Topic: Stereo recorders and binaural

[Dave_Scream]

Im newbie too. So many binaural mics now. I dont know what Mic+Recorder(+Preamp?) to select.

Im trying to structurize all binaural mics and select what to buy.
Here is the list.
Sensitivity - near to 0 better
Signal to noise ratio - bigger better

1. Roland CS-10EM + ears (~110$)
My comment: many good reviews, examples, comments. Have ears and no need to cap em.
Freq. response: 20-20000Hz
Sensitivity (near to 0 better): -40dB 1V/Pa
Signal to noise ratio (bigger better): >60dB
Impendance: 2.2 kOhm
Power: 2-10V
Examples:
http://hybridsoundworks.com/?p=1977
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8Vy9fYPHhs
http://www.rolandmusic.ru/products/productdetails.aspx?p=1081 (press Audio or Video)
http://www.roland.com/recorder/CS-10EM/ (scroll down)

2. SoundProfessionals MS-TFB-2 (150$)
My comment: have a very good specs. Easy to buy additional windscreen and it will look cool.Very good looking ear platform - no need to clip em outside ear, so no questions from another humans.
Freq.response: 20-20000Hz
Sensitivity (near to 0 better): -32dB
Signal to noise ratio (bigger better): 75dB
Power: 2-12V
Maximum input sound level: 115dB / 130dB (w.battery module)
Dynamic Range: 91dB / 106dB (w.battery module)
Examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P-GbnYlpGI
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/PRODUCTS/MS-TFB-2/MS-TFB-2.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/PRODUCTS/MS-TFB-2/MS-TFB-2-FULL.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/PRODUCTS/MS-TFB-2/wishing_guitar_mics_on_musician.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/PRODUCTS/MS-TFB-2/wishing_guitar_audience_perspective.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/PRODUCTS/MS-TFB-2/guitar_strumming_audience_perspective.mp3

3. SoundProfessionals SP-TFB-2 (90$)
My comment: Easy to buy additional windscreen and it will look cool. Very good looking ear platform - no need to clip em outside ear, so no questions from another humans.
Freq.response: 20-20000Hz
Sensitivity (near to 0 better): -42dB / -35dB
Signal to noise ratio (bigger better): 60dB / 62dB
Power: 2-12V
Maximum input sound level: 105dB / 120dB (w.battery module)
Dynamic Range: 81dB / 96dB (w.battery module)
Examples:
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/HAINESPORT%202001%20XMAS/TRACK0~2.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/HAINESPORT%202001%20XMAS/TRACK1~3.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/HAINESPORT%202001%20XMAS/TRACK1~5.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/CUSTOMERS/lonesome-death-of-hattie-carol.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/CUSTOMERS/not-dark-yet.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/PRODUCTS/tfb-2%202.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/PRODUCTS/SP-TFB-2-VOICE.mp3
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/MP3files/PRODUCTS/SP-TFB-2-SISSORS-FEDEX.mp3

4. ChurchAudio CA-10 (99$)
My comment: not inside ears - must be clipped outside
Another bad moment - very long hand-making after purchase (2-3 weeks).

Freq.response: 20-40000Hz !!!
Sensitivity (near to 0 better): -no information-
Signal to noise ratio (bigger better): -no information-
Power: 1.2 - 12V
Maximum input sound level: 100dB
Dynamic Range: -no information-
Examples: -no examples-

5. ChurchAudio CAFS (159$)
My comment: not inside ears - must be clipped outside
Another bad moment - very long hand-making after purchase (2-3 weeks).

Freq.response: -no information-
Sensitivity (near to 0 better): -no information-
Signal to noise ratio (bigger better): -no information-
Power: -no information-
Maximum input sound level: -no information-
Dynamic Range: -no information-
Examples: -no examples-

6. CoreSound Binaural LowCost (75$)
My comment: not inside ears - must be clipped outside

Freq.response: 100-20000Hz (build-in bass filter)
Sensitivity (near to 0 better): -86dB - they say that low sensitivity (-20dB from normal version) is FEATURE
Signal to noise ratio (bigger better): -no information-
Power: 1.5-10V
Maximum input sound level: -no information-
Dynamic Range: -no information-
Examples: -no examples-

7. CoreSound Binaural (230$) (battery box included to improve dynamic range and optional bass filter)
My comment: not inside ears - must be clipped outside

Freq.response: 20-20000Hz (build-in bass filter)
Sensitivity (near to 0 better): -66dB
Signal to noise ratio (bigger better): 30dB
Power: 9v
Maximum input sound level: -no information-
Dynamic Range: 90dB
Impendance: 10kOhm
Examples: -no examples-

8. CoreSound Binaural High End (990$) (battery box included to improve dynamic range and optional bass filter)
My comment: not inside ears - must be clipped outside

Freq.response: 20-20000Hz (build-in bass filter)
Sensitivity (near to 0 better): 6 mV/Pa  or  20 mV/Pa  (how much dB it is??)
Signal to noise ratio (bigger better): 28dB or 23dB
Power: 9v
Maximum input sound level: 144 dB or 134 dB
Dynamic Range: 115dB
Impendance: -no information-
Examples: -no examples-

9. SoundMan OKM II (~180$)
Freq.response: 20-20000Hz (build-in bass filter)
Sensitivity (near to 0 better): 300 mV/Pa (how much dB?)
Signal to noise ratio (bigger better): >61dB
Power: 1.5 - 10v
Maximum input sound level: 108dB
Dynamic Range: -no informaion-
Impendance: -no information-
Examples: -no examples-

10. AudioReality (138$)
no technical information
Examples:
http://www.archive.org/details/jj2008-04-20.aud.flac16
http://www.audioreality.com/mp3cuts/Track06.mp3
http://www.audioreality.com/mp3cuts/Track10.mp3



what to select lol? I think SoundProfessionals master series are the best - so many examples, so good specs. But Roland CS-10EM are very good to. Dont know what to buy.
Core Sound mics are big cost and not so good specs. Their low cost model is really bad. Their middle-cost in challenge with SoundProfessionals model have a bigger cost and not so good specs, so sound professionals I think better.

So need to compare Roland CS-10EM and SoundProfessionals MS-TFB-2 what better?

[Len Moskowitz (Core Sound)]

Im trying to structurize all binaural mics and select what to buy.
Here is the list.
Sensitivity - near to 0 better
Signal to noise ratio - bigger better

It's nice that you're trying to help, but it's not as simple as you've made it out to be.

For most of the lower cost products, the "specs" you're quoting are figments of someone's imagination. Any spec without a tolerance on it is not a spec, but rather a marketing tool (like a frequency response of 20-40,000 Hz). And even if it has a tolerance, that doesn't guarantee it isn't a total fabrication.

The sensitivity you want depends on what you're recording - higher is not necessarily better. If you're recording loud rock concerts you probably don't want a very sensitive set of mics - they'll just overload your mic pre-amps. And if you're recording nature sounds, while higher is good, at the same time you'd better look at the noise specification (if you can trust it), because with a miniature microphone, self-noise could easily swamp the sound you're trying to record.

For many folks, in-ear microphones are the wrong binaural solution because you'd have to listen to those over in-ear 'phones or you'll get twice the frequency response distortion effects of the ear canal. If you usuallu listen with on-ear 'phones and sometimes speakers, then you're much better off with near-ear binaural microphones, rather than in-ear. Note that our High End Binaurals can be used as both near-ear or in-ear binaural microphones.

And, finally, you have almost all of the specs wrong for our products . For S/N you're off more than 40 dB. For sensitivity you're similarly off. Please check our Web page for the real numbers.

[F.O.Bean]

I have used an old pair of rat shack miniature omnis back in the early/mid 90s, and used to use them near ear. Those recordings, even tho they were very cheap mics, sounded fantastic. I wish I had saved them in some kind of format.

I also used ck62 omnis back in 2005 with a very nicely made jecklin disk, and those recordings, while VERY bass heavy, had a very nice stereo effect/separation! I wish I could've used them to record choirs or the like up real close, and hear what they could really do. Because running them recording loud rock concerts didn't really lend their true powers

[acidjack]

The DPA 4061/Coresound HEB are by far the best mic you listed there, it's not really even close. After that, especially if you're in Europe, look at those OKM-IIRs. I'd avoid all the others like the plague.

I'd also consider Nevaton MCE-400 (harder to get and less "stealthy" connectors) and Countryman B3. Both are cheaper than the 4061 and are more comparable in terms of sound.

[Church-Audio]

Im trying to structurize all binaural mics and select what to buy.
Here is the list.
Sensitivity - near to 0 better
Signal to noise ratio - bigger better

It's nice that you're trying to help, but it's not as simple as you've made it out to be.

For most of the lower cost products, the "specs" you're quoting are figments of someone's imagination. Any spec without a tolerance on it is not a spec, but rather a marketing tool (like a frequency response of 20-40,000 Hz). And even if it has a tolerance, that doesn't guarantee it isn't a total fabrication.

The sensitivity you want depends on what you're recording - higher is not necessarily better. If you're recording loud rock concerts you probably don't want a very sensitive set of mics - they'll just overload your mic pre-amps. And if you're recording nature sounds, while higher is good, at the same time you'd better look at the noise specification (if you can trust it), because with a miniature microphone, self-noise could easily swamp the sound you're trying to record.

For many folks, in-ear microphones are the wrong binaural solution because you'd have to listen to those over in-ear 'phones or you'll get twice the frequency response distortion effects of the ear canal. If you usuallu listen with on-ear 'phones and sometimes speakers, then you're much better off with near-ear binaural microphones, rather than in-ear. Note that our High End Binaurals can be used as both near-ear or in-ear binaural microphones.

And, finally, you have almost all of the specs wrong for our products . For S/N you're off more than 40 dB. For sensitivity you're similarly off. Please check our Web page for the real numbers.

Yeah I know what you mean.  The frequency plot of the omni mics I use in my b99 c10 mics