Keith G wrote:
"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...
Keith G wrote:
Anybody any experience of the Marantz PMD660...??

http://www.solidstatesound.co.uk/marantz_pmd660.htm

I'm toying with the idea of mooching about (next year, probably) with a
view to grabbing 'naturally occuring sounds' - up to very loud, close-up
WW2 aircraft engines, possibly. Are these gadgets up to it, or are they
really only close-range voice recorders?

I'm kinda dismissing the Edirol, Nagra and Maycom options on the same
page, but the Fostex looks interesting...??

And why sodding CF cards - is there a particular reason...??

TIA (if any....)


Keith,

I know these sorts of machines pretty well from my past life.



Aha!! ;-)

The
Marantz is a fine machine, and a lot cheaper than the Nagra and Maycom
options.


Cheaper yet on eBay atm:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

These last two are aimed at radio journalists for interview
recording. The Edirol is a multi-track machine aimed more at film and TV
work, and you can edit down the 4 track to stereo using Audobe Audition or
similar.

The Fostex is probably the best suited to your application, although a
fair bit more expensive than the Marantz. If it were my money and I could
afford it, I would buy the Fostex, followed by the Marantz.


Don't do that or you'll have Trevor on your case....

OK, the Marantz it will be then - when I can scrape the necessary together!
Many thanks, Serge!!

You immediately get where I'm coming from though - I can't contribute
*music* to these recording sessions we're just starting, but I can add in
'natural sounds' by way of backing tracks in the style of....

..never mind!

(Yes, I know it's been done a million times before!! ;-)

For a larf, I have used an *accidentally recorded* 'natural sound' (x 4) for
a spoof lead-in on this track:

http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/show/TootLeadIn.mp3

:-))

Don't ask what it is - trust me, you don't want to know, it just *appeared*
when I wuz doing a mic check!!

(Needless to say I'll use a normal countdown for proper recordings - I'm in
a bit of a mischievous mood today!! ;-))

Incidentally, while you're here, I grabbed a pair of Oktava MK319 mics as
per the previous discussions and am very (*very* very) pleased with them,
but one little thing - they are wired 'out of phase' with each other and a
*factory stereo pair* pair of 'in phase' SE1As makes one of the Oktavas
definitely the 'odd man out'!

Easily put right with a phase reversal switch when necessary, of course, but
fit were you, would you be *bovered*...??

(I've had a quick look and they don't exactly have a 'red button' for a
quick disassembly!!)

I know I could send one back rather than risk buggering about with them, but
once kit's here I feel it is *family* and my responsibility - other than
DOAs, of course.....??

Stupid, I know....



IIWY, I would try and get inside the mic and change the phase, as it
will always be an oddball, or, send it back. If you can't get inside the
out-of phase mic and/or can't be bothered to send it back, then I would
make up a short back-to-back XLR cable wired out of phase, and mark the
mic and cable so you always use the short cable with that mic. This way
you also don't void the warranty if you have to send it back for any
other reason.

S.