Is this possible?

[DustyCat]

Basically what Id like to do is to be able to hear through the ears of the microphone, but be able to take it portable, like outside, and switch mics easily, maybe even use mics like a flashlight.

I think this would be a great way to get out of the room, some fresh air, and more importantly A/B mics without having to actually record something  :icon_thumright:

 

[bagman67]

Well, I like how you think, but I think if you want to hear what the mic sounds like, you have to get rid of your own perceptions of the sounds the mic is picking up to appreciate it.  So with sufficient hearing protection AND sufficiently non-coloring monitors in your otherwise perfect isolation headset, I guess you could get there.  As long as you cannot independently hear what the mic is hearing, piece of cake. 


Am I thinking clearly, or is this easier than I think it is?  Mayfly?  Cagey?  Frank?  Anyone?

 

[fdesalvo]

Sweet mercy, man. Subscribed!

 

[Cagey]

This is a huge subject, and one that has been vexing sound/recording engineers since the dawn of recording. Myriad books have been written and graduate courses offered in it.

For a starter, though, when it comes to mixing, recording, microphones, IRs, and sound engineering in general, the Gearslutz forum is a gold mine you may want to dig around in.

 

[Logrinn]

Check out Brüel & Kjær and their work. They might be closer to such a solution than anybody else.
But it's probably a question of a very, very big setup - not portable, I'm guessing - and extremely expensive.
Millions perhaps ..?

 

[DustyCat]

Thank you guys for your timely responses and helpful suggestions.

I may be late to the party about slapping something other than an SM57 in front of a guitar amp,
but a couple SDOTD's has expanded my mic locker and I was able to hear a noticeable difference between the SM57 and the 603S pencil condenser, which was like taking a blanket off the speaker.

There are some other mics that I have a difficult time telling a difference.
I look at their frequency response charts to try to help me, but as an ozzmosis kind of guy I figured if I could walk around the neighborhood with some headphones on, and alternate between mics, I could start to develop sensitivity to the coloration of sound from mic to mic.

Now...how to cram 48v into my pocket...

 

[Timmsie95]

If you really want to hear how your guitar cab sounds, try an Earthworks TC20 or TC30, the sound is really transparent, and they can handle high spl's

 

[DustyCat]

If you really want to hear how your guitar cab sounds, try an Earthworks TC20 or TC30, the sound is really transparent, and they can handle high spl's

Not sure if that's a microphone or a thermometer, or a toothbrush  :laughing7:
Too bad the budget has run dry for mics because I'm a tape recorder guy and to this day there's been nothing so easy as hitting play/rec (dont even have to turn it on) and you're off and omni seems very similar in that respect.

What I need now is a mixer and I see a behringer xenyx qx1222usb with a USB out and additional graphic equalizer in a small package that catches my fancy. I looked at Carvin but I do not see any affordable boards with USB outs.

 

[mayfly]

Hmmm.

To do this I think you'll need to do something called Binaural recording:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_recording

essentially you have a special stereo mic that's designed to have a response as close as possible to a human head.  Some folks take this idea pretty far:

You can actually go out and buy mics like this, but there are people who make their own as well:

http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-record-binaural-audio-tracks-with-a-homemad/?ALLSTEPS

have fun,

Mayfly

 

[DustyCat]

Hmmm.

To do this I think you'll need to do something called Binaural recording:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_recording

essentially you have a special stereo mic that's designed to have a response as close as possible to a human head.  Some folks take this idea pretty far:

You can actually go out and buy mics like this, but there are people who make their own as well:

http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-record-binaural-audio-tracks-with-a-homemad/?ALLSTEPS

have fun,

Mayfly

Annnnd Mayfly slides in with a nice find. You know...I saw a video on youtube one time of a Do-It-Yourself version which was way more ummm, homicidal? plus even though I used to love industrial arts back in elementary school I just don't trust myself what with my 1 bedroom place and lack of a proper workbench.

But this is cool, I'll keep it in mind.

I want to share with you guys one of my greatest finds, the Radio Shack CTR-117 Tape Recorder ($15 eBay shipped). Tape is fading against the new digital technologies, and they seems to have "updated" this model by stripping it down of some of its most useful features. But time after time, again and again I have been able to capture the vibe with my precious without even having to plug her in.

Mine is actually silver, but still the same model, which has not only in 1/8" input for external mic (*cough* SONY Stereo Nice!) not only a standard tape counter (not so standard these days WTF?) but it has an LED input meter able to be attenuated with the volume dial. Incredible. I like to think of it as one of those traps used by The Ghostbusters. Load up some C batteries and you're just 1 or 2 steps away from capturing the ghost haha just pull it out of your bag and hit play/rec.

Those were the days. Sure you got a lot of the room, but that's where I'm coming from. And maybe there was some mojo in the fact that there were actual wheels spinning while you were trying to think of what to play next.

I don't know why this Imaged box (4th from the left) won't work. Somebody here taught me how to embed but I seem to have forgotten.
Do you guys have a help or tutorial on your forum features?

here's what the tape recorder looks like
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjTzqyy1bzLAhXBWj4KHWQ1De8QjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiomuseum.org%2Fr%2Fradioshack_optimus_voice_activated_ctr_117_catno_14_1123.html&psig=AFQjCNG4IHEgiRFjA9orbsUG7JMPe6ZVug&ust=1457924298648060