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Joy Joy is offline
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Default Recording speech

Hi, I'm probably too knew to audio to be posting here, but I do know I'm
lacking knowledge and hopefully you won't mind me asking.
This weekend I was experimenting with the new sony minidisc MZRH1B and some
borrowed equipment, a sanken lavalier mic and pre-amp to try to record good
clean speech. The minidisc was set to low mic sensitivity and linear PCM. I
adjusted the pre-amp gain to max and then back to mid but I still could not
get an acceptable volume. When I changed the minidisc to high mic
sensitivity, the volume increased but I heard too much background noise. The
house was fairly quiet but the dishwasher was going in the next room, I
thought it was quiet, but obviously not. How practical is this setup
considering that I'll be recording speech in other people's homes?
I'm thinking of investing in this mic pre-amp setup from the local audio
recording pro shop. I've returned the equipment now and I really need to
talk to them further before buying. Is there a better affordable setup? Do
you know of a website which would expain the process and equipment I need to
acheive my goal which doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

Any comments would be appreciated.
Joy


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Don Pearce Don Pearce is offline
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Default Recording speech

On Mon, 6 Nov 2006 20:47:16 +1300, "Joy" wrote:

Hi, I'm probably too knew to audio to be posting here, but I do know I'm
lacking knowledge and hopefully you won't mind me asking.
This weekend I was experimenting with the new sony minidisc MZRH1B and some
borrowed equipment, a sanken lavalier mic and pre-amp to try to record good
clean speech. The minidisc was set to low mic sensitivity and linear PCM. I
adjusted the pre-amp gain to max and then back to mid but I still could not
get an acceptable volume. When I changed the minidisc to high mic
sensitivity, the volume increased but I heard too much background noise. The
house was fairly quiet but the dishwasher was going in the next room, I
thought it was quiet, but obviously not. How practical is this setup
considering that I'll be recording speech in other people's homes?
I'm thinking of investing in this mic pre-amp setup from the local audio
recording pro shop. I've returned the equipment now and I really need to
talk to them further before buying. Is there a better affordable setup? Do
you know of a website which would expain the process and equipment I need to
acheive my goal which doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

Any comments would be appreciated.
Joy


The ratio of the wanted sound to the background is simply a function
of the relative distance to each. If you are getting too much
background sound on your recording, you need to move away from the
source of the sound. That's about it really. Buying better kit may
make the dishwasher sound a bit clearer, but that is really all it
will do for you.

As for the sensitivity setting, use whatever seems appropriate for the
wanted sound.


d

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Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com
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Laurence Payne Laurence Payne is offline
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Default Recording speech

On Tue, 7 Nov 2006 09:10:04 +1300, "Joy" wrote:

No it didn't. I'm not sure the minidisc has AGC but the AVL setting on the
minidisc was turned off during the experiment.


OK. So you need a more directional mic, or one placed nearer to the
speaker's mouth. You say it was a lavalier type? So, presumably an
omni? (There's no way a body mic will ever be pointing in a useful
direction :-)

Theatre folk have at last admitted that a body mic anywhere except on
the cheek-bone is not terribly useful. If you insist in recording in
noisy surroundings, perhaps this (or a headset mic) would be best.

Should this really just go down as operator error? The real answer
was to turn off the dishwasher. You'll notice it next time :-)


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Laurence Payne Laurence Payne is offline
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Default Recording speech

Also, what was the preamp? Such things normally drive a Line input,
not a Mic input.
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Richard Crowley Richard Crowley is offline
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Default Recording speech

"Joy" wrote ...
"Laurence Payne" wrote ...
(Don Pearce) wrote:
The ratio of the wanted sound to the background is simply a function
of the relative distance to each.


It might also be a function of an automatic gain control. These can
be unavoidable on consumer gear. If the dishwasher was loud enough to
be noticed, AGC would assume it was worth recording and turn up the
gain whenever the speaker paused. Does the dishwasher noise fade up
in silent sections?


No it didn't. I'm not sure the minidisc has AGC but the AVL setting on
the minidisc was turned off during the experiment.


AVL is just an alias for AGC.
I'm not aware of any portable MD recorder that does NOT have
AGC/AVL/whatever you want to call it. Some method of automatically
setting recording levels.

Furthermore the universal complaint about portable MD recorders
is that the auto-level (by whatever name) always defaults to "ON"
and is difficult to turn off on many models.

Get (and KEEP) the microphone as close to the talker's mouth as practical.
But not in the "blast zone" directly in front of the lips.

Minimize ambient noises by watever means you can use. Certainly turning
off a dishwasher is well within this rule. You may not be able to unplug a
refrigerator, etc. But you certainly don't have to run the dishwasher while
recording dialog. Moving into a quiet room, closing doors/windows, are
all in order here.

ALWAYS use headphones while recording. You have learned that the
microphone doe NOT hear the same way you (or any of us) do. There
is no substitute for proper monitoring while recording. Else it is like
shooting video without a viewfinder.


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Hendry Hendry is offline
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Default Recording speech

Hope FlexiMusic Wave Editor Software would suit best to record the audio or
speech.
http://www.fleximusic.com/

"Joy" wrote in message
...
Hi, I'm probably too knew to audio to be posting here, but I do know I'm
lacking knowledge and hopefully you won't mind me asking.
This weekend I was experimenting with the new sony minidisc MZRH1B and
some borrowed equipment, a sanken lavalier mic and pre-amp to try to
record good clean speech. The minidisc was set to low mic sensitivity and
linear PCM. I adjusted the pre-amp gain to max and then back to mid but I
still could not get an acceptable volume. When I changed the minidisc to
high mic sensitivity, the volume increased but I heard too much background
noise. The house was fairly quiet but the dishwasher was going in the next
room, I thought it was quiet, but obviously not. How practical is this
setup considering that I'll be recording speech in other people's homes?
I'm thinking of investing in this mic pre-amp setup from the local audio
recording pro shop. I've returned the equipment now and I really need to
talk to them further before buying. Is there a better affordable setup?
Do you know of a website which would expain the process and equipment I
need to acheive my goal which doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

Any comments would be appreciated.
Joy






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