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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: Aaron41 on June 29, 2009, 02:14:50 PM

Title: Iriver H120 internal mics picking up hard drive noise - fix?
Post by: Aaron41 on June 29, 2009, 02:14:50 PM
I've started audio recording the lectures in my classes at college using the internal mics in my Iriver H120. After listening to my recordings I am pretty impressed but annoyed by the whirring of the hard drive that is very audible during portions. It makes it hard to hear the professor although it isn't impossible.

Is there anything I can do to lessen the noise of the hard drive or something to cause it to whir less often? I know I could run a stand with mics so that I don't pick up the sound but I'd much rather not do this.  ;)

Any advice would be great. Thanks!
Title: Re: Iriver H120 internal mics picking up hard drive noise - fix?
Post by: rsimms3 on June 29, 2009, 02:27:07 PM
1. CF Mod
2. Get the professor to carry around your h120 and speak directly into it
3. Vulcan mindmeld
Title: Re: Iriver H120 internal mics picking up hard drive noise - fix?
Post by: petur on June 30, 2009, 04:06:10 AM
4. record as mp3 - the compression causes more audio to fit in the buffer so less spinups

but I agree with the CF mod of course.... I now also use the internal mic from time to time, and the quality isn't too bad :)
Title: Re: Iriver H120 internal mics picking up hard drive noise - fix?
Post by: Aaron41 on June 30, 2009, 09:45:27 AM
Quote from: petur on June 30, 2009, 04:06:10 AM
4. record as mp3 - the compression causes more audio to fit in the buffer so less spinups

but I agree with the CF mod of course.... I now also use the internal mic from time to time, and the quality isn't too bad :)

I'm going to experiment with recording as mp3 today. I figure that an 80 kbps mono file will sound decent enough. We will see. I compressed my first day of class at ABR 56 (mono, 32 khz) and it sounds great.
Title: Re: Iriver H120 internal mics picking up hard drive noise - fix?
Post by: sunjan on July 01, 2009, 12:23:12 AM
5. use external mics. :-)

But apart from that, the CF mod is a no-brainer. All iriver owners who value their recordings should go for it...
Title: Re: Iriver H120 internal mics picking up hard drive noise - fix?
Post by: deadhoarse on July 01, 2009, 09:57:24 AM
Do you have the little external mic that the iriver came with? It's quite good for voice recording I've found.
Title: Re: Iriver H120 internal mics picking up hard drive noise - fix?
Post by: Aaron41 on July 01, 2009, 10:06:33 AM
Quote from: deadhoarse on July 01, 2009, 09:57:24 AM
Do you have the little external mic that the iriver came with? It's quite good for voice recording I've found.


My Iriver unfortunately never came with an external mic. I thought about buying one.

I recorded yesterday's lecture in a 80 kbps mono mp3 file. After listening, the quality sounds good and I don't hear the hard drive. I didn't have time to sample the whole lecture but I couldn't hear the hard drive at all. I'd imagine it whirs at least once or twice during the file but I can live with that.
Title: Re: Iriver H120 internal mics picking up hard drive noise - fix?
Post by: Chuck on July 02, 2009, 09:17:33 AM
Another vote for CF mod.