HEI FOLKS!
I am looking into microphones that is water resistant. I intend to use it to record in the sea. Any pointers to brands and online dealers?
Here you have a good company re mics for fieldrecording + contacts based in Norway: http://www.luhd-mics.com/ (http://www.luhd-mics.com/)
Hydrophone is the word you want to be googling
They're easy to build and probably very expensive to buy
Quote from: Cementimental on October 21, 2013, 09:20:16 PM
Hydrophone is the word you want to be googling
They're easy to build and probably very expensive to buy
Thanx for the pointer Cementimental! Found some to an acceptable price. Will continue the research.
http://www.aquarianaudio.com/hydrophones.html (http://www.aquarianaudio.com/hydrophones.html)
I use this: http://cranksturgeon.com/PIEZOCRANK.html
immersion sturgeon
They're easyyyy and really cheap to build:
http://soundandmusic.org/resources/artists-toolkit/how-tos/how-to-build-a-hydrophone
http://www.dosits.org/resources/all/classroom/buildhydrophone/
I made one just by epoxy gluing a piezo and a bunch of coins for weight into a film canister. Works fine but I've yet to actually use it properly, I should go down to the nearby canal and have a go.
Like any Piezo mic you probably want to get/make a preamp to fix the impedence if you want a hi-fi recording (i've yet to get round to this but will soon, interested to hear how or if it will affect/improve standard dumb piezo straight into distortion pedals noise approach I and everyone else normally uses :) )
http://leafcutterjohn.com/?p=894
http://www.zachpoff.com/diy-resources/alex-rice-piezo-preamplifier/
Thanx for the suggestion Cementimental. This could be interesting as an experiment.
Been conversing with Anders of LUHD posted above. He told me that they are now developing hydrophone mics w an engineer in the field. Earliest release date is end 2013.
EDIT: Forgot to say that it will be possible to get customized hydro mics of own choosing.
Quote from: Cementimental on October 22, 2013, 03:04:52 PM
Like any Piezo mic you probably want to get/make a preamp to fix the impedence if you want a hi-fi recording (i've yet to get round to this but will soon, interested to hear how or if it will affect/improve standard dumb piezo straight into distortion pedals noise approach I and everyone else normally uses :) )
When you get it done, please report! Very curious. I have kind of love/hate relationship with piezzo. While I like it a lot, I dislike specific qualities what makes it so easy to recognize.
Best underwater microphone action I have seen has been SMALL CRUEL PARTY live gigs.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on October 22, 2013, 06:32:15 PM
Quote from: Cementimental on October 22, 2013, 03:04:52 PM
Like any Piezo mic you probably want to get/make a preamp to fix the impedence if you want a hi-fi recording (i've yet to get round to this but will soon, interested to hear how or if it will affect/improve standard dumb piezo straight into distortion pedals noise approach I and everyone else normally uses :) )
When you get it done, please report! Very curious.
Andie Brown of These Feathers Have Plumes has had a preamp made for her rather extensive use of piezo mics. She goes for a very clear and detailed sound amplifying huge glasses filled with water, and from what I've seen live it all worked amazingly well with the preamp. I'd need to ask again but I think it fixed a lot of feedback issues as well as impedance etc.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on October 22, 2013, 06:32:15 PM
Quote from: Cementimental on October 22, 2013, 03:04:52 PM
Like any Piezo mic you probably want to get/make a preamp to fix the impedence if you want a hi-fi recording (i've yet to get round to this but will soon, interested to hear how or if it will affect/improve standard dumb piezo straight into distortion pedals noise approach I and everyone else normally uses :) )
When you get it done, please report! Very curious. I have kind of love/hate relationship with piezzo. While I like it a lot, I dislike specific qualities what makes it so easy to recognize.
Best underwater microphone action I have seen has been SMALL CRUEL PARTY live gigs.
don't you guys ever just plug a contact mic into your mixer input and turn up the gain on the channel? Same thing
Thanx Tiny Tove!
Pre amp is vital when recording underwater, especially at great depths. Need some extra boost to get a proper recording.
As for piezo mics, I haven't used them much, but from what Anders told me I understood that using a conventional mic or a contact mic under water will pretty much generate the same result since recording below surface is mostly based on "contact energy", and conventional sound as we experience it in our land surroundings does not exist there. Our ears are tuned to air pressure, this is not to be found in the sea. This is why what we he hear under water is perceived as alien to some extent.
Quote from: Human Larvae on October 22, 2013, 07:24:51 PM
don't you guys ever just plug a contact mic into your mixer input and turn up the gain on the channel? Same thing
I never use the things uneffected... I could actually do it this way now you mention it since I do have inserts in my current mixer... still I think a standalone preamp would be better/more versatile. Also lot of the DIY contact mic/hydrophone projects have all or the sensitive parts of the preamp circuit built into/close to the mic part to minimise interference.
Also - contact mics for field recordings. It's not like I'd carry mixers and electricity source around.
(http://static.bhphoto.com/images/images345x345/Sound_Devices_MP-1_292990.jpg)
Picked up a used one cheap and no regrets. Opened up a lot for outdoor recordings with contact mics (and other mic's as well). Alot of depth, texture and clarity to be gained.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on October 24, 2013, 08:37:12 AM
Also - contact mics for field recordings. It's not like I'd carry mixers and electricity source around.
You say something there! Mixer angle is waaay to impractical. Would work in a daily out door recording session at all. In these cases - or at least for hydrophone mics it is possible to purchase for instance this small size buffer/preamp that is integrated in the wire:
http://www.aquarianaudio.com/pa2.html (http://www.aquarianaudio.com/pa2.html)
In theory it might just work on land as well.
(http://www.aquarianaudio.com/images/detailed/0/PA2-PIP1200w.jpg)
I might just get a cheap acoustic guitar preamp kit and build it into a small box with added 1/4" input :)
(http://www.tomtop.com/media/catalog/product/i/1/i174-2-76fd_1_.jpg)
I got a little monacor mixer, works with a battery. it now part of my live setup as well as more complicated field recordings, meaning contact mics and regulars going on at the same time.
http://www.monacor.co.uk/products/prosound-mixermisc/
My cheapo acoustic guitar preamp arrived, reworked it slightly to be more conducive to my purposes (removed tuner circuit which obviously I don't need and caused hiss if accidentally turned on, added 1/4" input)
(https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1463427_10152015018098659_184633480_n.jpg)
Seems to work nicely in that it preamplifies and EQs a contact mic :) Yet to seriously test it in a noise setup
Does anyway recorded vocals with a handheld condenser microphone? How much constant - not high gained, just constant - feedback hurts them? Because condensers are much more sensitive everything, and I think feedback is also a main factor... I don't have one yet, that's why I asking. Any experience?
did Tim Drage or anyone else end up building/buying a pre amp for their contact mic (and maybe also have sound samples)?? That sounds very promising and I would be excited to hear the sonic results
The picture has vanished but I did get one of the afforementioned acoustic guitar pickup sets and modify it to accept a contact mic via 1/4" jack. It worked, provides some extra boost/eq but i've not done any scientific tests as to whether it expecially improves the frequency range etc vs a plain pickup into pedals.
Oi!
Just returning w a small recommendation of equipment for field recording and junk mayhem - contact mic (transducer) + pre amp. Check companies:
Trance Audio - http://www.tranceaudio.com/ (http://www.tranceaudio.com/)
Barcus Berry - http://barcusberry.com/ (http://barcusberry.com/)
Both companies handles package solutions, but note.... one have to fork up a few hundered dollars for the high audio...
FULL BANDWITH CONTACT MIC - CHEAP TO MIDRANGE
Cortado Balanced Buffered Contact Mic
The Cortado Balanced Buffered Contact Mic contains a phantom-powered circuit that balances the signal from a piezo transducer and matches its high output impedance to the low input impedance typical of consoles and recorders. Cortado comes as a Kit or Ready-to-Use.
Piezo sensors are quite incredible little things. They can be used to detect the slightest variation in pressure, force, or strain and convert that energy into a voltage. Over the past several decades they've been used in numerous applications in several fields including the audio industry. Unfortunately, they've developed a bad reputation for sounding "harsh" and "brittle" when used as contact microphones in acoustic instruments. This is due to improper impedance matching and the inadequate driving circuits that are mostly used with these sensors in audio applications. Piezo sensors in themselves are capable of a very wide bandwidth, and when used properly, can achieve excellent results. So with the intention to get the most out of a piezo sensor, we are offering the Cortado Balanced Piezo Contact Mic. This mic contains a phantom powered circuit that properly matches the piezo sensor input impedance and drives the signal via a balanced output, which allows for wide bandwidth (~20Hz-30kHz), low signal losses, and high signal to noise ratio. The Cortado's circuit was originally designed by Alex Rice for use in his contact mic hydrophone, but it can be used in countless more applications with excellent results. In the recording studio or on stage it can be used on pianos, guitars and other stringed instruments, or even percussion. It can be used as a plate reverb pickup or wooden stomp box mic. We even created this Tin Can Microphone out of stuff we found in the trash (as illustrated in the product photos).
The Cortado is also the perfect accessory for a low-fi geek or a field recording enthusiast. Let your imagination run wild... discover the sounds inside the pipes in your apartment building, or in bridge suspension cables, even in melting ice. Anything that vibrates or resonates with an audible frequency can be captured by this contact mic.
https://zeppelindesignlabs.com/product/cortado-balanced-piezo-contact-mic/ (https://zeppelindesignlabs.com/product/cortado-balanced-piezo-contact-mic/)
got this from MK9
https://zeppelindesignlabs.com/product/cortado-balanced-piezo-contact-mic/
needs phantom power but is loud and fat! gain pot was at 9 o clock while my own build was at 14 o clock for same loudness
so maybe time to start building preamps next? obviously not a problem in noise use, where you just plug in and turn it up on the pedal/mixer, but still quite a difference.....
Yeah I built a piezo preamp, it's not essential if you are just using your contact mic for harsh feedback thru multiple DOD pedals or whatever but it does make a difference in many situations especially for relatively clean amplified metal junk and the like
tim what's your cheapo guitar preamp kit?
Dan J : where did you score that MP-1?
I just built it from scratch, using info from these sites:
http://www.megalithia.com/sounds/tech/piezo/fetamp.html
http://www.scotthelmke.com/Mint-box-buffer.html - based it on this one mostly, if I remember right
this has useful ideas about using contact mics too: http://www.musicofsound.co.nz/blog/the-first-rule-of-contact-mic-club
planning to build two or more in one box soon, they're tiny circuits and it'd be handy :)
Sorry for reviving an old thread...any suggestion on where to buy a contact mic preamp in Europe? Battery operated preferred, but not a dealbreaker...
Perhaps you have already found one, and to be honest I don't know that these ship to Europe, but:
http://pulplogic.com/product/ctact-box/
Quote from: cosmonaut on July 04, 2017, 11:37:39 PM
Sorry for reviving an old thread...any suggestion on where to buy a contact mic preamp in Europe? Battery operated preferred, but not a dealbreaker...
Quote from: BTR on July 21, 2017, 08:54:46 PM
Perhaps you have already found one, and to be honest I don't know that these ship to Europe, but:
http://pulplogic.com/product/ctact-box/
Thanks for the pointer. I can envision the hell Italian customs are gonna give me if I order one (they do ship to EU) but it seems there are no alternatives. I'll give it a shot and see what happens. Overpriced Cortado were available in Europe months ago, iirc, but no longer it seems.
The cortado will most likely be a cheaper investment as one have to buy the additional contact mic along w P Logic - that is if one doesn't have a spare.
Old-ish thread, but my brother bought me the Crank Sturgeon Town & Mouth report mic for christmas. Excellent present- aside from the obvious vocal mic purpose has anyone used this for recording anything else- up close for junk metal or getting a lofi room recording?
I have been making microphones from old phones specifically for use with pedals for power electronics. I have sold ten so far but they take forever to make and it isn't nearly worth the time but I do enjoy it a bit so I will likely continue to make them accordingly. Take a look here:
https://hmhs.storenvy.com
I am in the US but I will ship anywhere if you are willing to pay the $22 for shipping. Contact me at dysgeusian@gmail for more info or go through the shop. I can also customize these if you need something special made. These act not only as a microphone but also serves as a 'Kill Switch' to disrupt the signal and give you more possibilities blah blah fucking blah... ☻
It's out of my budget for a couple weeks at least but those repurposed CB mics are killer. I need one.
Anyone have any experience with boundary mics? I stumbled upon a rather nice one (crown PCC-160) and am trying to think of a good way to use it in lieu of selling it. Was thinking of maybe mounting it to a large piece of metal or perhaps using it to get a room recording but have never played with one or talked with anyone that has so I don't really know if it's a waste of my time to experiment with.
Radio Shack use to make a boundary type mic. It was a coffin-shaped mic mounted to a piece of metal. Great for dragging around the garage floor but it didn't pick up sounds quite the way I wanted it to. I think I ended up destroying it.
Try it out. If it doesn't do what you want it to then sell it. That's the only way to know for sure.
Reposting this here for posterity.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiXj_Lzg8Po/
FOR SALE: Bing Carbon Microphone. Lo Fi granular distortion for voice, instruments, or sound design. Special NOS Military grade carbon transmitter. 2 AA battery powered, transformer coupled 150 ohm output. $300. 2 available. Will ship.
review of older model-
http://recordinghacks.com/reviews/tapeop/bing-carbon-microphone/
Hey friends, can anyone recommend a durable microphone that can be subjected to long term abuse?
I use a Sony F-96 High Impedance microphone to get really ear pleasing sounds from my guitar strings - the only problem is that I've gone through a few and their lifespan doesn't last more than a couple practices with my friend. Some of the mics I have tried like a Shure SM58 will feedback before I can get it to a point where it picks up my strings.
To be honest I don't know much about microphones or impedance but ever since using this cheap Sony F-96 (High impedance) I refuse to have any other sound. It picks up everything and more and gives a metallic sound.
Any help is appreciated, thank you.
(http://www.uneeda-audio.com/pzm/pzm1.jpg)
RadioShack sold "PZM" microphones made by Crown
have one around here somewhere haven't used it in ages
"RatShack" Realistic also sold microphones made by Shure(sm58s) & EV
sort of like the "Realistic" Moog MG1
They are Quality
awesome inexpensive "Realistic" microphones
for fraction of price of the actual official branded same model microphones on ebay
because very few comprehend the model numbers of those "Realistic" microphones
see them going "cheap"
BTW dragging PZM around the garage is obviously not how boundary microphones are designed for being used recording
admit have done things like that before with PZM treating it as large metal plate piezo contact microphone
yet mine still works :P
https://tapeop.com/tutorials/1/pzm/