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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: justme on September 26, 2025, 09:11:11 AM
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New Zoom 32 bit float mono/stereo & M/S.
The World’s Smallest, Professional, Waterproof Recorder Instamic Pro Plus C
https://zoomcorp.com/en/us/instamic/instamic-pro-plus-c/instamic/
$199,-
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now THAT is a zoom mic I'd consider...
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Zoom just bought Instamic and it looks like they are taking over selling the recently announced Instamic Pro Plus C. I couldn't find from Zoom sites the sample rate or whether dual ADCs were present, but the Instamic website
https://instamic.io/products/instamic-pro-plus-c?srsltid=AfmBOoru-AOJxaQG1baOITq8_W7C3UQiCGqi7lR8lBE_GlcI2O4_Ucpz (https://instamic.io/products/instamic-pro-plus-c?srsltid=AfmBOoru-AOJxaQG1baOITq8_W7C3UQiCGqi7lR8lBE_GlcI2O4_Ucpz)
says their product has 48/96 sampling. Haven't found anything about the ADCs, though.
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Looks very interesting. I wonder what sort of results it can give us discreetly recording concerts.
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Looks very interesting. I wonder what sort of results it can give us discreetly recording concerts.
I'm imagining putting it on the rail at the stage, or for those shows where almost anything else might not make it in.
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I just ordered one from Zoom. ETA is October 31. We'll see.
Update: Zoom just sent an email saying ship date would be October 25.
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All of my low pro recording is pretty low effort and this appeals to me very much for just finding a place to park it and let it roll.
Interesting that they are using MEMS instead of conventional microphones. I'm surprised this technology hasn't caught on more in the microphone manufacturing world. You can create sensors that are way smaller than a millimeter. I guess you can only go so small with a membrane.
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Cool. Like to see specs.. along with response graphs and polars of Mid/Side pattern response. The reported ability to control multiple units and sync clocks with the app is intriguing, as long as sufficiently close sync is able be maintained between units. Unfortunately 4 hours of battery life is very short.
The tininess of MEMS elements usually translates to a high noise-floor. I imagine the four MEMS mic elements of the primary Mid channel are run in parallel to achieve better noise performance. Not sure what that means for Side channel performance, as the two MEMS wired in reverse polarity to produce the fig-8 Side pattern will only provide for the equivalent noise performance of a single MEMS element.
May pick one up to play around with.. in addition to easy low-profile recording I'm thinking it may prove useful as a spot mic, say for vocals or quieter instruments when recording on-stage without SBD access.
Conceptually, this is getting close to my long-imagined miniature DPA Mid/Side "puck" which would incorporate a Mid/Side pair, possibly with integrated recorder, in one of the miniature DPA hard rubber boundary mounts. Already wondering about disassembling and repackaging it into something appropriate for my arcane stealth recording methods, which would ultimately incorporate 3 or 4 of these in an array.
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I've been using a pair of the Instamic Pro+C since May, they are awesome. Stealthing will never be the same.
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https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/0eo436ykcbf4uik0bclgq/AF0WT031qvYYIsXR8xbmIco?rlkey=3ey7ialtkf45rgk8xf6abqpl9&st=o6xbba5u&dl=0
This is a band called La Lom from LA that is all instrumental. Openly recorded on stand, A/B mics split 14cm.
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https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/sbsimmz76mr8a8wntqr0z/ADM_Va198UIWnI31yyxj4yU?rlkey=hz8l5ryxp4xswno86227zm1ln&st=tjbz29ol&dl=0
The Head and the Heart 8-1-25 from Allianz Amphitheater in Richmond, 5th row center in hat. Drizzling the entire show.
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https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/0eo436ykcbf4uik0bclgq/AF0WT031qvYYIsXR8xbmIco?rlkey=3ey7ialtkf45rgk8xf6abqpl9&st=o6xbba5u&dl=0
This is a band called La Lom from LA that is all instrumental. Openly recorded on stand, A/B mics split 14cm.
Were they 2 mono units that you used? Sounds really good all things considered.
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Correct. Both mics sync to timecode through the app remote so when you pull the file off each one and drop into DAW,they start and stop at same time, so you can just join the tracks the same as mono tracks from a single recorder. Instamic is the only one of these made where the file recorded is not auto-split every 30-60 mins. The Head and The Heart recording is the one that totally sold me on these guys. If you saw the conditions I was facing you would not believe it listening to the results. The hat was completely soaked by midway through the show, and the mics had no issues.
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[snip..]Both mics sync to timecode through the app remote so when you pull the file off each one and drop into DAW,they start and stop at same time, so you can just join the tracks the same as mono tracks from a single recorder.[..snip]
Right on. I've been wondering if the resolution of timecode sync in these devices is tight enough for phase-locked stereo use. Looking forward to giving your examples a listen. Thanks for posting them.
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Correct. Both mics sync to timecode through the app remote so when you pull the file off each one and drop into DAW,they start and stop at same time, so you can just join the tracks the same as mono tracks from a single recorder. Instamic is the only one of these made where the file recorded is not auto-split every 30-60 mins. The Head and The Heart recording is the one that totally sold me on these guys. If you saw the conditions I was facing you would not believe it listening to the results. The hat was completely soaked by midway through the show, and the mics had no issues.
I ordered the stereo version. It should be easier to get a stereo recording with just the one unit.
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I got the mono pair because the SNR specification is stated to be 72db, and the stereo version is 67db. I exchanged emails with the founder before choosing which one to buy. He said the added MEMS on the sides add noise but make it able to do a pseudo m/s recording. If my need was for video camera mounting I would definitely want the stereo version.
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Interesting, thanks.
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Thanks for sharing...kind of...now I'm thinking about ordering one. :angry2:
Zoom/Samuel FINALLY recorded with the device their selling!! That said, when he was outside, it didn't sound all the clear for his dialog; in the car was a little better.
I like the quotes from the pro sound guys, but I don't see any videos/recordings of their work on the product page. There is the guy on the water, though.
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Zoom have stated in the past that their devices are single ADC across the range, unless they specifically claim dual ADC. In this case there's no dual ADC claim. However, it seems to be the case that single ADC devices marketed with claims that match dual ADCs are the norm now.
How they get stereo separation using multiple Omni mics in a tiny space puzzles me. Something clever going on there.
In due course it will be interesting to see / hear comparisons with the Zoom Instamic vs cheaper and, in essence, smaller devices such as the Lark A1, of which I am a fan. With that, in essence it's invisible, when worn inside a baseball cap and recorded on the phone. The Instamic specs are better but which will be preferred is perhaps another matter.
Wind muffs would presumably be required for outside use.
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While these can be used as "wireless" mics transmitting to phone or camera via bluetooth like many others, it's the internal recording without auto-splits that makes Instamic unique. The "stereo" functionality of that version is achieved by adding a MEMS mic on each side in addition to the 4 MEMS array at the front, which permits mid/side recording. The separation isn't enough for time delay stereo, but the baffle effect is enough for intensity stereo. That being said, I opted for two of the mono versions because of the better SNR performance of that model.
More details about the recordings I posted; for the La Lom the Instamics were mounted on the ends of a 14cm crossbar with the furry windscreens, and the stand at 7.5'. For The Head and the Heart, each Instamic had the little spandex covers on them, and then dropped into the side pockets of a runners cap. It was fully soaked within a few min of the start of the show and remained drenched from there on.
These things aren't perfect. Sometimes there are interference issues in big crowds when initially pairing them to the phone app that can be irritating, but that's the magic of these. Once you get them synced to timecode and rolling, it doesn't matter if the connection breaks between them and the phone. They will run exactly as they were set at the start until they are re-paired to the app, or manually stopped with the button on the body.
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This looks very interesting!
Some, for me, relevant questions I haven't found answered yet:
Are the internal batteries user replaceable?
Is the "soft-touch" finish the same as the awful rubber-like coating that turns into sticky goo after a few years?
Can they be feed with USB power while recording?
Can TC be jam-synced with Zoom's own products (not only Atomos and Tenacle Sync E as specified)?
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This looks very interesting!
Some, for me, relevant questions I haven't found answered yet:
Are the internal batteries user replaceable?
Is the "soft-touch" finish the same as the awful rubber-like coating that turns into sticky goo after a few years?
Can they be feed with USB power while recording?
Can TC be jam-synced with Zoom's own products (not only Atomos and Tenacle Sync E as specified)?
1. No, unfortunately just like Airpods and Fitbits, these have non-user replaceable batteries.
2. No, it is a flat finish of some kind, but it's not rubbery like the coating you are thinking of.
3. I have not tested that specifically, but I think it can. The stated 4.5 hour run time has proven true so I can't imagine needing to ever do that.
4. Mine are the pre-Zoom product but I would expect them to release a firmware update to make these compatible with their timecode system as well now that they own the product.
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Thanks batbrad!
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Zoom have stated in the past that their devices are single ADC across the range, unless they specifically claim dual ADC. In this case there's no dual ADC claim. However, it seems to be the case that single ADC devices marketed with claims that match dual ADCs are the norm now.
On the site it does say that it has dual a/d converters.
"Instamic’s dual A/D converters with 32-bit float recording capture every detail, from whispers to roars and everything in between, without clipping or distortion."
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Zoom have stated in the past that their devices are single ADC across the range, unless they specifically claim dual ADC. In this case there's no dual ADC claim. However, it seems to be the case that single ADC devices marketed with claims that match dual ADCs are the norm now.
On the site it does say that it has dual a/d converters.
"Instamic’s dual A/D converters with 32-bit float recording capture every detail, from whispers to roars and everything in between, without clipping or distortion."
Thanks. Either I didn't spot that, or they read this thread.... probably the former!
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I got the mono pair because the SNR specification is stated to be 72db, and the stereo version is 67db. I exchanged emails with the founder before choosing which one to buy. He said the added MEMS on the sides add noise but make it able to do a pseudo m/s recording. If my need was for video camera mounting I would definitely want the stereo version.
Not sure but the stereo unit which costs just a few dollars more might allow for either mono and stereo use. If capable of operating in single-channel mono mode as well as in stereo, SNR should be identical to the mono version (72dB) when recording in mono mode. SNR for the mono channel on its own presumably is improved via the use of the four MEMS wired in parallel on the front face of the unit.
Either way, four MEMS arranged in a line and wired in parallel will produce a narrowing polar pattern at high frequencies in the same way that a larger diaphragm diameter does in an omni. So how you point these things may matter somewhat. Best extended high frequency response should occur for wavefront arrival parallel to the line, so best to position it on-axis with the four MEMS pointed toward the sound source.
The tininess of MEMS elements usually translates to a high noise-floor. I imagine the four MEMS mic elements of the primary Mid channel are run in parallel to achieve better noise performance. Not sure what that means for Side channel performance, as the two MEMS wired in reverse polarity to produce the fig-8 Side pattern will only provide for the equivalent noise performance of a single MEMS element.
Not sure how the stereo version might be generating stereo output. My earlier post quoted above assumes Mid/Side processing, with the Side channel being generated via the two MEMS on either side of the unit. Alternately it could be using the array of 6 MEMS to do some rudimentary beamforming. In that case the MEMS would not be wired directly in parallel, but instead phase manipulations would be used to produce two separate "reception beams" angled somewhat to the left and right of the line, producing some form of X/Y. Probably pretty messy polars, but who cares if it sounds decent.. as long as it can also operate in mono mode without compromising SNR
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I got the mono pair because the SNR specification is stated to be 72db, and the stereo version is 67db. I exchanged emails with the founder before choosing which one to buy. He said the added MEMS on the sides add noise but make it able to do a pseudo m/s recording. If my need was for video camera mounting I would definitely want the stereo version.
Not sure but the stereo unit which costs just a few dollars more might allow for either mono and stereo use. If capable of operating in single-channel mono mode as well as in stereo, SNR should be identical to the mono version (72dB) when recording in mono mode. SNR for the mono channel on its own presumably is improved via the use of the four MEMS wired in parallel on the front face of the unit.
Either way, four MEMS arranged in a line and wired in parallel will produce a narrowing polar pattern at high frequencies in the same way that a larger diaphragm diameter does in an omni. So how you point these things may matter somewhat. Best extended high frequency response should occur for wavefront arrival parallel to the line, so best to position it on-axis with the four MEMS pointed toward the sound source.
The tininess of MEMS elements usually translates to a high noise-floor. I imagine the four MEMS mic elements of the primary Mid channel are run in parallel to achieve better noise performance. Not sure what that means for Side channel performance, as the two MEMS wired in reverse polarity to produce the fig-8 Side pattern will only provide for the equivalent noise performance of a single MEMS element.
Not sure how the stereo version might be generating stereo output. My earlier post quoted above assumes Mid/Side processing, with the Side channel being generated via the two MEMS on either side of the unit. Alternately it could be using the array of 6 MEMS to do some rudimentary beamforming. In that case the MEMS would not be wired directly in parallel, but instead phase manipulations would be used to produce two separate "reception beams" angled somewhat to the left and right of the line, producing some form of X/Y. Probably pretty messy polars, but who cares if it sounds decent.. as long as it can also operate in mono mode without compromising SNR
I exchanged emails for a couple of weeks with Michele Baggio, the developer and founder of Instamic, before making a purchase. I went back and re-read some of them and he confirmed that when the stereo version is in M/S mode, all 6 MEMS are working, and in mono mode it's identical to the straight mono version. Only when using the stereo mode does the SNR drop from 72 to 67. I considered buying one of each for versatility, but ended up going with a pair of monos.
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Thanks for the confirm on that and your insight into the practical use of these things.
There's promise here for sure. I need to give your LA LOM and Head and the Heart recordings a listen. Thanks for posting those.
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How do you orient these to the sound source / what is "on axis"?
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what is "on axis"?
Sound arriving from the direction that the center of the diaphragm is "pointed" at.
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Looking at it, the face opposite th clip is on axis.
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There are 4 openings on one end, and the stereo version adds two on the sides for the MEMS microphones. In other words, if you had no clip and set it on a table, on-axis would be running parallel to the tabletop.
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I know, but what is "on axis" for this device? Wondering how best to wear/mount the stereo unit.
what is "on axis"?
Sound arriving from the direction that the center of the diaphragm is "pointed" at.
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Primary on-axis will be directly in front of the four holes for the MEMS on the front of the unit. Assuming the device is lying flat on a table, directly above and below that probably won't make much difference, because the "height" of the MEMS and front face of the unit is small in that dimension. The potentially audible attenuation of highest frequencies will occur when the source is positioned off-axis over to either either side (where the additional MEMS are located) because the MEMS across the front form a longer line along that axis and the body of the unit is significantly wider in that dimension. ..and around the back of the unit.
Dunno if any of this will be audible or not. Just speculating based on the fundamental acoustics of a line arrangement of sensors and the geometry of the unit. It might like orienting miniature omnis in our use cases. I can hear the tiny bit of highest frequency attenuation off-axis when playing around with the DPA miniature omnis, but found long ago that in actual use recording musical performances their orientation doesn't really matter much.
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Its the same phenomena that causes the polar pattern to narrow at high frequencies in relation to the size and shape of the diaphragm. A larger diaphragm/housing will cause the polar pattern to begin to narrow on-axis at a somewhat lower frequency than a smaller diaphragm/housing. A rectangular diaphragm mic such as in Pearl/Milab mics will have a narrower HF pattern along the long axis of the diaphragm than along the short axis. Same for a longish ribbon mics, which produce a wider HF fig-8 pattern in the horizontal axis and a narrower fig-8 in the vertical axis.
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I'd like to clip this to my chest. Would that have it pointed up towards my face?
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Yes. Use as a lavalier mic clipped to the talent's shirt that way is surely the primary intended use for these things. But as mentioned, its likely there will be little difference for sound arrival from above or below (when sitting flat on a table), or in your case from out in front (when clipped to a shirt with the it's primary axis facing upward)
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For stealth mode, I'm going to use double sided tape and put it on top of my bald head and wear a cap. :laugh:
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Yes. Use as a lavalier mic clipped to the talent's shirt that way is surely the primary intended use for these things. But as mentioned, its likely there will be little difference for sound arrival from above or below (when sitting flat on a table), or in your case from out in front (when clipped to a shirt with the it's primary axis facing upward)
Let's see, the unit is 1/2" thick, call that ~1.3 cm. Frequencies over 15kHz should refract around that probably higher. And it's rounded, so unlikely to notice that effect on sound pickup from the front when clipped to a shirt with the primary axis facing upwards.. Unless you sneeze, exclaim or breathe heavy!
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For stealth mode, I'm going to use double sided tape and put it on top of my bald head and wear a cap. :laugh:
Eminently doable! It's smaller than I realized @ 1.5" X 1" X 0.5" Need to figure out how I might put one over each ear, one at front of forehead and one in back. Say, inside a snake-skin hat-band!
"Those lumps? Mice"
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For stealth mode, I'm going to use double sided tape and put it on top of my bald head and wear a cap. :laugh:
There is a magnetic mount option if you happen to have a steel plate in your head.
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I grabbed a stereo unit. Will report back.
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This is the hat I use to run a pair of these. Works great. This is the mfg link, but you can get it from Amazon also.
https://www.chalktalksports.com/products/cool-run-pocket-hat-for-runners-black
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You put them inside those side pockets? ..and the fabric is sufficiently audibly transparent that it doesn't sound muffled?
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You put them inside those side pockets? ..and the fabric is sufficiently audibly transparent that it doesn't sound muffled?
The Head and the Heart show Brad shared sounded good.
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I still need to listen.. made with them inside the pockets through the hat fabric?
Vs. clipped on outside the pocket?
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For stealth mode, I'm going to use double sided tape and put it on top of my bald head and wear a cap. :laugh:
LOL. Many years ago I taped a Bright Eyes show with a Sony stereo mic velcro taped to the top of my cap. I got a few weird looks but other than that no worries - until I really had to pee so I asked the Mom in front of me with a baby in a sling carrier if I could put the hat on the sleeping baby for a song while I ran to the portalet. She was fine with it so a baby taped a song for me with my MD tucked into it's blanket. :D
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^ That's taper gold!
"+T and another in 24"
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I still need to listen.. made with them inside the pockets through the hat fabric?
Vs. clipped on outside the pocket?
That's my understanding of Brad's post.
The Head and the Heart 8-1-25 from Allianz Amphitheater in Richmond, 5th row center in hat. Drizzling the entire show.
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Yes, I slide them back towards the rear part of the pocket where it narrows enough to keep them in place, that's it. The pocket is fine mesh, you can see through it when you look out from inside, but against the hat zipped up, nothing but black. They poke out a little, but when you slide them all the way back they aren't noticable unless you are looking for them. The front of each mic with the 4 holes for MEMS sits almost directly over the center of my ears. Perfect really.
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I can't believe I'm giving away all my secrets, lol. Actually glad to have worked some of this out for you guys so you can jump right in.
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Next I will share how I use these for open taping outside. For late June and July shows where its hot, humid, and can rain suddenly, these guys are great, and guilt free. No more exposing my regular mics to that crap ever again.
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The most recent example I posted in another thread of my wireless mic stereo recordings (for video) was made with the mics completely inside the baseball cap ($4 in my case!), and the HF is fine with a little boost in editing. Previously I used the mics kind of peeking out from the edge of the cap, but when fully inside it does seem to help a lot with wind noise. And total invisibility. I guess the Instamics are too big to do exactly, that but the cap with pockets is a neat trick - seems not available from their Australian store though.
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Nice. I would buy one if it also had a 3.5mm jack. Would be like a DJI Mic 2 with better built in mics.
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^ Was thinking a lot about that myself over the weekend, as I'm strongly considering picking up four to re-implement my former four-channel baffled-omni LRCB stealth setup, and also use them as plant/spot mics on stage or wherever. So much going for them, particularly the ability to implement some of my multichannel setups without wires. The basic requirements all seem satisfied, and Datbrad's recordings sound good and promising.. but I'm left wondering if I'll be happy moving away from the highly capable DPA miniature omnis I've grown very familiar with, like the sound of, know how to manage, and have successfully used for for demanding applications ranging from high SPL PA-reinforced concerts to very quiet acoustic stuff to highly dynamic orchestral performances. That's the bar to beat, or at least get sufficiently close to equaling. In terms of end results, the built-in MEMS mics seem to be the only significant potential step backwards. Can I live with that? A rhetorical question of at this point. Wish I could put a 4060 in it [edit- feeding a CA-UGLY preamp].
Would like to hear samples in stereo M/S mode, yet at this point those have been hard to find. Buying four will make for a significant investment, so I'm hesitating. Could pick up just three of the stereo version initially I suppose.
Alternately, I may first grab a second Deity PR2 since I already have the mics and adapters to feed it and would really like to re-implement my LRCB setup for something coming up in early November.
An external mic input is harder to handle due to the need for powering, the differing specs of different external mics, less watertightness via the connector and all that. I get the design choice. Keeping it a closed system makes good of sense in many ways. Just wish it had a 4060 equivalent in there. ..and a flatter housing but can live with that.
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I’ve read through the thread twice, so I wanted to make sure I understood what this is.
-an omni mic+32-bit float recorder+internal battery unit that comes in mono only and mono/stereo versions. The stereo version has M/S capabilities.
Questions for users.
Any experience with metal detectors?
Is blumlein a possibility with a second unit?
Is simple audio software (Audacity, etc.) all that’s needed to process?
I am running iOS 18.6.2, and my phone isn't upgradable to iOS 26. Potential issue down the line?
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Is blumlein a possibility with a second unit?
I don't know, but if someone tries it I'd be interested in hearing a how it sounds.
Is simple audio software (Audacity, etc.) all that’s needed to process?
Yes, after copying the recorded files to my laptop I just import each track into Audacity, join them into stereo, then I can do whatever post work is needed.
Any experience with metal detectors?
Yes, I've carried a pair through detectors in my pants pocket, top left shirt pocket, and already setup in the hat that I'm wearing on my head. No issues.
I am running iOS 18.6.2, and my phone isn't upgradable to iOS 26. Potential issue down the line?
Don't know, but I understand the Instamic app that you need to remote control them is available in both Android and iOS versions.
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Is blumlein a possibility with a second unit?
Potentially, using just the Side channel of two stereo units, one laid atop the other and turned 90 degrees. Not sure how well that will work in practice for a few reasons:
1) Side channel doesn't use multiple MEMS in parallel to reduce noise / increase dynamic range like the primary Mid/mono channel does, so its spec's are not as good as the primary channel.
2) I wonder what the fig-8 polars look like. There is some spacing between the Side channel elements.. and its seems it is formed using omni MEMS (see TS technical discussion about creating a fig-8 pattern using two omnis here- https://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=207169.msg2426801#msg2426801). It may share some similar polar attributes with the fig-8 patterns achieved by the Octava MK-12 and the Naiant X-8, both of which use back to back elements that are similarly spaced apart somewhat, except those use cardioids rather than omnis.
My suspicion is that the Side channel polars and other Side channel specs of the Instamic are good enough for effectively "stereoizing" the primary Mid channel, but whether the side channel is sufficiently good for use as a primary channel in a Blumlein array remains open to question. I've only found one or two brief examples of the stereo output from one of these units so far, which sounded promising yet insufficient for making any definite conclusion. For years I used Naiant X-8 as Side channel and was happy with it in that role. I have two of them but have only employed them as Side channels, never tried Blumlein. The spacing between the capsules of the X-8 does appear to be tighter than the OMK-12, and the Instamic spacing may be somewhat tighter still, but would need to measure to confirm.. and there's the whole fig-8 from a pair of omnis thing on top of that.
3) Tolerance of the clock sync between units. The two fig-8 stereo channels will be recorded to two separate devices. Datbrad's use of two mono units in stereo proves the clock tolerance sufficient for achieving good spaced / baffled omni stereo, but that's less demanding in terms of absolute clock-sync than a coincident stereo arrangement where phase needs to be closely matched and maintained between the two channels. Easy to achieve in a single unit doing stereo, sharing the same clock.
If it does work well enough, the two omni (Mid) channels come along for the ride and may be very useful..
1) Although not true Blumlein, mixing some low-passed omni in should extend low frequency response. In that case, the stereo pattern below the low-pass threshold will become increasingly X/Y cardioid-like.
2) Even simpler, if not low-passed, inclusion of some omni Mid channel(s) should alter the pattern across the full spectrum, pushing it from fig-8 to something further along the continuum extending from fig-8 through cardioid to omni. What pattern you end up with depends on the how much omni gets included. This is a horizontal-only "native ambisonic array" achieved by way of two coincident fig-8s + omni, rather than a typical ambisonic mic using a tetrahedral arrangement of cardioids. That may sound complicated but wouldn't be in use. If it works, simply mixing in a touch of omni would shift the pattern from X/Y fig-8s to X/Y supercards.. a bit more more X/Y cardioids. More still will shift toward X/Y subcards and on toward X/Y omnis, so there is a limit of adjustability, but unlike two-channel Mid/Side the X/Y angle will not be altered along with pattern.
tl;dr- If any one does try a pair of these in Blumlein, try mixing in some of the omni Mid channels to taste.
Octava MK-12
(https://www.oktava-shop.com/images/product_images/info_images/8ad-s.jpg)
Naiant X-8
(https://naiant.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/bc38e-x-8s-350.jpg)
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Just discovered this. Have a show on Monday that would be perfect to try this thing out but can't find one at short notice in Canada. :(
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I just took my stereo version for a test run last night. Contrary to what the website leads one to believe
the stereo unit will will run at a maximum sampling rate of 48 kHz and a maximum 24 bit depth when
running in stereo mode. In mono mode only it can run at 32/96. This fact is only hinted in the specification
section on the on the website where they show varying run times in different configurations. I emailed the
company to say that nowhere on the website did they explicitly state that it only ran at a max of 48 kHz
and 24 bit in stereo mode. Their return email stated that I should have known this since it was inferred
in the run time section of the specs. I feel this is somewhat deceptive considering that they are touting
the joys of 32 bit recording on both the Zoom and Instamic websites.
All of that said, this tiny unit is pretty incredible. As someone who used to lug cassette recorders with
D cell batteries, associated cables etc. and then dat recorders, preamps, a/d converters et al; this
thing is a modern feat of miniaturization. For what it is it sounds damn good. I also ran an m/s set of
Schoeps plugged into a Tascam fr-av2. Did the tiny unit sound as good? Of course not but nor did it sound bad.
For a discreet little "run and gun" it is the ultimate little unit that I have used. I can envision just setting it on the
front table at a small club and being completely undetectable. The led lights can be turned off once recording is
started via the app. Operation via the app is a little wiggy but once it starts recording it stays that way. I would
expect a firmware update or two. The frequency range sounds full from the bass all the way to the highest
frequencies of the fiddle with no obvious self noise (I recorded a bluegrass band last night).
In summary I feel that it well worth the $200 that I paid. My greatest fear is losing the tiny little thing.
I marvel at the advances that have been made in my 45+ years of location recording.
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Got mine on Thursday and put it to use that night. Ran it (24/48, Mid-side) concurrent with 2 other rigs (4061 dpas -mma-a- iPhone and Mic Madness Hypers-SP Battery Box- Sony A10). When I am home on Tuesday I will post the raw wav comps for anyone interested. Overall positive impression, it has a lot of potential, particularly in super-stealth situations. I have 3 other shows this week, so I will be putting it to work.
Negative observations:
1-like all Zoom Bluetooth connections, this one sucked. Set levels flat at start of show, lost connection within 10 minutes and could not reconnect. Had the device in my hat with the LEDs off, so I let it run and could not confirm if I got anything at all until I plugged it into my PC.
2-Device got hot. I had it tucked in the bill of a mesh Kangol and it was hot to the touch at the end of the show. It had been running for about 2 hours and twenty minutes.
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Ran it (24/48, Mid-side) concurrent with 2 other rigs (4061 dpas -mma-a- iPhone and Mic Madness Hypers-SP Battery Box- Sony A10). When I am home on Tuesday I will post the raw wav comps for anyone interested.
I'm very interested in hearing the comparison with the 4061 recording, as I envision using a few of these in place of or in combination with them. Along that line, I picked up a second Deity PR2 last week and sync'd the two together with shared clock and control via the phone app, creating a 4 x 4061 baffled LRCB array that I ran for Thomas Dolby on Friday. Haven't had a chance to check sync of the files yet. Under consideration is the use of four of these in place of the twin 4061>PR2 setup, just wasn't quite ready to commit to four of these quite yet so went that route first.
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3 ten minute samples attached. Only treatment was getting the levels close to each other.
https://drive.proton.me/urls/3FSW9PP0MW#qK6p0VKn6wdX
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3 ten minute samples attached. Only treatment was getting the levels close to each other.
https://drive.proton.me/urls/3FSW9PP0MW#qK6p0VKn6wdX
I'm surprised that I think the Instamic sounds better than the others. I have taped a few shows using the Instamic Pro Plus (not the C-version). They sound fine, but they can pick up a lot of talking and singing from the audience.
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Hi, the Instamic sounds the most clear indeed. Currently using the Zoom H2 Essential with Sony Ecm 717. Satisfied with it. The Zoom internals are picking up a lot of audience talking as well when the PA is not that loud. Placed away from the audience they sound nearly identical. Thinking of buying the Instamic because they're small, stealthy and easier to get in. But would there be a benfit soundwise?
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What gain setting is recommended for your typical PA amplified rock type show? I used -10 for a fairly quiet bluegrass show and it came damn close to clipping during audience applause (music was fine).
Overall results were better than expected, although I recorded some raw m/s and the stereo mix wasn't all that "stereo" even when going heavy with the side. I've experimented with m/s for a few different periods (LSD2 and Schoeps mk8 + mk4/mk21) so I think I had realistic expectations of what the stereo result should be. The mono with pseudo stereo processing may actually sound better than the m/s. Didn't try the stereo setting yet with the Instamic.
https://archive.org/details/del2025-11-15.insta.taraszki.flac16 (https://archive.org/details/del2025-11-15.insta.taraszki.flac16)
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I keep mine at -20 after I had same issue you did. I haven't had any overloads and have recorded several shows the db level on my phone app averaged 85 and peaks at 100. Those were loud shows to me, I had to wear plugs.
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3 ten minute samples attached. Only treatment was getting the levels close to each other.
https://drive.proton.me/urls/3FSW9PP0MW#qK6p0VKn6wdX
I'm surprised that I think the Instamic sounds better than the others.
I prefer the DPAs - they just have a nice, full sound that with a little post-processing, makes for a nice, comfortable listening experience. The instamic sounds very thin to me.
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Sounds great @datbrad!
Been following sound designer Watson Wu test these out. https://www.watsonwu.com/blog/2025/9/30/instamics-feature
He has some more info on his Instagram.
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The Sound Professional store is offering discount $149/each, not bad!!
https://soundprofessionals.com/product/inst-p01pc/?gad_source=4&gad_campaignid=20633408818&gbraid=0AAAAAD_rXrycVKrsuC1uIDzJkY9OgiBr0&gclid=Cj0KCQiAxonKBhC1ARIsAIHq_lu7gxpmS0_WDQ9nY30rfZyHQWCiA8-7w8rImUAtPhKAvGe-6Khb2pQaAosCEALw_wcB
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Is the non-C version worth my time as a super tiny last resort stealth rig?
I can get this unit cheaply at the moment but I'm curious what people think.
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Is the non-C version worth my time as a super tiny last resort stealth rig?
I can get this unit cheaply at the moment but I'm curious what people think.
I think it works fine if you want something simple and stealthy. I wonder, is the C-version identical to the non-C-version except for the USB standard?
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The Instamic Pro Plus C offers around 4.5 hours of continuous battery life, varying slightly with usage, while the older Instamic Pro model only provides about 3.5 hours of life. I think that's the only difference, not counting the difference in USB connector type.
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Is the non-C version worth my time as a super tiny last resort stealth rig?
I can get this unit cheaply at the moment but I'm curious what people think.
I think it works fine if you want something simple and stealthy. I wonder, is the C-version identical to the non-C-version except for the USB standard?
The Instamic Pro Plus C offers around 4.5 hours of continuous battery life, varying slightly with usage, while the older Instamic Pro model only provides about 3.5 hours of life. I think that's the only difference, not counting the difference in USB connector type.
I've decided to chance it. Will hopefully arrive in time for me to give it a quick go next week.
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I ordered a stereo unit, but Stereo is 24 Bit only, which would not be terrible, but every time I turn the unit on, it defaults to 32Bit Mono which I keep forgetting. So I ordered a second unit rather than try to train my aging brain, and am really pleased. It is easy to synch, and easy to stick almost anywhere. The sound is very good too.
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I ordered a stereo unit, but Stereo is 24 Bit only, which would not be terrible, but every time I turn the unit on, it defaults to 32Bit Mono which I keep forgetting. So I ordered a second unit rather than try to train my aging brain, and am really pleased. It is easy to synch, and easy to stick almost anywhere. The sound is very good too.
I have reported this behaviour to Zoom. It is a bug that appeared after the last update. They have not fixed it yet, as far as I know.
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I ordered a stereo unit, but Stereo is 24 Bit only, which would not be terrible, but every time I turn the unit on, it defaults to 32Bit Mono which I keep forgetting. So I ordered a second unit rather than try to train my aging brain, and am really pleased. It is easy to synch, and easy to stick almost anywhere. The sound is very good too.
I have reported this behaviour to Zoom. It is a bug that appeared after the last update. They have not fixed it yet, as far as I know.
I recently updated mine and it does not exhibit this behavior. It stays as set at 24 bit stereo.
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I ordered a stereo unit, but Stereo is 24 Bit only, which would not be terrible, but every time I turn the unit on, it defaults to 32Bit Mono which I keep forgetting. So I ordered a second unit rather than try to train my aging brain, and am really pleased. It is easy to synch, and easy to stick almost anywhere. The sound is very good too.
I have reported this behaviour to Zoom. It is a bug that appeared after the last update. They have not fixed it yet, as far as I know.
I recently updated mine and it does not exhibit this behavior. It stays as set at 24 bit stereo.
Oh, I see. Must be different for different devices then. I tried updating the firmware 5 minutes ago and I still have the 32-bit problem on my Instamic (the non-USB-C-version).
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I have the app setting for 24/48 and the mics power up that way only if I have the app open before I pair them. If the mics are turned on first, default settings are used.
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I have the app setting for 24/48 and the mics power up that way only if I have the app open before I pair them. If the mics are turned on first, default settings are used.
Interesting, mine always seem to retain the 24/48 stereo even if the mic is powered first.
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I have the app setting for 24/48 and the mics power up that way only if I have the app open before I pair them. If the mics are turned on first, default settings are used.
Interesting, mine always seem to retain the 24/48 stereo even if the mic is powered first.
I can add to this that my Instamic only goes back to 32 bit mono if I press the settings menu. As long as I am in the recording menu and never go into the settings, I maintain 24 bit stereo.
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I have the app setting for 24/48 and the mics power up that way only if I have the app open before I pair them. If the mics are turned on first, default settings are used.
Interesting, mine always seem to retain the 24/48 stereo even if the mic is powered first.
I can add to this that my Instamic only goes back to 32 bit mono if I press the settings menu. As long as I am in the recording menu and never go into the settings, I maintain 24 bit stereo.
What Firmware version are you on? As far as I can tell, both of mine will revert to 32Bit Mono every time I turn it on, no matter what. I believe I have the latest firmware, but I need to check that.
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I have the app setting for 24/48 and the mics power up that way only if I have the app open before I pair them. If the mics are turned on first, default settings are used.
Interesting, mine always seem to retain the 24/48 stereo even if the mic is powered first.
I can add to this that my Instamic only goes back to 32 bit mono if I press the settings menu. As long as I am in the recording menu and never go into the settings, I maintain 24 bit stereo.
What Firmware version are you on? As far as I can tell, both of mine will revert to 32Bit Mono every time I turn it on, no matter what. I believe I have the latest firmware, but I need to check that.
Firmware version 2.3.49, app vesion 1.6.5
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Can anyone point me to a few good examples of recordings made in M/S stereo mode?
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What Firmware version are you on? As far as I can tell, both of mine will revert to 32Bit Mono every time I turn it on, no matter what. I believe I have the latest firmware, but I need to check that.
Firmware version 2.3.49, app vesion 1.6.5
Thanks!
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So I took my newly acquired, 2nd hand Pro Plus (Mono, non-C) out for a test the other night. Pretty happy with the result! Captured basically dead centre in front of soundboard.
Sure it doesn't compare to my 4061s or any of my other gear, but for a bit of kit that is all in one and so small, I'm not complaining. Will be especially good to keep handy for gigs that I am super hesitant about smuggling gear into. The stereo and C version isn't readily available in Australia, and I scored this very cheap online 2nd hand so I'm happy.
Converted from Mono to Dual Mono in post - but otherwise that's the raw sound.
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I brought my new Pro Plus C Stereo out to a show last weekend.
I also brought my other regular setup: MK41s > Nbob actives > Riotbox > PR-2
I only do >:D , and this night was no exception. I normally use something like an xy setup in hat with the MK41s, but to accomodate the instamic, I pointed the MK41s to the sides (right mic to right side, left mic to left side, 70-80 degree angle and 5 cm distance). Then I put the instamic in the middle, and taped the show with both setups.
I think I need to look into getting new firmware for the instamic, because I had a little bit of issues with the starting and stopping recording through the app, but otherwise it worked fine.
The result...? Not surprisingly, the Schoeps based setup gave a better result, and anything else would have been a bit shocking. Have a look at the attachments, entire show in the RX spectrum view. However, as a backup recording setup, or when you just want to have less stuff to carry and set up, the instamic performed really well. With a bit of EQing, I would not have been terribly disappointed if the instamic recording was my only recording of the show.
All in all, pretty happy with the instamic so far. It is quite amazing to compare it to the stuff I lugged around many years ago...
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Thanks for those comparative spectral response graphs.
Instamic looks very similar up to 5Khz, with a dip followed by a rising response above there. That generally correlates with the samples I've heard. And as long as the curve is relatively smooth it can probably be compensated for with EQ as required rather easily. I've no doubt the rising response is intentional, since its typical for clarity enhancement of a lavalier intended for voice pickup mounted off-axis on the talent's chest. But it also make makes for something akin to a diffuse field response helpful when recording from farther away, and might help compensate for high frequency attenuation from a windscreen or mounting under fabric.
I'd like to mod a few by putting a DPA 4060/1 in there in place of the MEMS, but doubt doing so is reasonably possible
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This has just become available in the UK and I have taken the plunge on the stereo version at £199.
I’m planning to use this for stealthy field recordings, so hoping the noise levels are not too high.
Also hoping it will enable me to record a few gigs that I have coming up. I’ve not smuggled my recording equipment into any of the gigs I went to last year. I think my patience has given up on me as I’ve got older and I can’t be bothered with hiding cables and microphones anymore. Lets see if the simplicity of this device can renew my interest in recording gigs, and the quality it okay.
Mainly getting it for field recordings though.
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Noise really shouldn't be a factor. If the bluetooth disconnects, which it probably will, it is still running. Pretty cool little
device that sounds better than it has any right to.
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My Instamic arrived today but it seems to be faulty. It’s a Pro Plus C Stereo, and thats what the label says on the back, but it’s only recognised in the App as a mono. When selecting the device it has an “M” icon top right which I believe makes it the mono version.
I think somebody has badged up some mono devices with the stereo packaging.
Very annoying because it was the mid-side stereo capabilities I was interested in and was planning on doing some comparative recordings this weekend.
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My towns art center had a show recently and I thought it was a good chance to run multiple rigs in a relatively good sounding room to do a comparison. The band was Life In A Blender and I ran DPA 4080's into an MMA-A/iphone, CK 61 caps into an F3, Core Sound HEBs into a Sony A 10, the instamic (stereo setting) and a Zoom M4. Everything but the M4 was in/on my hat, the M4 was on the table with a napkin covering it. No post production was done to any file except for making the levels roughly equal.
https://drive.proton.me/urls/2FQKH7XWG4#9XIKlzna7mAa
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Thank you very much for these comparisons Klove68.
I think, and expected, the Instamic to be the least good of the examples. But, and it’s a big but, totally listenable and if that was your backup recording you would be really happy with it.
Considering it’s size and price it really is quite amazing.
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Agree 100%. Its a good backup and perfect for the rare case when you just can't bring in any other gear.
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Agree 100%. Its a good backup and perfect for the rare case when you just can't bring in any other gear.
As I said previously I’ve not recorded a gig in over a year because I just can be bothered with the preparation anymore. This will possibly become my recorder of choice, and will start taking it to gigs again. Maybe buy another one and have one on each shoulder.
For those happy with their 24-bit recording gear for gigs, who might be tempted by a 32-bit recorder, I could argue buy one of these instead.
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I have the app setting for 24/48 and the mics power up that way only if I have the app open before I pair them. If the mics are turned on first, default settings are used.
'them' so you use two stereo's or two monos? maybe i asked already apologies
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I meant a pair of the mono version. I think most of the value in the stereo version is with a single unit on a camera's hotshoe mount. For concerts, I reflexively chose a pair of monos to run A/B in the open, or HRTF when I can't be open. Plus, the SNR spec of the mono is 5db better than the stereo version so there's that.....
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Because the stereo version only records in mono for 32Bit, I looked for the differences in the 2 models especially regarding 32Bit float. Here is what I found:
If The Zoom Instamic Pro Plus C records mono for 32 bit, in 32 bit what is the difference between the stereo and mono models?
The main difference is the stereo model has two extra microphones and offers more recording modes, including Stereo and Mid-Side (M/S), which are unavailable on the mono-only model. Both models only record in mono when utilizing the 32-bit float capability, with other modes available in 24-bit.
Recording Capabilities:
Both versions of the Zoom Instamic Pro Plus C can record in 32-bit float in the Mono mode only. This mode uses the main four-microphone array to capture a single channel of audio, which is suitable for clear voice-centric recordings like interviews.
The core difference is the flexibility offered by the stereo model in 24-bit recording:
Mono Model: Records in Mono (32-bit float/24-bit) and Dual-Mono (24-bit). Dual-Mono sends the same mono signal to both left and right channels for post-production consistency.
Stereo Model: Includes two additional lateral microphones and offers all the modes of the mono model, plus dedicated Stereo and Mid-Side (M/S) modes in 24-bit.
Stereo mode provides authentic left/right channel separation for ambience and music.
Mid-Side mode allows for an adjustable stereo image, providing flexible spatial control in editing. This mode utilizes all six microphones.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)
Due to the extra microphones and the processing involved in creating the stereo image, the mono version actually has a slightly better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 72dB(A) compared to the stereo version's 67dB(A) when used in their respective core functions. This makes the mono model potentially better for scenarios where the absolute cleanest mono signal is the priority.
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Just received my stereo Pro Plus C in the mail. Man, this thing is fun and the adjustability/flexibility in conjunction with the app is very nice. I haven't had a chance yet to >:D with it, but it seems promising. As adrianb said, I also at this point in my life, depending on my mood, feel a little fatigue with the whole production that goes into stealthing, so this could be the cure for that; pop it in a hat, check the levels on your phone and let it roll. What I think is most exciting about this mic/recorder is actually maybe not the unit itself, but what it could be signaling. We've seen similar offerings from Hollyland and others that have been close but not usable for our use case; either mic sensitivity that's too high, max SPL being too low, no 24 or 32-bit, too bulky, no on-board recording, etc. The Pro Plus C could be the first of its kind that could really serve the purpose we need in a tiny package. Exciting!
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Just received my stereo Pro Plus C in the mail. Man, this thing is fun and the adjustability/flexibility in conjunction with the app is very nice. I haven't had a chance yet to >:D with it, but it seems promising. As adrianb said, I also at this point in my life, depending on my mood, feel a little fatigue with the whole production that goes into stealthing, so this could be the cure for that; pop it in a hat, check the levels on your phone and let it roll. What I think is most exciting about this mic/recorder is actually maybe not the unit itself, but what it could be signaling. We've seen similar offerings from Hollyland and others that have been close but not usable for our use case; either mic sensitivity that's too high, max SPL being too low, no 24 or 32-bit, too bulky, no on-board recording, etc. The Pro Plus C could be the first of its kind that could really serve the purpose we need in a tiny package. Exciting!
Just remember that when the bluetooth connection to the app fails, and it probably will, that it is still recording which is a good thing.
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Received my replacement Stereo Pro C from Amazon yesterday, and had some time to test it today.
Obviously a negative to start with receiving a Mono labelled and packaged as a Stereo. It doesn’t give me a lot of faith in their quality control, but let’s hope it was just a one-off. The customer support was excellent in responding to my questions.
As to the product itself it really is a little wonder, and great fun too. I’ve been for a walk in the woods, and have tested it alongside my Sony PCM-D100. No wind at all so no wind protection on either device, and I know how susceptible the D100 is to wind noise, so I cannot comment on the Instamic’s performance in breezy conditions. I have to say, using it as a field recorder (which it isn’t really designed for) and I’m really impressed.
The quality of the recordings are not as good as the D100, and I didn’t expect them to be, but not bad at all. Stereo separation was good for such a small device, and the noise floor seemed okay to me.
If you like stealth field recordings as I do, on the beach, traffic, people in busy places, then this is a very useful device. There has been lots of times when I’ve wished I had a recording device with me and I plan on having the Instamic with me all the time, but it will also be great to use it as a backup.
I have a gig on Friday and look forward to using it in that scenario too.
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Just unboxed my new Stereo version and planning to try it out for Nine Inch Nails tonight. Any tips? I'm going to have it on the top of a winter beanie, plan to point the mic array forward. Is stereo or "mid-side" better to run?
Also, how do you get the firmware updated with a Mac?! Every time I get to step two and try to hold down the button for the "2 LEDs" to turn off, it either A. starts recording, or B. powers down. It makes no sense.
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I don't have one but have been following the thread.
Probably best to run Mid Stereo mode assuming that produces a raw Mid/Side recording, since that should give the the most options and flexibly, retaining a fully unmolested mono Mid channel and allowing you to dial in the M/S ratio to best effect afterward. Stereo mode will "bake in" the ratio and resulting "stereoness", but will produce a recording that does not require M/S to L/R conversion afterward.
Curious, is it also possible to set the stereo version to record in mono, as 32bit float? I assume so. Thinking about running multiple stereo versions of these things and using a few in mono where appropriate.
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allowing you to dial in the M/S ratio to best effect afterward
Any Mac software recommendations for doing this? I might just run regular stereo for my first trip out with it, but mid-stereo sounds interesting in the future.
Curious, is it also possible to set the stereo version to record in mono, as 32bit float? I assume so. Thinking about running multiple stereo versions of these things and using a few in mono where appropriate.
Yes, the stereo version can do 32/96 mono and you can pair two (or more) together to make stereo/multi-channel 32-bit recordings. The native stereo and mid-side modes only do 24/48.
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allowing you to dial in the M/S ratio to best effect afterward
Any Mac software recommendations for doing this? I might just run regular stereo for my first trip out with it, but mid-stereo sounds interesting in the future.
Lots of plugins to do it. Your editor might have a built-in routine to do it. Or you can do it manually in any editor (or analog mixer) by assigning a copy of the Side channel to an additional channel and inverting it's polarity. The mono Mid channel gets panned center, the non-inverted Side channel panned hard left, polarity inverted copy panned hard right. Vary the level of both Side channels together to dial in the desired stereo width. No side at all = Mono.
Here's a good Mid/Side conversion plugin (free)- https://www.voxengo.com/product/msed/