MZ_N707

[little_syd]

Hi...I have purchased an MZ_N707 and have gone through the manual before posting here..If someone else is using one of these recoprders plz tell me how to access the mic sensitivity setting......I also went to the online manual..all it tells you is to start recording>access the menu>access ''REC SET''>''MIC SENS''...And the jog to change setting....thats all fine but I cannot locate ''Rec set'' in the menu to start the process ..............

perhaps someone would know if the default setting would be low or high.....I just got this and plan on recording Van halen next week...Any assistance would be most welcome....

[raintheory]

Actually the N707 lacks a high/low mic sens setting as far as I know.

The service mode hack adds it into the menu, but it doesn't do anything if I remember correctly.

[A440]

There's no mic sensitivity control on the MZ-N707, even if has been hacked, and you can't change recording level unless you are in PAUSE.

It doesn't really matter because--even at low sensitivity--loud music, especially bass, will overload the mic preamp. If you just plug in the mic and turn on Record you will get nothing but distortion.

To get a decent recording you are going to have to use either:

a battery module into Line-in (white)--

http://www.microphonemadness.com/products/mmcbmminminc.htm

or, if it's too late to mail-order, an attenuator from Radio Shack, the Headphone Volume Control (pictured as my avatar), into Mic-in.

With the headphone volume control, plug it into the mic jack (red) and turn the volume knob on the cord all the way UP, to maximum. You're actually using it backwards for its original purpose, and it lowers the signal just by being in the circuit.

With either setup, you also have to use Manual Volume settings. The MD default is Automatic (AGC), and that's not made for loud music either. You have to switch to Manual at the time you are recording--the unit will not hold the Manual settings as a default.

With a disc in the unit, press Record and Pause at the same time (so the display blinks), and then press MENU, click up to REC SET, down to REC VOLUME, switch to MANUAL and either leave it where it is (13/30, if I remember) or push it up just a bit to 15/30. Un-PAUSE to record--the display stops blinking and the time starts counting off. (You can use the Pause button on your remote control if you want to keep the unit hidden). I usually set the levels and leave the unit in PAUSE before I go in to an arena, or do it in the rest room during intermission.

Once you have un-Paused, put the unit and the remote on Hold so you don't accidentally stop recording.

I don't know how stealthy you're going to have to be, but if you can, look at the level meter on the unit while you're recording. If it's peaking, you can use the headphone volume control to lower the level even more without going into Pause or getting out of Hold.

Try this at home with your stereo a few times. It sounds complicated, and it's annoying, but you can actually do it pretty easily once you get used to it.

Cross your fingers that Van Halen isn't too punishingly loud. If it is, and the microphone itself overloads before its signal gets into the MZ-N707, there's not much you can do. Luckily, they're older now....

Despite all these warnings, I've got a lot of good recordings from when I had my MZ-N707.

The best mindset for concert recording is to be methodical and do everything you can--and if it works, great, and if it doesn't, well, you weren't supposed to be recording anyway, were you?

Oh yeah--put in a brand new fresh Duracell just before the show. Nothing feels dumber than losing a recording to a dead battery.

[little_syd]

There's no mic sensitivity control on the MZ-N707, even if has been hacked, and you can't change recording level unless you are in PAUSE.

It doesn't really matter because--even at low sensitivity--loud music, especially bass, will overload the mic preamp. If you just plug in the mic and turn on Record you will get nothing but distortion.

To get a decent recording you are going to have to use either:

a battery module into Line-in (white)--

http://www.microphonemadness.com/products/mmcbmminminc.htm

or, if it's too late to mail-order, an attenuator from Radio Shack, the Headphone Volume Control (pictured as my avatar), into Mic-in.

With the headphone volume control, plug it into the mic jack (red) and turn the volume knob on the cord all the way UP, to maximum. You're actually using it backwards for its original purpose, and it lowers the signal just by being in the circuit.

With either setup, you also have to use Manual Volume settings. The MD default is Automatic (AGC), and that's not made for loud music either. You have to switch to Manual at the time you are recording--the unit will not hold the Manual settings as a default.

With a disc in the unit, press Record and Pause at the same time (so the display blinks), and then press MENU, click up to REC SET, down to REC VOLUME, switch to MANUAL and either leave it where it is (13/30, if I remember) or push it up just a bit to 15/30. Un-PAUSE to record--the display stops blinking and the time starts counting off. (You can use the Pause button on your remote control if you want to keep the unit hidden). I usually set the levels and leave the unit in PAUSE before I go in to an arena, or do it in the rest room during intermission.

Once you have un-Paused, put the unit and the remote on Hold so you don't accidentally stop recording.

I don't know how stealthy you're going to have to be, but if you can, look at the level meter on the unit while you're recording. If it's peaking, you can use the headphone volume control to lower the level even more without going into Pause or getting out of Hold.

Try this at home with your stereo a few times. It sounds complicated, and it's annoying, but you can actually do it pretty easily once you get used to it.

Cross your fingers that Van Halen isn't too punishingly loud. If it is, and the microphone itself overloads before its signal gets into the MZ-N707, there's not much you can do. Luckily, they're older now....

Despite all these warnings, I've got a lot of good recordings from when I had my MZ-N707.

The best mindset for concert recording is to be methodical and do everything you can--and if it works, great, and if it doesn't, well, you weren't supposed to be recording anyway, were you?

Oh yeah--put in a brand new fresh Duracell just before the show. Nothing feels dumber than losing a recording to a dead battery.

Hi ,,,thank you to both of you for replying this was very nice of you to share your knowledge and time,I understand what you mean about getting distorted recordings and have educated myself as to how to get into the ''manual record'' feature as you mention,with your experience is there a chance that the plug in mic(Ecm ds30p) will handle the live recording if I am able to lower the recording level manuallyor am I just going to get a recording full of clipping(In any event I am going to get a headphone volume control)and try it,again I thank you for answering my post,all this advice was so amazing....I'll post back after I've tried this device next week and let you know how it handled the Mighty Van halen......: )

Lets hope it doesn't overload...haha....by the way this was my first post at the board...seems like a great place : )

Edited September 29, 2007 by little_syd

[A440]

The DS30P is really made more for dictation than music. Its frequency response--100 - 10000 Hz--cuts off both highs and lows. Full frequency range is 20-20,000 Hz. The lack of deep bass will, however, make it less susceptible to clipping (at the expense of richness).

I don't have any personal experience with that mic. If you can really blast "Eruption" on your stereo and put the mic up next to the woofer, you might try it without an attenuator and see what happens.

The attenuator is a mixed blessing. It cuts the signal going into the MD, which is useful. But it also cuts the plug-in power going to the mic, which makes the mic more susceptible to distortion if things get too loud. Usually the tradeoff is worthwhile--not always.

Personally, I would bring along the an attenuator just in case. Make a test recording without the attenuator during the opening act, and listen to the results during intermission. But, yes, you should have a fighting chance of getting a good recording.

Don't plug the mic directly into the recorder, sitting on the recorder, because it could pick up the noise of the disc spinning. Put it on an extension lead instead.

Also, note that the mic is directional. You should be careful to keep it pointed at the PA system. Don't swing around a lot, because you'll probably hear it in the recording.