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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: batface on May 25, 2007, 10:07:01 PM

Title: Fostex FR2le and Shure VP88
Post by: batface on May 25, 2007, 10:07:01 PM
Hi,

I'm a post-production sound editor, and would like to purchase a portable rig for sound gathering—Nature ambiences, non-sync Foley, FX, etc. My short list is the Korg MR-1000, Tascam HD-P2, and Fostex FR2le. The latter is currently my top contender, as you may have deduced from the Subject line (The Korg looks very sexy, and I like that it records at high sample/bit rates. But how do you edit 1-bit? I called Korg tech-support and their solution was to down-convert, which in my opinion defeats the purpose of recording to 1-bit. May as well record to 96/24, which is the highest res I can edit using Pro Tools LE. The Tascam has Timecode options, but I don't need that, not a location recordist for film). I'm a fan of Rudy Trubitt, and he recommends the Shure VP88 as a good all-round Stereo Mic. It records in mid-side config. I have 2 questions:
• How does the Fostex compare to the other 2 units? Does anyone have any insight?
• If the Shure is recording MS, how does it encode the information. My understanding of MS is that one capsule captures the center information, while the other, figure 8 capsule, captures the side info. When decoding, you need 3 tracks, two for the side info, and one for the center. For mono compatability, one of the side channels can have it's phase reversed, thus collapsing the stereo image to mono. If I'm recording to two tracks, how does that work? Do I not get the option after the fact to work with the stereo image? Should I be looking at other mic options?

Thanks for any and all answers…

 :)
Title: Re: Fostex FR2le and Shure VP88
Post by: muj on May 25, 2007, 10:37:37 PM
it's an honour to have you here. ;D

the shure microphone is noisy and i am not even sure it has a figure 8 capsule.

there are several other MS mic options but depends how much you want to invest.

I know the Sanken MS mics is very much regarded and respected in the U.S film circle,but in the u.k and here in norway as well.
Title: Re: Fostex FR2le and Shure VP88
Post by: guysonic on May 25, 2007, 11:19:46 PM
Many sound designers are using my company's HRTF baffled omni type microphone for recording film/game sounds as many feel it provides the most consistently realistic and usable results in all ambient conditions.  See this page for sound designer credits www.sonicstudios.com/cinema.htm (http://www.sonicstudios.com/cinema.htm)  and sample sounds using various models of this type of mic at: www.sonicstudios.com/mp3.htm (http://www.sonicstudios.com/mp3.htm)

Fostex FR-2LE seems to have THE most quiet and usable internal mic preamplifier compared to the other choices so a natural sounds recordist may not require using an external mic preamplifier with this particular deck.
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