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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Best settings to record bird song (1 Viewer)

Louis,

IMHO here is almost no reason for recording birds in stereo. He bird's voice is mono and it leaves the bird's head directly from that tiny source called bill. Of course you can and have to listen to the recording with your two ears later, but there is neither a reason nor an advantage to do this with a stereo sound file.

But: Mono sound files mean half the size. That means you can raise the bit depth and sample rate without the need of larger stioage capacities.

Cheers!
 
Okay thanks for the help. I was going on what was said in the first reply of this thread. Using mono would make it a lot easier to use a add on board and preamp. Also, good point with them being half the size. This would be make it easier for the small processor of the Pi Zero to write the audio to the SD card and could even allow the battery to last longer (less power for microphones, preamps and the Pi Zero).

I had a good idea for the preamp. I can add a digital potentiometer and easily control the gain of the preamp from the Pi. The plan is to use this (http://www.zen22142.zen.co.uk/Circuits/Audio/lf071_mic.htm) preamp and to use a NE5534 chip or possibly the TL071 if I use a 7.2V battery to power everything (using a buck down converter for the Pi).

Thanks,
LouisP
 
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Update on this project - I have started to work on this a lot more. I have researched screens, audio chips etc. and have started to order components. I am now looking to buy the electret mic for the recorder. I have heard the EM172 is very good but works best with voltages around 5V. I am looking for an electret capsule which works well around 2.6V (actually 2.575V). Is the EM172 still good enough at this voltage or can anyone recommend a suitable replacement?

Thanks,
Louis P

Edit - I know the micbooster website (where Primo EM172) recommends to use 3V I swear I read somewhere 5V is better. It also says the capsules work from 2V so maybe the best way is just to try it and see how good my recordings are. Just need to assemble my boards first and buy a few more components.
 
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