Need quick help, with voice recording on portable recorder

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Peter82

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Hello.

I am doing vocals recording on journeys, outside of home, for several reasons, so I need it to record to portable device. I was using iPod, but it's terrible recorder.

I was searching for voice recorders, and there is a problem.
Eighter they are cheap with mono microphone, but it's very low quality also, and lots of features are missing (no backlit, no mic. sensitivity so it gets clipped, low quality of mic, low quality of recording, bad formats, cheap constructions, so you get plastic crackling sounds when you hold it... etc...)
example Sony ICD-PX312

or more expensive, they have better quality, but there is a problem - they have all built-in stereo microphone.
For vocals from close range, I don't want stereo sound, but mono. I cannot find any recorder, that have quality mono microphone.

I was searching for music recorders, there is Zoom H1, but still same problem.. no mono recording option. :-( But there is also cheap construction problem, so you can get crackling sounds as you hold it... it seems that recorder is meant only to be layed down on table etc...

What to do?
Should I record it as stereo, and take only one channel? But there is big problem with localization, how to point recorder, and which channel to take? For example on Zoom H1, I don't know, how to point it to best fit, to take only one channel, for example left one.

Please do you help me, with this problem? What device to choose, and how to record it mono, so the right and left channels don't pan around, as I move the device in hand, and voice is perfectly centered in middle? When I focusing on singing, I cannot block my mind to face 100% exactly in middle, to get perfect stereo sound, and as I move a little bit, it gets disturbing to heard voice moving from left to right.. so I would really need only mono microphone.
 
Just export the stereo track to software (DAW) and render it into mono. Learn not to move your hand around on the recorder as you use it, that way the transmission of these noises to the microphone(s) won't be an issue.
 
Thank you for your advice, but I cannot learn to not move with hand. Singing is about freedom for me, and I bypass the mind completly, and my body wants to move according what is going from heart.
Those movements are then heard on stereo.
That's why I need eighter mono microphone, or to know, if the trick with single channel works... if there is no sound quality lost, if I point only one of those two microphone on me, and take only that one channel. If it is like I am singing to mono microphone.

To software: I have only audacity, and I don't know, how to mix two channels without quality loss. When I split those two channels into 2 mono tracks, and mix them together, it doesn't sound good, it sounds weird and volume is too loud. Simply, the voice is not as good, as when I would sing it to mono microphone.
 
Any recording device has that jack.
I don't want to carry microphone with me, the advantage of portable device is small size, with normal microphone, the advantage is gone. I would rather buy one device with bigger size, like Zoom h2n, than have two devices with me. But I would like to have one small device.
 
Ok, maybe I've found solution, it's Olympus ME52 mini microphone.
It's not big, and it's unidirectional, which is perfect for one voice recording, but question is, how much it improve quality.
 
It's a microphone meant for voice dictation in noisy environments. If you plug anything like this directly into the input jack of a small portable recorder 9without a cable to provide isolation), the sounds of you handling the device will get transmitted right into the mic.
 
If you can't learn not to move when singing then that will translate into crappy performance via a single mic as well as you'll be moving on and off axis. Mono / stereo - makes no difference.

If you want to be a singer, and be recorded, learn mic technique. Drop this "I can't do this because singing comes from the heart" line. You can. You just don't want to. Admit it.
 
mjbphotos - yes, I know, and it's the reason, I don't want Zoom H1. That device have such cheap construction, it cracks like hell.
I've already checked some digital recorders from Sony, and tho they are plastic, they don't do any crackling sounds, they have firm construction. Of course I will not grasp it in my hands like mad... I will just hold it a do some minor movements. Unless I don't press some buttons, I didn't heard any sound comming from plastic.
This was only possitive thing on iPod, it was metal, so no crackling sounds was heard, unless I've touched it and moving over it with finger or press something. Now I see, how important is good construction on portable recording device. It's one of the foundation, what to consider, if you use it in hand.
I've checked construction of Phillips, Sony and Olympus recorders, Olympus is worst, Phillips is in middle, but Sony is best.

Armistice - I have it for my own purpose, not for proffesional use, so trust me, I don't mind, if I move with head a little, and quality of recording drops by a little. I can handle it in audacity, to make it a little bit more loud. I just need a voice perfectly centered, thats all I need. So don't dictate me your style how to sing please, it's about freedom, not voice or professionality, what most people still miss.

Now, I've found this recorder
Sony ICD-SX712

seems best to fit for me from all I saw. It's size, good construction, features and quality of recordings. But again omni-directional mics, but nothing is perfect.
It's almost same pricy as Zoom H2N, but Zoom H2N seems too big for me, and I'm not sure, if it is comfortably held in the hand cause it's shape. Also there's 5 mics inside, and I need only one mono, lol. It's like to buy a bag 50 kg of apples, when you want just one after dinner.
 
Was finally able to find something, which is almost perfect for this purpose.

Olympus LS-3.

-2 mono uni-directional (finally) microphones in L-R configuration so for mono use, just speak to one of them. There is a third one omni in center too, but it can be disabled
-metal cover (no crackling sounds) and firm construction
-high quality audio recordings
-mic sensitivity and recording level control to not excess 0db (with warning light)
-very compact and small size not like H2N or Tascam DR-05 etc

It's lowest of Olympus profesional audio recorders. I would do a big mistake to go for H1, as I think, this LS-3 owns it hardly... it's more price, but I think it's worth it.

Then other similiar option is little cheaper
Olympus DM-650 which is highend of normal voice recorders line.

I recommend everyone who wants to hold it in hand and record metal body, it's big advantage.
 
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