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Looking To Get A Sound Recorder


wiiawiwb

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Will any omnidirectional microphone work?  The AT5530iS is powered. Does that contribute to any noise reduction?

Edited by wiiawiwb
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Generally, any mic, directional or omni, will work.    I don't use powered mics much.   I suppose you could have one that reduces noise.  I haven't met one that does.   Usually that will be signal processing in the recorder.   

 

For field work the simpler the better.   If simpler isn't better you're not close enough.    I like a passive mic plugged to a recorder that you just turn on and press a record button, no settings, no trying to dial in some sweet spot, just power it up, hit record, and let things take their course.  

 

I have a powered mic and a "better" recorder.   I don't rely on them.   They've got so many adjustments they're error-prone.   Their value is to give me something to do while I sit around "camp" so I don't get bored.   I don't expect results from them.

 

MIB

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Here is the finished unit. The bottom comes out into which the recorder and microphone will be inserted. Once inside, the cap will be closed and the microphone will dangle slightly below the tube. The entire tube will be taped to a tree using the same camo duct tape. Hopefully it blends into the scenery and is invisible to any passing person or creature.

 

There is a slight red ring at the top of the bottom cap. This will be disappear when the tube is attached to a tree as one of the taping points will be along that ring.

 

When I go out in the field, I will take a picture of it affixed to a tree and will send along so you can see how well it hides or doesn't hide.

 

The next project is making a holding unit for a SONY PCM-M10 which I just got. I also ordered a pair of stereo EM-172 microphones which will be used in a takeoff of the insulated model that Gigantor provided.

 

 

P1020813.JPG

Edited by wiiawiwb
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^ I borrowed your idea except I used a plastic peanut jar. I will get some camo tape to finish it out tomorrow. I may still add something to keep rain off the microphone, although it has held up in the rain few times already, I used tape and a shoe string to make a loop at the top so no holes were needed. I'll probably use a bungy cord or another shoestring to hang it in a tree. The inner case is a beer coozy wrapped in duct tape, which will keep any water that might get in from damaging the recorder plus it covers the record indicator.

 

Peanut Jar Recorder 1.jpgPeanut Jar Recorder 2.jpg

 

Here is the birdhouse recorder that Andy P. showed me during an SRA outing in Minnesota. It's made with tent material which is waterproof but lets the sound through. I can testify that it held up in heavy rains.

Bird House Recorder 2.jpgBird House Recorder 1.jpg

Edited by Redbone
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Those are lookin' good!    Redbone ... watch out for anything with residual food smells, you could attract bears or raccoons that might try to eat your recorder.   I have a fairly big plastic jar with a nice screw on lid I was going to use but I can't quite get rid of the smell of the meat sticks that came in it.  

 

MIB

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Good Point about the bears! This has been pretty thoroughly scrubbed with dish soap and WD40 (to remove the sticker) but who knows. I'll be in bear country next month. Maybe I'll give it another bath before I go.

 

For sake of the original intent of the thread I want to warn about my cheap ALS recorder. I'm ditching it and I have just ordered another inexpensive Olympus Recorder. I am shocked that it's so well reviewed on Amazon. Mine is garbage. Maybe it's good enough for students recording lectures, but it's not suited for Bigfoot efforts. I have yet to get a good recording and I missed a possible campsite visit when using it. It has a pulsating interference noise on every recording. It's not even a good MP3 player. I bought it because it had timer features in a cheap recorder but to do long term recording I'll have to actually spend some cash to get something better. For now, the Olympus products work great for overnight recording.

 

ALS Junk.jpg

 

My Olympus is a VN-702PC. I just ordered a VN-721PC for $30. Hopefully it works as well as my first does. The VN-702PC is now $194 on Amazon and I have no idea why. I paid $45 in 2014 for mine. The only difference I see between them is that the 702 has an SD card slot and I think the 721 doesn't. Will know more in a few days.

Edited by Redbone
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Nice rigs wiiawiwb and Redbone! 

 

much better than my cooler bag...

 

 

Edited by gigantor
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Gigantor,

 

You are one of the inspirational here and I tip my hat to you in thanks and in deference. Anyone can follow someone else's footsteps. You, on the other hand, are a trailblazer.

 

RedBone,

.

Sweet setups. I like both of them. The later is a great idea. It's amazing what ingenuity can aspire. Awesome job.

Edited by wiiawiwb
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1 hour ago, gigantor said:

much better than my cooler bag...

 

I'm a long way from being able to do long term recording. The cooler bag setup is still pretty awesome.

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Here its is with Camo tape applied. I probably could've done a better job with the tape but it's good enough for such an odd shaped jar. The next one I do should be vastly improved!

 

Peanut Jar Recorder 3.jpg

Edited by Redbone
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On 7/25/2016 at 7:24 PM, Redbone said:

My Olympus is a VN-702PC. I just ordered a VN-721PC for $30. Hopefully it works as well as my first does...

The only difference I see between them is that the 702 has an SD card slot and I think the 721 doesn't. Will know more in a few days.

 

My new recorder is here today and I discovered that the Olympus VN-721PC only records in WMA format, which does not work in Audacity. I have an audio converter program so I'll be able to manage it. The VN-722PC can record in MP3 and has an SD card slot but it's more than double the cost. I'll stick with the cheap stuff and make it work.

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You can import WMA directly into Audacity with a plug-in.

 

http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/faq_installation_and_plug_ins.html#ffdown

 

WMA is CD quality, so I would go to WAV format first.

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I field tested my setup in the rain last night. It failed... I think I destroyed my microphone. I also had water inside the cap so the beer coozy duct tape thing save my recorder. I had a second setup with a peanut butter jar that worked well. I need to rethink it or buy waterproof microphones.

Edited by Redbone
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Does your mic have a removable lapel clip?   If so you can glue that inside a plastic or foam bowl, then turn it upside down to keep the mic up out of the water.

 

MIB

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