great. None are in production any longer.

OK that’s enough for now. Avail of the resources I have provided and most questions will be answered. Happy recording!

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#778

Apparently I can put only two links per post. So here are the others.

LOM
Audiotalaia

When buying small mics from other sources, ask what the capsule is and stick with EM172 for low noise.

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#779

Cheers, didn’t know that about the difference between the H4N and the H6. Might save up a bit longer for the H6 then, as want to use it with a pair of KM84s (the first mics to use phantom power in 1966!)

#780

I’m using your seal library right now!

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#781

So do i understand correctly that the Usi mics use the EM172 capsules?

#782

The original Uši are the EM172 and sound just fine. I recommend them. The newer Uši Micros use some other capsule (not sure which)… I am testing them right now. Informally, I would say they have a slightly different character and slightly more noise, but you would need to listen side-by-side to find a difference. Comparison table here.

I would get the Uši Micros only if the ridiculously small size was a compelling advantage over the normal Uši.

Disclosure: I received some mics for free but have also placed several orders with LOM using my own cash. :smiley:

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#783

Thanks! I ordered a pair of EM172’s to build a set myself.

#784

Excellent!! Those seals have appeared in a lot of interesting projects…

re field recording, it is quite a strange adjustment, spending time in a colony of animals, observing & learning their behaviour… I’ve had the pleasure twice, first time recording the Seals in Ngawi, NZ and again with the Macaques in Shodoshima, Japan…

The baby seals are quite inquisitive & reasonably fearless as long as you don’t make any rapid movements or wave gear around… I was never very close to them but even putting up a tripod would scare them… unless you did it in slow motion.

But those macaques freaked me out a few times - one vivid memory was during my artists residency on Shodoshima. I took a friend (Katerina, a dancer from Finland who was also doing a residency) on a hike - we caught a cable car up to the top of the mountain range, and then walked down through dense forest, following well established hiking tracks. I’d seen the macaques lots on Shodoshima - an entire colony of maybe 50+ macaques were often on the roads that go across the mountaintop…

Anyway we were walking down through the forests and after about an hour I suddenly noticed a macaque in the forest and pointed it out, and then slowly realised an entire colony was moving through the forest, crossing the path maybe 100m directly in front of us!! They were very organised with a scout/leader and strong males on the exterior of the group, like guards on all sides… And within the group were a lot of females carrying babies… For a moment I was not sure how safe we were & very slowly bent down and picked up some stones & a stick… They definitely saw us and the males closest to us didn’t move on until the group had passed safely… As a gaijin you never ‘fit in’ in Japan, but that especially made me feel like an alien visitor!

sorry not tech related, but I’d love to hear any stories from recording other animal cultures & societies that we share this planet with…

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#785

Certainly it’s worth experimenting, but I don’t think there are any standards for this in the field. I would tend to treat each stereo pair separately, aiming to get a more near-field capture from one set and a more distant sound from the other. This would give flexibility in a mix and would avoid phase issues that could happen if the mics were closer to each other.

But then there’s Ambisonics…

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#786

What are the smallest sounds you have recorded and how did you get those sounds?

I’m on a residency now with some time in the woods and I’d like to record things like leaves on leaves and insects walking, if, possible!

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