Topic: Comments please on new laptop rig & method

[JB Long]

I recently purchased what seems to be relatively new technology in laptop recording.

Its essentially a USB external soundcard with two AT853 slimline sub-cardioid affixed via goosenecks. Ran me about $410 @ soundprofessionals.com

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/IMIC-PRO-ISI

the mics I chose (AT853 slimline sub-cardioid) are supposedly specced for 20-20000Hz and the USB interface reportedly eliminates all forms of external electrical/noise interference.

So far I made the first recording in Asheville, NC on Friday night of Robert Walter's 20th Congress and the quality is amazing. A-freakin-mazing.

What made things great is the Auto-Gain control on the USB card, otherwise it clipped bigtime so I left it set to on. No more worrying about recording levels every 5 mins I used the open source software Audacity to record the project as 32-bit floating point @ 96khz. Basically booted the rig, start Audacity, hit 'r' hotkey for record and off to the races (more like the bar to get beer).

The only post-production I did after exporting the Audacity project to 16bit/44khz was to trim the dead air in Goldwave 5.x and then basically used Nero to burn to disc. Havent tracked out the show yet, but the raw stuff is now archived on CD & on my keychain drive in highest-quality VBR mp3.

Anyhow here's the rundown:

Equipment:
2x Audio Technica AT853 Slimline Sub-Cardioid housed in
griffintechnologies.com iMic external USB soundcard, AGC On
8 ft USB extension cable + boom stand extended to 7.5 feet
Dell Inspiron 8200 laptop [P4 1.6m, 512MB, 7200rpm 60GB, dual batt.]

Software:
Windows XP Pro SP2
Audacity 1.2.2 as 32-bit floating point project @ 96 kHz
Exported from Audacity to 16-bit wav @ 44kHz
Trimmed and Normalized in Goldwave 5.10
Transfer to Audio CD via Nero 6.x
Encoded to VBR 0 Highest Quality mp3 via LAME mp3 encoder


Anyhow, I know easily I'm a huge n00b, just wanted to get thoughts on this rig and how/why some of my methods could be improved. I know there's still much to be learned here hence my first post for comments.

Thanks in advance!

[MattD]

First thing, don't use the auto gain control. It is compressing/normalizing the sound, and you're losing dynamics by doing this. I also don't think you're getting anything by recording at 32-bit float or 96 kHz. The specs are very vague, but I'm guessing this is a 16/44.1 device anyway.

[Tim]

are you using their battery power? If not I would look into it, 110db max spl isn't much

[JB Long]

are you using their battery power? If not I would look into it, 110db max spl isn't much

might do that, will that mean i can take a 'hotter' source signal with less clip?

[Tim]

are you using their battery power? If not I would look into it, 110db max spl isn't much

might do that, will that mean i can take a 'hotter' source signal with less clip?

yes.

right now your mic is overloaded at 110db.. that's loud but you will be at concerts where you hit that level

with the battery power you can take 125db.... that should be plenty

[JB Long]

great

but now i cant seem to figure out how to order the battery module - dunno the part # yet

[Patrick]

+t for the new setup and also being located in Asheville.

I'm from Charlotte, but moving up to Asheville in the fall.

[JB Long]

awesome! I want to live in Asheville so bad, but havent looked that hard yet for employment

as for being at concerts that are loud I think the Karl Denson show I'm headed to will definitely be so 

[Patrick]

where are you living then??

[JB Long]

Birmingham 

by the way, thanks everyone for the comments. went out and saw a bit of the show tonight but since ive been up 2 days straight had to pass on recording =( crash time