I need help recording with external microphone

[edil]

Hello,

This Friday I'm going to a live classical music concert and I want to test recording. The concert will be presented in an open amphitheater. I will try to sit as close to the stage as possible, anyway I have assisted to previous concerts and even when I sit far from the stage the sound and acoustics are loud, clear and very good.

I'm using the iHP140 and I have two economic microphones, remember this is going to be a test, later I will probably get more expensive microphones. The first microphone is the Olympus ME-51S, it came with my Olympus Digital Voice Recorder:




*Type: Stereo electret condenser microphone
*Frequency Response: 100 – 15,000 Hz
*Directivity: Uni-directional x 2
*Mike Sensitivity: -40db at 1 kHz
*Output Impedance: 2.2kOhms
*Power Supply: Plug-in-power system (1.5V - 10V)


My other mic is the Sony ECM 719:


*Type: Stereo Unidirectional (Cardiod) back electrect condenser
*Directivity: Stereo Unidirectional cardiod
*Effective output level: -47dB, ±4dB (0dB = 1V/Pa, 1 kHz)
*Output Impedance: 1.5k ohms ±30%, unbalanced
*Frequency Response: 100 to 15,000 Hz
*Maximum Sound Pressure Input Level: >110dB SPL
*Dynamic Range: 80dB

According to specs, Which mic you think is better?

I try to do some tests with both microphones and I don't know which one is better, not because I can notice differences in sound quality, but because when using the Sony mic the recording volume level is very low compared to the Olympus one and I’m talking of a huge difference. Then I can not really compare both recordings. That's something that concern me because the Olympus doesn’t use a battery the Sony model does and I try two new different batteries.

I'm using the enhanced recording pack that came with Pilot's experimental build. I don't know what AGC mode to use for live music. I set DJ for test purposes and I have to set the value to 48 Db in order to record something with the Sony.

My biggest concern whit the recording is how I’m going to be able to get a maximum volume level of 90db and be able to record everything from the beginning. I don’t want the loudest part of the music to go higher than 90db but remember this is classical music and there are parts that are played very low at the beginning then it suddenly goes very loud. I want to get everything from the beginning so the recording options must be set properly before the music starts. How can I accomplish that?

[edil]

Originally Posted by edil

Sony ECM 719:

Using the Sony mic the recording volume level is very low

Ok I found few anwsers thanks to Febs and Framesaver. First the Sony model seems to have better specs compared to the Olympus model. The problem related to the low volume levels with the Sony are due to the sensitivity of the microphone. Framesaver explained this issue in one of the H3XX forums. I didn't check in there from the begining because what I have is the iHP-140. Here is the link to framesaver's post made back in 2005:

H320 and ECM 719 mic problem

He also have that mic listed in his "living recording guide" (check Framesaver's signature to get the link).

What I need to know is if there is a workaroud so the Sony mic can be used without problems. So I will like to here from you, any ideas?

[Davide-NYC]

Hey, I have one those sony mics.
For blaring rock music it's not adequate.
Thus it doesn't work for %90 of my needs.
If you want to buy it I would gladly donate the proceeds to the RB project.
(I have a history of doing this)
Lemme know, $30 for the mic?
D.

[Cheatah... Ungowa!]

Originally Posted by edil

I have two economic microphones, remember this is going to be a test, later I will probably get more expensive microphones...

Originally Posted by edil

My other mic is the Sony ECM 719:

He already has that mic, why would he want to buy a second one? Also he's only testing it and will buy more expensive mics later.

[psaturn]

Edil, I think I would go with Sony microphone. The Olympus microphone is a T type and you probably would get the Hard drive sounds out of it...since it is attached to the unit unless you have a cord coming out of it.

the iRiver does have adjustment for external microphone sensitivity and I would recommend you to test that first and try different settings and see how that works for you.

We have used all kinds of microphones for our iRiver and I think Sony microphones are unbeatable. My friend had this Sony microphone that came with his Professional Sony Cassette recorder that was so good that he still uses it for the iRiver recording.

[edil]

Hey thanks for you comments.

It seems that Murphy was next to me during the concert because it was all trouble and I quit recording at half of the program. The Olympus mic recorded the noise from the hard drive. I later add a cable extension but it wasn't long enough and some faint noises get recorded. The Sony mic did a better job at not recording the surrounding sounds.

I will give it another try at the Puerto Rico's Heineken Jazz Festival (http://www.prheinekenjazz.com/) June 1-4, same amphitheater. Since this is going to be more "casual", I will probably have the chance to get the settings right from the beginning. But there is a big IF, I will give it another try IF they allow to record the show, is the same open amphitheater but this one is not free and they have access control.

[labrat]

I have this set:
http://cgi.ebay.com/STEREO-MIC-PREAM...QQcmdZViewItem

works great with the H140, and can adjust sensitivity between two positions.
Gives you a Line-signal to feed into the H140.
Check the sellers shop, he has many different mics and preamps/power-units (with electret microphones you need power for the mics).

[edil]

Originally Posted by labrat

I have this set:
http://cgi.ebay.com/STEREO-MIC-PREAM...QQcmdZViewItem

works great with the H140, and can adjust sensitivity between two positions.
Gives you a Line-signal to feed into the H140.
Check the sellers shop, he has many different mics and preamps/power-units (with electret microphones you need power for the mics).

Labrat there are few mic problems but those are not the ones that bothers me the most. I will not buy another mic until I can get a good idea on how to make good recording in terms of timing, proper gain, editing son on so on.

Thanks anyway!

[monkeysoph]

The Sony ECM-MS957 - (Stereo Condenser Microphone) could be worth checking out for this purpose. Although it's about double the price of the lower end Sony, its specs seem pretty good. I've only used a Rode NT3 for rock bands and find my recording setting needs to be really low to minimise distortion. However, I have yet to work out if it is in fact the mic or the iRiver pre-amp distorting. (The mic is rated as being able to handle SPL of over 110db) Next time I'll try recording through Rockbox firmware to see where my levels are at.