DECK SETTINGS
INT MIC - Really only useful for dictation etc. The noise of the HD spinning up will give you a headache pretty quickly when recording to WAV (every 30 secs or so) but for a 64Kbps mp3 (which is all you really need for note taking), this only happens around every 4 minutes, so it’s not so bad. Turning on the AGC cuts down the distortion levels pretty well, and helps to boost those more distant sounds. All recordings are dual-channel mono.
EXT MIC - Probably the most used setting. As the H Series currently lacks any record level indicator, it can be a little bit of trial and error getting it setup right to make good recordings. The gain applied depends very much on the sensitivity of the mic you’re using (I’ll discuss aftermarket mics later). In most cases, around 5 – 10 would do, though for ambient sounds you’d probably want to increase that, or lower it for loud music.
Calibrating what gain level you need: the best method I’ve found is to run a few tests with the mic you intend to use before you run it in the field. Set up at home, with an appropriate sound source (your stereo or whatever) set to an applicable level. Run three record tests, at a gain of 0, 8 and 15, and then hook up to your PC. Then use whatever editing software you prefer to have a look at the waveforms. Here’s what you’ll probably see:
Gain 0: Probably a little too quiet
Gain 8: Not bad, but clipping on some of the loud peaks
Gain 15: It hurts my eyes! Put it away!
So from those 3 tests, you may decide to run at about Gain 5, which produces:
…a nice wave form with a bit of space to breathe around the peaks.
Remember it’s always better to run too quiet than too loud when it comes to live recording. Hiss is easier to deal with than distortion – I’ll cover this later as well. Once you have the recording levels set the way you like, there’s usually no need to use the AGC, as its compression effects can make your recordings sound a little uneven when they’re in any way dynamic.
LINE IN
Line In (Optical or Analog) will be used most often when transferring music from vinyl, MD, etc. but it could certainly be used in other situations such as:
- When you’re recording VERY loud music, when even Gain 0 is at risk of clipping (Note that at these sort of levels, your mics will probably be approaching their dynamic limit, so you may want to consider increasing the power to them – Again I’ll cover this later).
- When you have a more professional recording setup, with a mic preamp with either an optical or analog out to run to the line in. These often have a sound level indicator built-in, which will allow you to monitor and control the feed into your deck nicely. Several preamp options are available from soundprofessionals.c om, ranging from about $150 and up. Top of the line portable preamps include the Core Sound MIC 2496. If you have one of these though (or the money to buy one), you’re more likely to be running into a DAT or a JB3.
Another little tip – If you want to run a really stealthy setup, keep the remote (sans earphones) plugged in as your control interface. That way you can keep the deck with and battery box/preamp stashed in your pocket/bag. Now you can stop and start the system with the minimal amount of disturbance to your mics and without drawing too much attention to yourself.