Newbie problem: Telephone recording barely audible.

[DWest]

Got my first MD player a Sony MZ-N510 to record telephone interviews (with permission).

My set up is through a Radio Shack device that goes from the phone to Line In (optical) on the MD. When I record and playback at maximum volume it is barely audible. I manually increased the input volume to max.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there better way to do it? Better unit or better brand?

BTW I used the same phone set up with a basic tape recorder and the volume was decent.

Thanks in advance,

David

[Guest Anonymous]

Line in expects an input with some power. If your phone gizmo works like a microphone, with little output power, then it may not be enough to drive line in.

On the tape recorder, are you putting it into a mic-in jack? That amplifies the signal, which line-in doesn't.

Given the price of mic preamps, you might be better off finding a used MD player: Sony MD-7xx, MD-9xx and MD-N** all have mic jacks, or look for a Sharp MT-190 (not 180/170).

Archos makes a mic+preamp for its Jukebox recorder that I've seen advertised for about $50--you'd have to do some investigating, but if the preamp is separate maybe you could plug your mic into that to get some gain.

[Guest Anonymous]

Got my first MD player a Sony MZ-N510 to record telephone interviews (with permission).  

Well, if you're handy with a soldering iron, or know someone who is, just build a preamp:

http://www.ee.washington.edu/circuit_archi...cuits/Micro.GIF

http://xoomer.virgilio.it/fladelle/Page49.htm

The second one offers better quality.

Parts should be available at any Radio Shack outlet...