>The next step up involves buying a pair of quality microphones. There are a number of ways to go The Fostex FR2LE for $450 will give you excellent sound provided you have two good mics. A pair of Beercan Studio Projects B1s, at $85 each, will get you a step up from the zoom. The same Fostex with a better pair of mics will give you a foothold into high end territory with a pair of Sennheiser MKH20s or Schoeps M2s with CMC6 preamps. Don't get the newer Sennheisers as they are tweaked for pop music. Unless you want to record lute pop. Another option is the Zoom 4 with only two mics but two inputs for other mics. Not as good as the Fostex, but you now have four mics which is more flexible. After you buy two more mics.
And, if you are serious about recording, you may as well get an RME FF400 and a cheap laptop like the Dell X1 ($200 used) and two good mics. Digital hybrid mic preamps, digital gain, and you can add to the system. This recording was made with the RME and a pair of Schoeps MK21 plus a pair of MK2H--I would normally use just the M2 omnis or MKH20/80 for lute but I was set up to record a large group and I had a narrow time frame. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSQgvuxlvzc&fmt=22 So you can see if it is really worth it. I think there is a difference for sure, but you make reasonably good recordings with the Zoom. It is nice to have a plan, say, you think you will record for four or five years and you can buy some stuff now and other stuff later. If I was just starting out and did not have 40 microphones, I would run right down to the store and get a FF400 and two MKH20s if I just wanted to record lute. Works great for lute songs and viols as well, in fact it rocks on viols. I mean, the stuff I was recording on twenty years ago was so primitive compared to this. Then you are set! Just add church, rinse, repeat. dt One more thing, is a player of your skills worth a pair of expensive mics? Why, definitely. No question. d > I've used an H2 for a year or so and found it practical and useful. > But, it was always on loan from my workplace. Thinking of buying one, > but then I noticed this - twice the price. Would it be worth it? > > > > [1]http://www.tascam.com/products/dr-100.html > > > > Rob > > -- > >References > > 1. http://www.tascam.com/products/dr-100.html > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
