Tape Recorders and Microphones        [recorder]
Information and Links

Here are sites of recording equipment and related topics, assembled with the intent of providing information relevant to the study of animal acoustic signals. The range of equipment is great, and the application(s) vary depending on the species and the recording condition(s).

As I've seen on the different list-serves that often discuss this issue, people have strong personal preferences, but the final choice really depends on a balance of your budget, your motives, and your own preferences. The single question shouldn't be: "what is the best recording set-up?", but rather a list of considerations, including: What are the intended and primary uses of the equipment? What species will I be recording? What is the frequency range of the signals to-be recorded? What are special environmental needs and limitations of gaining access to and recording the target species? What kinds of things will I be doing with the recordings? Will students be using this equipment in a teaching context or will it be used exclusively for research purposes, or a combination? What features do I want/need on a recorder? Do other aspects of my equipment influence my choice of recording equipment? As I discuss above with regard to software, first addressing these types of questions will help direct your choices. In addition, I would encourage you to ask whom ever you know who records animals about their experiences with the equipment they use.

The first step is to narrow down your choices for the various components available. The equipment set-up needed to capture sound recordings can be divided into two basic components: The recorder itself and the transducer or microphone. For recording equipment, four basic options are available: Reel-to-reel analog tape recorders, "standard" cassette recorders (The "micro" cassette recorders are generally too poor in quality to be seriously considered), DAT recorders using DAT tape, and mini-disk (MD) recorders. Each of these types of recorders has its own advantages and disadvantages, and I provide several sources for discussions of these characteristics in the equipment choices section. Additional but currently less common options are direct recording to a (lap-top) computer, which bypasses a recorder altogether, and the increasingly common direct-to-storage portable recorders. As these become more readily available and people field test them, we will find out more about their advantages and limitations in field conditions. An excellent source of equipment details can be found in the archives of the Nature Recordists Discussion Group. If you want to read my own preferences and recommendations, I'm slowly building a separate opinion page

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If you have suggestions, comments, or suggested sites, please send them

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Index
Equipment Choices
Bioacoustic Suppliers
Other suppliers of Recording Equipment
Microphones
Parabolic Reflectors
Ultrasound Equipment
Hydrophones and Underwater Recording
Miscellaneous


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Equipment Choices

Here are several Sites that have discussions of the different recording options, various sources of information on recording equipment and field recording techniques, and useful information for learning about and deciding on equipment.

The Acoustical Society  has a reference page on recording equipment

Nature Recordists Discussion Group:    Techniques, issues and general discussion of recording natural sounds

Sites with discussions of Mini-disks for use in animal recording:
Telinga:    Information and Microphone facts

Extensive resource page:    devoted to Sound in the Film Industry

Bioacoustic Supply Specialists

There are two companies in the United States that specifically cater to the bioacoustics market. Both are very experienced with bioacoustics research and will address particular needs:

Saul Mineroff Electronics has served the bioacoustics field for decades, providing both equipment and service. They have a new web site with online sales.
Saul Mineroff Electronics
574 Meacham Ave.
Elmont, NY, 11003
(516) 775-1370
Mineroff E-mail

Maurice Stith is also an excellent source for equipment, and provide on-line sales:
Marice Stith Recording Services
59 Autumn Ridge Circle
Ithaca, New York 14850
(607) 277-5920
Marice Stith E-mail


Other Sources for Recording Equipment and Microphones

In addition to the above-listed bioacoustics suppliers, here are other places to consider. If you know what equipment you desire, these places often offer slightly cheaper prices. The film industry engages in a lot of portable recording gear, and these might prove useful.


Recorders

Ineffable Audio Unity Inc :    U.S. Distributor of Uher equipment; 4000 report monitor and 1600 series cassettes.

Nagra Reel-to-reel recorders    are still available, and considered the best (although expensive) for portable analog recording.

Trewaudio:    a movie audio specialist that sells Nagras and other recording gear.

Martel Electronics:    Distributor for recording equipment, both DAT and cassette including good prices on several of the recorders listed below.

Collosal Sound:    Film recording equipment.

Eklektix:    DAT information and DAT-related links.

American Digital:    Electronics distributor offering DAT and minidisk recorders.

Fostex:    makes good quality portable DAT recorders.

Marantz:    Direct digital recorder

E-bay:    You can always try searches for recording equipment on E-bay (This on-line auction/flea-market site has a lot of equipment, both microphones and recorders. They have a searchable base). I recommend this only if you know what you're lookng for, and you do your homework. Bear in mind that a lot of old equipment (like microphones) loose functionality even without use-- so a 25 year-old microphone listed as "never used; in perfect new condition" may in fact have a brittle old diaphram and not be very good. Be careful! Having said that, e-bay often lists Uher reel-to-reel recorders for pretty reasonable prices, simply because people don't often use them anymore.

Microphones and Microphone Companies


Sennheiser:    Microphones

Telinga:    Microphones

Neumann:    Microphones

AKG:    Microphones

Shure:    Microphones

Parabolic Reflectors

Many researchers rely on parabolic reflectors to amplify distant sound sources. For the hobbyist, a parabola is the single item that when added to a a reasonable microphone and tape recorder can greatly improve recorded natural sounds. Parabolas can also be obtained from either of the bioacoustics supply specialists listed above.

I should note that there are a good number of toy-quality "listening dishes" available, and these aren't recommended for good quality recording. Information Unlimited:    Science and Technology Store Sound devices, including parabola

Natural Technology:    Bird "listening" dish.

Information on Parabolic Reflectors


Ultrasound Equipment



QMC site:    Ultrasound Advice

Pettersson Elektronik:    Bat Research Equipment and Software

Stag Electronics:    Bat detectors and more

Von laar media:    Bat detectors, tape recorders and microphones

Larson-Davis:    Ultrasonic microphones.

Underwater and Aquatic Recording


RESON:    Multibeam sonar and underwater acoustic equipment.

Dolphin Ear Hydrophones

Miscellaneous

The "spy" companies offer (sometimes expensive) listening devices. Here are a couple of examples:

MP229:    Dan Gibson Parabolic Mic

Sound devices:    From a "spy" catalog

If you find any links you think could be included here, please e-mail me! Also, I don't necessarily keep up to date on whether these links are outdated; if you find any that no longer work, let me know. Or, if I've mis-represented something, please inform me.

Comments to: Steven L. Hopp

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Updated 25-Mar-2005