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#41
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pcomlow wrote: I don't understand what you mean by having my computer 2-3 rooms away and have a very long cord? The problem with going form a mic to your computer directly is that you have to be literally in another *room* to not pick up the computer. |
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#42
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David Ballinger wrote: Hi Dave B. here, with another cheap and dirty fix. Mr. Pcomlow, what kind of a scrounger can you be? are you willing to go hunting? Assuming sensitivity is more important than fidelity, small radio speakers make OK microphones. an old trick for a wall contact microphone was the 4 or 5 inch speaker out of an all American 5 AM tube type radio. The output transformer was mounted to the transducer 4 ohm speaker side 2,000 ohm output tube side. given that or something like that; attach a suitable length of shielded wire to the secondary with the proper connector for the PC mike input, mount or hold or brace the speaker on the ceiling, preferably under the space between the floor joists in the area of the most sound you are trying to capture. This should be a seismic event, baboom baboom. Heh. I also mentioned this. Most peolpe don't figure that a big speaker works well, but it does for picking up ambient noises. |
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#43
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In article ziT6e.38748$Xs.34947@fed1read03,
pcomlow wrote: I don't understand what you mean by having my computer 2-3 rooms away and have a very long cord? Making a PC that operates quietly enough to be used anywhere near a live microphone is a very expensive, frustrating proposition. "Silent" PC's are actually down to, say, 20dBA, which is pretty quiet, but not when you're close to a microphone. Also, there's other noise to consider, including the electronic noise that's generated inside the PC case, and the fact that every cable is an antenna. I like the MOTU 896 but that's out of my price range for the time being, although I would definately like that in the future. Couldn't some mixer board be used? There are plenty of mixing boards that have good preamps, and even some very cheap ones that would work quite adequately for, say, recording a singer and a guitar for example. But your application seems to be skipping right past "normal", easy things like that where there's enough signal that a little noise isn't a huge problem. You're going straight into something that's pretty difficult to pull off. Noises from an upstairs room? A foley artist wouldn't bother trying to capture that from an upstairs room. There'd be some trick to it. I say this because I have a totally different application that I need to do also with my PC and that will require some other sound inputs that need to feed inside to my computer A low-cost mixing board (e.g., Behringer, Mackie), can help solve all kinds of problems, as can a decent low-cost sound card (e.g., Delta AP2496, ESI Juli). People who post on r.a.p. often seem to have no concept of "shoestring budget", which is sort of understandable, but not really. I have a bigger budget as an amateur than I ever had an any of the pro situations I've been in (college radio, public radio, and sports broadcasting.) |
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#44
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In article cyT6e.38753$Xs.6987@fed1read03,
pcomlow wrote: as you already figured out, I am not a music pro by any means, so I guess I am wondering why having only 4 mic channels is not a great deal It's a great deal. If you are creative with it, you can do anything in 4 channels. |
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#45
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In article ,
Sander deWaal wrote: I wish you good luck. I moved for the very same reason, noisy neighbors above me. This group runs the full range. One guy asking for advice on building a house in upstate NY for the express purpose of recording a singer, others having to move out of apartments due to noisy upstairs neighbors. Pretty much the only requirement I have for housing, is that I can play my piano. Of course, that means I need space, it needs to be climate controlled, and it needs to be in a place where =100dB is no problem. I've sought out places near nightclub districts, airports, college houses, etc., for the very reason that I *want* noisy neighbors so that *I* won't be *their* problem. |
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#46
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In article ,
Paul Stamler wrote: My suspicion is that the real beef is going to be with the architect, not the upstairs people. People, after all, do walk and open and close doors in the course of normal life, and it's going to be hard convincing either a landlord or a court that they shouldn't. Likewise it's going to be very, very hard to persuade the landlord to rebuild the structure. You may have to simply bag it and move. Maybe offer to buy them a rug and weatherstrip their doors? |
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#47
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james wrote:
People who post on r.a.p. often seem to have no concept of "shoestring budget", Say what? |
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#48
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"pcomlow" wrote in message news:reN6e.38723$Xs.17845@fed1read03... Ok, thanks for the info, especially the Behringer B-1, now I got to figure out how to hook it up to my PC computer using 1/8 jacks in the back? It's got those big XLR connectors, but what do you recommend to get connected to the PC as doesn't this need a 48+ phantom power supply... any sound cards you recommend to just to "get-the-job-done"? Creative or their professional series E-MU stuff? will it be worth it as don't I have to have some mixer board to begin with (any best money for the value) Thanks in advance The MOTU 896 connects by IEEE1394 (Firewire). You don't need, or want, a sound card, as they are terribly inferior (even my Turtle Beach Santa Cruz is noisy in comparison to the MOTU 896. The MOTU also supplies 48V DC phantom power, over balanced XLR connections. If you're serious about recording on a limited budget, this setup gives incredible bang for the buck. If you went with the sound card option, you would need an outboard phantom power supply (about $35 per mic). Results would probably suffice, but you'd be limited greatly in s/n ratio. I've gotten the B-1s as cheap as $83/each from BSWUSA.com in quantities of six or greater. You may also find a deal on eBay. Most folks hate Behringer, so the prices are low on resales. Public apathy is to our benefit as we get a great deal on a maligned brand name. Depending on your future applications, you may wish to give serious consideration to the MOTU 896, used, on eBay. Prices are dropping. There are deals to be had. I love this box and use it for recording concerts, fireworks, aircraft--all sorts of events. -- Take care, Mark & Mary Ann Weiss VIDEO PRODUCTION • FILM SCANNING • DVD MASTERING • AUDIO RESTORATION Hear my Kurzweil Creations at: http://www.dv-clips.com/theater.htm Business sites at: www.dv-clips.com www.mwcomms.com www.adventuresinanimemusic.com - |
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#49
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"Joseph Oberlander" wrote in message ink.net... I'm having a lot of fun with my Behringer B-1 condenser mics and the MOTU 896. This is the dream setup you want for recording sounds that are inaudible to normal ears. Get these two items. They work and won't break the bank. The improtant part is the 896 or something like it. Plugging a mic into your soundcard isn't going to come close to achieving what you want unless your computer is 2-3 rooms away and you have a very long chord(which has problems as well). Both parts are equally important. A noisy mic isn't going to provide good results, even with preamps as quiet as the ones in the 896. It's a chain. Eliminate all the weak links. -- Take care, Mark & Mary Ann Weiss VIDEO PRODUCTION . FILM SCANNING . DVD MASTERING . AUDIO RESTORATION Hear my Kurzweil Creations at: http://www.dv-clips.com/theater.htm Business sites at: www.dv-clips.com www.mwcomms.com www.adventuresinanimemusic.com - |
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#50
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I like the MOTU 896 but that's out of my price range for the time being, although I would definately like that in the future. Couldn't some mixer board be used? Mackie 1202 VLZ pro is very low noise and good VFM, but you're paying for 4 mic channels. -- Anahata -+- http://www.treewind.co.uk Home: 01638 720444 Mob: 07976 263827 He needs good A/D converters too. Of what good would a quiet mic, mic pre and mixer be if the sound card he's using adds 40dB of noise to it all? -- Take care, Mark & Mary Ann Weiss VIDEO PRODUCTION . FILM SCANNING . DVD MASTERING . AUDIO RESTORATION Hear my Kurzweil Creations at: http://www.dv-clips.com/theater.htm Business sites at: www.dv-clips.com www.mwcomms.com www.adventuresinanimemusic.com - |
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#51
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"james" wrote in message news:g327e.38813$Xs.11414@fed1read03... In article ziT6e.38748$Xs.34947@fed1read03, pcomlow wrote: I don't understand what you mean by having my computer 2-3 rooms away and have a very long cord? Making a PC that operates quietly enough to be used anywhere near a live microphone is a very expensive, frustrating proposition. "Silent" PC's are actually down to, say, 20dBA, which is pretty quiet, but not when you're close to a microphone. My Sony VAIO notebook is nearly silent. When I need to make a very critical studio recording, I shut down the desktop PCs and plug the MOTU into the VAIO and record there. It's also portable. BTW, anyone power their MOTU 896 off a 'modified sine wave' inverter for outdoor use? I'm thinking of investing in a pure sine wave inverter, but just wondering if anyone's used a cheap Xantrex inverter from Costco to power these. -- Take care, Mark & Mary Ann Weiss VIDEO PRODUCTION • FILM SCANNING • DVD MASTERING • AUDIO RESTORATION Hear my Kurzweil Creations at: http://www.dv-clips.com/theater.htm Business sites at: www.dv-clips.com www.mwcomms.com www.adventuresinanimemusic.com - |
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#52
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an old trick for a wall contact microphone was the 4
or 5 inch speaker out of an all American 5 AM tube type radio. The output transformer was mounted to the transducer 4 ohm speaker side 2,000 ohm output tube side. given that or something like that; attach a suitable length of shielded wire to the secondary with the proper connector for the PC mike input, mount or hold or brace the speaker on the ceiling, preferably under the space between the floor joists in the area of the most sound you are trying to capture. This should be a seismic event, baboom baboom. With that kind of transducer, a direct to the LINE IN will do. But you can still expect a lot of distortion and very poor frequency response. Anyway, it sounds like he's in a rent-controlled apartment and the landlord may be trying to get rid of him so he can lease it at today's rates. This happened to a freind of mine who lived in the same apt in the Bronx since 1957. They brought in a noisy family with a lot of kids and they jumped up and down just as hard as they could all night to make life miserable for my friend, who was still paying 1960s rent rates. He eventually moved to Florida. Those situations just can't be won. -- Take care, Mark & Mary Ann Weiss VIDEO PRODUCTION • FILM SCANNING • DVD MASTERING • AUDIO RESTORATION Hear my Kurzweil Creations at: http://www.dv-clips.com/theater.htm Business sites at: www.dv-clips.com www.mwcomms.com www.adventuresinanimemusic.com - |
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#53
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james wrote:
I've sought out places near nightclub districts, airports, college houses, etc., for the very reason that I *want* noisy neighbors so that *I* won't be *their* problem. You should be in the frame for a house swap with one of the other posters then :-) Acoustic matchmakers'R'us ! Anahata |
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#55
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Ok, I see what you are now finally getting at....
Convert the analog signal to Digital as soon as possible. More equipment in between transportng an analog signal just alows noise to get in. OK, so what I need is something like a MOTU 896 that's cheaper then...THAT is something that has phantom power and converts it to digital to send to the 1394 port... Is there something more portable than the MOTU 896 that can do this? I don't need all those channels right now "Mark & Mary Ann Weiss" wrote in message k.net... "Joseph Oberlander" wrote in message ink.net... I'm having a lot of fun with my Behringer B-1 condenser mics and the MOTU 896. This is the dream setup you want for recording sounds that are inaudible to normal ears. Get these two items. They work and won't break the bank. The improtant part is the 896 or something like it. Plugging a mic into your soundcard isn't going to come close to achieving what you want unless your computer is 2-3 rooms away and you have a very long chord(which has problems as well). Both parts are equally important. A noisy mic isn't going to provide good results, even with preamps as quiet as the ones in the 896. It's a chain. Eliminate all the weak links. -- Take care, Mark & Mary Ann Weiss VIDEO PRODUCTION . FILM SCANNING . DVD MASTERING . AUDIO RESTORATION Hear my Kurzweil Creations at: http://www.dv-clips.com/theater.htm Business sites at: www.dv-clips.com www.mwcomms.com www.adventuresinanimemusic.com - |
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#56
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Joseph Oberlander said: The problem with going form a mic to your computer directly is that you have to be literally in another *room* to not pick up the computer. Did you know that when Arnii rents out the Kroobitch, he gives the john a 25% discount if they do it in the same room with his DAW? Wait, of course you knew that. |
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#57
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Hmmmmm.....
You sound like you are on to something.....I do have a pretty good rent here...and there is a 1yr old and they put them on the 3rd floor for some odd reason.... There is NO way they should have allowed a family with a 1yr old to be on the 3rd floor knowing full well that number of complaints that they get. "Mark & Mary Ann Weiss" wrote in message nk.net... an old trick for a wall contact microphone was the 4 or 5 inch speaker out of an all American 5 AM tube type radio. The output transformer was mounted to the transducer 4 ohm speaker side 2,000 ohm output tube side. given that or something like that; attach a suitable length of shielded wire to the secondary with the proper connector for the PC mike input, mount or hold or brace the speaker on the ceiling, preferably under the space between the floor joists in the area of the most sound you are trying to capture. This should be a seismic event, baboom baboom. With that kind of transducer, a direct to the LINE IN will do. But you can still expect a lot of distortion and very poor frequency response. Anyway, it sounds like he's in a rent-controlled apartment and the landlord may be trying to get rid of him so he can lease it at today's rates. This happened to a freind of mine who lived in the same apt in the Bronx since 1957. They brought in a noisy family with a lot of kids and they jumped up and down just as hard as they could all night to make life miserable for my friend, who was still paying 1960s rent rates. He eventually moved to Florida. Those situations just can't be won. -- Take care, Mark & Mary Ann Weiss VIDEO PRODUCTION . FILM SCANNING . DVD MASTERING . AUDIO RESTORATION Hear my Kurzweil Creations at: http://www.dv-clips.com/theater.htm Business sites at: www.dv-clips.com www.mwcomms.com www.adventuresinanimemusic.com - |
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#58
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Wow, ok....
I just don't have time and I need good sound and I can't risk spending all the time and have a chance of it not working up to expectations. But I will definately keep that in mind "David Ballinger" wrote in message news:7vY6e.1877$Z73.1549@lakeread04... "pcomlow" wrote in message news:HdG6e.38693$Xs.19682@fed1read03... I am trying to record extremely low level sounds. These sounds are people's footsteps from an "upstairs apartment" and people closing doors.....very low level sounds... I have a omnidirectional conference microphone from RadioShack http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...uct_id=33-3022 I am using Wavepad softwarea and the results are not good. I set the sampling at 96k and I can barely hear these sounds. I tried amplifying them 400% and then doing a noise reduction, but that's not great... I really need to record this so that it is reproduceable and when you listen to a recording, it sounds like the soft footsteps.... NOTE: There is no creaking of the floors here It's thump, thump, thump..... Hi Dave B. here, with another cheap and dirty fix. Mr. Pcomlow, what kind of a scrounger can you be? are you willing to go hunting? Assuming sensitivity is more important than fidelity, small radio speakers make OK microphones. an old trick for a wall contact microphone was the 4 or 5 inch speaker out of an all American 5 AM tube type radio. The output transformer was mounted to the transducer 4 ohm speaker side 2,000 ohm output tube side. given that or something like that; attach a suitable length of shielded wire to the secondary with the proper connector for the PC mike input, mount or hold or brace the speaker on the ceiling, preferably under the space between the floor joists in the area of the most sound you are trying to capture. This should be a seismic event, baboom baboom. If you don't have enough gain on your pc audio card, you can't beat an external preamp sadly or happily for the price of the parts to build one you can pick up an inexpensive mixer at a pawn shop, I found a Behringer UB-802 for $25.00, Its bare bones only got 2 XLR or quarter inch phone jacks in does have phantom 48 volts and I'm guising about 115 db of gain from end to end a versatile little input problem solver. Happy hunting____________ ;-) |
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