best set up under £200 all in small venues NOT JB3 ???

[ericlered]

hi all

i would love some ideas on the best overall set ups possible for under 200 english pounds

had a JB3 once and found it way too bulky for my liking so would prefer something smaller - is there anyhting apart from minidiscs ?

best hi-md's for recording , best cheap mic's for using with them ?

any new HDD recorders available yet which is surely the next step ?

will mainly be using in small ish venues from 300 to 3000 ppl for rock and indie shows

will i need anything else other than recorder + mics

all help gratefully received thanx ppl

cheers pg

[Gordon]

that's about $350 us.  you will have a hard time finding everything for that.  giant squid makes some cheap stealth mics.  those and a hi end minidisc may be in your price range.  you will not find any hard disc (besides a jb3) for that price.  hell the r1's are $450 or so.  even though you said no jb3 I strongly suggest one   that would leave you about $200 us to spend on stealth mics and a battery box.  still probably not enough.

[Humbug]

hi all

i would love some ideas on the best overall set ups possible for under 200 english pounds

Budget too small for decent results, unless you buy everything second hand.

had a JB3 once and found it way too bulky for my liking so would prefer something smaller - is there anyhting apart from minidiscs ?

I've made nearly 200 stealth recordings using the JB3 and am also based in the UK. I don't find its size a problem at all. Mictrotrack is out of your budget.

best hi-md's for recording , best cheap mic's for using with them ?

Dunno, do some searching here to see what setup tapers use for Hi-MD. Mics: second hand CSBs, Church Audio, second hand CMC2s, ECM-717, 719.

any new HDD recorders available yet which is surely the next step ?

See above.

will mainly be using in small ish venues from 300 to 3000 ppl for rock and indie shows

Suggest cardioids for your budget.

will i need anything else other than recorder + mics

all help gratefully received thanx ppl

cheers pg

BATTERY BOX, Computer, CD Wave, Audacity, Flashlight, stamina, more cash!

[Brian Skalinder]

best hi-md's for recording

IME, there aren't gobs of MDers here, so if you don't receive the feedback you seek on MD recorders, try MiniDisc.org.

[ericlered]

thanx for the replies so far,how good is the microtrack and how much in uk - my budget is flexible if the right product (ie quality and size) were available 200m quid really is only if i go with hi-md, i will check minidisc.org for more on those

humbug - where do u put the JB3 when stealthing - i had it for bout a week and would only fit into big pockets on my big coat and i cudnt be doing with it - i realise can be got cheap as i got mine for only bout 80 quid on ebay at the time before selling it back on

wud rather have a reasonable set up that wasnt gonna compromise enjoyment of gigs too much ie sweating my b***** off with a big coat !!

obv i have computer + cd wave etc

thanx again ppl

[setboy]

humbug - where do u put the JB3 when stealthing - i had it for bout a week and would only fit into big pockets on my big coat and i cudnt be doing with it - i realise can be got cheap as i got mine for only bout 80 quid on ebay at the time before selling it back on

get a fanny pack of some kind

[tilomagnet]

thanx for the replies so far,how good is the microtrack and how much in uk - my budget is flexible if the right product (ie quality and size) were available

I think the microtracker is at least twice as much as a (used) JB3 and is even more expensive in Europe than in the U.S.

[ericlered]

heard a v good recording of brmc earlier done with sony ecm 719's and a hi - md rh10

thats bout 200 quid here in rip off uk - would a battery box be essential for that kind of set up and why ?

thanx for all the help

[itook2much]

would a battery box be essential for that kind of set up and why ?

For good results you'll want one.  It will allow you to use the line-in on the Hi-MD instead of Mic-in.  Using mic-in on many (if not most) recorders will result in a distorted recording, as they cannot handle the high SPL's.  The battery box gives you power for the mics, allowing you to use the line-in.

EDIT TO ADD:  I use a Sony MZ-NH1 Hi-MD.  Easily stealthable, works great, makes good recordings.  Whichever model you choose, I suggest also springing the money for a remote if possible.  Definitely helps, stealth or not, as the controls on some  Hi-MD can be a bit small & difficult to use easily.

[Humbug]

humbug - where do u put the JB3 when stealthing - i had it for bout a week and would only fit into big pockets on my big coat and i cudnt be doing with it - i realise can be got cheap as i got mine for only bout 80 quid on ebay at the time before selling it back on

I have a leather jacket with big pockets - I can actually fit both my Nomads in the pockets, but I usually stealth with just one, as my older Nomad overheats. Speaking of heat, I run cold, which is why I can stand wearing the jacket at gigs. Sometimes in Summer though, I clip it on my belt (it has the pleatherette case), and run it that way next to the battery box. I've even hand held it at festivals when running two.

Oh, and yes, ECM-719 doesnt need a battery box as it is already battery-powered, but just about all other stealth mics do, unless you're taping quiet acoustic stuff.

[ericlered]

thanx everyone ill have a good think about it all as usual !!

[divamum]

What about a used iRiver 120/140? I haven't checked prices in a while, but I've seen them on eBay. It's not quite as good a recorder as the JB3 (I have and use both machines for different things) but it's small, doesn't need an external pre (although it can take one and run line-in if you want) and is a good little machine if you want small and don't mind the write-back glitch (small "pop" when it writes back to hard drive - some people notice it, some people don't depending on what they're recording) and the fact that it has a file-size limit before you have to start another track manually (it won't record continuously like the JB3).  Of course, now that the Rockbox firmware is in train, some of those "problems" may get fixed over coming months anyway, at which point it's a GREAT 16bit stealth unit.

For the record, I greatly prefer my iRiver/JB3 to MD on all fronts - no comparison, particularly for ease of use (no media to schlep and can upload easily to puter) AND  overall sound quality.

HTH.

[sml42]

humbug - where do u put the JB3 when stealthing - i had it for bout a week and would only fit into big pockets on my big coat and i cudnt be doing with it - i realise can be got cheap as i got mine for only bout 80 quid on ebay at the time before selling it back on

Did your jb3 not come with a case? Mine did - the case has a clip for attaching to your belt. I run my jb3 clipped to my belt, battery box in trouser pocket and mics clipped to arms of my glasses. Works well for me.

best regards,
stephen

[Ed.]

buy cargo pants, keep the jb3 in a cargo pocket.  easy.

[sullen]

Alot of people don't like JB3.



Get a used DAT deck.