Recording in a Classroom

[howardchief]

I have a macbook and I am impressed with the built in mic that came standard but I would still like a mic to use with Audacity that's wireless.

Does anyone know of any mics that I don't have to have plugged in to my line-in to record?

[steve]

There are plenty of wireless microphones available, but good ones don't come cheap.
http://www.google.co.uk/products?q=%09S ... ts&show=dd

The microphone receiver still has to be pugged into the Line-in, but the microphone is wireless.
If you also want "hands free" you could go for something like this: http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_ews_ ... ad25f4fae4

(you will need to check that you get the correct (legal) frequency band for your country - the dealer will be able to advise you about this).

[kozikowski]

Two problems. Yes, the Macs have a very nice Line-In. I use it for mastering and I get very good results. It's expecting roughly 1000 times higher volume than you get from a microphone.

So problem two is to get a wireless microphone that doesn't have noise and instability problems and problem one is boost the sound level so the Mac is happy with it.

I don't know a good, cheap, available way to do that.

One way out of the audio level thing is to use a USB microphone, but they have interesting problems. You can't get very far away from the (normally) noisy computer, and you can't go wireless.

This posting seems to have a lot of good ideas and references...

http://www.jakeludington.com/gadget_env ... r_200.html

I personally use two different analog mixers. An expensive Shure FP-24 and aTascam M-06st that they haven't made in about fifteen years. I found the Tascam in the back room at work and I cleaned it up and starting using it. I wouldn't buy the Shure again. They took shortcuts to get the small size and it doesn't have the microphone level that its bigger sisters do.

Most sound people would rather open an artery with a rusty razer blade than use a wireless microphone. The idea sounds really good until you try to get one to work. Wireless Mics have this nasty ability to tell when they're being used in a critical performance and then get noisy, quiet, or fail. There is no such thing as a nice cheap wireless microphone. Good transparent diversity switching doesn't start until you part with about US$600 or usually much higher.

Koz

[steve]

I mentioned the Senheizer mics because they do kick out a pretty hefty signal, perhaps not quite line level, but enough to get a decent signal in a line input. They are also among the most "trustworthy" for getting a reliable signal, but in the UK you are looking at around £400 (about $800 US?).

The T-Bones are the best "cheap" radio mics that I have used, but the range is considerably less than the Senheizers and the output a bit lower - should be OK in a classroom as far as range is concerned, but I cant be sure if the line in on the mac is sufficiently sensitive for the output level.

[kozikowski]

T-Bones are new (to me). Did you have any trouble with battery life or breakup?

Koz

[steve]

I always put new batteries in radio mics before a show, no matter what brand of mic. and then use up whatever is left in the battery in some non-critical application (and have loads of half used batteries to give away). I would never expect radio mic batteries to last very long (4 or 5 hours perhaps). With a live show it's not worth taking chances, so lots of batteries. In a classroom situation, a few sets of good rechargeables would be the best idea.

With the T-Bones I've had no "breaking up" problems when using them within a short range (the receiver either in the control room overlooking the stage, or actually on the stage). Performers tend to be quite happy that they stop working when they go to the bathroom and have forgotten to switch them off. Not so with the Senheizers though - A bass player friend has managed to do his sound check from the far side of the venues car park !

[samsmartguy]

Maybe you should try microphone there are a lot of them in Internet.

[kozikowski]

<<<Maybe you should try microphone there are a lot of them in Internet.>>>

Actually, that's not the solution. That's part of the problem. I want to talk to people that have actually used these microphones and can tell me experiences.

"This radio microphone picks up police radios and I will never use it again."

Koz