Portable Recording Devices

[Lucasorg]

Why not getting HQ omni mics (Neumann/DPA/Schoeps)? spending so much on organs should enable a 3k euro for this ....

Different pot of cash! Also it would be impossible to get omnis strung in the correct position to do what we want to achieve...

 

A

[Peter Allison]

I wonder if anyone on this thread has experience of the non-portable CF recorders? We are hoping to install a permanent recording system into the organ loft at Worcester - should be a great bonus for visiting choirs amongst many others - and are seriously considering the Tascam SS-CDR 1 which will record either to CD or to CF for editing on a computer. It looks a great bit of kit, but would welcome any first-hand experience in this area.

 

As part of this setup, we are also considering a pair of AKG Perception 400 multi-pattern mics.....while a pair of 414s would be ideal, they are just too expensive for our budget. There are precious few reviews of these mics around, so perhaps someone here has experience.

 

Best wishes,

 

Adrian

 

Adrian, have you thought about a pair of PZM's, I know they are not in the same bracket as more esoteric types, but I am sure if you ask Cynic, he will tell you what the results can be like, and he has the "profesional" Reviews to back them up. I have been surprised at the quality, for example a few years ago I recorded S.G. Lindley at Durham Cathedral, using a mk1 calrec soundfield, the same as Priory and M. Monkman use to good effect, and my friend had a pair of old, trusted and well used Tandy PZM's, he has recorded almost everywhere so has the experience, and he thought as I did that the soundfield would wipe the floor

Wrong, the PZM's sounded just as good , so much so, that when I listen to that durham recording, I always listen to his version.

Regards

Peter

[Lucasorg]

Adrian, have you thought about a pair of PZM's, I know they are not in the same bracket as more esoteric types, but I am sure if you ask Cynic, he will tell you what the results can be like, and he has the "profesional" Reviews to back them up. I have been surprised at the quality, for example a few years ago I recorded S.G. Lindley at Durham Cathedral, using a mk1 calrec soundfield, the same as Priory and M. Monkman use to good effect, and my friend had a pair of old, trusted and well used Tandy PZM's, he has recorded almost everywhere so has the experience, and he thought as I did that the soundfield would wipe the floor

Wrong, the PZM's sounded just as good , so much so, that when I listen to that durham recording, I always listen to his version.

Regards

Peter

Thanks, Peter,

 

My experience of PZMs is a great lack of detail and uneven frequency response.... perhaps they have moved on since I last auditioned them??

 

We want the recording gear to be able to provide a satisfactory sound for both organ alone and with a choir in the choir stalls. Since PZMs are placed on a flat surface I'm not really sure that there is a location where this could be achieved.

 

My favoured technique for recording choirs is to use a standard crossed pair of cardioids centrally, well raised to get a good balance of voices, rounded out with a pair of spaced omnis, often just outside the ends of the choir. The result is a sound with a wealth of detail but plenty of acoustic too. Our plan is to have the main pair either as the cardioid XY pair which could be supplemented with omnis should the occasion arise, or, with the main pair in figure-of-8 bringing more of the "room" into the equation from the word go. The Quire at Worcester is rather narrow and not renowned for acoustic, so getting this balance will be a challenge. Also finding exactly the right spot from which to balance choir and organ together is likely to take a degree of trial and error.

 

Still, to have the facility will be a great boon all round. We made our first in-house CD last year and the new organ is bound to spark off more in the near future.

 

A

[Peter Allison]

Thanks, Peter,

 

My experience of PZMs is a great lack of detail and uneven frequency response.... perhaps they have moved on since I last auditioned them??

 

We want the recording gear to be able to provide a satisfactory sound for both organ alone and with a choir in the choir stalls. Since PZMs are placed on a flat surface I'm not really sure that there is a location where this could be achieved.

 

My favoured technique for recording choirs is to use a standard crossed pair of cardioids centrally, well raised to get a good balance of voices, rounded out with a pair of spaced omnis, often just outside the ends of the choir. The result is a sound with a wealth of detail but plenty of acoustic too. Our plan is to have the main pair either as the cardioid XY pair which could be supplemented with omnis should the occasion arise, or, with the main pair in figure-of-8 bringing more of the "room" into the equation from the word go. The Quire at Worcester is rather narrow and not renowned for acoustic, so getting this balance will be a challenge. Also finding exactly the right spot from which to balance choir and organ together is likely to take a degree of trial and error.

 

Still, to have the facility will be a great boon all round. We made our first in-house CD last year and the new organ is bound to spark off more in the near future.

 

A

 

I have used crossed figure eights just inside the choir at Durham, and mounted 12 ft up, very good stereo seperation and not overpowered when full organ is unleashed. But it was a pair of AKG 414 uls, hired for a special occasion .What about a Rhode NT4. Looking at the site that you provided the link to, there was a wealth of stereo microphones and at all prices, will just have to sell more meat and forgo a couple of trips to Paris, and I might treat myself

regards

Peter

[Lucasorg]

I have used crossed figure eights just inside the choir at Durham, and mounted 12 ft up, very good stereo seperation and not overpowered when full organ is unleashed. But it was a pair of AKG 414 uls, hired for a special occasion .What about a Rhode NT4. Looking at the site that you provided the link to, there was a wealth of stereo microphones and at all prices, will just have to sell more meat and forgo a couple of trips to Paris, and I might treat myself

I got myself a pair of 414 XLSs last year from an ebay shop in California - ummmm!!!

 

I also have a Rode NT4, but while this is cheaper, it is at a fixed angle and has no pattern flexibility... Nice mic, nonetheless.... I often use it with a pair of Studio Projects B3s in omni setting as the basic choir cover for recordings. The B3s were my first mics and they are incredible value - a really good sound overall and very versatile.

 

A