After doing a post on the Broken Fader Review about a strange field recording of a pig being slaughtered, I began to dream of my own field recording rig so I can record bell towers and other random daily events of life I find worth while. Dude in this recording use the following signal chain- Sennheiser ME66 ($200ish shotgun mic capsule, about $450 for the whole device) + MKH30 (a $1300 shotgun mic) , Shure FP24 preamp ($850 battery powered pre), Edirol R09 recorder ($400).
Currently, my field recording set up is a laptop running it's battery, a Lexicon Lambda USB interface (it has phantom power) and a Audio Technica Pro 37. I really would like a portable hard disk recorder and a battery operated preamp, and as always a better mic (I probably will focus on getting a good studio condenser since I am addicted to many things and thus don't have much cabbage.)
Recorder Options
I want XLR ins (or minimum of 1/4"), phantom power would be nice. Both of these make the price jump like $200, so if I had a preamp that went into an 1/8" connecter, that would work (the pig slaughter ran an 1/8" into the recorder itself). So, maybe an 1/8" in may be the deal. Most have build in mics, but I like using outboard mics, cause that is how I roll.
Tascam DR-1- $250 New-
Edirol R-09HR- $300 New- this what was used in the slaughter recording
Marantz PMD620- $400 New-
PreAmp Options
The main features I would need would be battery powered, with phantom, low noise, a relatively light, cause I will carry it around.
Sound Devices MP-1- $300 new- just a gain knob, which is what I like.
Whirlwind MD-1- $340 new- this has head phone monitoring and such
Denecke AD-20- $290 new- this one has a A/D converter with SPDIF out
Microphones
I doubt I will get a typical shotgun type video mic, but instead get a Neumann or something of that nature that I can use in my "typical" recording sessions (if you call noisey feedback electonrics discomboulations, or the random whacked out musicians that I take my rig over to "typical"). I will probably expand on this section at another time (it would take me 3 work days to list mics I want to buy for any reason). Or, if I really get into the field recording stuff, I will break down and get a stereo mic. Note- I will need a fake bird type wind screen!
The Vermont Folklife Centers Guide to Field Recording- it has some honest reviews and tips for non audio people collecting field recording samples for research.
F7 Sound- Also has some good info from a guy using the Rode stereo mics-
A article on Ludwig Koch- he was an pioneer in animal and nature field recordings, and has Ludwig in his name, like the drum god and the mastering god.
