Earthquake at Seltúnshver (Geothermal area)

It was in the beginning of mars, earthquake hit my house.
Almost nonstop earthquakes shakes landscapes south and east of Reykjavik capital so I was sure my recorder had picked up some earthquakes previous years. I searched in my mind where it was most likely it could have happened. After some research I found one, in almost forgotten recording. It was recorded in april 2011, when I and my pal at work went a day trip to Reykjanes peninsula. Reykjanes is very well known for earthquakes and geothermal activity. The main reason for this trip was to look at the changes of some geothermal area because of increasing activity last decade. As usual, my recorders followed me in this trip, but I was not satisfied with these recordings…until now.
Hereby I mix together five of these recordings as a travel log for this day trip.
First one is a hot spring that for centuries has been under water in Kleifarvatn Lake until the lake started to shrink after big earthquake at the year 2000.
The second one is also a hot spring recording but it contains the earthquake at very low frequency (10Hz). The third one is another hot springs close by, but with different mics and they did not detect earthquake as clearly. Both this recordings are recoded at Seltúnshver (Seltúns-hver=Seltuns-hotspring).
The fourth one was recorded at Gunnuhver close to Reykjanesvirkjun, a power plant that has changes a lot the geothermal activity on Reykjanes peninsula.
The fifth recording is waves of Atlantic Ocean hammering the cliffs at Reykanestá.

Download mp3 file (192kbps / 22Mb)

The earthquake. Speed up version about 2x octave of the second recording above (Almost 3 minutes shrink to 37 sek). Subwoofer or quality headphones recommended

Download mp3 file (192kbps / 0,9Mb)

Recorders: Korg MR1000 and Sound devices 552
Mics: Rode NT4 (XY) and Rode NT2a/Sennheiser ME64 (MS)
Pix: Canon 30D (see more pictures and information)
See more and listen at: www.fieldrecording.net  

In two worlds

In Reykjavik center is a quiet big pond or a lake with many bird species, like Swans, Gooses and Ducks. Often people feed this birds with bread so outburst is normal when birds grasp the breadcrumbs.
This recordings was made simultaneously both above and under water on four tracks. Two hydrophones where placed 2 meters apart and 20 cm above the pond bottom. On the steel bridge above was two cardioid in XY setup.

Above the pond. Download mp3 file (192kbps / 10,1Mb)
In both worlds. Above and in the pond. Download mp3 file (192kbps / 10,1Mb)
In the pond. Download mp3 file (192kbps / 10,1Mb)
See more and listen at: www.fieldrecording.net 

Recorder: Sound devices 744 w/552 preamp
Mics: Aquarian H2a-XLR (spaced omni) and Rode NT1a (XY)
Pix: Canon 30D

Rode NTG3 vs. Sennheiser ME66 noise

Some months ago my plan was to buy Rode NTG3. I was looking for a low noise and better sounding microphone than ME66 I already own. But after some research at home I found this microphone even worse than ME66 for nature recording.
The audible noise and sensitivity between these two mics was almost equal, but NTG3 have noticeably higher low frequency response.
But what surprised me most was all the noise in NTG3. If something, it was even more than in ME66. But spectrogram shows a shocking pictures for NTG3, a white noise in the whole frequency spectrum up to 50Khz. See spectrogram.
This NTG3 was sent back to the shop, but I was never sure if I did some mistakes in this measurements. So last week I vent to the shop and picked up some recording samples on the same NTG3.
The recorder was Sound devises 744 at 24bit/48Khz. NTG3 was in channel 1 and for comparison ME66 was in channel 2. They were laying side by side and the gain was in full position. Input filter for both channels was at 80Hz, 12dB/oct.
It is no doubt. There is some strange white noise in NTG3.
The sound sample below is about two minutes long. First minute is NTG3 and the second is ME66.
This particular NTG3 can be defective, so I am waiting for next supply of Rode NTG3 in the shop.
I will update this post as soon after I have got a chance to test some other NTG3 mics.
See more pictures and spectrogram in this last test.

Conclusion – Summary
The spectrogram looks very bad for NTG3 but the mic is not as bad as it looks. The ME66 datasheets display referred noise as 10dB(A) and the NTG3 datasheets display referred noise as 13dB(A), so  ME66 has lower referred noise than NTG3. This difference is probably what we see on the spectrogram. This two microphones does not have exactly same bandwidth, as the ME66 has a reduced audio bandwidth which in turn reduces the referred noise. The ME66 top end roll off starts around 14Khz (0dB) and is -6dB at 20KHz, NTG3 is +2dB at 14KHz and -2dB at 20KHz.
NTG3 is RF biased microphones designed to withstand high humidity and harsher environments than the ME66 condenser microphone. So while the NTG3 and ME66 are both shotgun microphones they are designed for different operating conditions.
NTG3 would be my choice for most “normal sound pressure” level. But for quiet nature sounds where most audible sounds are in low level and mid-high frequency, I would choose some other mic.
In my opinion Rode NT1a is one of the best.  Sadly NT1a is not a shotgun or small diaphragm condenser that can be fit nicely in a Blimp. But NT1a have only 5dB(A) noise and that makes the whole different for those who don't like to use noise reduction software.  See solutions how to fit NT1a in Blimp in NOS and XY setup.
For those who are searching for sound quality in NTG3 I recommend this search:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=NTG3+vs+ME66&meta=
Also this one:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=NTG3+vs+MKH416&meta=


See more and listen at: www.fieldrecording.net 
Download mp3 file (192kbps / 3Mb)

Nature reserve in Flói 2011 – Part 2

This recording is almost straight continue from “Nature reserve in Flói 2011 – Part 1” published last November.
This part was recorded between 2am and 3am.
Now is less car traffic but instead two airplanes pass by.
Quality headphones are recommend while listening.
If you know the birds in this recording, you are welcome to write the name of them in “Leave a Comment”.

See more and listen at: www.fieldrecording.net 
Download mp3 file (192kbps / 2,7Mb)

Recorder: Korg MR1000 w/Sound devises 552 mixer. 24bit/48Khz
Mics: Rode NT1a.  NOS setup 30cm/90°
Pix: Canon 30D (see more pictures)

New year’s eve at Las Américas, Tenerife

I spent new years eve 2011-2012 at Tenerife. It gave me a nice opportunity to compare the fire works between Tenerife and Iceland. The microphones was based on balcony´s 4th flour at H10 Conquistador hotel, facing to north. It was not the best location to record the fireworks it self, but instead it picked up a nice echo from Mt. Teide and some large buildings in the area (sounds like a thunder).
This session start three minutes before midnight.
Warning! This recording can damage hearing and speakers on high volume.

See more and listen at: www.fieldrecording.net 
Download mp3 file (192kbps / 24.9Mb)


Recorder: Sound Devices 744 (24bit/48K)
Mics: Sennheiser ME62 30cm/110°
Pix: Canon 30D
Listen to Fireworks in Iceland

Arlo Guthri and Franz Anton Hoffmeister

In November 2011 I recorded a concert with Amateur Symphony Orchestra. Special guest and soloist in this concert was a Gissur Páll Gissurarson tenor and Dean Ferrell bass player. This concert was different from many others I‘ve seen and heard. Most of the time during the concert, Dean, Gissur and the director Oliver Kentish, were acting in a comedy. Part of this concert is now visible at YouTube.
I have noticed that omnidirectional mics give the best result in sound quality. That is one of the reasons I use very often omnidirectional mics as Mid-side mic in MS setup.
In this concert I decided to use AB setup located over the orchestra.
For many reasons it gives a fabulous result. Compare using same multi polar pattern mics in MS setup it gives better result in the lower frequency resolution. The only negative thing was a bit too long reverb on the orchestra and too short on soloists. Six pieces of mics could also make a phase error.
At concert like this, I can´t act as a king. I need to make me as compact as I can. For many reasons I like that. It is a challenge to make a nice recording without be necessarily in the best place, or have a trailer of recording equipment.
During the concert I tried to beware the phase problem. But the soloist was “acting” almost everywhere. Most of the time they were far away from the best place for the mics so I got some phase failure.
Following two songs are made by Arlo Guthry (The Pause of Mr. Claus) and Franz Anton Hoffmeister (Menuett). In this recording Dean Ferrell bass player is singing and playing on his fabulous Bass. Violist, Celloist and Bass player in the orchestra are playing with Dean in the Menuett song.


Recorder: Sound Devices 744 w. 552 preamp
Mics: SE4400 in AB setup. 60cm apart in 2.5 meters over the orchestra. For bass soloist, SE 4400 in MS setup (mid mic omni). For tenor, SE1a in XY setup (not used in this web session).
Pix: Canon 30D. (more pictures)

See more and listen at: www.fieldrecording.net 
 Download mp3 file (224kbps / 12.8Mb)

Boy in a hot tub.

Many Icelanders own a summer house. Almost all this summer houses have a  outdoor hot tub spa.
In July 2011 I spent one week in workers union summer house. Of course there was a hot tub where my son spent many hours for fun. I put my Aquarian mics in the tub. Part of the result can be hear in the session below.
Recorder: Korg MR1000 with SD552 preamp.
Mics: Aquarian H2a XLR  40cm apart
Pix: Olympus 4040 in Ewa-Marine pocket.

See more and listen at: www.fieldrecording.net
Download mp3 file.