Boardroom recording setup

[wez]

I've been tasked with setting up a permanent recording install in a corporate board room.

It's not really my area - and my client knows this - but having done a bit of a research blitz I'm happy to tackle it, but I thought I would get some advice from anyone here who works in the corporate A/V world.

I'm proposing the most basic, fool-proof, solid system I can think of. It needs to be discreet, so low profile boundary mics are the go. We've decided on cardioid rather than omni. There are a few to choose from, from cheapies like samson, AT etc, to the more upmarket Crown etc. Obviously I want something optimised for voice, not music. The Crown PCC170 looks good but I think too expensive (I need 8 mics). Much prefer XLR. Recommendations?

For recording, I'm thinking something like a field recorder with multiple inputs - something like this http://Ta@#$%.com/product/dr-680/overview/ or this http://www.rolandcorp.com.au/products/p ... 0242&c=448

We're debating the need for multitrack recording... my client's reasoning being that it is important to know exactly who said what, and an accurate transcription is much easier to achieve with each speaker on a separate track (hence the cardioid mics). But he is unsure whether the transcription will take place in-house or elsewhere, so compatibility becomes an issue. My instinct would be to record multitrack and stereo simultaneously (I believe some units can do this), then you're covered.

Alternatively I could use an external mic pre/mixer with a digital out into the recorder... but that's an extra level of complexity I would like to avoid. Anyone using an automixer? I'd rather not go that way but interested to hear about that type of set-up.

I'm pretty keen to NOT do this on computer for a bunch of reasons. From a security point of view, it's much preferable to record directly to removable media.

Also if anyone can recommend a supplier (preferably in Melbourne) who specialises in this stuff, that would be great. I need to pull this together super fast - it needs to up and running by next Monday night.

Thanks in advance!

[ether]

I'm pretty sure Shure and others offer rack mount mic mixers with auto-ducking features, but I can't speak from first hand experience.

Having been in far too many board room meetings, and having done some ad-hoc recordings (using handheld devices) the suits always like talking all over each other.

You could also look at an iPhone/iPod + Rode iXY for cheap, uber-simple, high quality stereo recording.

EDIT: Quick google and my memory was correct:

http://www.shure.com/americas/products/mixers-dsp

Various "conference" produces on other pages too.

[Drumstruck]

... have also been in way too many such meetings... so:

deleted due to lack of value - worth only 1c

[SYOS]

I went through a similar exercise several years ago for a company that did transcripts for regional council meetings and the like. They had a 4ch interface that was supplied by their software contract but had also considered, and tested successfully, the Edirol R44.

Their setup was to do a local multitrack on the R44, bus out a stereo mix to a local laptop that simultaneously captured the file and also uploaded it to a secure server. Basically triple redundancy.

A variation on this theme they also tested was based around a MOTU 8PRE and it's cuemix software.

The same customer went through a bunch of mics we supplied for demo and chose the Sennheiser E912 boundary mic, the one thing it did better than all others (Shure, Audio Technica, Crown, Beyer) was maintain HF presence when a sheet of paper was placed over it. May seem an odd test but it was very real occurrence that was part of the testing regime.

They traveled 4mics, an interface, laptop, cables and headphones in a carry-on friendly Pelican case.

Hope that helps more than hinders.

[Milo]

If you want conference advice, ring TAG (Alistair 02 9519 0900 or Giles 03 9350 4002).
They know AT boardroom setups well.
They have some really flexible and good quality boundary mics, including 3-capsule LCR (selectable) ones that reduce hardware and cabling numbers

Milo

[wez]

Excellent bunch of advice so far, many thanks.

You could also look at an iPhone/iPod + Rode iXY for cheap, uber-simple, high quality stereo recording.

Did consider this sort of thing... but's it's simultaneously too complicated, and too simple!

Having been in far too many board room meetings, and having done some ad-hoc recordings (using handheld devices) the suits always like talking all over each other.

A good argument for individual, tight pattern mics.

The same customer went through a bunch of mics we supplied for demo and chose the Sennheiser E912 boundary mic, the one thing it did better than all others (Shure, Audio Technica, Crown, Beyer) was maintain HF presence when a sheet of paper was placed over it. May seem an odd test but it was very real occurrence that was part of the testing regime.

That's actually a really good real-world test. The 912 is definitely on the list.

If you want conference advice, ring TAG (Alistair 02 9519 0900 or Giles 03 9350 4002).
They know AT boardroom setups well.

Will do for sure, thanks!

[gigpiglet]

hi mate
i have some experience in this and teleconferencing.
happy to have a chat on the phone if you like...

[wez]

Hey Gareth... fantastic, will be in touch.

[wez]

I thought I'd update this thread now that the install is finally complete.

We went with the JoeCo Black Box recorder - we were unable to get one from the distributor in time but as luck would have it, an ADAT equipped model (BBR1A) came up on ebay at exactly the right moment.

Gareth (Gigpiglet) - who has been an incredible help from start to finish - recommended the old Presonus Digimax 96k for the front end, but that unit was discontinued so I bought a Focusrite OctoPre Mk II Dynamic. There weren't a lot of choices when it came to 8 channels of mic pre with simple dynamics and digital out. Actually I didn't even plan to use the ADAT outs (I had originally specced the unbalanced analogue JoeCo but couldn't get one)... but by accident we ended up with a really elegant system. The BBR1A follows the Octpre's wordclock, and it all works perfectly.

For mics, we went with the Sennheiser e912s (as recommended), and they are excellent.

The Black Box records directly to a USB flash drive (I built a rack panel to bring the USB and headphone connectors out front). We had some hard drive issues early on, the JoeCo is a bit picky - it doesn't get on with some desktop drives, and won't work with bus-powered drives at all - but I did a bit of experimenting and found a couple of fast flash drives that it seems to like just fine.

The client also stumped up for the iPad remote software and wifi antenna... it's expensive for what it is, and there were some teething problems, but it's a beautiful thing and the the client loves being able to control the JoeCo from his seat at the board room table.

Oh and I'll quickly just say that the support from Joe Bull (Mr JoeCo) was fantastic - quick responses and solutions via email, even with the time difference. Super product, super company - I'll be speccing (and spruiking!) JoeCo systems at every opportunity in the future, I'm a big fan.

The whole system tucks away discreetly into a cabinet at the end of the room... all the client has to do is open the door, turn on the power and hit the record button. Simple. Funny though to think how much work has gone into making it that simple!

Some photos of the end result here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/124707704 ... 209694425/

[Chris H]

Very nice solution and install Wez! Your client should be very happy with what you have provided.

[gigpiglet]

glad we got there in the end wez!