Mics plus heat - Outdoor recording

[Shadow_7]

I record outdoors during the summer months in TEXAS. I have a Korg MR-1000 and a pair of Avenson STO-2's. I'm wanting more detailed mics like the MKH 8040's. Or sE Titans. Should I be concerned about leaving mics like these in the 150F car? Or 130F outdoors with direct sunlight? Or even 110F in the shade? At the moment my STO-2's seem to be holding up to the stress. And the Korg seems to be handling it. Although one time I got a disk busy error after 2.5 hours. Probably more of a battery drain issue though. Battery life is normally 2:30 - 2:52 per set of 8x AA batteries. (2100 mAh NiMH rechargeables). But I probably could have fried an egg on the Korg that day. I'm not so worried about the cables as they're relatively cheap (not to imply cheap).

[Corran]

I've been doing this all summer for outdoor movie shoots, and down here in south GA the heat and humidity is ridiculous (the heat index gets to be over 120 a lot of days).

I personally have not had any problems. At one point my laptop was too hot to even touch. I thought it was going to melt the motherboard. Several of my mics have gotten really hot as well.

However I am trying not to use really nice mics. I have only used my SM-81 and some Naiant omnis ($32!). My Korg D-888 that I've used once or twice outside has been okay as well but I get that disk read error too. I think it has something to do with the humidity affecting the hard drive, not necessarily the heat.

[John Willett]

The 8040s can certainly cope with the humidity better than other mics - I don't think you'll have a problem with heat, but I am not used to the Fahrenheit scale any more and can't relate to the figures.

[Shadow_7]

32F == 0C
212F == 100C

(F - 32)*5/9=C
(C*9/5)+32=F

110 F == 43 1/3 C
70F == ~21C (room temperature)

I let my brother use my digital camera when he was in Iraq. He left it on the dash of the HummV and it literally melted. I just want to avoid any surprises like that. He let me know how usefull that device was though, while it lasted.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Shadow_7

32F == 0C
212F == 100C

(F - 32)*5/9=C
(C*9/5)+32=F

110 F == 43 1/3 C
70F == ~21C (room temperature)

I let my brother use my digital camera when he was in Iraq. He left it on the dash of the HummV and it literally melted. I just want to avoid any surprises like that. He let me know how useful that device was though, while it lasted.

Cheers - I was too tired (lazy) to do the calculations.

The published temperature range of the 8020 is -10 to +60 Celsius.

That's 14 to 140 Farenheit.

I think you will melt before the mic. does.

[klaukholm]

Where in texas are you recording?
Huge differences in humidity depending on where you are.

Direct sunlight as well as sunlight through windows will certainly melt anything plastic.
a small tent with a mobile AC unit is not a bad idea, although it wil be noisy.

[Shadow_7]

I'm near Austin. Fairly dry most of the time. Rehearsing on asphalt parking lots, so heat is a factor, and direct sunlight is a given. Set it and forget it since I'm a performing member (at the moment). Lots of wind most of the time, so a tent / shade is not and option. At least not until I take a non-performance role and just record. Which is part of the reason I'm currently using the STO-2's. Not quite as damaging $$$ as other mics would be, given the worse case scenario. And still nice results.

[bradavenson]

Well, let me know if you melt the STO-2's and I'll get you fixed up. I had a pair stored in the belly of a tour bus for a couple years and they are still working great. I think you will be in good shape.