Re: field recorders

["Bill Fox" <billfox@fast.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Pafford <galen@erols.com>

>On Tue, 21 Aug 2001, Andy Soto wrote:
>> MD will sound a hell of a lot better than a casstette recorder, really, 
>I
>> use a Sony MZ-R70 MD recorder, pretty coll little blue device, mine even
>> came with a USB  PC link to transfer stuff from and to the MD, go check 
>it
>> out, I think youŽll find it useful...
>
>I have to agree 100% with this.  I have the same unit (a Sony
>MZ-R700) and can't say enough great things about it.  I haven't
>taken it out for field recording, but I do record my guitars & synths
>using it all the time and I love the results.  I've been wanting to
>get a decent stereo mic for it and I expect that the quality of this
>item is what will make the difference between an ok field recording
>and a great sounding one.  The recorder is transparent enough that
>if you can get a good signal to it it should treat it right.

I support these views.  I, too, have the MZ-R70.  Recordings from a mixer 
sound
great, much better than cassette.  The recorder, however, makes some 
noises so
you want to keep it away from the microphones - especially while doing 
field
recordings.  Speaking of field recordings, I've used mine to record in the
Okefenokee Swamp (southeastern Georgia) and liked the results.  But I have 
to go
back because the mic picked up the recorder every time it accessed the 
disc.
I'm using the SONY ECM-MS957 ($200 at http://etronics.com) which seems to 
do a
good job.  It's a condenser but I suspect it might have self noise that's a
little too noticable.  But I'm still researching that.  It could be the 
pres in
the MD recorder for all I know at this point.  I'm sure that a pair of 
Neumans
and an outboard preamp would improve things...

Cheers,

Bill        billfox@fast.net           
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