More Audio Recording Options

Today I will be looking again into my audio recording options.  Since I looked into it last time I've got some new equipment.  So here are the options:

1. Panasonic GH3 with Audio Technica ATR-3350 lavalier microphone.
2. Sony ICD-AX412 Stereo Digital Voice Recorder with Audio Technica ATR-3350 Lavalier microphone
3. Sony PCM-M10 recorder with built-in microphones
4. TASCAM DR-100mkII with built-in Uni Microphones
5. PC with Behringer Xenyx 1204USB mixer  with Rode NTG1 Condenser Shotgun Microphone

The purpose of this exercise is not as much to find the best option - these are sufficiently different and are applicable for totally different scenarios.  Rather I want to identify the best settings for every option and to get a feel for the results I might expect.

Test 1

Here are the settings:

1. GH3 with lavalier mic:  
• Mic level: 9
2. Sony ICD-AX412 lavalier mic: 
• Rec Mode: 192kbps - appears to be 44 kHz
• Mic sensitivity: Medium
• Low cut filter: Off
3. Sony PCM-M10 recorder with built-in microphones:
• Mic sensitivity: High
• Recording Level: Auto
4. TASCAM DR-100mkII with built-in uni mics:
• Mic gain: High
• Recording level: 8
5. PC (Audacity recording 16-bit WAV at 48kHz) with Behringer Xenyx 1204USB mixer with Rode NTG1 Condenser Shotgun Microphone
• Channel gain: about 30dB
• Channel level: 0
• Main mix: 0

In post I normalized audio levels for all the tracks and dropped master level by 6dB.  No audio filters applied.  Video editor determined to apply the following amplification during audio track level normalization:

1. GH3: 11.1 dB
2. Sony ICD-AX412: 1.0 dB
3. Sony PCM-M10: 19.3 dB
4. TASCAM DR-100mkII: 16.8 dB
5. Rode NTG1/Behringer Xenyx 1204USB/PC: 19.6 dB

And here is what I hear:

• Ambient noise just ruins it - that from PC and a fan in the next room. Need to redo everything in a quiet environment.
• Lavalier into GH3 or even voice recorder sounds surprisingly good!
• NTG1 sounds good and rejects ambiance well!
• Sony captures ambiance, as expected.  Too much of it actually.
• Do I hear noise of TASCAM DR-100mkII preamp?  Whatever it is I will look into it closer.  I am worried!

Test 2

After taking some time and being thoroughly impressed with Curtis Judd's videos, I decided to rerecord the test with ALL noise eliminated.  This time I failed to pay proper attention to Audacity recording level and therefore NTG1 recording had to be discarded from the comparison.  Never fear, I do have more plans for NTG1 testing.

Video editor determined to apply the following amplification during audio track level normalization:

1. GH3: 8.1 dB
2. Sony ICD-AX412: 0.0 dB
3. Sony PCM-M10: 13.8 dB
4. TASCAM DR-100mkII: 23.9 dB

My observations:

• I should really pay attention to setting consistent white balance!
• I can barely tell the difference between GH3 and Sony voice recorder - the latter is a bit more boomy and records with a LOT of amplification.
• Tascam uni mics sound thin.  But sensitivity is good and there is no noise - what I've heard in a previous was a fan in the next room.

Test 3

Next I will be dealing with NTG1 plugged into TASCAM DR-100mkII.  Let's start with settings:

1. GH3 with lavalier mic:  
• Mic level: 9
2. Sony ICD-AX412 lavalier mic:
• Rec Mode: 192kbps - appears to be 44 kHz
• Mic sensitivity: changed to Low!
• Low cut filter: Off
3. Sony PCM-M10 recorder with built-in microphones:
• Mic sensitivity: High
• Recording Level: Auto
4. TASCAM DR-100mkII with Rode NTG1:
• Mic gain: High
• Recording level: 5

Video editor applied the following amplification during audio track level normalization:

1. GH3: 9.3 dB
2. Sony ICD-AX412: 19.0 dB - changing mic sensitivity to low dramatically reduced the signal.  Unfortunately the preamp here is noisy, normalization results in unacceptable levels of noise.
3. Sony PCM-M10: 18.3 dB
4. TASCAM DR-100mkII: 16.7 dB

My observations:

• Changing mic level to low in Sony DVR ruined it.  Thus the only acceptable option for use with lavalier is Medium mic sensitivity.
• NTG1 sounds so much better than Tascam's uni mics!  If possible this option should be chosen over any other.
• Lavalier into GH3 is totally acceptable, if too boomy.

Later!