M
Mark H.
New member
Likewise, I don't know if portable decks allow you to record in mono with input going to just one channel. It's odd the things that never get mentioned -- ??
Mark H.
Mark H.
Slackmaster2K
Gone
Could I maybe just record in mono, and just send the signal in on one channel?
Slackmaster 2000
Slackmaster 2000
Slackmaster2K
Gone
heh, you beat me to it!
dobro
Well-known member
The little stereo mic's an ECM DS70P, but that's the one that plugs in and picks up motor noise. DON'T get that one. I decided two months ago that if I started sampling, I would get a new mic. I use the T-mic for recording song ideas when my boot heels are wanderin'.
Oh, I've got the same Sony model as Mark - MZ R70. Mine came with a rechargeable battery that lasts about an hour. Good for a field trip.
Oh, I've got the same Sony model as Mark - MZ R70. Mine came with a rechargeable battery that lasts about an hour. Good for a field trip.
Slackmaster2K
Gone
Anybody have a comment on the R37 vs. the R70? If they will both produce similar results, I can get the R37 for 50-60 bucks. Nice. Otherwise I can get the R70 for under $150.
Man this is going to be fun. Anybody want to buy a Fostex X-26? 80 bucks?
Dobro, thanks. Ever think about just buying a small extension cable for that mic? I'll buy one on a cord regardless.
Slackmaster 2000
Man this is going to be fun. Anybody want to buy a Fostex X-26? 80 bucks?
Dobro, thanks. Ever think about just buying a small extension cable for that mic? I'll buy one on a cord regardless.
Slackmaster 2000
dobro
Well-known member
Hmm... I wonder. Two good recommendations tonight - RE reminded me that I can buy a new head for my AKG condenser and turn it into an omni. And now you mention a cable for turning my noisy mic into a quiet mic.
It's not that I need to learn how to think outside the box. I just need to learn how to think...
It's not that I need to learn how to think outside the box. I just need to learn how to think...
Lame Thrower
New member
Slack,
I have the MZR-37 and it's a very nice unit. It is sturdy and easy to use. I believe it also uses one of the newest ATRAC (compression) formats.
I recommend avoiding the unit that comes with the XiTel USB converter, which is the one I got. It doesn't come with an AC adapter, and the converter box is useless if you have a decent soundcard.
One nice feature of the R-37 is that you can manually adjust input gain. Just hold the record slider for 2 sec. and then adjust using the volume control.
I don't have any experience with the R-70, but I've been happy with the R-37.
I have the MZR-37 and it's a very nice unit. It is sturdy and easy to use. I believe it also uses one of the newest ATRAC (compression) formats.
I recommend avoiding the unit that comes with the XiTel USB converter, which is the one I got. It doesn't come with an AC adapter, and the converter box is useless if you have a decent soundcard.
One nice feature of the R-37 is that you can manually adjust input gain. Just hold the record slider for 2 sec. and then adjust using the volume control.
I don't have any experience with the R-70, but I've been happy with the R-37.
Slackmaster2K
Gone
Wait a sec though...USB transfer would be cool though...I'd be able to skip the ADC/DAC when shooting stuff into the computer, right?
Slackmaster 2000
Slackmaster 2000
Lame Thrower
New member
Unfortunately, no. This particular box doesn't convert to digital. It converts USB to stereo mini jack.
You can buy seperate converters for around $100 that do convert to digital optical. Consumer grade MD players don't have optical outs though, only inputs. It's pretty much good for making MP3 mixes and not much else.
Check minidisc.org for information on these and pretty much anything else you ever wanted to know about MD.
You can buy seperate converters for around $100 that do convert to digital optical. Consumer grade MD players don't have optical outs though, only inputs. It's pretty much good for making MP3 mixes and not much else.
Check minidisc.org for information on these and pretty much anything else you ever wanted to know about MD.
BBB
Member
Damn, this thread flew by fast. Looks like all of my points were clarified and now you are on to things I have no clue about. 
Slackmaster2K
Gone
Mark, I'm reading all over the place that the mic port in a minidisc recorder has "plug in power", a fancy way to say "low voltage phantom power". Can you comment?
Also, what I've read on deja, lots of people prefer the Sharp MT series to the Sony MZ-R series when recording with a microphone. In part because the sharp allows recording levels to be set while recording, but also people were complaining about the mic pre in the sony only liking sony mics, and not sounding as good. Comments?
Slackmaster 2000
Also, what I've read on deja, lots of people prefer the Sharp MT series to the Sony MZ-R series when recording with a microphone. In part because the sharp allows recording levels to be set while recording, but also people were complaining about the mic pre in the sony only liking sony mics, and not sounding as good. Comments?
Slackmaster 2000
M
Mark H.
New member
Slack,
I guess I was wrong, but not about phantom power in the normal sense. See below.
I too have read that the Sharps are preferred for live recording, for the reasons you mentioned. More people report problems with Sharp than with Sony, but that doesn't mean they're all lemons. The MT90 sells for around $129.99 at Minidisco.com and elsewhere. It's probably the portable I would buy if I bought one today.
Unless I had more money, in which case I'd want the new Sony R-909 from Japan and the ECM907 mic, which together would come in at about $400.
Check this out:
http://www.minidisco.com/minipages/micadvice.html
which includes this statement: "They are all [electret mics they sell] designed to run perfectly on the unit power provided by the microphone input socket on your portable unit." News to me.
Also, they sell an XLR to mini-stereo plug cable for $20. Even if you decide not to buy from them, there's lots to learn on their site.
I'd appreciate it very much if you'd get this all figured out so that by the time I'm ready to go portable, you can tell ME what to do.
Mark H.
I guess I was wrong, but not about phantom power in the normal sense. See below.
I too have read that the Sharps are preferred for live recording, for the reasons you mentioned. More people report problems with Sharp than with Sony, but that doesn't mean they're all lemons. The MT90 sells for around $129.99 at Minidisco.com and elsewhere. It's probably the portable I would buy if I bought one today.
Unless I had more money, in which case I'd want the new Sony R-909 from Japan and the ECM907 mic, which together would come in at about $400.
Check this out:
http://www.minidisco.com/minipages/micadvice.html
which includes this statement: "They are all [electret mics they sell] designed to run perfectly on the unit power provided by the microphone input socket on your portable unit." News to me.
Also, they sell an XLR to mini-stereo plug cable for $20. Even if you decide not to buy from them, there's lots to learn on their site.
I'd appreciate it very much if you'd get this all figured out so that by the time I'm ready to go portable, you can tell ME what to do.
Mark H.
M
Mark H.
New member
PAIA
Slack,
You probably already know about the kits from PAIA. For someone who is willing to put in some time and knows how to solder, they offer an entire two-channel mic pre kit with phantom power for $83.
http://www.paia.com/phantom.htm
It's a bit dated now that phantom power is common on low-end mixers, but I suspect it's a better two-channel pre than anything else we could get for $83.
I keep thinking almost any of the small preamps we've been talking about could be converted to battery power, since many use wall warts and most solid state pres draw very little power.
Just before I shipped it out, I noticed that the AT4060 power supply draws only 12 watts (it's not a preamp, of course, but it is powering a tube in the mic and delivering mic-level output to the mixer).
Mark
Slack,
You probably already know about the kits from PAIA. For someone who is willing to put in some time and knows how to solder, they offer an entire two-channel mic pre kit with phantom power for $83.
http://www.paia.com/phantom.htm
It's a bit dated now that phantom power is common on low-end mixers, but I suspect it's a better two-channel pre than anything else we could get for $83.
I keep thinking almost any of the small preamps we've been talking about could be converted to battery power, since many use wall warts and most solid state pres draw very little power.
Just before I shipped it out, I noticed that the AT4060 power supply draws only 12 watts (it's not a preamp, of course, but it is powering a tube in the mic and delivering mic-level output to the mixer).
Mark
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