Topic: low-noise built-in mics

[garlp]

I want to record live concerts.
There are many recorder options for one price with different benefits, but only a few are marked as special “low-noise built-in mics” — Is it better to buy them for recording concerts??

https://www.avisoft.com/tutorials/sound-recording-in-the-field/
example: Olympus LS-11 with low-noise built-in mics, Olympus LS-10 & LS-12 without low-noise built-in mics))

[garlp]

If I understand correctly - “low-noise” refers to the sound that the device itself leaves when recording... there is a suspicion that for recording loud concert performances this is not critical and should not be paid attention to.
I'll change the question a little: if I have a choice between Olympus LS-10, LS-11 & LS-12, which are given to me for the same price and in the same condition, what should I take for recording concerts?

[capnhook]

....what should I take for recording concerts?

 

Bless your heart, you just go and take whatever makes the music sound better..

[goodcooker]

I don't think those models are very different at all. The LS10 has less memory and takes smaller capacity SD cards than the LS11 but other than that I don't know that there's much difference if you intend to use the onboard mics for point and shoot recording.

Get whatever you can afford or what's available to you, get in a good sounding spot, point it at the stage or speaker stacks and hit record.

Don't expect the onboard mics of one of these recorders to sound particularly amazing but sometimes the stars align and you get something real nice.

[Ozpeter]

Possibly the best onboard mics are on the Zoom M3.  Given that there's no mic inputs, the device reiies on the quality of those mics (and the preamps).  Given that it's a 32-bit float recorder, there's not much point in having noisy mics up front.

[aaronji]

Given that it's a 32-bit float recorder, there's not much point in having noisy mics up front.

I would think there's not much point in having noisy mics in front of ANY recorder...

[Ozpeter]

Given that it's a 32-bit float recorder, there's not much point in having noisy mics up front.

I would think there's not much point in having noisy mics in front of ANY recorder...

True.  But some have not been exactly top flight in that respect...  but I suppose I should discount those I was using 60 years ago.  With valves.

[garlp]

I am concluding —  “low-noise built-in mics” not needed for bootlegs 

[goodcooker]

I am concluding —  “low-noise built-in mics” not needed for bootlegs 

Two things -

The noise floor (everything present on the recording that's not the music you intend to record) in a concert environment is way louder than the noise inherent in the device even for using relatively "noisy" mics like the ones built into portable recorders. The crowd, the HVAC system, wind, environmental noise etc is going to be there and can't be avoided.

You want the system you are using to be "low noise" but recording concerts with a device with factory mics built in is going to be similar no matter what device you choose. The built in mics in portable recorders are not top quality or they wouldn't be able to sell the device so cheaply. What many consider a "good" mic could cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

If you adjust your expectation of the result to be in line with what you used to make your recording you will likely be happy with what you get. Pick the device that has the features you want the most - size, battery life, media format and of course sound - but do be aware that a lot of those recorders are very similar and better results are more dependent on the sound at your recording location than the device itself.

Recorder A that costs $400 in a crappy sounding location won't sound as good as Recorder B that costs $150 in a good sounding location.