#1157

Haha got it. I’d go with a used M10 if you can find one, but if not, go for the A10.

2 Likes
#1158

Used M10 is a very good option! If you can find one.

1 Like
#1159

drone_DJI_0077
drone_DJI_00771600×900 771 KB

maybe the loudest thing I have recorded…
I used a pair of MKH8040, a pair of MKH8020 and an MKH8050 on a boom right in by the cutting blade… interesting sounds, but need to listen on my studio monitors & sub… Quick drone shoot after we finished.

38 Likes
#1160

Hell yeah! Is this going to be a unit fx library that you’re releasing?

#1161

Not sure what form it will take, today I recorded 3 other limestone saws, including a massive CNC router that they are using to etch limestone… So it might all add up to a mini library… not sure yet.
I did get them to do some moves without the cutter running as the tracks sound interesting, so will def split off the tracks recording to a Unit FX… But will reserve judgment until I am home again & can listen on studio monitors (& i dont want to be hawking my libraries here as I appreciate the commerce free nature of lines, but just had to share a photo of that monster!!)

3 Likes
#1162

I totally understand about not advertising them here. I just got excited because I love your libraries!

1 Like
#1163

I’ve been making long-form music with field recordings recently. Here’s a piece made out of various wind recordings done with a pair of 8020’s in a SASS configuration.

I process the recordings through resonators and very slowly over time make textural music from them.

15 Likes
#1164

What kind of resonators are you working with? Sounds lush.

1 Like
#1165

Thank you! For this was Zynaptiq Adaptiverb and Mutable Elements.

1 Like
#1166

Sorry to clog this up with another gear q… but I’m looking to buy my first non-handheld recorder and trying to decide between the MixPre 6 MkII and the Zoom F6 … people sing Sound Devices praises, but when I search for comparisons between these two is seems like the choice isn’t clear.

If the F6 has similar sound quality then it could be the one, since it’s also cheaper and has better battery life (apparently).

Anyone here have experience with these?

2 Likes
#1167

I have used both pretty extensively and ended up returning the F6 because I find the user-interface really ungainly (pun?). I wrote about it a bit on my website (scroll down a lot)
https://www.zachpoff.com/resources/zachs-recorder-recommendations/
The UI makes routing, pairing, monitoring really awkward, along with the tiny wiggly knobs and generally 1990s menu button mapping (which seems to share nothing with the smart design of the F4/F8). I also use a lot of 3.5mm plug-in-power mics, and the F6 has no 3.5mm input.
That’s just my take (another pun?) but on the flip-side they sound identical, the F6 does have a waaay better battery situation (both because it can take L series batteries directly, and because they last much longer). The MixPre is not only more expensive for fewer inputs, but you also need to pay extra for the L-series battery sled (or use an external USB-C power bank).
But the MixPre UI is so flexible, I’m constantly re-patching inputs, making and breaking stereo pairs, etc as I plug in different combinations of mics. In the end I got a used MixPre-6 original version (not the 32bit vII) and did some 3D printer hacking to get the power figured out:
https://www.zachpoff.com/resources/mixpre-6-lipo-battery-backpack/
I couldn’t be happier, but the F6 is a perfect recorder for more many people (and honestly when you’re in 32bit mode you can basically ignore the entire UI and “fix it in the mix” anyway).
Hope that’s more helpful than confusing! -Z

8 Likes
#1168

I’ll continue to sing the praises of the MixPre’s–I think the extra cost is worth it for the quality and workflow. I’d pay the extra amount for the high quality headphone amplifier alone. The routing on the MixPre’s is super flexible, and the visual feedback and interface are first class. I generally like Zoom recorders and used to own two of them (but not the F6), but the SD recorders are in another class. I’ve owned my MixPre 6 since they were released, and I use it almost every day–complete swiss army knife of audio gear. The best way to power the MixPre 6 is with a USB C power bank–a reasonably-priced solution that powers the 6 all day.

4 Likes
#1169

i’m interested in these libraries where could someone find them?

edit… found-- these are incredible

2 Likes
#1170

So I ended up buying a MixPre 6 mkII based on all the feedback here and elsewhere. Just got it and did a few small test and it’s perfect… sounds great, easy to use, small.

Next on my list is a new pair of cardioid SDCs … I want something I can use outdoors for loud and soft sounds, but also use in studios and galleries for documenting installations or recording voice/music. I have good LDCs, omnis (LOM), an ok shotgun, lots of dynamic mics … so this feels like the missing piece for now.

Any recommendations? I can’t spend a ton, so DPA etc are likely out of my price range. I’m looking at Beyer mc930, Josephson c42, Shure ksm141/137, or the trusty NT5 … that sort of thing. Also on my radar are Niant and Line Audio cm4, but I’m not sure if those would be worth wile or if it would just be better to get the best thing I can afford right now.

Does anyone here use SDC pairs in the field? Any experiences worth sharing?

I’ve used the mc930’s in the studio before and enjoyed them, but that was mostly for drum overheads… quite different.

3 Likes
#1171

Congrats on the MixPre! I have a pair of the Line Audio CM4’s with furry windscreens. The CM4’s are excellent for indoor use, but they’re extremely sensitive to wind. I’ve more or less given up on using them outside because I don’t want to carry around a large blimp, and using spaced omni’s has been great. For installations and studio work, the CM4’s are excellent. Are you sure you need a stereo pair of cardioids for outdoor field recording? The Usi Pro’s are pretty great for field recording, and if I want something directional, I jump straight to a shotgun.

I started out thinking I needed to use a cardioid x-y pair, and after making a lot of recordings, I switched to the pair of Usi Pro’s and haven’t looked back. People ask me all the time if I’m making binaural recordings, but it’s just thoughtful placement of a stereo pair of Usi’s. If I step up to anything, it’ll be a nice pair of Sennheisers and a blimp for mid-side recording. I think there’s a lot of advantages of mid-side over x-y for field work.

1 Like
#1172

Thanks for that input, it all makes a lot of sense.

I mean, realistically, my LDC pair is generally fine for indoor use and I like how they sound.

Maybe I just need to experiment more with the placement of the Usi’s to get a better stereo image, I find omnis can often blur the sound field … but i have more experience with directional mics in general so it might just be my lack of technique.

I have a single shotgun, the NTG2, which has been fine for my needs.

I’ve also considered a single stereo mic, either a SDC or shotgun … seems like it could be useful and simple for doing outdoor stereo recordings.

I also love using good dynamic mics, like the Beyer m88 and m201, for a lot of applications that are typically served by SDCs …

so maybe the answer is I don’t need anything else? But what fun is that lol :slight_smile:

2 Likes
#1173

Haha–well it’s always tempting to get something new, but it sounds like you already have a decent selection of mics, and maybe it’s worth focusing on the MixPre before expanding? Here’s a short example of a recording I made with my MixPre and the Usi Pro’s. I had the mics clipped to branches of a small tree–maybe a meter apart? It was made in the forest near a stream, and in the recording you can hear a distant wind rippling through the forest that comes closer, and moves over and away from the listener. Temporarily on soundcloud, which has applied some compression.

6 Likes
#1174

this sounds great! i think i might not be spacing out the Usi’s enough, since I’m so used to thinking in x/y or other more coincident pairs… time to experiment a bit.

2 Likes
#1175

Since the Usis are Omni mics, you do need to space them apart quite a bit depending on the distance of the sound you want to record. But of coruse you can also space them apart too much and get a too exagerated effect. The nice thing is that you get a lot more of the phase differencies our brain relies on to identify the direction of sounds, than with an XY config.

5 Likes
#1176

Yes, it’s great, and the headphone amp, yes!
Low noise pres with lots of gain on tap. Enough to drive ribbon mics.

The only thing I don’t like about it is no ADAT and no balanced outs (which is understandable).

1 Like