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Tape Trail Reel to reel, cassette and other analogue tape formats. |
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Tape Trail Reel to reel, cassette and other analogue tape formats. |
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In Reply to: I notice a pattern posted by Giacomo on February 16, 2006 at 16:41:53:
Lessee..."First, do I deduce correctly that essentially digital formats are better than cassettes?"
Well, in a few ways minidiscs are better than cassettes.
1) There's no degradation from repeated playback.
2) They are more durable. Not susceptible to damage from magnetic energy fields, temperature changes, etc. (Maybe really extreme temp changes could damage them.)
3) Every blank Minidisc or CD sounds exactly like every other blank Minidisc or CD. The only quality variable is in the archival quality of the dye used.
4) They do sound better than a cassette, unless you have something like a Nak CR-7. And even then, cassettes will still impart a slight sonic signature of their own and at least a small amount of hiss is inevitable unless you have DBX.
5) It's easier (in my area at least) to buy blank Minidiscs than to buy top-quality CrO2 cassettes. I haven't seen a Metal cassette for sale in a store in literally years.
All that being said, there's nothing wrong with cassettes. I have tons of cassettes and listen to them all the time. If you have a decent deck you should be able to get recordings that are quite good. Your mics, mic placement, and mixing skills are far more important than which type of recorder you put the signal to.
"Second, both of you suggest, if I understand correctly, that moving a full-scale deck is a better option than having a portable."
In my opinion, yes. If you really don't have the need to use a recorder on batteries, a full size deck will be lots cheaper than a really good portable recorder, usually more durable, and easier to operate.
"I need something I can put in a bag or backpack and carry on my bike."
Aye, there's the rub. I'd get a portable Minidisc. There's a page full of ones just like mine at the link at the bottom of the page. It's the Sony MZ-R37, by the way.
You want a killer portable recording solution that's easy to pack on your bike? If you're comfortable with a little easy DIY, here ya go:
1) Sony MZ-R37 recorder
2) Two Panasonic WM60AY mic elements (available from www.digikey.com) Around $2 or $3 each.
3) Battery module. This will power the electret mic elements to enable distortion-free recording in louder situations, like music recording. There are several available from $50 to $80 here:
http://www.planetminidisc.com/mic-preamps-battery-modules.html
Unless you want the bass roll-off, the cheap one should be fine. To make a more elegant mic solution, I also bought:
two panel-mount RCA jacks,
two plastic right-angle RCA plugs,
a mini toggle switch,
a stereo 1/8" jack,
and a plastic project case,... all from Radio Shack.
With all that extra stuff, I made basically a box to hold the battery module, and you just plug the mics into the box & the box into the recorder. The mics swivel to whatever angle you like. Works like a charm. Concert recordings I've made with this little rig are amazing. And everything including headphones, extra Minidiscs, batteries, etc. fits into a very small camera bag.
The non-DIY version of the same rig would be a little larger but still very easy to tote:
1) Sony MZ-R37 recorder
2) Behringer Eurorack UB802 Mixer ($50 from musiciansfriend.com) And it's small. A 7 inch X 8 inch footprint. Those little Behringer mixers kick butt.
3) Two cheap condenser mics (Nady makes some pencil-style condenser mics starting at $40 each, also at musiciansfriend.com)
You should be able to get all that stuff in a camera bag too. One thing, unlike the DIY route, you will require an AC outlet to record. Studio condenser mics take phantom power, and that takes either a phantom power AC adaptor, or a mixer with phantom power.
If you have any other questions, etc. Just gimme a yell.
Good luck & have fun!
Bobbo :-)
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- Re: I notice a pattern - soundnut 08:14:51 02/17/06 (0)
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