Topic: Simple request (eternal appreciation): lavalier clip-ons with Microtrack 24/96

[raddygast]

Hi all. Just bought a microtrack 24/96 today. It's charging, and I'm about to upgrade the firmware.

Long story short, I don't know much about audio. I simply need to record about 1-1.5 hours of spoken-word audio (speech lessons).

Ideally, I'd like to be able to record both the tutor (me) and the pupil, each with their own clip-on mic. I am told I can just get two lavs and plug one into the left channel, one into the right (using an XLR-to-quarter inch TRS adapter cable). Then in software I can mix the two channels after tweaking and burn to a CD.

What I don't know is if this will work -- most lavs apparently require phantom power, and there is that phantom power issue on this thing (being 30V not 48V)

And are lavs out of my range. Is it possible to get a decent one for under a hundred? This is just for voice, not music, so all the extra-finicky range requirements won't be too necessary. I just want a good recording of the human voice with minimal noise and hiss. Both people will be sitting at a desk in a quiet room.

Can anyone recommend what types of mics I could look into? Maybe I could use a battery back for the mics? Will the phantom power be enough for this type of application?

Also, maybe just getting a desk mic with a stand will be good enough (mono) -- but then I think people would have to lean in and speak, which makes it much more uncomfortable and unnatural in terms of interaction.

I truly appreciate any pointers I can get. I'll be checking this thread often in the next couple of days, and I'm hoping to hear from all you microphone gurus.

Thanks.

[Nick Graham]

No lavalier mis I know of require phantom power. Most need a seperate battery box to handle high SPLs, which you won't need for recordng speech

Most lavalier mics can be powered simply by "plug in power", which the 1/8" jack on the Microtrack provides.

Get these ($39) and you should be all set:

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-BMC-2

[raddygast]

Thanks. So what are binaurals -- is it just a matched set of lavs (i.e. for stereo?)

What I'm wondering is, will this work to have a mic clipped onto the interviewer AND interviewee? Or is it set up only to provide a stereo image of one person's voice?

I'm just confused about the cabling, because there's only one 1/8" jack.

And how is "plug-in power" different from the phantom power on the 1/4" TRS jacks?

[Nick Graham]

Thanks. So what are binaurals -- is it just a matched set of lavs (i.e. for stereo?)

What I'm wondering is, will this work to have a mic clipped onto the interviewer AND interviewee? Or is it set up only to provide a stereo image of one person's voice?

I'm just confused about the cabling, because there's only one 1/8" jack.

And how is "plug-in power" different from the phantom power on the 1/4" TRS jacks?

It's 2 mics terminated in a single 1/8" jack. For example - the interviewer would be in the right channel (with one of the mics), interviewee in the left (with the other). You can split the mics depending on length of cable, with each one clipped to each person, but both running into the same source.

Plug in power is (I belive) 5v, so enough to provide basic operating power. Phantom power through the 1/4" TRS jacks would provide 30v, which would fry the microphones. Most lav mics can take up to 9v, with the higher voltage needed for loud sources to prevent clipping/distortion.

[raddygast]

Ah, thanks. I was hoping it'd be like that. The only question is whether the cables would be long enough.

I bought a pair of clip-on lavs from Radio Shack (to test) and man, do they suck. The sound is horribly tinny/muffled, which I guess is my way of noticing there is poor dynamic range? To tell the truth, the built-in stereo "T" mic that comes with the Microtrack recorder sounds far far better.

I'm gonna have to take them back, but I can't find anywhere that has binaurals like you suggested, except online, and I need them for today.

Music stores sell lavs, but the cheapest one they've got is an AT831b Audio Technica cardioid lav, which uses XLR connectors so I'd need a separate XLR female to 1/4" TRS male cable.

And that's another issue: cardioid vs. omnidirectional? Most of the inexpensive clip-ons I've seen are omnis, but doesn't that result in muddier sound? For interviews, would not a cardioid be a better idea?