[Matt]

Hello.

I am looking a small recorder with a mic input to capture voice conversations. Part of the time, I will be using this in environments with loud music playing.

I have had a MD unit in the past with a separate mic preamp and a stereo mic for recording concerts. I don't need that functionality at this point. I need simply mono voice recordings that I can listen to later, to review how I sounded.

I am doing this as a self-improvement exercise, learning how to speak well to people and want to review "how I sounded" in various environments, including those where I am being bombarded by loud music and crowd chatter, but where I will be able to emphasize (somehow) the voices of only those close to me that I am talking to.

The microphone will be a homebrew mini-capsule mic clipped to my collar with a thin lead down to my pocket.

Can anyone knowledgeable help with suggestions?

My ideal criteria for this recorder are:

- thin, small form factor (I'd prefer to stay away from battery humps and other stuff uncomfortable for pocket use)
- available new or used around $100 or under (used preferably, and this price range is why I am leaning towards minidisc...long record times, low media cost, high quality, skip-free recording)
- mic input
- gain limiter (if necessary to cut down crowd and music noise)
- records in mono for longer record times
- ideally some sort of direct computer upload capability for the recording files


Please advise.

THANKS!

EDIT: also, are there MD players out there that will load mp3 files and play them without having to convert? That would build some value for me and would justify spending more, as would the addition of an AM or AM/FM radio.

- Matt

 

[Braver]

while I don't know what's available at the moment, most units would be able to most of what you want. if you stay away from the very cheapest, or NetMD-only units.

I'll try to answer some of your questions:



- mic input

just stay away from the cheapest units. most will also allow you to change the recording volume, but if you want to do that while recording, look for Sharp units, or Sony units newer than the R909.


- records in mono for longer record times

they all do that. if you use LP2, you'll be having massive time per disc. and even in regular SP, it'll be upto 160 minutes in mono.


- ideally some sort of direct computer upload capability for the recording files

sorry pal. Sony is also a record label, and very scared of illegal copying and distributing. so taht capability doesn't exist.


EDIT: also, are there MD players out there that will load mp3 files and play them without having to convert?

again, sorry. MD uses Atrac, no two ways about it.


That would build some value for me and would justify spending more, as would the addition of an AM or AM/FM radio.

that would limit you to a very small number of Sony units. look for the NF610, NF810, G755 and G750.

also, www.minidisc.org has detailed info on every unit.

I bet someone has more detailed info on live-recording, like stuff you need and such.

 

[Matt]

Quote:

- ideally some sort of direct computer upload capability for the recording files sorry pal. Sony is also a record label, and very scared of illegal copying and distributing. so taht capability doesn't exist.

Aw, dang. NONE of them will do this?

Quote:

EDIT: also, are there MD players out there that will load mp3 files and play them without having to convert? again, sorry. MD uses Atrac, no two ways about it.

Now, I thought there were ones out there that would load straight mp3 data onto minidiscs to play them as "pure" mp3's, not converted to ATRAC.

I mean, I have a digital voice recorder (Sony ICD-B5) which has long recording time, but relatively **** sound quality. It takes a mic just fine, but I guess I was looking for something with higher quality recording. Maybe I'll try it to see if it works.

Other than MD, does anyone know of any voice recorders that work well in loud environments for close-range recording? Especially if they allow direct upload from the unit?


- Matt

 

[Braver]

Aw, dang. NONE of them will do this?
nope...the entire MD comunity has been pissed off at Sony because of this, ever since NetMD was introduced. it would've made MD the ultimate live-recording tool. bloody shame.


Now, I thought there were ones out there that would load straight mp3 data onto minidiscs to play them as "pure" mp3's, not converted to ATRAC.

nope, sorry.


Other than MD, does anyone know of any voice recorders that work well in loud environments for close-range recording? Especially if they allow direct upload from the unit?


I guess your best bet is with the digital voice-recorders.