Posted by Mark & Mary Ann Weiss on 08/14/07 07:09

> >> On second glance, the roll-off appears to be about 12 dB
> >> per octave.
> >
> > Whatever we agree it to be, it's still abnormal for a
> > digital recording system on ANY device.
>
>
> I note that your tests of the Canon HV20 (which I just acquired) put
the -3
> dB point at about 45 Hz, which is obviously a lot better than 130 Hz.

Yes, and my recording of a wedding at a church reveals pretty acceptable
audio from the HV20 with external condenser mics.


> I notice that another Sony camera you tested rolled off at about 110 Hz,
> suggesting to me that Sony considers a rolled-off bass like this to be
part
> of their house standard.

It does indeed seem the case. However, their HDW-F900 is as flat as a CD
player from 20-20KHz. Interesting, eh?


> >>> RightMark is intended to measure digital audio systems,
> >>> hence, anything more than +/-0.1dB is objectionable
> >>> deviation across the 20-20kc bandpass.
> >>
> >>
> >> While 30 dB down at 20 Hz is kinda of a lot for a hi-fi
> >> system, its not bad by say live sound standards.
>
> > Most live sound systems are flat to 45Hz.
>
> One could hope. IME reality is more like 85 Hz, which is about what it
takes
> to handle a typical male voice without excessive degradation.

Yes, on the majority of sound systems I've heard, 85Hz does seem to be the
lower limit of semi-flatness. A few have gone down to 40Hz quite
nicely--some even lower, like the one at a Broadway theater where I attended
the last showing of "Miss Saigon" with Filipino actress Lea Salonga playing
the leading role. Their sound system was able to reproduce the lower octaves
of the helicopter sound effect used in the rescue scene and I was somewhat
impressed to find a venue that had sound of this caliber.


> >> If the digital recording system in question is optimized
> >> for ENG, then flat response to 20 Hz is not required at
> >> all.
> >
> > Yes, but they should give the operator the ability to
> > turn off the filter.
>
> Given that modern cameras seem to be option-rich, this seems like a
> reasaonble approach.

Indeed. Give the buyers a choice, Sony!



--


Take care,



Mark & Mary Ann Weiss



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