[[email protected]]

[I noticed that the FAQ last modification date is 1998, so dont flame
me even if it's a too simple question]

I intend to use a computer connected to a microphone, to record the
sounds/music/voices in a big room. Sound quality is not too important.
My problem at the moment is which microphone to choose.
All the mic's I tried are able to pick the sounds just when you use
them speaking from a very small distance - I want instead to record any
sound in a big space!

Can you suggest me something, please?

Thanks!

Alessandro Magni

[Peter Larsen]

" wrote:

[I noticed that the FAQ last modification date is 1998, so dont flame
me even if it's a too simple question]

It is a good question. I am not really certain it is also simple.

I intend to use a computer connected to a microphone, to record
the sounds/music/voices in a big room. Sound quality is not too
important.

You get it for free with the mic that can do the job, because you need
something really sensitive. Are you on good terms with your bank?

My problem at the moment is which microphone to choose.

Omni condenser, budget starts probably around USD 300 each but could
easily double. A pressure zone type microphone could be an idea.

All the mic's I tried are able to pick the sounds just
when you use them speaking from a very small distance

Yees. Basically this is about gain and about noise floor.

- I want instead to record any sound in a big space!

Which means that not only the electronics noise floor matters, but also
the acoustic noise in the room. Simply said: you quite probably can't,
and to the extent that you can the sources longest from the mic will
sound faint and roomy no matter what.

Can you suggest me something, please?

DPA 4006 comes to mind .... or perhaps the Neumann TLM 103, I can't
remember whether it can do omni, but it has a very low noise floor.
Audio Technica has a very good and financially attractive omni in their
- I think - 405x range. An el budgetto chinesoid may also do fine.

Thanks!

I wonder ... O;-) ... just what is it you want to record?

Alessandro Magni


Peter Larsen

[[email protected]]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Peter Larsen ha scritto:
" wrote:

[I noticed that the FAQ last modification date is 1998, so dont flame
me even if it's a too simple question]

It is a good question. I am not really certain it is also simple.

I intend to use a computer connected to a microphone, to record
the sounds/music/voices in a big room. Sound quality is not too
important.

You get it for free with the mic that can do the job, because you need
something really sensitive. Are you on good terms with your bank?

I'm a bit surprised: as I said, sound quality doesnt matter much (it's
a digital art project intending to record/process/distort/replay the
sounds around the object - so distortion I can cope with).
I believed those were mics very cheap.
For example: the mic on any cheap audio cassette recorder, or the mics
in the telephones with hands free speaker... can it be that the problem
is preamplification? (I'm not an expert)

[Peter Larsen]

" wrote:

[the general issue: capturing noise around an art object]

[sound quality]

I'm a bit surprised: as I said, sound quality doesnt matter much

Understood, but self noise does.

For example: the mic on any cheap audio cassette recorder,
or the mics in the telephones with hands free speaker...
can it be that the problem is preamplification?

Partly, but there is also the simple issue of how much of the sound that
hits the mic that will get converted to electricity. Effiency always
costs, but a large membrane chinese condenser may be able to do the job,
a Behringer B-2 could be an example product but I didn't bother to
search for its specs.

(I'm not an expert)

Nor am I. What preamp do you plan to use?


Peter Larsen

[Richard Crowley]

wrote ...
[I noticed that the FAQ last modification date is 1998, so dont flame
me even if it's a too simple question]

I intend to use a computer connected to a microphone, to record the
sounds/music/voices in a big room. Sound quality is not too important.
My problem at the moment is which microphone to choose.
All the mic's I tried are able to pick the sounds just when you use
them speaking from a very small distance - I want instead to record
any
sound in a big space!

Can you suggest me something, please?

You have come here assuming that you need a new/
different kind of microphone without explaining what
you already tried, what you are trying to do with it,
and what you found the problem(s) are? Lets work
from the begining, and maybe validate your theory
that you really need a new microphone?

[[email protected]]

Could your answer be that you simply need a compressor, setup with a
really high ratio (or an AGC like cheap tape recorders used to have)?

[Peter Larsen]

wrote:

Could your answer be that you simply need a compressor,
setup with a really high ratio (or an AGC like cheap
tape recorders used to have)?

And the S/N ratio issue ... ?? ... or, as it it about an art
installation as I recall this, the feedback issue?


Peter Larsen