Guest Anonymous Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 Hello, I am somewhat new to MD and am looking into purchasing a player/recorder. My main purpose for buying would be to recrord live at jazz clubs, rock concerts, and possible drum and bugle corps parking lot warm ups. I'd like to know if spending $350 for a top of the line model is worth it. Maybe I should hang with a lower end model and a line in mic vs a mic input. I'm also looking for a good microphone to go along with it. I'd like to spend no more than 80 or 90 bucks for a mic. Any ideas on what I should research and possibly purchase? Any combination of md and mic that you guys have had success with would be great. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 9, 2004 Report Share Posted January 9, 2004 I have had excellent results, sound-wise, with a Sony MZ-N707 and a Sony MZ-R700, both available for under $200 on Ebay. Assuming you want to turn those recordings into a more universal format like CDs, the MZ-N707 is a little more useful because with NetMD and Christian Klukas's WinNetMD software, you can record to your computer and preserve track marks. With the R700, you're going to have to record the whole concert to the computer as one long track and edit it. Either way, though, you're going to have to record in real time to the computer--there's no simple uploading, even with NetMD. Neither one has a mic sensitivity switch which is useful for anything loud or with any bass--otherwise the Sony just distorts like crazy. The cheap solution is to run the mic through a Radio Shack Headphone Volume Control--just a volume control on a wire, only $5.99--that you turn all the way UP and plug into mic-in. It cuts the signal enough to keep the Sony from freaking out. I've also used a battery box via line-in, which gives a better balanced sound but is as big as the MD itself to carry around. Frankly I'm waiting with bated breath for Sony's Hi-MD line due in April, which apparently will allow a simple upload for mic-in recordings--it'll be a time-saver, and the cheapest one with mic-in lists at only $250. Don't know about a sensitivity switch. For mics, I've had very good luck with inexpensive mics that use Panadonic omni electret capsules--you can recognize them by specs that are 20-20,000 Hz and -58 or -62db S/N ratio. Sound Professionals uses them for its $60 mics. There's also a mic that's around on Ebay, listed as "Stereo lapel mic for minidisk," that's really cheap and seems to use the same capsules. Don't get Sony's little mics advertised as for minidisc--to beat the bass problem, they only go down to 100 hz, which simply doesn't pick up deep bass notes at all and sounds tinny. Good luck, you'll have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 13, 2004 Report Share Posted January 13, 2004 Thank you so much for the info... I think I may wait to see what everyone thinks about the newest MD from Sony, and if it sucks I'll definately take your advice into consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 15, 2004 Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 sound professional has a $70 binuaral mic that are realy good. i also got a core sound $260 pair. the $70 sound professioals blow them away. don't get those core sounds. you can bearly hear the recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 16, 2004 Report Share Posted January 16, 2004 whats a binuaral mics purpose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Binaural = 2 ears. It's a pair of omnidirectional mics attached to a stereo plug on two wires, so you can separate them for stereo. If you put them the width of your ears--attached to your glasses, or a hat, or on your shirt collar--they hear what your ears do and sound very lifelike through headphones. Soundprofessionals has a pair you can actually stick in your ears and still hear concerts, though I haven't tried them. The other mic choice is cardioid, which means heart-shaped. Imagine the mic at the point (bottom) of a heart, and the sound it picks up is roughly in the shape of the heart, which means it's directional, picking up sound where it's pointed. Useful for large-auditorium shows so you don't get all the audience noise and reverb behind you, but the directionality means you have to point them a lot more carefully. For basic club recording, you'll probably be happier with the binaurals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 would your suggest the binaural for outside live performances also? Thanks for all the great information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 23, 2004 Report Share Posted January 23, 2004 It depends how close you are to the music and if there's a lot of other noise around--then you might want cardioids for the directionality. To me they give a sound that's a little shut-in because they don't capture the 3D sound of what you hear, but they do focus on the music and some folks swear by them. Some of the microphone companies have sound samples online that you can compare. But recording outdoors there's yet another factor: wind noise. Cardioids are more susceptible to wind noise. If you're standing close to the band outside, you'll probably be better off with binaurals--maybe the in-ear kind because they'd be a little shielded. Binaurals will basically record what you hear, so if you're happy with what you hear you'll be happy with the recording. You can find endless discussion on this sort of thing at: www.taperssection.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actorlife Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 I got a pair of Cardiods from microphone madness and a battery pack, But have never tried it yet. My question is should i use a Sony or Sharp? My list of MD's are on the bottom which one would you recommend i use. Also i heard i should stand by sound engineer is this true? Thanks alot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 25, 2004 Report Share Posted January 25, 2004 You can probably get good results with any of the MD recorders. I've used MZ-N707 a lot with automatic gain control and gotten excellent result. But there are plenty of people on this board who prefer Sharps for live recording because you can adjust the level while recording--assuming, that is, that you can see the display during the concert. Standing near the sound guy is the rule-of-thumb because he's probably mixing the show so it sounds good where he is. But if you're not supposed to be recording the show, a sound guy is more likely to notice your MD than an usher is.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 26, 2004 Report Share Posted January 26, 2004 The newer the recorder the better the Atrac will be, so use the newest one that feels comfortable in the dark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 I'm loving my Sharp 480. On the fly record level is a must IMO. Also check out Giant Squid for mics. Same Panasonic capsules as everyone else, just cheaper. I got the 'oak' stereo mic - comparable to T mics from Sound Pro., Core, etc. - only $25! I also own an AT822, a single point cardioid stereo mic, about $250. It's a cleaner sound, and directional, but not stealthy. Peace, Sanaka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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