[jonnywolfet]

hi all.
i recently got into sampling random noises. dont ask how, i just do, and i want to catalouge these sounds on my mac so i can use them in music, make soundscapes ect...
i am currently using a very nice high quality analougue recorder that is more than suitable for field recording.
my problem is this, when i import sound onto my ibook (using audacity and an imic) i get a lot of undesirable background hiss. i am not looking for super high resolution, but i dont want to distort samples so that i cant really use them.

so my question is this, what portable device can i use that has a decent quality line in, is on the cheap side of things, and is compatible with my mac?

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonnywolfet /img/forum/go_quote.gif hi all. i recently got into sampling random noises. dont ask how, i just do, and i want to catalouge these sounds on my mac so i can use them in music, make soundscapes ect... i am currently using a very nice high quality analougue recorder that is more than suitable for field recording. my problem is this, when i import sound onto my ibook (using audacity and an imic) i get a lot of undesirable background hiss. i am not looking for super high resolution, but i dont want to distort samples so that i cant really use them. so my question is this, what portable device can i use that has a decent quality line in, is on the cheap side of things, and is compatible with my mac?

If you weren't wed to the mac, I would have a couple of suggestions:

1. Sony makes several digital recorders that have pristine sound quality (suitable for dictation and computer transcription). The files are convertible into wav format with included software. They have a microphone jack (not line in) but that should work. At least one model is stereo. However I believe that their software is PC only. (If you have a mac that runs windows, this is definitely a good option.)

2. iRiver flash players can be had reasonably and the older models at least (700/800 series) have line ins. I have one and have done some decent recordings. Again you need a PC to convert their prorietary format to MP3.

 

[Packgrog]

I haven't noticed any hiss when recording from the line input on my H120. But then, I was recording a live show from a soundboard, so any hiss might have been masked by background noise picked up by the stage mic. There weren't really any dead-quiet moments.

-Packgrog

 

[Tbeze]

m box usb with condenser mic?

 

[jonnywolfet]

afraid i am tied to my mac yes, mostly because i want the whole rig to be portable. that and i dont own a windows machine...
i was looking at the iaudio units, but they only record up to 128kbps mp3, rubbish!
hmmm, dont really know what to do...

 

[Sybaek]

Minidisc players are very popular for a cheap method of recording audio at good quality. I have an old Sony MZ-N505 model and it has a line-in(can be optical), but the problem may be that it records in ATRAC. You would have to figure out a way to transfer it from mini-disc to Mac. I've had no experience with that. If it came down to it, you could always play the recording via a line-out on the MD player and capture using your soundcard.

Just a thought. You can get a nice used MD player for under $100 bucks.

 

[jonnywolfet]

the line in on my mac is the thing thats noisy...
that said, there might be a minidisk that is mac compatible, anybody know of one?

 

[lohrm1@excite.co]

Try an iPod with the Griffin iTalk Pro. You just plug it into the bottom of an iPod and it records in stereo. I just bought one for my daughter who's a flute performance major, but she hasn't tried it yet. It would sync perfectly with your Mac...

 

[IpaqMan]

Another solution is to work around the noisy line-in. Griffin makes a MAC USB device that converts an analog line-in or mic to USB line-in which the MAC can store as a WAV file.

In terms of "low-cost" low noise, I also recommend the Iriver H120. My H120 does not add any noticeable noise to recordings. Most of the noise I hear comes from the microphones I use.

 

[BlindTiger]

Isn't that the Griffin IMic? I see pics of it being used with a MD unit by Podcasters.

 

[jonnywolfet]

its the imic that i use, and its noisy. or maybe its audacity thats noisy. anyone know of any other audio capture software for a mac that i could try? otherwise its a h110/120 for me.

 

[Packgrog]

Don't forget Rockbox on the H1xx. The recording enhancements are fantastic! Lots of control of volume levels and automatic clipping protection.

-Packgrog

 

[Gonz]

I knew a guy who made fantastic live recordings of bands playing in pubs.

He used mics like these which are worn like headphones. A few companies make them now it seems. A quick search for "in-ear mic" turned up some for $60.

He'd plug them into a Sony mini-disc recorder.