Topic: What recorder and mic for interviewing?

[mcmvanbree]

I have been browsing through this site and others and this one is by far the most helpful. I think I have a pretty good overview (even though I don’t have any experience in sound engineering or taping), but I would just love to hear from the experts here about several options I am considering.

Here’s the background and what I need:

I am going to tape one-person interviews, mostly indoors in a quiet room (similar to a radio studio setting). Some might be outdoors, maybe 5 or 10% of all use. Some might be recording press conferences, some might even be recording live (classical) music. I am basically taping for a variety of reasons, but by far mostly interviews (getting sound bites). All recording is done in the open, no stealth recording. Quality wise it needs to be good enough for a professional radio broadcast.

I want a solid state recorder (flash memory) with studio quality mics (of course highest quality possible, for least amount of money…)

Here’s what I am considering:

Recorder: Marantz PMD660, Microtrack24/96, or Zoom H4. I am leaning toward the Marantz, as the radio station I work with uses Marantz a lot. One big question I have is why to pick the XLR connection over a ¼’’ connection (is it a lower noise level?). What are some of the main differences between the three recorders, or why should I pick one over the other?

Mics: Again, the radio station uses Shure mics, mainly the Shure SM81. I am considering slightly cheaper mics, such as the Shure KSM109. Any other brand or type recommendation is welcome of course.

I am assuming I need a cardioid condenser mic. Or seeing the background info above, should I use an omnidirectional mic (although I don’t expect the interviewee to move about a lot)?

If you need any other information, please let me know. Thanks in advance for all who reply.

[Church-Audio]

I have been browsing through this site and others and this one is by far the most helpful. I think I have a pretty good overview (even though I don’t have any experience in sound engineering or taping), but I would just love to hear from the experts here about several options I am considering.

Here’s the background and what I need:

I am going to tape one-person interviews, mostly indoors in a quiet room (similar to a radio studio setting). Some might be outdoors, maybe 5 or 10% of all use. Some might be recording press conferences, some might even be recording live (classical) music. I am basically taping for a variety of reasons, but by far mostly interviews (getting sound bites). All recording is done in the open, no stealth recording. Quality wise it needs to be good enough for a professional radio broadcast.

I want a solid state recorder (flash memory) with studio quality mics (of course highest quality possible, for least amount of money…)

Here’s what I am considering:

Recorder: Marantz PMD660, Microtrack24/96, or Zoom H4. I am leaning toward the Marantz, as the radio station I work with uses Marantz a lot. One big question I have is why to pick the XLR connection over a ¼’’ connection (is it a lower noise level?). What are some of the main differences between the three recorders, or why should I pick one over the other?

Mics: Again, the radio station uses Shure mics, mainly the Shure SM81. I am considering slightly cheaper mics, such as the Shure KSM109. Any other brand or type recommendation is welcome of course.

I am assuming I need a cardioid condenser mic. Or seeing the background info above, should I use an omnidirectional mic (although I don’t expect the interviewee to move about a lot)?

If you need any other information, please let me know. Thanks in advance for all who reply.

Why not a shure SM58? They work great out side and inside and they are indistructable and produce very good vocal recordings.

[mcmvanbree]

What exactly is the difference between a dynamic and condenser mic? Do they both still use phantom power? What's, for example, the difference between the SM58 and the SM86 (or even KSM109)?

Did some more research and I get it now....

Here's a good review for the setup I'm probably going with (Marantz PMD660+Shure SM58)

http://www.transom.org/tools/recording_interviewing/200503.pmd660.html

Thanks for the simple, yet very very helpful suggestion of using the SM58!