Podcast Listening in the Snow

First time I have seen snowsports headgear with built-in headphones for music. The R.E.D. hi-fi audio helmet offers padded polycarbonate shell with built-in headphones and a cord-mounted volume control for use with MP3s, MiniDisc, CD Player or radio. Anyone tried them?

Wow-- keep the comments coming

Wow...I had over 150 reactions in 24 hrs about my call for comments on the ideal recorder for radio reporters. People seem to be mad as hell that the ideal, simple, foolproof recorder doesn't seem to be available.

I believe passionately that this situation needs to change. Keep up the comments stream. I am listening and your input is very important!!

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Transom Tools Review Marantz PMD 660

Transom Tools Marantz PMD 660

 

Good review of the Marantz PMD-600 on this website, including comments about its sturdyness and a recommendation not to use dynamic microphones.

 

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Heil Microphones

Heard Adam Curry record a recent podcast with a Heil PR-40 dynamic microphone and it really sounded rich and smooth (even in MP3). The closest sound yet to my Rode NT2 which I still think is classic microphone for presenters. Cost for the Heil PR-40? US$325. Advantage of the Heil is that it doesn't need phantom power.

Bob Heil is also well-know in amateur radio circles for his work in audio processing. The PR 40 features the new technology of the Heil DM 6 dynamic element with response down to 28 Hz. and stays perfectly flat up through 18kHz. with a beautiful mid range rise giving this new microphone gorgeous vocal articulation.

Not sure if this will work...

Below is a press release which came out today from the M-audio guys. Bearing in mind the price of a 8 or 12 channel Mackie mixer, this podcast mixer and audio package is on the expensive side (US$179). Looks kinda "fiddly" with the rotary faders - or is it just me?


Los Angeles, CA, November 10, 2005 — M-Audio, a leading provider of creative tools for computer-centric musicians, is proud to announce the release of the Podcast Factory professional podcasting solution. The Podcast Factory bundle includes all the hardware and software required to create broadcast-quality podcasts using a Mac or PC.

At the heart of Podcast Factory bundle lies the Podcast Factory audio interface with microphone preamp. This 2 x 2 mobile audio interface delivers professional audio fidelity up to 24-bit/48kHz. The first of two audio channels is a dedicated XLR input for the included dynamic microphone, complete with gain control and signal LEDs. The ¼” input on the second channel toggles between instrument and line levels to accommodate a wide variety of signal sources. Audio outputs take the form of dual RCAs and a front-panel 1/8” stereo headphone jack that share a common level control.

Direct hardware monitoring provides for synchronized overdubs, with the In/PB knob determining the monitor balance between input and output signal. For additional monitoring flexibility, the Mono switch sends the input signal equally to the left and right channels, allowing the source to integrate in a more balanced way with other tracks while recording.

The Podcast Factory bundle includes software that easily lets users of any level record and edit program material such as speech, add music and sound effects, and post MP3s with RSS feeds to the Web. Users also get a collection of music loops in a wide variety of genres.

The Podcast Factory bundle is compatible with both Macs (Core Audio) and PCs (ASIO 2 and WDM – Kernel Streaming). PC minimum system requirements are Windows XP (SP1) running on a Pentium II 350 w/ 64MB RAM. Minimum requirements on the Mac are G3* 300MHz/G4* 350MHz with OS X 10.2.8 or greater and 128MB RAM. The Podcast Factory interface is just 5.5" x 4.25" x 1.75” (14 x 10.8 x 4.5 cm) and weighs in at a mere .45 lbs (.2 kg).

“Podcasting is a major phenomenon, spurred in no small part by Apple’s iTunes initiatives,” says Adam Castillo, marketing director at M-Audio. “The Podcast Factory provides a comprehensive solution for producing professional podcasts for applications as diverse as personal broadcasts, music promotion, corporate training, virtual seminars, education and more. Podcast Factory allows anyone with a message to easily create podcasts that incorporate the production values of radio-quality broadcasts.”

The Podcast Factory bundle is expected to ship in November and carries a price of $179.95 MSRP.

* native USB port required; G3/G4 accelerator cards not supported.

Yahoo Think Tank

Yahoo Think Tank Check the link before Nov 17th. Like it...

 

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Help needed with survey

Perhaps you can help me build the best independent consumer-advice guide for radio reporters and podcasters? Radio production went digital ages ago. But radio reporters (especially freelance feature makers) have been struggling with recorders that are either modified consumer equipment or "special" units designed by people who have never had to make a programme to a deadline. The picture above would be great - except that the Apple iPod doesn't make good speech recordings to broadcast standard! Many of the guides I have picked up at trade shows are hopelessly out of date or go into far too much technical detail. I believe passionately that this situation needs to change.

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Flashman Recorder

Mayah's Flashman recorder. This is a rugged Flash recorder designed for the radio journalist. It is rugged and accepts Canon inputs from a microphone. But at 1279 Euro from outlets in the UK (including VAT) it is very expensive compared to the newer competition from M-audio and Nagra. I wonder when the price will drop. They now come in various colours, though the website says the Silver (standard) colour is still the preferred choice for many.  

Nagra ARES-M

Thanks to a tip from Ward Weis, I realise that Nagra has come out with an update to their "asthma monitor" recorder Ares-PII (so called because I got the recorder past Nigerian customs by saying it was to measure my lung capacity as someone who suffers from allergies. No, that wasn't a microphone". I bought an ARES-PII when I worked for Radio Netherlands and we tested it in the field many times.



The shape was a bit off putting for some people - although the recordings with the capsule microphone were superb. However, at nearly 2000 Euro (when you had purchased all the accessories that were really essential) it was hard to justify the cost/quality, alongside other flash recorders from people like Maycom and Mayah.










The new recorder is MUCH smaller (more like the size of a mobile phone or the original I-pod) and retails at US$995 on some US websites, including the dynamic microphone. It seems this product was announced on May 26th 2005. I did ask at the Nagra stand at IBC 2005 in September, but they didn't show me this, only the older Ares-PII+

The Oades brothers audio forum points out that the 1 GB memory is internal and NOT removable. Although that means the card is less likely to be lost, it means you have to use the Mini USB cable to connect to the laptop to transfer the audio. Oades reports the transfer speed is VERY slow...says it takes
15 minutes to copy a 30 minute 16/48 stereo WAV file
(about 330MB). If correct, that's going to be a serious problem for news journalists in the field who want to keep the audio in the digital domain.

On the plus side, the Nagra ARES-M is extremely small and light (similar to the I-pod), but offering a thousand times better audio quality (I-pod restricts the audio quality of recordings to 8 kb/sec - ludicrous. Yes, there is a hack, but it voids the warranty). There is a built-in FM radio (though the press release doesn't say whether you can record directly from the radio. It works on 2 AA batteries and can store up to 10 hours of (stereo) audio onto the 1 GB memory.

The first production units will be shipped from Switzerland in November 2005, according to Nagra who phoned me this morning. I hope to do a side-by-side with the M-audio in mid-November. It is pointless reviewing the prototypes....if there are problems, manufacturers will blame you for testing a pre-launch model. I am only interested in what the average user will find. Watch this space for our independent evaluation.

 

DR-100- Professional Audio Recorder.

 

Could this be the competition to the new M-Audio recorder mentioned below? The AEQ company is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, although it has a branch in Florida and was at IBC 2005. They concentrate on mixing desks, but a sales assistant was able to show me a prototype of what he claimed was the world's smallest flash recorder. It reminds me of the early Nokia phones, being 120 by 45 by 22 mm in size. It records in G.723, MP3 and MP2 compression formats with sampling rates between 32 and 320 kbps. They claim the battery will last 10 hours. The unit has a built-in FM radio as well, with 20 presets. The DR-100 comes complete with an external mike, case, headphones and editing software for use on a PC. No price mentioned at IBC 2005. I have sent e-mails to try and find out more. 

M-Audio Microtrack Update

M-Audio Microtrack
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

A couple of weeks back, Guido van Nispen showed me what looks like a great gadget for both radio and podcasters. It is going to cost 500 Euros(including BTW, plus the cost of memory cards. My first impressions about an 8 minute play around - looks good, although the colour looks a bit cheap. Technically it is a nice piece of equipment and very easy to use! The unit has professional input jacks (balanced) for an external mike (internal one is really only emergency quality), and 2 hours of battery life between charges. (The brochure claims 8, but Guido (who has the only prototype in Europe) has other experiences). You can get about 8 hours of excellent quality MP3 and WAV recordings on a 1 GB flash memory.

MP3 recording rates possible: 96 to 320kbps at 32, 44.1 or 48kHz
PCM (linear) recording possible : 16 or 24-bit at 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2 or 96kHz

The company M-Audio is owned by Avid. Dealers in Europe, including Mafico in the Netherlands, tell me the first production units expected at the end of November -early December at the earliest. The unit is made in China. There does not seem to be a way (on the prototype) to double the left or right channel to get full-track mono. We've passed that suggestion on to the manufacturers...would be useful.


Another death knell for the Sony Mini-Disc in this branch of the business.

Another view M-Audio prototype

DSC05988
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

The device uses Compact Flash memory (cheaper than Memorystick) and can be read by most card readers. I have good experiences with the Scandisk Professional series - less prone to read/write errors than the standard Compact Flash Discs I used for a couple of years with Nikon 990 camera.

Sony PCDM-1

They will be frisking you for one of these at the next rock concert. In December, Sony is promising the PCDM-1 recorder, aimed at the musicians market since the price is a hefty US$2000. It has that warm glow of a guitar amplifier.....familiar to musicians. It will scare the life out of the average reporter...would you stick this under a politicians nose?

As is usual with Sony, the model number is strange. Don't confuse it with the PCMM-1 Portable DAT recorder (below) which I assume is now to be discontinued. The PCMM-1 is seen in shops for around US$840, list price well over US$1000.

Sony MMR-60 Mini FM Transmitter Launched

According to Engadget & a press release from Sony-Ericsson has launched a mini-FM transmitter (a bit like the I-trip) but then designed to broadcast the music on your mobile phone all over the house, to be picked up on a normal FM radio. Hidden down the bottom of the press release is the note that this is not going to be in Europe.....against the law.

Note: Since FM-transmitters are not allowed in all countries yet, it will be launched in countries where we know it is allowed. This currently includes USA, South America, Australia and some countries in Asia. As we get knowledge about other countries allowing this, this list will grow.

Don't hold your breath that the list will grow. I don't see much restriction on these devices, simply because the strength is so low they are unlikely to cause interference problems in most situations.

 

SonyEricsson 990i Phone as a cam/audio recorder?

I wonder if this new Sony-Ericsson 990i is going to be any use for reporters in the field when they are 'first on the scene". The audio in the old 800 was great. Sony has released info in the hope of encouraging application developers. They claim release in the first quarter of 2006. So look for it in the shops in May - June 2006. The phone will also come out in North America too.