Equipment recommendations

[Jeff Crowell]

Greetings all,

I was listening to the most recent podcast'ed episode regarding ghost hunting and the topic of quality of equipment came up. David voiced concern over the quality of audio equipment employed by most ghost hunters today, stating it was too low fidelity and such.

I was wondering if anybody had any idea of make/model numbers of some better-quality audio recorders for the capturing of EVP? I'm one of these "typical" entry-level ghost hunters running with a Sony P620 digital recorder but want to upgrade my gear to something a bit more respectable.

Thoughts/Suggestions?

Jeff.

 

[Jeff Crowell]

Update: A fellow ghost hunter purchased the Zoom H2 recommended by David on the show. Currently we've been using the Sony ICD-P520 and ICD-P620 digital audio recorders to conduct EVP sessions. We've had good success with some unusual audio on these recorders, however, after sampling the H2 we've decided to go with this device on David's recommendation. The quality of audio is fantastic. I'm still pouring over notes regarding frequencies and the like, but kudo's to David for the recommendation! Considering I'm a seriuos newb but still very serious about my equipment and investigative techniques and any advice by someone more knowledgable is welcomed.

 

[David Biedny]

Jeff,

Those Sony recorders are essentially useless for any kind of high-quality audio recording, their frequency response is really limited. I'm glad to know that one of your people got the H2, it's a real audio recorder, with significantly wider frequency capture abilities and waaaay better microphone capsules, no comparison with those Sony voice recorders. The H2 can also record in a 360 degree pattern, essentially 4 channel surround sound, so you can even get a better sense of the direction that sounds emanate from. I'm sure you'll get much better EVPs, and I'd ask you to come back and share some of what you capture with our audience!

dB

 

[Jeff Crowell]

Thanks David. I will definitely share once/if we start getting some solid results.

There are a lot of EVP "experts" out there that actually prefer the older, lesser quality recorders, including the old analog tape recorders. Their reasoning behind it is they believe the background noise and static of the poor recording provides some sort of medium for the ghost/spirit/entity to use to communicate. My wife fills this role in our ghost hunting group and her and I butt heads on it often. As a more critical thinker, I'm of the belief that if a spirit can communicate auibily it's going to do so (actual sound vibrations through the medium of our atmosphere) and the better the audio recording system you have the better that communication is going to sound.

I've ordered two more of these devices, one for me and one for my wife so we can bicker more about it, and I will certainly provide you any evidence we catch through them. Thanks again!

Jeff.

 

[dusty]

Thought this was fun,

What not to buy.

http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_roundup_exorcists

Mark

 

[Jeff Crowell]

Eh, that's funny. I actually have one of the Natural Tri-field meters listed on that site.

The theory is as follows; for decades we've been told by psychics and others that ghosts are energy. That when we die our spirits, souls, or whatever you'd like to call them do not disippate but linger, since physics teaches us that energy and mass cannot be destroyed, only converted from one to another and back. Well if ghosts or spirits are energy...we can measure that. We (humans) have a scientific way of measuring ambient energy in the form of the electromagnetic field. Hence why ghost hunters utilize EMF detectors under the believe that a ghost manifesting would draw upon this field.
However, there are two forms EM takes; AC and DC (not the band). AC (applied current) which is more the man-made form generated by electronics and such, and DC (direct current) which is more the natural made form generated by lightening strikes and is actually the form taken by the Earth's magnetosphere. These forms typically do not interfere with one another so an EMF detector tuned to the AC form will not pick up natural DC current and visa versa.
Here's where most ghost hunters get it wrong regarding EMF detection; based on the theory a ghost will manifest via the natural form of EM, DC, however the grand majority of EMF detectors employed by ghost hunters only read the AC form of EM. The K-II and Cell-Sensor (stupidly named the Ghost Detector for the gullible) are examples of the AC EMF-type detector used by most ghost hunters. Why? They're cheap and, in the case of the K-II and Cell-Sensor they beep and flash to supposedly warn you a ghost is near by. Very dramatic and can cause quite the frenzy on a ghost hunt. Natural EM detectors such as the Tri-field meter, are much more expensive and harder to find than the AC EMF detectors, and they work differently, too, but that's for another post.

One last point on the Tri-field...the reason why it's called the Tri-field is because it will measure electro, magnetic, and microwave fields. I hope I didn't confuse you more.

 

[Ralph]

... AC (applied current) which is more the man-made form generated by electronics and such, and DC (direct current) which is more the natural made form generated by lightening strikes and is actually the form taken by the Earth's magnetosphere

Minor correction there Sandanfire, AC=Alternating Current.

Regards
Ralph

 

[Jeff Crowell]

Minor correction there Sandanfire, AC=Alternating Current.

I stand corrected.

Thanks Ralph!

 

[thegreenman]

I think it might be interesting to set up a Theremin next to a recorder and see if it does anything with no one around.

 

[Jeff Crowell]

Usually I'm just happy to get voices...at least the unexplained ones, that is.