Recording birdsounds with Telinga stereo PIP PluginPower and H4n

After a few weeks use I will share my experience with the NEW Telinga Stereo mic PIP for Zoom H4n and Olympus LS-XX. This model is still not highlighted at Telingas website http://telinga.com but is made and sold on request. I'm using a Zoom H4n and intend to make recordings in 24bit/96Khz quality (maximum amount of data). The first I found was that the batteries drained out in short time, not more than 1 hour of recording was possible and that was not something I could bring with me out in field! The battery solved: The H4n has a 5V input, and that is not compatible with any normal battery packages! 4x1,5V makes 6V, and 4x1,2V makes 4,8V. BUT 5V is the same as a USB outlet, so I started searching the web for a battery backup for iPad/Mobile phones and I found a 5V/6.6Ah package from DealExtreme in China. So after some cutting and soldering of an old USB-cable and the plug from the Zoom 5V-charger I had a nice battery to plug into my H4n. Later I found a battery box from a mobile phone dealer with 4xAA that has a 5V output. Good as a backup kept warm in your pockets, plug in the USB-plug and go on recording!

The next I had to make was a tripod-fitting that suited my "Arca-Swiss Style" Quick-Release heads, and I found a rod for with holes that fitted the Quick-release plate and the microphone.

In field I wear all the gear in a pouch around the waist and have full control of the equipment and batteries.I use the Zoom Remote control attached to avoid handling noise, and that is not a problem as long as the Telinga is mounted on a tripod or even a monopod.

So how does the Telinga work? Nearly too good!! The stereo mic is so low self-noised and so crisp that it catches all sounds in the direction you point the mic. Snow-flakes, elk biting of branches, reflections of engines of distant cars, ships several kilometers away etc. etc. But that means it makes a great job with what I intend to use it for, catching bird-sounds. I actually find the gulls 300 meters away on the coast a bit annoying, yelling their heads of all morning.. And what about battery life? Recording more than two hours in -12C has not reduced the battery life to more than a half, so really recommended! And if you have AC (220V etc.)available you can run it with a iPad/USB 5V-charger the whole day or with 12V in your car! The verdict: Light weight, fantastic performance, no internal batteries, BUT the 3.5mm mic plug requires recorders with PiP (Plug in Power)like the Zoom or Olympus. Most unwanted low-frequency sounds are easily filtered within Audacity and Tone Control (EQ). This filter can reduce the "noice" (i.e. unwanted Low-Frequency) so the result sounds natural and not like in a tin-box.Test it out with som care!Do not pull the levers all the way down to "0" to keep some of the natural sound-scape. The Great tit-recording is left unfiltered as it was RAW (24b/48Khz)from the Zoom H4n. Increased level +3db in Audacity only adjustment. recorded 0500 in the morning at nearly 70 degrees North

All the gear is lightweight and fits into the hip-pouch from a sports outfitter! Enjoy the sound of Nature! Stein Nilsen stein@nng.no All my birdsounds at Xeno-canto