Topic: new to taping - my first rig

[angels vs aliens]

after about of year of "should i/shouldnt i" i finally took the plunge and got a stealthy set-up. after asking for advice on another forum i decided on this:

Sony Hi-MD NHF-800 w/
Giant Squid Omni Stereo Mics w/ Battery Box & Bass-Roll-off

will be taping two shows soon, one later this month and one in april. smaller club shows..

just wondering if theres anything i should be aware of? is FOB always the best spot?

[Humbug]

I've just emailed you a draft copy of the stealth taping guide (was supposed to part of the Taping Guide, but this project seems to be long term..)

Warning - unchecked and draft version only.

Club taping is my favourite, enjoy the experience.

Humbug

[fandelive]

I've just emailed you a draft copy of the stealth taping guide (was supposed to part of the Taping Guide, but this project seems to be long term..)

Me wants it too please 
Thanks in advance

[Humbug]

Me wants it too please 
Thanks in advance

PM me your email address and I'll send it to you - Word document, around 0.5MB.

[angels vs aliens]

any way you could re-send? i didnt recieve anything. thanks

I've just emailed you a draft copy of the stealth taping guide (was supposed to part of the Taping Guide, but this project seems to be long term..)

Warning - unchecked and draft version only.

Club taping is my favourite, enjoy the experience.

Humbug

[~ Dan]

after asking for advice on another forum

Hehe, LN.com right?

[~ Dan]

I've just emailed you a draft copy of the stealth taping guide (was supposed to part of the Taping Guide, but this project seems to be long term..)

May I get a copy too?  My email is off to the side there on the little icon thingy.  Thanks!

[angels vs aliens]

after asking for advice on another forum

Hehe, LN.com right?

you are correct, sir.

[Roamer]

If using one of the Sony HiMD, having the RM-MC40ELK remote is quiet usefull. It cost 70-80$ on Ebay/Audiocubes, and you can check/adjust levels, see remaining time and it has a backlight (You won't be able to use the radio feature of your NH800 with it, but that surely not an issue when you're tapping ...)

[vansmack]

If using one of the Sony HiMD, having the RM-MC40ELK remote is quiet usefull. It cost 70-80$ on Ebay/Audiocubes, and you can check/adjust levels, see remaining time and it has a backlight (You won't be able to use the radio feature of your NH800 with it, but that surely not an issue when you're tapping ...)

So you can view/change the recording level with this remote?   If so this would go perfect with my new sony rh10 hi-md. Also, can you turn the backlight on/off to consrve batteries while stealthing?

[poorlyconditioned]

If using one of the Sony HiMD, having the RM-MC40ELK remote is quiet usefull. It cost 70-80$ on Ebay/Audiocubes, and you can check/adjust levels, see remaining time and it has a backlight (You won't be able to use the radio feature of your NH800 with it, but that surely not an issue when you're tapping ...)

So you can view/change the recording level with this remote?   If so this would go perfect with my new sony rh10 hi-md. Also, can you turn the backlight on/off to consrve batteries while stealthing?

Yes, to both questions.  This remote rocks!  You have to setup the recording (record + pause, then navigate menus to set manual level control), but after that you can do everything from the remote.  Hit pause to stop/start the recording, use the "wheel" to adust record levels.  Anytime you hit the wheel the backlight goes on.  And the levels are displayed on the remote.  I've left my unit in pause-record mode for hours at a time.  It doesn't time out or burn batteries.  The only problem is the 94min maximum record time for PCM recording.  After this you need to access the main unit to swap disks and setup another record-pause.  If I know it will be a long show I will use HiSP (256kbps compressed).  Then there is very little evidence of my recording.  Well, aside from my somewhat obsessive looking at the record levels.  But maybe that looks like a cellphone or something anyway.

Enjoy it!

  Richard

[Wedge]

I use the MZ-NH1 myself, and I use Hi-SP (256k), as I don't want to be bothered with swapping out disks during a show.

Also, unless I know a set is going to be REALLY long, I use 80 minute MDs, formatted for Hi-MD.  This gives around 2hrs 20 minutes per 80 minute MD I think.

If you want to listen to a samples of Hi-SP, I've put some up on my personal webspace from the only 2 shows I've taped.

http://www.aqsl13.dsl.pipex.com

Asia/Dare:

The Asia and Dare gig was recorded in a small venue (capacity around 200) with:

Core Sound Binaurals > CS battery box (no roll-off) > MZ-NH1 

Unfortunately, I didn't get my levels quite right as I was in a rush, and this was my first show.
No processing done on the source apart from upload via SS 3.0, and convert to mp3 via Audacity/Lame.
Note: the CSBs I bought from Dirk Stelzer in a Yard Sale and very pleased with them I am.

The Scorpions and Judas Priest

Sound Pros CMC-2 > SP-SPSB-1 (no roll-off) > MZ-NH1

Recorded in Cardiff International Arena (a big shed) Got my levels better at my second attempt, although a little quiet this time.  The samples have been uploaded via SS 3.0, and then amplified (NOT normalised) and converted to mp3 with Audacity/Lame.

Any comments on my first couple of attempts welcome of course. . . .

[Wedge]

Oh yes, and this is what I do:

On main unit: press record and pause.  Put the Hold switch to Hold.

On remote, go into menus and set manual record, level etc, then set the remote Hold switch to Hold.

You can do all this well in advance of the gig starting - take a guess at the levels based on what you are expecting.

When the gig looks like its about to get going, slip off the Hold on the remote, and press the remote Pause button - this releases the Pause and you're off.  Then use the remote wheel to adjust levels as needed.

When you stop, rather than pause, the recording, e.g. between sets, swapping disks, you have to go through this process again - but remember to take the Hold off the main unit first - I keep forgetting!

[vansmack]

I use the MZ-NH1 myself, and I use Hi-SP (256k), as I don't want to be bothered with swapping out disks during a show.

Also, unless I know a set is going to be REALLY long, I use 80 minute MDs, formatted for Hi-MD.  This gives around 2hrs 20 minutes per 80 minute MD I think.

If you want to listen to a samples of Hi-SP, I've put some up on my personal webspace from the only 2 shows I've taped.

http://www.aqsl13.dsl.pipex.com

Asia/Dare:

The Asia and Dare gig was recorded in a small venue (capacity around 200) with:

Core Sound Binaurals > CS battery box (no roll-off) > MZ-NH1 

Unfortunately, I didn't get my levels quite right as I was in a rush, and this was my first show.
No processing done on the source apart from upload via SS 3.0, and convert to mp3 via Audacity/Lame.
Note: the CSBs I bought from Dirk Stelzer in a Yard Sale and very pleased with them I am.

The Scorpions and Judas Priest

Sound Pros CMC-2 > SP-SPSB-1 (no roll-off) > MZ-NH1

Recorded in Cardiff International Arena (a big shed) Got my levels better at my second attempt, although a little quiet this time.  The samples have been uploaded via SS 3.0, and then amplified (NOT normalised) and converted to mp3 with Audacity/Lame.

Any comments on my first couple of attempts welcome of course. . . .

How much loss of quality is 256 vs. pcm?  I'm new to the Sony md's.  I've been using my sharop 480 for a couple of years and it just broke...so I ordered the new sony rh10...So I can't change the levels on the fly unless i buy the extra remote??  Also I own a home md player with an optical in/out....If I record a show with an 80 min. md in Hi-md mode...would it play on my home home md player?  Thanks

[angels vs aliens]

you can adjust on the fly without the remote

[Wedge]

Also I own a home md player with an optical in/out....If I record a show with an 80 min. md in Hi-md mode...would it play on my home home md player?  Thanks

No.  An MD deck will not play Hi-MD formatted disks.  Although I think there are 1 or 2 Hi-MD decks available or coming shortly?

You can use an 80 min MD formatted as normal MD in a Hi-MD unit and play it back on your deck.

As the previous poster stated, you can adjust recording levels without a remote - however, in the case of the MZ-NH1, it is MUCH easier to use the remote rather than the fiddly buttons on the main unit.

[vansmack]

Well i got my new Sony Rh10 today......The display is awesome.....not too impressed compared to my old Sharp 480H....I hate having to select manual record levels every time I turn on the unit...very lame....anyways one problem i'm having is when recording when theres a short silence the track goes from track 1 to track 2, etc.  I have synth. set to off....any ideas regarding this??

[angels vs aliens]

if you record line in, when ever the md detects 2 secs of silence it will ALWAYS make a new trackmark. luckily, editing them out is easy enough to do on the unit. just made my 2nd recording last night.. MONO from Japan... came out great!

[vansmack]

angels vs aliens , Thanks for the reply....if only the sony hi-mds were as taper friendly as the sharp models....where do leave your levels on your Sony unit?  I'm guessing if there similar to the sharp md's as close to the end of the meter w/o going over.

[angels vs aliens]

well, my first tape (slint @ 930 club) i did 18/30 the entire show. results were a bass-heavy recording.. some brickwalling.. but this was a very loud show with BOOMING bass... my mics couldnt handle it. maybe if i had set them lower (around 12/13) it would have turned out better.

2nd tape, the club (warehouse nextdoor) is very small (maybe 125 max capacity, and it was pretty packed) and the bass is not nearly as loud. i was about 8 ft from the stage DFC for most of the tape. i set my levels at 16 or 17/30 i believe (i think 17).. anyways, tape came out great... NO brickwalling.. volume was a tad low, but i gave myself enough headroom to raise the volume a few db in post, without clipping.

so i guess it all depends on the venue.. i'd probably be too scared to set my levels above 20

[vansmack]

Are you using a battery box w/ bass roll off?

[Wedge]

I hate having to select manual record levels every time I turn on the unit...very lame....

Yeah - its a real pain.

anyways one problem i'm having is when recording when theres a short silence the track goes from track 1 to track 2, etc.  I have synth. set to off....any ideas regarding this??

Yes - this is another menu item that you have to set every time though - at least on the MZ-NH1.  I can't remember the details, but its something like "Time Mark" or "Auto Mark".  Certainly on the MZ-NH1 I can record a gig of whatever length without it putting Time Marks in, IF I remember to set the option.  Check your manual. 

If you do end up with unwanted Time Marks they are easy to get rid of though - press Next Track (or Previous) to get to the Time Mark, press Pause, press Time Mark - hey presto its gone.  Repeat as wanted.

[angels vs aliens]

Are you using a battery box w/ bass roll off?

yeah.