Topic: Recomendations needed for spoken word recordings

[kylieshotpants]

Hi

Im looking for a digital recorder with a good auto level control to record comedy shows, can anyone offer any good recorders please?

Also is it worth recording in 24 bit for spoken word-will 16 bit be more than sufficent?

Thanks in adavance

[F.O.Bean]

Hi

Im looking for a digital recorder with a good auto level control to record comedy shows, can anyone offer any good recorders please?

Also is it worth recording in 24 bit for spoken word-will 16 bit be more than sufficent?

Thanks in adavance

I would look into the Sony M-10. Its around $230.00 or so, and has variable gain, instead of stepped gain. It also has internal mics. I personally would use small/tiny condenser mics ala Church Audio Cardioids or omnis and use the plug-in power of the M10. I would also look into getting a Church Audio Battery Box/Preamp, and then you can run line-in, instead of mic in, and get an even better recording. And DEF record in 24bit if at all possible. You can run your levels alot more laid back compared to pushing your levels near 0db in 16bit And you can just add the gain in post-production in software like Audacity, which is free, and get your levels up to 0db in post.

That's what I would do tho! Id get Chris Church Audio Cardioids, A Church Audio BB/Preamp[ala the 9100/9200] and an M10 and youd be set w/ a nice lil recording package.

The BIG question is, what is your $$ budget?

[kylieshotpants]

Hi

Thanks for the advice, I've already got a battery box from Church Audio the MICROPHONE BATTERY BOX STEALTH R09 LS-10 MICROTRACK MD
 & for reasons of stealth I use he's CHURCH AUDIO STEALTH PEN SPY MIC 4 LS-10 R09 MT2 MD
 I've been using them with a mini-disc- but wanna upgrade - so my budget is only for a recorder the Sony M10 does seem the best option- living in the uk the only off putting thing is the price

If I go Line-in on the M-10 can you still use auto gain?

Thanks

[earmonger]

Yes, Line-in on the PCM-M10 has auto gain, but I would be careful about using it for comedy. It will control the outbursts of laughter, but the might also pump up your background noise during pauses. Better to use Manual level at a relatively low input level and turn on the Limiter function for insurance in case there's some explosion of laughter.