Deck and Mics for Classical Recording (PCM M10, Sennheiser MKE-2)

[xof]

what are the noise specs for your mics? The recordings sound fantastic.

[earmonger]

In case you can't afford those DSM mics--I can't--here's an opera sample from the PCM-M10 running $49 Sound Professionals  BMC-2 mics on plug-in power, an audience recording--mics clipped to shirt collar, about 12 rows back. The bits of noise you might hear near the beginning are fidgety audience members, not tech problems. 

I had the level set pretty low, just to be stealthy and conservative,  so I have amplified the snippet with Audacity. Original recording was also 320 kbps mp3.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ymwzmumggem

Sounds pretty good to me.

[rastasean]

In case you can't afford those DSM mics--I can't--here's an opera sample from the PCM-M10 running $49 Sound Professionals  BMC-2 mics on plug-in power, an audience recording--mics clipped to shirt collar, about 12 rows back. The bits of noise you might hear near the beginning are fidgety audience members, not tech problems. 

I had the level set pretty low, just to be stealthy and conservative,  so I have amplified the snippet with Audacity. Original recording was also 320 kbps mp3.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ymwzmumggem

Sounds pretty good to me.

I'll take a listen but is there any reason you chose to use mp3 format and not wave?

[earmonger]

I'll take a listen but is there any reason you chose to use mp3 format and not wave?

Lack of space in internal memory and I had mistakenly brought along a full microSDHC card, instead of the empty 4GB. All those microSDHC cards look alike....

[Dede2002]

I am interested in the M10 for classical music. I am a violinist and will use this mostly for solo and chamber music performances. My experience with previous flash recorders (HR-09 and Zoom H2) is that the internal mic quality is not very good. The H2 sounds muddy and the HR-09 sounds tinny.

If I purchase mics based on the Sennheiser MKE-2 capsules eg. MM-HLSO  give me a better result? at $250 they promise more clarity and quality, but I am concerned because the Equivalent noise level in the Senns is pretty high (27db a weighted). Does anyone have any experience recording acoustic music with this deck and mics? The cello sample on Wingfieldaudio.com of the M10 sounds a little covered or filtered to my ears. I am looking for something that I can throw in my violin case so size is also important.

Please advise!

(I posted this in the M10 thread before sorry for the repeat post.)

First, I'm a R09-HR user.
OK, I've been using the MM-HLSO for more than a year and only have amazing things to talk about them.
Very detailed, warm and, most important to my ears, musical sounding mics.
I use them for pretty much everything with nice results.

[xof]

I got my setup. I decided to go with the PCM-M10 and the MKE-2s (mm-hlso-micro). I used to use a Sony D100 DAT with a AT822 but the tapes were such a pain I stopped using it in 06. I always thought the AT822 had a funny tinny sound and the bass response was lacking. I used an H2 for a while but was generally unhappy with it.

In my opinion, this setup is a step up from what I was using before. The M10 is a great machine. I am very pleased.

I did a test run with the M10 and the MKE2s at rehearsal yesterday. I set the MKEs on top of my case about 2 feet apart (hardly ideal i know) in the second row dead center.

http://rapidshare.com/files/379702863/Sony_PCM-M10_and_Sennheiser_MKE2.flac.html


I am going to experiment with Guysonic's suggestion of using my case as a pseudo jecklin disc. I am sure this will give even better results.

Thanks to aleal5687 for the MKE2s and for everyone's expertise!