Below are direct links to three recordings with the Audio-Technica
AT804 with the BPP at 16-bit audio and 44.1k sample rate.
The first is a 2012 news conference in the lobby of the AMC River East
21 movie theater in Chicago by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan,
AMC executives and disability leaders. They announced a legal
settlement that would require AMC to install technology that enables
the captions and audio descriptions embedded in motion picture files
to be available to people with vision and hearing impairments. In less
than two years, the company had agreed to install this technology in
every screening room in every theater in the state. At the time, it
was the largest deployment of this technology in the world, which is
why the event was recorded. The AT804 was taped to the PA system
microphone at the podium. I used noise reduction to reduce the fan
noise from the theater’s ventilation system.
https://archive.org/download/AmcTheatreNewTechnology/AMC_Theatre_new_technology.mp3
The second recording is a lecture about Victory Gardens in Chicago
recorded at a 2012 environmental conference at the University of
Illinois at Chicago. The recording was in a large meeting room with a
ceiling that rose three stories. The walls were concrete. Fortunately,
the floor was carpeted. For this recording, I used a tripod microphone
stand less than an arm’s length from the speaker. Bringing the stand
was worth the hassle of carrying it on my shoulder in an easel bag on
the bus. I was able to position the microphone pointing away from the
door that led onto a busy and noisy hallway. The recording was
broadcast on Radio Eco Shock, the most listened to environmental radio
program in North America. The lecture starts several minutes from the
beginning of the file.
http://www.ecoshock.net/eshock12/ES_121212_Show.mp3
The third and final recording is of someone who has reclaimed an urban
waste stream to make new gardens. It was recorded in a tiered 100-seat
lecture hall in the Wabash Building at Roosevelt University in
Chicago. The building opened in 2012 and improvements in architecture
are evident with little echo in the room. The microphone was on a
tripod stand a couple of feet away from the speaker. The file is a
radio show with the recorded audio occurring several minutes into the
file.
http://www.ecoshock.net/eshock13/ES_131120_Show.mp3
I am highly interested in hearing the SM58, which is specifically
designed for vocal recording and intended to bring out the warmth in
voices. It has a very similar design to the SM57, introduced in 1965.
It has been used by the White House for every president since Lyndon
Johnson. I always felt that White House audio had a rather flat and
unremarkable quality to it, which is why I seemed uninterested in the
SM58.
Kelly
On 4/18/15, Neal Ewers <neal.ewers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I will also put up a recording of the Shure Beta 58 A and the Sure sm 58.
The Beta is a hyper cardioid and the sm58 is a cardioid. I will not use the
BP however, because I don't have any cables that don't have the problems I
have alluded to.
Neal
-----Original Message-----
From: studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Hamit Campos
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2015 3:42 PM
To: studiorecorder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [studiorecorder] Re: Microphone recommendation
I'm one that would love to hear it please.
-----Original Message-----
From: studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2015 3:39 PM
To: studiorecorder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [studiorecorder] Re: Microphone recommendation
I bought my microphone from Bradley broadcast and Pro Audio. The
Audio-Technica AT8004 is one of their top selling microphones along with the
Shures. At online discounters, the microphone sells for $99 with no tax and
free shipping. Bradley broadcast sells mono XLR to mini cables along with
the windscreens for the AT8004. It is necessary to have a mono cable because
the microphone is stereo and the speaker will nearly always sound off center
with a stereo cable. The mono cable solves the unbalanced stereo problem.
The microphone has windscreens in I believe red, gray, white, orange, and
green. I originally got a gray windscreen for understatement, a professional
look and not to freak out the video guys who don t want distracting elements
in their shot. I have since obtained an orange windscreen to bring a little
flair to the recording experience and a white windscreen for an Apple and
Steve Jobs look with the black microphone.
If anyone wants to hear the recordings made with the AT804 on the BPP, let
me know on the list and I can post download links to this public audio.
Folks can hear for themselves how the microphone sounds with the cable from
Bradley Broadcast. Realize though that all of the recordings were made in
large open public spaces in front of audiences.
Kelly
On 4/18/15, Neal Ewers <neal.ewers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Or, if you want a cardioid microphone which will pick up less room
ambience, you could go with the Shure Beta 58A which I have and love.
The problem will be on any of these microphones to get the correct
cable to adapt from a XLR plug to a stereo or even mono mini jack. I
have looked high and low and have found cables, but when I use them,
there is always something slightly off in the bass response or some
other problem. It obviously can be done, but according to my research,
finding a cable like this already made which actually maintains the
same exact frequency of he original XLR is allusive.
Neal
-----Original Message-----
From: studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2015 7:00 AM
To: studiorecorder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [studiorecorder] Re: Microphone recommendation
About 10 years ago with the help of Tim Cummings in Boston, I became
an enthusiast of the Audio-Technica AT804 omnidirectional dynamic
microphone.
It has great sensitivity and captures voices colorfully and in great
fullness. The microphone has been since discontinued and the AT8004
has replaced it. The major difference with the new model is that the
microphone is longer. It is a dynamic microphone so no power, battery
or amplifier is needed. The microphone is sensitive and can pick up
subtle changes in human voices. Given that it is more sensitive than
most other dynamic microphones, the AT804/8004 can be placed two to
three feet away from the speaker s mouth, avoiding capturing any
breathing or mouth noises. Even at this distance, the speaker s voice is
highly intimate and highly personal.
I have used this microphone with the BPP and the results have been
fantastic, given that I am recording in 16-bit audio with only 44.1k
samples. A couple of the recordings have been broadcast on radio with
the producer commenting on the quality of the recording. One of the
recordings I would not have made if it were not because of the
portability of the BPP. My other recorders are either somewhat fragile
or are bigger and heavier than the BPP. The microphone looks handsome
and it gains me instant respect with a politician s handlers.
As stated earlier, the internal microphone of the BPP has a distinct
noise floor. It is often not easy to bring any unit, including the
BPP, close to a speaker s mouth. People are more comfortable having a
microphone on a stand close to their face than having a recording unit
shoved at them. I have used the BPP internal microphone to record
classes and group experiences for the purposes of having a record of
the event and to take notes for a report or study. The recording was
for my personal use. The BPP was sitting on a table or hanging on my
neck. This was really convenient and much less intrusive than pulling
out a broadcast quality microphone with a long cord and working to get
good placement with a stand. I would not use the internal microphone
of the BPP to make recordings for future generations to be listened to
50 years or more in the future, as with historical interviews or oral
history recordings.
The microphone uses a XLR connection. It will be necessary to buy a
mono cable that is XLR on one end and has a mini plug on the other. I
would also recommend a windscreen.
Kelly
On 4/17/15, Neal Ewers <neal.ewers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's the best internal
microphone. It is a bit noisy for my taste, when compared to even
things like the Edirol recorders, but if you are comparing it with
the other book players on the market, then yes, it is the best.
Can you get external microphones that are quieter? Yes, but the nice
thing about using the internal one is that you don't have to carry an
extra microphone around.
Neal
From: studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:studiorecorder-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Harry Brown
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2015 4:45 PM
To: studiorecorder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [studiorecorder] Re: Microphone recommendation
Hi Bryan,
I'm not rob, but you've got the best internal microphone in the world
of internal microphones on the bookport plus, and I would use the
internal microphone.
Harry
On 4/17/2015 12:23 PM, Bryan Bashin wrote:
Hi Rob and others,
A slightly off-topic question, but I hope you'll oblige. I have an
APH Bookport plus and want to use an external microphone for some
quality oral interviews. Might you suggest microphones which work
especially well with
the Bookport? Again, this will be for quality voice interviews in a
quiet
location.
Thanks so much,
Bryan
