The shite wot is writ here...
 

"Nick Gorham" wrote in message
...
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
Keith G wrote:

Judge for yourselves - here are two 'identical' clips (end of one track,
beginning of another) of extremely complex/crowded music recorded OPEN
MIC with only a peewee little lapel mic (all I got) with digital/SS
everything except the power amp on the EX3 clip, which is 300B SET
valve. No editing whatsoever, other than a Fade In and Out at the ends
to lessen the shock!


Without even listening, Keith, do yourself a favour and get a half decent
mic for this sort of test.


If its of any use Keith, I can lend you a Behringer ECM8000 and home made
pre if you wanted to play further. I don't need it until I get a couple of
inductors wound.


Thanks Nick, if I lived round the corner I'd be delighted to take you up on
the kind offer, but I guess I gotta get summat sorted out - not for
recording speakers as such (although that is good fun) but there's the piano
recordings to be done some time in the near(ish) future!

The shite wot is writ here...
 

Keith G wrote:

http://www.oktava-online.com/mkl2500.htm

Would that be suitable for piano recordings?? :-)

That's something like 450 quid (plus taxes?). I'm no expert, but I'm sure
you could spend far less and still get a big improvement over the tie-clip
mic.


--
Wally
www.wally.myby.co.uk
Stress: You wake up screaming and realise you haven't fallen asleep yet.

The shite wot is writ here...
 

On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 21:22:00 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Nick Gorham" wrote in message
.. .
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
Keith G wrote:

Judge for yourselves - here are two 'identical' clips (end of one track,
beginning of another) of extremely complex/crowded music recorded OPEN
MIC with only a peewee little lapel mic (all I got) with digital/SS
everything except the power amp on the EX3 clip, which is 300B SET
valve. No editing whatsoever, other than a Fade In and Out at the ends
to lessen the shock!


Without even listening, Keith, do yourself a favour and get a half decent
mic for this sort of test.


If its of any use Keith, I can lend you a Behringer ECM8000 and home made
pre if you wanted to play further. I don't need it until I get a couple of
inductors wound.


Thanks Nick, if I lived round the corner I'd be delighted to take you up on
the kind offer, but I guess I gotta get summat sorted out - not for
recording speakers as such (although that is good fun) but there's the piano
recordings to be done some time in the near(ish) future!


The Behringer would be a good choice. It is part of the armoury of
most recordists because it is just so flat and faultless. Other mics
have "deliberate" limps and bumps that are used to accentuate various
sonic characteristics. The only real failing of the Behringer is that
it is a bit noisy because of the small diaphragm. That only matters on
very quiet sources though. Of course the price doesn't hurt too much
either.

Those other mics you are discussing with Dave aren't suitable for
plugging straight into a PC - they need a pre-amp. If you want to go
that route, Behringer is your friend again. You can get a UB802 mixer
for about £40. I bought one thinking I might use it once a month, but
I find it constantly handy.

d

--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

The shite wot is writ here...
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 21:22:00 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Nick Gorham" wrote in message
. ..
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
Keith G wrote:

Judge for yourselves - here are two 'identical' clips (end of one
track,
beginning of another) of extremely complex/crowded music recorded OPEN
MIC with only a peewee little lapel mic (all I got) with digital/SS
everything except the power amp on the EX3 clip, which is 300B SET
valve. No editing whatsoever, other than a Fade In and Out at the ends
to lessen the shock!


Without even listening, Keith, do yourself a favour and get a half
decent
mic for this sort of test.


If its of any use Keith, I can lend you a Behringer ECM8000 and home
made
pre if you wanted to play further. I don't need it until I get a couple
of
inductors wound.


Thanks Nick, if I lived round the corner I'd be delighted to take you up
on
the kind offer, but I guess I gotta get summat sorted out - not for
recording speakers as such (although that is good fun) but there's the
piano
recordings to be done some time in the near(ish) future!


The Behringer would be a good choice. It is part of the armoury of
most recordists because it is just so flat and faultless. Other mics
have "deliberate" limps and bumps that are used to accentuate various
sonic characteristics. The only real failing of the Behringer is that
it is a bit noisy because of the small diaphragm. That only matters on
very quiet sources though. Of course the price doesn't hurt too much
either.

Those other mics you are discussing with Dave aren't suitable for
plugging straight into a PC - they need a pre-amp. If you want to go
that route, Behringer is your friend again. You can get a UB802 mixer
for about £40. I bought one thinking I might use it once a month, but
I find it constantly handy.


This is all new territory for me, but very interesting. I don't have much
need of a mic other than piano recordings which won't be done for a while
yet but I would like to get summat sorted out and (surprise, surprise) I
wouldn't hate it if it had valves in it!!

Otherwise, what does this look like:

http://www.bluearan.co.uk/menu/index.php?id=BEHMIC200

and which of these (if any):

http://www.bluearan.co.uk/menu/index...ew=Microphones

???

The shite wot is writ here...
 

"Wally" wrote in message
...
Keith G wrote:

http://www.oktava-online.com/mkl2500.htm

Would that be suitable for piano recordings?? :-)

That's something like 450 quid (plus taxes?). I'm no expert, but I'm sure
you could spend far less and still get a big improvement over the tie-clip
mic.


I'm sure you're right, but if Swim wants joanna recordings done, there a
good chance I can get her to spring for the mic!! But it's all in the early
stages yet and I'm sure common sense will spoil it, sooner or later...!! ;-)

The shite wot is writ here...
 

Don Pearce wrote:


The Behringer would be a good choice. It is part of the armoury of
most recordists because it is just so flat and faultless. Other mics
have "deliberate" limps and bumps that are used to accentuate various
sonic characteristics. The only real failing of the Behringer is that
it is a bit noisy because of the small diaphragm. That only matters on
very quiet sources though. Of course the price doesn't hurt too much
either.


My main reason for having one is the flat aspect, and then again, the
price does help :-)

--
Nick

The shite wot is writ here...
 

Keith G wrote:

This is all new territory for me, but very interesting. I don't have
much need of a mic other than piano recordings which won't be done
for a while yet but I would like to get summat sorted out and
(surprise, surprise) I wouldn't hate it if it had valves in it!!

Otherwise, what does this look like:

No idea about their mics and preamps, but I'm happy with the Behringer bits
I've got so far. I'd maybe look at other preamps, though - that one has a
bunch of presets to suit voicings for different instruments, which leaves me
feeling that it's trying to be all things to all men. There might be some
others which have twiddly knobs for similar money. Phantom power could be a
good thing, depending on what mic you go for.

One of my Behringer bits came from Blue Aran - it was zero hassle 'click
buttons and stuff shows up' internet shopping. Turned up within a couple of
days.


--
Wally
www.wally.myby.co.uk
I eat my peas with honey, I've done it all my life.
It makes the peas taste funny, but it keeps them on the knife.
(Spike Milligan)

The shite wot is writ here...
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...

Well, you haven't helped your case any here, Keith. These clips both
bear out the idea that top and bottom octaves are missing. There is
nothing significant below 60Hz, and they resemble the side of a cliff
above about 10kHz. Whether that is to do with the speaker, source
material or mic is tricky to say, but we work with what we have.


Hi Don, I am in my 50's and find I cannot hear a hell of a lot over 10-12k
these days. Therefore I could find the top end of the setup to be as good as
anything in the market place. While these speakers *may* be deficient in
the top end it won't necessarily exclude them from the purchase list based
upon me undertaking listening tests. Should those who cannot make use of the
full sound spectrum from a speaker because of their age still only buy
speakers that supposedly meet the highest standards of frequency response
when they may not get any benefit themselves? When we have products
predominantly for our enjoyment only, should we be concerned what others may
say or should we believe what we hear?

Keith's perceptions of his equipment are 100 valid for himself and maybe so
for many others who would like equipment that produces an enjoyable sound
but have the same age related hearing deterioration as I have myself.
Keith's perceptions of his own equipment may be the same perceptions that I
would arrive at if I were to hear it.

After all, for us who replay music the end requirement is enjoyment of it.
For all those who make/play, mix and master, etc (all those professionals in
the chain) , the goal should encompass the technical issues that result in a
quality product, one of them being frequency response, with the actual goal
being to make the music as enjoyable as possible to the widest range of
people so that they want to hear it and re-hear it.

The shite wot is writ here...
 

"Wally" wrote in message
...
Keith G wrote:

This is all new territory for me, but very interesting. I don't have
much need of a mic other than piano recordings which won't be done
for a while yet but I would like to get summat sorted out and
(surprise, surprise) I wouldn't hate it if it had valves in it!!

Otherwise, what does this look like:

No idea about their mics and preamps, but I'm happy with the Behringer
bits
I've got so far.


I've never heard bad and enough people here seem to have got Behringer
stuff....???


I'd maybe look at other preamps, though - that one has a
bunch of presets to suit voicings for different instruments, which leaves
me
feeling that it's trying to be all things to all men. There might be some
others which have twiddly knobs for similar money. Phantom power could be
a
good thing, depending on what mic you go for.


OK, it's early days - the Oktava valve mic is only (yes, I know...) 179 from
this place:

http://www.kmraudio.com/catalogue/pr...roducts_id/781

But I'm totally strapped for 'toy spending' atm!! :-(



One of my Behringer bits came from Blue Aran - it was zero hassle 'click
buttons and stuff shows up' internet shopping. Turned up within a couple
of
days.


That's what you want!! :-)

The shite wot is writ here...
 

In article ,
Keith G wrote:
But I'm open to suggestions, Plowie - the ideal mic plugs straight into
the computer I suppose, but summat like this does have a certain appeal:

http://www.oktava-online.com/mkl2500.htm

Would that be suitable for piano recordings?? :-)

I read as far as 'rich enough in third harmonic distortion to brighten and
add warmth' before bursting out laughing. The frequency response added
somewhat to the joke, as did the price.

Mics, of course, often don't have as flat a frequency response as you'd
get with even a modestly specced power amp as they tend to be chosen for
particular tasks.

However, you seem to be keen on a valve mic so I'll leave any advice to
others. I was glad to see the end of them.

--
*Marriage changes passion - suddenly you're in bed with a relative*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.