MiniDisc Recorders - Good choice for Weddings?

Joe Mclean · July 27th, 2003, 12:17 PM

Cool, thx Robert, I'd appreciate that.........

GaryBushey · July 28th, 2003, 06:43 AM

How long of a recording can you get on a 20Gig Nomad. I noticed the 60Gig version does not have a FireWire interface. Hopefully in the near future it will =)

Robert Mann Z. · July 28th, 2003, 08:13 AM

gary,

you will proabably run out of battery before disk space even in 48 uncompressed mode you get about 30min per 320megs give or take some, need more space you can always rec in 44 resampling mode

Robert Mann Z. · July 28th, 2003, 09:12 AM

double post

Mike Rehmus · July 28th, 2003, 10:52 AM

I understand the Nomad argument but for recording wedding vows, the smaller-than-a-deck-of-cards Sony works very well for me. Even running the recorder at quality level 2 is more than good enough for the spoken word.

Bud Kuenzli · July 28th, 2003, 12:08 PM

which sony "smaller than a deck of cards" are you referring to?

Mike Rehmus · July 28th, 2003, 12:23 PM

The Sony MD recorder is the model MZG-750. Cost about $300+ at Circuit City about 18 months ago IIRC. Maybe a little less. Has the rechargable NiMh battery that lasts 2-3 hours with no worries.

I just connect it up, leave it in AGC and end up with a good
voice recording for weddings.

I do set levels manually when I have time and the control to do something with it. But I almost always feed it with a mixer where I can manage levels. That way, the inability to change levels on the recorder while recording doesn't bother me a bit.

I normally use a $45 (B&H) Sony lav ( ECM-T145 ) with the mini-disk for my wireless backup during weddings.

Right now I'm using the MD recorder for a 2.5 hour voice over I have to do on a training tape on the Sherline lathe. I have a AT 4033SE studio microphone feeding into a Shure 267 mono mixer and that feeds into the MD player. As long as I can feed the signal into the MD, it works very well. I've yet to have a failure with it.

For voice, I cannot hear any diference between it and recording on my PD150.

I think it is OK for music too, but probably not as good as a camera or a higher-end recorder. However Jay Rose claims that the MD recorder is as good or better than even the high-end Sony professional camcorders.

Bogdan Vaglarov · July 28th, 2003, 09:05 PM

I haven't maid direct comparison of DV sound and MD but have in mind that MD is dedicated only to sound while the DV shares audio and video tracks.

Although compressed format I also thinnk sound quality of MD is very high - simillar to DAT even for high end music (not only for voices as some might think). Main diference would be more likely made by the source - quality of the mic, mixer, etc.

I came up something and wonder if anybody tried it.

When using lavalier mic (which is usualy mono) on the groom how about recording on the MD in mono. You'll get double lenght on single MD (74min stereo -> 148 mono) and you don't lose anything as the mic is mono. Same applies when feeding the MD from mono mixer or you have only single chanel used on a mixer.

Anyway the dounside is you have to record the single track down to computer in real time (1x speed) via sound card or USB audio interface.

Mike Rehmus · July 29th, 2003, 12:06 AM

On my Sony, the mono mode will record for about 6 hours.

DV sound is recorded just fine. The sharing is not an issue as they are separate data sets. The problem is always the analog front ends.

1X transfer is not a problem. One computer can capture it while I work on one of the others.

Torajima Watanabe · July 29th, 2003, 04:53 AM

>>I normally use a $45 (B&H) Sony lav
>> ( ECM-T145 ) with the mini-disk for
>>my wireless backup during weddings.

How sensitive is this Mic? Since it has it's own power, can you plug it in directly to the portable MD recorder, and hide the MD recorder on the groom?

If so, where's the best place to clip the mic on the groom?

Bryan Beasleigh · July 29th, 2003, 07:25 AM

Wouldn't it be better to clip it to the officiate? The minister or priest would certainly be my first choice.

Nathan Gifford · July 29th, 2003, 10:29 AM

On the lapel on the groom on the side the bride stands on. That way you get every whisper between the two...However...you may need to edit OUT some audio in post ;-)

Torajima Watanabe · July 29th, 2003, 10:39 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Nathan Gifford : On the lapel on the groom on the side the bride stands on. That way you get every whisper between the two...However...you may need to edit OUT some audio in post ;-) -->>>

LOL! I once had to edit out an exposed nipple...

^_^

Bogdan Vaglarov · July 29th, 2003, 10:53 AM

Mike,
What's the mode you record 6 hours on? Is it LP4?

For the native MD format (normal speed) which is the highest quality max duration is 80/160 min stereo/mono.

LP2 $ LP4 are more compressed formats simillar to MP3 so the quality degradates. For voice should be OK though.

Regards, Bogdan

Glen Elliott · July 29th, 2003, 12:31 PM

Could a model like this be used for weddings?

http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.js...5&catoid=-8362

July 28th, 2003, 06:43 AM	#17
GaryBushey Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 27	How long of a recording can you get on a 20Gig Nomad. I noticed the 60Gig version does not have a FireWire interface. Hopefully in the near future it will =) __________________ Gary A. Bushey

July 28th, 2003, 10:52 AM	#20
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	I understand the Nomad argument but for recording wedding vows, the smaller-than-a-deck-of-cards Sony works very well for me. Even running the recorder at quality level 2 is more than good enough for the spoken word. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

July 28th, 2003, 12:08 PM	#21
Bud Kuenzli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 197	which sony which sony "smaller than a deck of cards" are you referring to? __________________ on the Internet, when you get where you're going you still don't know where you are

July 28th, 2003, 12:23 PM	#22
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	The Sony MD recorder is the model MZG-750. Cost about $300+ at Circuit City about 18 months ago IIRC. Maybe a little less. Has the rechargable NiMh battery that lasts 2-3 hours with no worries. I just connect it up, leave it in AGC and end up with a good voice recording for weddings. I do set levels manually when I have time and the control to do something with it. But I almost always feed it with a mixer where I can manage levels. That way, the inability to change levels on the recorder while recording doesn't bother me a bit. I normally use a $45 (B&H) Sony lav ( ECM-T145 ) with the mini-disk for my wireless backup during weddings. Right now I'm using the MD recorder for a 2.5 hour voice over I have to do on a training tape on the Sherline lathe. I have a AT 4033SE studio microphone feeding into a Shure 267 mono mixer and that feeds into the MD player. As long as I can feed the signal into the MD, it works very well. I've yet to have a failure with it. For voice, I cannot hear any diference between it and recording on my PD150. I think it is OK for music too, but probably not as good as a camera or a higher-end recorder. However Jay Rose claims that the MD recorder is as good or better than even the high-end Sony professional camcorders. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

July 29th, 2003, 12:06 AM	#24
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	On my Sony, the mono mode will record for about 6 hours. DV sound is recorded just fine. The sharing is not an issue as they are separate data sets. The problem is always the analog front ends. 1X transfer is not a problem. One computer can capture it while I work on one of the others. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

July 27th, 2003, 12:17 PM	#16
Joe Mclean New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 6	Cool, thx Robert, I'd appreciate that.........

July 28th, 2003, 08:13 AM	#18
Robert Mann Z. Skyonic New York Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 614	gary, you will proabably run out of battery before disk space even in 48 uncompressed mode you get about 30min per 320megs give or take some, need more space you can always rec in 44 resampling mode

July 28th, 2003, 09:12 AM	#19
Robert Mann Z. Skyonic New York Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 614	double post

July 28th, 2003, 09:05 PM	#23
Bogdan Vaglarov Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yokohama, Japan Posts: 366	I haven't maid direct comparison of DV sound and MD but have in mind that MD is dedicated only to sound while the DV shares audio and video tracks. Although compressed format I also thinnk sound quality of MD is very high - simillar to DAT even for high end music (not only for voices as some might think). Main diference would be more likely made by the source - quality of the mic, mixer, etc. I came up something and wonder if anybody tried it. When using lavalier mic (which is usualy mono) on the groom how about recording on the MD in mono. You'll get double lenght on single MD (74min stereo -> 148 mono) and you don't lose anything as the mic is mono. Same applies when feeding the MD from mono mixer or you have only single chanel used on a mixer. Anyway the dounside is you have to record the single track down to computer in real time (1x speed) via sound card or USB audio interface.

July 29th, 2003, 04:53 AM	#25
Torajima Watanabe Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 28	>>I normally use a $45 (B&H) Sony lav >> ( ECM-T145 ) with the mini-disk for >>my wireless backup during weddings. How sensitive is this Mic? Since it has it's own power, can you plug it in directly to the portable MD recorder, and hide the MD recorder on the groom? If so, where's the best place to clip the mic on the groom?

July 29th, 2003, 07:25 AM	#26
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Wouldn't it be better to clip it to the officiate? The minister or priest would certainly be my first choice.

July 29th, 2003, 10:29 AM	#27
Nathan Gifford Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Tickfaw, LA Posts: 1,217	On the lapel on the groom on the side the bride stands on. That way you get every whisper between the two...However...you may need to edit OUT some audio in post ;-) __________________ Nathan Gifford Southern Cyclist Magazine & Productions For quick answers try our Search! To see me and Rob Lohman click here

July 29th, 2003, 10:39 AM	#28
Torajima Watanabe Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 28	<<<-- Originally posted by Nathan Gifford : On the lapel on the groom on the side the bride stands on. That way you get every whisper between the two...However...you may need to edit OUT some audio in post ;-) -->>> LOL! I once had to edit out an exposed nipple... ^_^

July 29th, 2003, 10:53 AM	#29
Bogdan Vaglarov Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yokohama, Japan Posts: 366	Mike, What's the mode you record 6 hours on? Is it LP4? For the native MD format (normal speed) which is the highest quality max duration is 80/160 min stereo/mono. LP2 $ LP4 are more compressed formats simillar to MP3 so the quality degradates. For voice should be OK though. Regards, Bogdan

July 29th, 2003, 12:31 PM	#30
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	Could a model like this be used for weddings? http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.js...5&catoid=-8362