Anyone use a hand-held portable for recording VO auditions?

Doug Gochman

Hi Folks,

Has anyone out there had any success with using one of those hand-held portables for recording VO? (examples: ZOOM H2; Marantz PMD620)

Ease of use, portability, sound quality issues are my concerns.

Thanks for your input!
-dg

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

We are debating that very subject in another thread. I wouldn't expect much from the built-in mics or mic preamps. At minimum you will likely need an external mic preamp and go in through the line input.

Allen Brown · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008, 15:11 (GMT) Post subject:

Doug,

I bought the H4 for remote recording. It replaced my old portable DAT machine. It works great for that.

Yes, you could record an audition on your portable. And, I think I read where some talents have used them for that in some situations. But then you have to get it off the soundcard and into your computer for further editing/processing/uploading etc. So, why not just record into the computer in the first place?

Now, what if you actually get the gig you auditioned for on your portable? It's really not up to snuff for a finished, professional recording. So, you'd be faced with going to another studio for the final gig. I'd spend the money on a good mic, interface, quiet room and software before I bought the portable.

That's my take on it.

Erik Sheppard · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008, 15:33 (GMT) Post subject:

Yeah, this is being talked about all over the place here.

I am not the biggest tech geek here but I am going to go out on a limb and say this is a bad idea for VO. I think these were meant more for field recordings of FX or possibly interviews but even the best can't compete with a real mic/studio setup. This is not what they were built for.

If you want to just use it as storage along with a real VO worthy pre and mic, I suppose that would work but it just seems silly.

My apologies if I am missing something here.

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

Erik Sheppard · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008, 22:00 (GMT) Post subject:

My apologies Chris, apparently you have tried this out quite a bit and have had good results.

My prejudice may come from using 4-rackspace sized tube or solid state units made specifically for voice that cost a mint and still sucked. My road rig is a Edirol USB A/D box into a laptop and that is lacking as well.

Perhaps size really doesn't matter.

If I had a dime for every time I have said that........

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

No apologies necessary. No offense taken.

Technology is moving so rapidly, together with overseas mass production (outsourcing) that it's astonishing how much audio gear a dollar will buy these days. And the quality is damn decent, despite what the snobs may say. Who ever thought you could get a large-diaphragm condenser mic -- and a darn good one from AKG or Audio Technica -- for $100? And those are post-inflation dollars! Back in the '70s or '80s you had to spend a few thousand, not a few hundred, to equip a studio that wouldn't be an embarrasment.

George Whittam · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 21

The M-AUDIO MICROTRACKII would be one of the few I would say could be up to snuff. It delivers true 48V phantom power to your mic through balanced connections. The first gen unit was widely praised for it's sound quality, but didn't supply the full 48v phantom that some mics require.
Check this PDF for a comparison chart of a wide range of recorders from BSW.
http://www.bswusa.com/assets/pdf/BSW_DigRecComparisonChart_v4.pdf

George
eldorec.com

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

P.M. Graham

I Want to know can you use the MP3 PLayers with voice like RCA, etc to record your demos and if you do will the demo sound like it should when you upload it to this or any site? If it does not sound like it sounded when played back on the mp3 player or windows media player, what could be the reason for it and how can it be resolved.

Are there low cost software out there to make recording the demos easier or must you spend alot of money on audio software?

Emmanuel Soussan · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008, 18:57 (GMT) Post subject:

Here's a sample of the ZOOM H2 , sorry for my bad accent but it can gives u and idea of the sound quality !

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

Andy Quiñones · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008, 15:32 (GMT) Post subject:

Chris, when you tested the micro track II, you could have had the file format set at a low bit rate and therefore the poor sound quality?

Just an idea. I've heard a lot of good things about that unit although I use a Marantz PMD 670 with no probs.

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

J.S. Gilbert · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008, 21:16 (GMT) Post subject: CEll phone/ PDA

SO here's a fun one for you. My telephone is a Treo 750, running windows mobile and I actually have done auditions from this phone and I booked two of them. (one was client request last minute audition and the other was an unexpected day trip turning into an overnighter.) Actually one of the auditions I booked was doen from my previous PDA phone, an Audiovox, but same principal. The sound quality isn't terrific, but I figured out where to hold it and how to speak to get the best results and I found a $20 simple editing tool online which allows me to edit and save as 44.1 16 bit wav file and send as an email attachment. The booth manager at the agent's office said he has gotten back worse sounding auditions from talent from their home studios. There is also a PDA version of Audacity available now.

This is a link to a page that discusses using PDA's as handheld recording devices. Therer are also some third partys that have developed SD microphone interfaces.

http://www.ebu.ch/en/technical/trev/trev_310-luci.pdf