Von Recklinhausen

I'm sorry I have been outside during some days. It seems that the best solution for getting quiet recordings would be a better microphone such as the Rode NT4, as Allan H says. Any other suggestions about a "better microphone"?

What a wonderful example! that's exactly what I referred as disturbing self-noise, and the improvement with the Boost Box is surprising. I think that the Low Cost Core Sound Binaurals are equivalent in specifications to the Microphone Madness MM-BSM-1, so I supposse the results of combining the MMs with the pre-amp would be similar. Thanks.

Thanks, dex, but I thought that S/N ratio was a measure of the micro's self-noise. What's exactly the difference?

Hi at the live recording forum: I have recently initiated in live recording. I am specially interested in recording very quiet classical music and ambient sounds (bird-singing, water sounds, etc). My current equipmet is a Sony MZ NH1 minidisc and a Microphone Madness microphone (MM-BSM-1). I am quite satisfied with the recordings I have made until now, but I find that in ambient sound recordings I get an inherent noise or self-noise quite disturbing (at least for me). In the MM microphone specifications is indicated a signal to noise ratio of 58 dB, 1khz at 1 pa. In an attempt to reduce the self noise, I comtemplate two possibilities: 1. A more silent microphone, that is, with a S/N ratio of 65 dB or greater, such as the Microphone Madness "Sennheiser driven" omnis stereo microphones or the Sound Professional SP-CMC-8 or BMC-10. 2. A pre-amplifier, such as the Reactive Sounds Boost Box or some equivalent model from Sound Professionals. The Boost Box specification is S/N ratio 92 dBv EIN 1.0 v. At this point my first doubt arises: I understand that the combination of my actual microphone (S/N ratio 58 dB) with the Boost Box will raise the "total" S/N ratio to 92. Is that right? Second question: What of the two possibilities will provide more silent recordings? More questions, if allowed: Do you recommend me any other microphone with similar or greater S/N ratio, or any other way to get silent recordings? That is a lot of questions, I know, but if you are so kind to help me to find the right answer I'll be very grateful.

Good night, Classicalgas. I was also very tempted to buy the Audio Technica Pro 24, but some people in the forum claimed against its limited frecuency response and A440 recommended me the more versatile binaural stereo microphones; more versatile because my intention is also to make live recordings of classical music. I hope tomorrow I'll make my first of such recordings, since I'll go to a concert of ancient music in Alcala de Henares, Miguel de Cervantes' natal city. The program is "Music in the age of Don Quijote". I'll report about the recording, and about the concert, if you are interested.

Ozpeter: Well done¡ I've tried your idea and it has worked perfectly. This is a great contribution to all us interested in live recording: the possibility to keep our original recordings and to transfer them to PC more than once in a lifetime. That is quite more than Sony's software allows us. One more time, thanks to all you in this forum for sharing your Knowledge.

Well, two months ago I got my MZ-NH1 (wonderful machine¡). Afterwards, I have purchased two microphones: a binaural stereo from Microphone Madness (MM-BSM-1) and a stereo Delta microphone fron Reactive Sounds. I am now performing my first recordings and updates to the PC. I will tell you about the results as soon as I can. Thanks again for your help and learned advice.

I´m very grateful to you three answering my question. Corien: I'm sorry to disappoint you. I`m not really a violin player. They are my daughters, eight and five years old, who are learning to play (Suzuki violin school), and I would like to record lessons and rehearsals. When they began with violin playin, I thought I would be able to learn myself, and I even bought a violin for me, but I have barely played "twinkle, twinkle, little star" and little more. Sorry I won't be able to play duets with you, which would be a wonderful experience. From your answers, I infer that I'm not in the right way. The Sony ECM-MS907 or any of the microphones I mention would be fine for recording lessons, but not for concerts recording. Thank you, A440, for breaking my initial plan. I suppose that the micro I need is a two-point stereo, but the answer is: omnidirectional stereo, cardiod or binaural? By the way, are you also musician? Burnsie17: I will be very happy if you let me know the results with your new micro. One more question: the microphones you recomend me are powered microphones, which I had not in mind. Do you think is necessary a powered micro for recording classical music (specially ancient music, interpreted by little ensembles)?

Dear sirs: after some long sessions reading about minidisc topics, I am now fully convinced that a minidisc is what I need for recording violin lessons and classical music concerts. I am decided to buy a MZ-NH1 (I don't mind about MP-3 compatibility, just about live recording). My doubt is what microphone is the best for my needs. I have in mind four models: -SP-SPSM-17 -AT-Pro 24 -SP-SPSM-2 -SP-Otter-1 I haven't read any oppinion about the SP-Otter-1. I think it is a great idea to have an omnidirectional microphones incorporated in an Otter box, specially for concert recording without be seen. Please, if any of you have used it, let me know. I am opened to any other suggestions. Any oppinion is welcome, even to recommend me not to write again in english until I learn it correctly. Thank you very much to all of you. I have discovered minidisc and its possibilities through your contributions to this forum.