Topic: Will an external mic make a tremendous difference with my portable recorder?

[phaedarus]

Hello everyone,

I am a 3D artist who is undertaking a few independent projects in the area of app development. As such, I am now exploring the world of audio production for the first time.

The first iterations of my work where I was responsible for all areas of production utilized sounds that were primarily sourced from the Internet along with a few purchased tracks from sound libraries. So far the audio clips I have obtained remain unmodified from the originals although I am starting to delve into the editing phase with help from resources found online.

In an effort to produce original content, I invested in a TASCAM DR-100 MKII field recorder. The results so far are mixed with a lot of poor recordings along with the occasional happy accident where I nailed the sound effect I had hoped to pick up. I attributed most of the poor results to the recorder's operator, of course.

Although my work is steadily improving as I experiment with various different placement options, I’m a very long way from producing a personal effects library that compares with that of commercial offerings. Albeit a bit flat sounding, most of my recordings are serviceable however.

From the outset I left open the possibility of purchasing separate microphones to improve my recordings which is what initially led me toward purchasing that particular TASCAM model and hence, my question(s):

Will I be served best by purchasing some good quality microphones and learning to produce better recordings with those in tandem with my DR-100 MKII? Or would the absence of a better recording device negate any appreciable gain in quality to be had with external mics?

My needs focus on achieving realistic sound effects such as footsteps, doors opening and closing, plumbing, vehicle sounds, machinery, ambient noises both indoors and outdoors, etc. I don’t foresee any need to record dialogue at this time.

Two locations in particular that I have access to for recording are a construction site and a Pratt and Whitney manufacturing plant.

Assuming I would go with an external microphone, what suggests would you have for a make/model? Anything that would fit in a backpack (ThinkTank Shapshifter) would be a huge bonus.

As for software, I have Adobe’s Audition, which I am now learning to use. Should I considering looking at anything else?

My set budget is around $1000 (USD).

Thanks in advance.

[page]

Generally speaking, the external microphone provides the largest upgrade in terms of sound quality of just about anything you could do. I don't think you need to spend much, but as with most things, the more you drop, the better the end result could be (as you note, there is some operator skill involved, but otherwise, all things equal).

how important is mono compatibility for what you're recording?

[bryonsos]

Are you willing to use a stand? If so, I'd say get one and an omni bar to spread a pair of omni mics 3-4ft. Spread omnis will give you the sense of space that it sounds like you're looking for. My go to omni is the Avenson STO-2 (will need P48 phantom power), but I also get great results from Countryman B3s (plug-in power). With your budget, you could get either of those plus a suitable preamp (Church, Naiant) and get better results than with the internal mics in your Tascam. Check the retail thread if you're not familiar with those preamp products, there are dedicated threads you can browse.

[phaedarus]

Thanks for the replies.

I haven't factored in the need for mono or stereo but I think for my purposes, mono will do just fine.

I don't have a mic stand but I do have a tripod which I think can be converted for use as a mic stand.

Portability is important as I'll be cramming the Tascam in with my DSLR. There is room for a long lens which I won't be needing however.