Centrance MicPort Pro Review:

Listen to the best quality podcast recordings today and you will find that they are usually programs produced by established radio personalities—Glenn Beck, Imus, etc.  One reason that their audio quality is so good is that they are using the microphone that is best for their voice.  Producers spend hours testing multiple microphones with their talent/host and their equipment (mic pres, compressors, limiters, EQ, etc.).  The final microphone choice is determined by sound quality, not cost or connectivity.

All to often, amateur podcasters resort to using the mics that are designed for easy connectivity, such as a USB connection to their PC or MAC.  It makes sense, why spend the time, effort and expense in creating a more professional set-up when the equipment manufacturers have made it so easy.  Ultimately, it comes down to sound quality.  There are so many more choices when you open yourself up to the world of XLR connectivity, not just USB.  The solution, a XLR to USB converter.

There are several XLR to USB converters on the market today; Use Google to search “XLR to USB Microphone Converter” for the most up-to-date list.  The CEntrance MicPort Pro is one of them and a review from The Gamer Access is below.  Also see RecordingHacks.com review of four XLR to USB converters here.

Begin Review
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Whether you are recording a podcast, conducting an interview, or recording vocals for an upcoming audio track, a quality microphone is the most essential tool in order to produce a quality experience for the listener. With that said, most professional and studio microphones do not use your standard 3.5mm or USB connector, but instead utilize XLR making it somewhat of a challenge for those who record to a computer. That’s at least what I thought until I had the opportunity to check out CEntrance’s MicPort Pro. Read more to discover how to utilize your professional or studio microphone on any device supporting audio through a USB input!

As the only portable microphone preamp supporting 24bit/96kHz, the MicPort Pro delivers true studio sound from your XLR microphone to any device with a USB input in lossless quality. Simply connect your microphone’s XLR connector to the female XLR input on the MicPort Pro and connect the included USB cable from the MicPort Pro to your USB device, and you are all ready to go! Not to be confused for a simple XLR to USB converter, the MicPort Pro contains its very own preamp for high quality audio recordings using not only basic dynamic microphones, but those who require phantom power. If you are unaware, what phantom power is, it is the method in which DC electric power is transmitted through microphones that require active electronic circuitry. Phantom power is required for a majority of the professional and studio microphones used today.  … continue reading the full article here: A Must-Have Professional Audio Device: CEntrance MicPort Pro (Review) . (Editors note: this legacy link is no longer active)

The post Podcasting Equipment Review: Podcast Recording with the CEntrance MicPort Pro appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

1. All podcast participants should be dialed-in on a landline phone.
2. Non-speaking participants should be muted.
3. A phone handset or headset should be used, not a speakerphone.
4. Call waiting should be disabled.

All podcast participants should use standard landline phones.

But, don’t fall into the trap of pressing the speakerphone button—that is the quickest way to ruin your high-quality phone call recording.  Also, do not use a cell phone, a VOIP service, or even a wireless phone connected to a landline.  All of these technologies degrade the telephone audio in some way and should be avoided.  VOIP is getting better every day, but you should be very careful if you are going to break this rule as some VOIP phones sound just as bad as cell phones.

Non-speaking participants should be muted.

Any participant who is not speaking should press their own mute button well before the podcast recording begins.  Some conference call services allow for muting by pressing *6 or some other combination of keys.  Do yourself a favor and use this functionality.

A phone handset or headset should be the tool of choice.

A bit earlier we talked about not using a speakerphone on a podcast recording.  Instead, use a wired headset.  Most headsets these days have very good audio quality and will allow you to talk with your hands free.  Although, once in awhile, even a good quality headset can act-up.  At those times, pick up your old reliable handset; you’ll be amazed how good it sounds.

Disable the Call Waiting feature on your phone.

Most phone companies allow you to disable this feature temporarily.  Before
connecting to your call recording service, press your phone company’s magic combination of buttons to disable this function—usually restored when you hang up.  *70 seems to be the ticket with CenturyLink, but be sure to check with your local telephone company in case they have a different method.

Troubleshooting Steps:

1. Ask the person to move to a quiet location.
2. Ask them if they are really dialed-in on a landline phone.
3. Ask them if they are on a headset; if so, pick up the handset.
4. If the noisy/poor quality audio persists, ask them to dial-in again to re-establish the connection.

Tip: Poor quality audio can most often be tracked to a non-landline phone.  So, whatever you do, do not break this one rule.  Ignore all the others before you omit this one.

1. Make every effort to keep the phone still while recording.  Phone handsets are notorious for popping and clicking when played with or squeezed too tightly.
2. Keep the handset mouthpiece at the same distance from the mouth as when the audio quality tests were underway.  Moving the mouthpiece around will cause a fluctuation in volume that will drive your podcast editor crazy and increase your editing bill exponentially.
3. Refrain from breathing directly into the handset when you are not speaking.  Not only is this distracting to the listeners, it’s a little creepy.
4. Try your best not to talk over another participant.  Phone calls are not a wide frequency bandwidth medium.  This means that it is more difficult for the ear to distinguish between voices.  When two or more voices are talking at the same time, the ear loses track of who is speaking and the brain becomes confused.  Confusion leads to anger, and anger always tells the listener’s finger to click the “off” button—always!

Record phone calls for podcast interviews.

Follow these rules and recording phone calls for podcast interviews will become easy-cheesy. Be sure to use our services to ensure the best quality podcast recordings; your listeners will thank you and your audience will grow.

We’ve been recording podcasts via phone calls for over 20 years—before they were even called podcasts! We’d love to help you too. Contact us for more details.

The post How to Record Phone Calls for Podcast Interviews appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Transcribing takes focus and a special skill set. Quality work, with value, will help create repeat customers for years to come.

Here are 3 key principles to providing the best transcription services to your clients.

As a transcriptionist, help your clients put their content into context and it will keep them coming back.

1. Do you offer top-notch transcription skills? You need to be a fast and accurate typist with a tremendous grasp of grammar.  You must maneuver in transcription software like you were born doing it, follow client-provided style guidelines, and never waver from the deadline-being-the-deadline. When you provide digital audio transcription services, you’re ultimately evaluated on keeping your word and delivering the words on time. Don’t dabble. Make sure you have what it takes to succeed.

2. Do you like to learn new information? Offering transcribing services gives you a view into industries and subjects that may be new to you. Don’t deliver a final draft with (inaudible) or (indistinguishable) notations when a quick search on the Internet could verify these terms you’re unsure of. In addition, ask the client if they can provide a list of commonly used terms from the recording. This will help you provide a more accurate transcript.  Offering these value-added services is not lost on the client; they know when you’re going the extra mile.

3. Are you viewing things from the client’s eyes? The transcript is the end-product delivered to the client, but what else does your client receive from you? Do you do an audio proof (not just proofing while typing the raw transcript) to review the quality of the transcription? Do you offer a final read-through to ensure comprehension? Are you alerting the client of items that may be discrepancies in their transcript? A “good enough” transcription is never an option. Deliver with the quality that you’d expect to receive.

If you’re a top-notch transcriptionist or if you’re a company seeking transcription support that meets YOUR mark, contact AudioFile Solutions today. We provide the best transcription services to our clients on a daily basis and would like a chance to prove it to you.

The post 3 Keys to Providing the Best Transcription Services — For Transcribers appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Years ago, web conferencing was in it’s infancy, and all audio conference calling was full-service.  To make a reservation, one needed to physically call the company to set up a conference call.  If you were lucky, the reservationist might discuss with you the ins & outs of having a successful event.  The actual conference was handled by one or more support specialists who would answer all incoming lines and connect them to your meeting.  If you felt the need to complement or complain to the company about how your call was handled, you’d once again pick up the phone to talk with a customer service agent.

While full-service continues to be a big part of the market, self-service is growing  increasingly important.  Customers want to learn about products online, sign up for services via a website, and even use their conference call account without ever contacting another human being.

Among CSPs (Conferencing Service Providers), PGi is leading the way in ensuring a quality self-service experience.  This is but one reason why we have chosen to be one of their premier agents.

View PGi’s premier self-service audio conferencing service here.

The post PGi Leads the Way in Full-Service & Self-Service Conferencing appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Commitment to Quality
Our company believes in producing the best podcasts; this starts with the highest quality podcast recordings possible.  Whether that be in the studio or over a telephone conference call, our recordings are always going to be top notch.  Ok, you might be asking, “What makes you so special?”  The single largest differentiator between us and our competitors is a commitment to quality. 

Our equipment is designed to produce the best quality audio and video productions, but equipment hardly tells the whole story.  In fact, podcasting equipment is only as good as the person using it.  We’ve been recording and editing digital audio since 1996.  We are first and foremost professionals in this field, and our experience is hard to beat.

One area we pride ourselves in is our telephone recording.  All of the companies mentioned above automate their phone call recording service.  That is, there is no one there to fine tune the settings for each individual podcaster.  Again, while this one-size-fits-all method may have it’s place, we have a different view.

1. Our recording levels are set by hand.  There is no one-size-fits-all approach here.
2. Phone call/line quality is checked and problems are troubleshooted.
3. Pre-processing of the audio file is done by hand, not using any automation. Your recording will be precisely optimized for the internet or for CD.
4. The beginning and ending are trimmed of any irrelevant material such as on-hold music.
5. Professional audio editing is available.
6. Audio file encoding and conversion are done to our exact specifications.

While telephone and conference call recording is only one aspect of our business, the above serves as a key reason why recordings made with DIY services may not be the way to go, especially if you are a business protecting the quality of your brand.  Recordings made my DIY services typically sound inferior in many different ways:

1. Volume levels are low or, alternatively, much too loud.
2. Audio is heavily distorted because of number 1 above.
3. Audio sounds unnatural because of an inferior encoding process.
4. There is dead air at the beginning or end of the file.
5. The end of the audio contains loud pops and clicks when you hung up the phone.
6. Various drop-out and quality issues because of a poor VOIP connection. 

Commitment to Service
The second reason we’re different from DIY services is our commitment to service.  When we begin a project, our producer is with you hand-in-hand helping you decide which podcast production style is right for you.  Once the style is decided upon, he/she will walk you through the entire recording and production process—from beginning to end.  Whether that is to record a telephone interview with a content expert, produce a script for a professional voice-over, or discuss the best music to use for the introduction, we’re with you the entire time.

Commitment to Our Customer
We do not believe in producing expensive, extravagant podcasts when the situation calls for much less.  Our commitment to you is that we will give you our honest advice based on the needs of your company, not ours.  If your company is best served with a podcast production costing $100, we promise not to push you into producing the next version of Titanic—it’s that simple.

If you’d like more information on any of our audio and video production services, please contact us here.  We’d love to help.

The post Podcast Production Should Be a Team Effort, Not a DIY Project appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

KORG SOUND on SOUND Unlimited Track Recorder

• Pocket-sized, portable, and battery powered, the SOUND on SOUND multitrack recorder provides on-board rhythms, effects, and an infinite number of overdubs for truly creative recordings
• With the built-in speaker and an internal high-quality stereo mic, you can capture and review your recordings instantly, without the need for any additional equipment
• Record and save in WAV format (PCM audio format, WAV format (extension: .wav), BWF compliant, 44.1 kHz@16-bit).
• Records up to ten hours on a pair of AA batteries
• Wedge-shaped design is easy to use as a hand-held recorder or on a desktop
• KORG AUDIO UTILITY software provides format conversion and audio CD creation. Downloadable free from Korg.com

Tannoy Reveal 501A Podcast Speakers / Monitors

Tannoy makes great sounding monitors—period.  Not only will this speaker accurately reproduce your voice-over, but it will allow you to “hear” the music you mix behind your voice as well.  Add a subwoofer and the possibilities are endless…

• Integrated 60W total power amp unit
• 5” (130mm) LF/MF driver and 1” (30mm) soft dome tweeter delivering wide frequency response   of 64Hz – 30kHz
• Sculpted and rigid front baffle design to minimise diffraction
• Response has been optimised for quarter space near-field operation, such as on a meter bridge   or on a table either side of your control surface.
• Front firing reflex bass port to negate boundary-coupling
• Bass unit development using to minimise offsets and linearise the suspension components.
• Wideband tweeter design extending the amplitude response beyond 20kHz audibility to 30kHz to improve the phase response from within the audible band.
• LED indicator shows power status
• + 1.5 / 0 / -1.5dB HF trim switch for custom room adjustment
• Rear mounted volume control for convenient Home Studio and PC/MAC laptop/desktop use.
• Balanced XLR and unbalanced jack connectors.

Tascam DR-100 Portable Podcast Recorder w/ XLR

With XLR inputs, this field recorder—while not new—still occupies a tasty position among low-cost solid-state recorders.  Perfect for recording podcast interviews with an external microphone.

• Four microphones – Stereo Cardioid and Omni Condenser Mics
• 44.1k to 96k sampling rates for WAV file recording
• MP3 and WAV file Recording and Playback
• XLR Mic Inputs with Phantom Power
• High-performance microphone preamp with 60dB of gain
• Premium AKM Audio4Pro™ A/D converters with over 100dB signal to noise ratio
• 3.5mm Line Inputs and Outputs
• Low Cut Filter, Analog Limiter and Auto Gain Control
• Built-in Speaker
• Integrated microphone stand mount
• Runs on Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery or AA Batteries
• Optional PS-P520 AC power adapter
• Dimensions: 3.2″ W x 1.4″ H x 6″ D (80.5mm x 35mm x 151mm)

Mogami Quality Studio Cable — Snake

When building a podcast recording studio, the last thing you want to do is use cheap interconnects and cabling.  While I am not a proponent of ultra expensive cables for podcast purposes, I strongly recommend using solid interconnects that won’t wear down and create noise at their joints.  This is a common problem today because many modern mixers have the Mic and Line inputs on the top of the mixer.  This means that when connected to any equipment that is positioned lower than the mixer chassis, the cable will have to bend 180 degrees on it’s way to the other piece of equipment.  This is a challenge for any cable.

• Famous for neutral tone, remarkable detail and noise-free background
• Channels are individually shielded with numbered, Techflex™ protected jackets
• Assembled with top quality gold contact TRS and XLR connectors
• Super-flexible handling ease
• Lifetime warranty

Check back with us often as we will continue to gather our choices for best new podcasting equipment.  Thanks for visiting.

The post Top New Equipment for Your Podcast Recording Studio appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Free Conference Call Services Can be Very Tempting

Our customers sometimes ask if we use one specific conference call service to get the best quality conference call recording.  The answer is both yes and no.

Clearly, the quality varies between conference call services.  PGi (Premiere Global Services) has the best audio quality we’ve heard, so we became an agent and have access to all their audio and web conferencing products.  However, we’ve also used several free conference call companies, because many times our customers already have accounts with a vendor—FreeConference.com and FreeConferenceCall.com seem to be the most popular.

There are several problems with free conference call services, and some can effect the quality of your recording.

What are the problems with free conference call services?

1. Many providers move the dial-in number from city to city—most likely because they are chasing the cheapest rates on their end.  I’ve also heard that they make money by routing callers to specific local exchange carriers.  This means that your “permanent” dial-in number is not so “permanent” after all.
2. Free conference call services use toll numbers, so you and your participants will pay long distance charges for the duration of the call.
3. Many times the call quality is poor.  Conference bridge quality can be good, or not-so-good.  Which do you think the free services are using?
4. Just about all of them charge excessively for anything other than a simple conference call.  That means they are expecting you to upgrade when you figure out that the service is not really free (see #2 above and consider how #3 can effect the definition of your brand).
5. A big limitation is the feature set.  Compare free conference call services to PGi’s GlobalMeet and you will see a huge difference.  For example, did you know that GlobalMeet has a web interface/control feature that gives you the ability to see a noisy phone line and mute it with a click of a button?  This feature alone can be a huge differentiator.

For those who must have the best quality—businesses that are going to re-purpose the call into a podcast, for example—we offer the complete line of PGi audio and web conferencing services, including GlobalMeet.  For those who would like to sample our recording quality, we offer a free conference call recording snippet, with no obligation.  That is, we will record your call and send you a sample of it so you can verify the quality before making a commitment.  Did I mention there is no obligation?

So there you have it, the 5 biggest problems with free conference call services.  Why did I not mention the advantages?  Well, because there is only one, and you already know what that is….  It’s free!

Have you had an experience with a free conference call company—good, bad or indifferent?  Tell us about it in the comments below.

The post 5 Problems with Free Conference Call Services appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Abbey Road–One of the Best Recording Studios Ever

I’ve been asked by prospective customers, “What makes your conference call recording service better than the less expensive Brand X?”  After eight years in business, this question still bothers me; like someone is attacking my baby.  But it’s a legitimate question.  After all, none of us want to pay more for the same product or service.

So instead of taking it personally, I think of the types of products and services that I am willing to pay more for.

I have a Home Theater.  When I first built it, did I buy all the cheapest electronics: the smallest screen, the weakest amplifiers, the least expensive projector?  When I take my wife out to dinner, do I take her to McDonald’s every time?  Of course not.  In both cases, I usually look for a good value; good quality that doesn’t break the bank.  But I also consider what I’m hungry for that day—do I feel like steak, BBQ, or seafood.

I think this is how customers think about our services:

• Am I getting a good value?
• What do I need to accomplish my goals today?
• Will a free conference call recording from Brand X be sufficient, or will it make my brand suffer?

Why is Our Recording Service the Best?
If you are like me and want a good value, let me help.

When I started recording telephone calls digitally in 1996, there was absolutely no competition.  Conference call companies were still recording to cassette, but it was clear to me that MP3, RM and WMA were the future of conference recording.

But these audio file formats are delivery formats.  They are not meant to be recording formats or files you should use for editing.  They are formats you use when you deliver the final product to the customer.  They are what’s called a “compressed” file which will lose much of it’s quality if you don’t handle them properly.  This concept has been lost on some providers, or they never knew it to begin with.  In addition, these formats require great care when encoding.  Soft volume levels here, frequencies being over extended there—the result is a substandard file.

Here is where AudioFile Solutions is different.

1. We record the conference call manually, not using any automation.  We get perfect recording levels every time.
2. We record natively to uncompressed 16 bit wave files.  Conversion to a compressed format is done later in the process.
3. We trim any unwanted noise, on-hold music or blank space from the beginning and ending of the call.
4. We fade the beginning and ending to sound professional.
5. We optimize the audio for volume and frequency content.  This makes the file comparably loud to other audio files you may play on your computer.
6. We encode the final compressed audio file to our exact specifications, to any high quality format you might need.  Just try asking Brand X for an Ogg file and see what answer you get.

We strive to make our recording service flexible and able to meet your specific needs.  We truly believe this is a different model than what is practiced in the industry as a whole.  Give us a shot.  Ask us for something tough; something that no other company would ever give you.  We dare you…

photo by Hyougushi

The post 6 Reasons Our Conference Call Recording Service is the Best appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Conference Call Recording Feature Will Not Work with This Type of Phone

ReadyConference Plus Features
People who already use PGi’s ReadyConference Plus audio conferencing service may already know about the cool features that are included for free with this service:

• Web Interface/Control Including Active Talker Icon
• Global and Individual Mute/Un-Mute
• Dial Out Access

Each of the above features separates PGi’s ReadyConference Plus from the free conference call services.

Conference Call Recording
But today I am going to talk about the conference call recording feature (hint: press *22 to activate before your call formally begins).  This is my favorite, by far, because it serves two very unique purposes.

1. It records your conference call as a digital replay—accessible to anyone with a telephone.
2. It acts as a high quality conference call recording for creation of high resolution audio files—such as wave, MP3, etc.

Most of our clients need a high resolution, high quality conference call recording, so we will skim over number one fairly quickly.  Suffice it to say, if anyone misses your live conference call, this is a great way to allow them to listen to it after-the-fact.

High Quality Conference Call Recording
To record your conference call and receive a pristine audio file useful for archiving, podcast production, audio editing, or online distribution, it’s as easy as pressing *22 before your call formally begins.  When your call is over, just hang up, and the recording will stop automatically.  Here is a link to PGi’s support page and a video from PGi that gets into the details of using this feature.  But believe me when I tell you, it is easy cheesy.

After the call is over, PGi will email you instructions on how to access this recording.  Forward that email to your AudioFile Solutions product manager and you will receive your audio file shortly afterward.  Costs for this service vary, so please ask your representative for pricing before you record your call.

We can also create a high quality conference call recording from your live event.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us for the details.

Stay tuned for more ReadyConference Plus features you might have overlooked.

photo by Workaholic Mimir

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Jack Feels the Sting of 100 Angry Stares After Ruining the Most Important Conference Call of the Year

Most of our new conferencing customers come to us looking for an edge over their competition.  They’re looking to get their message out, but many have never had a conference call before.

Early on, we explain to them the features of our most popular audio conferencing product—PGi’s ReadyConference Plus—and go over the ins and outs of having a successful conference.  Invariably, we arrive at a very common customer question, “What about recording?  We want the best quality we can get.”  Well, that’s music to our ears since we were founded on providing the best quality conference call recordings possible over a standard telephone line.  “That’s the entire reason we exist,” we say.  “Would you like a high resolution MP3, Wave, WMA?”

That gets the discussion started, but none of the technical jargon matters if we don’t discuss the quality issues before the audio gets to our equipment.

There are five critical areas that must be addressed to get the best quality conference call recording.

1. All participants should be dialed-in on landline phones.
2. Non-speaking parties should be muted.
3. A handset or headset should be the tool of choice.
4. Call waiting should be disabled.
5. The on-hold button should be anathema!

All participants should use standard landline telephones.
It seems funny, but one of our oldest technologies is still one of our best.  However, don’t fall into the trap of pressing the speakerphone button—that is the quickest way to ruin your high-end recording.  Also, do not use a cell phone, a VOIP service, or even a wireless phone connected to a landline.  All of these technologies degrade the  conference call audio in some way and should be avoided.

The reality is, however, some of your participants will ignore the above “DO NOT USE” list.  ReadyConference to the rescue… see next step.

Non-speaking parties should be muted.
A great feature of ReadyConference Plus by PGi, is the *6 muting function.  Any participant who is not speaking should press *6—the system will mute that line individually.

As the Host/Moderator, you can also control a participant’s mute status from the online web interface.  That is, if an unusual amount of noise is coming from a specific line, you will see it and be able to mute that line with a click of a button.

Another method is to have all speakers dial-in with the Host/Moderator passcode, and all non-speakers use the participant code.  Before starting the formal part of the call, have a moderator press *96 to mute all participant lines.  This acts as a global mute and can come in very handy with a little bit of think-ahead planning.

A handset or headset should be the tool of choice.
A bit earlier, we talked about not using a speakerphone on a conference call.  Instead, use a headset.  Most headsets these days have very good audio quality and will allow you to talk with your hands free.  Once in awhile, even a good quality headset can “act up”.  At those times, pick up your old reliable handset; you’ll be amazed how good it sounds.

Disable the Call Waiting feature on your telephone.
Most telephone companies allow you to disable this feature temporarily.  Before dialing your conference, press your telephone company’s magic combination of buttons to disable this function—usually restored when you hang up.  *70 seems to be the ticket with Qwest, but be sure to check with your local telephone company.

Never…ever use your on-hold button during a conference call recording.
Many businesses have on-hold music for the enjoyment of the person waiting.  Imagine the surprise of all the conference call attendees when you put them on hold and they are treated to the Musak version of Beat It by Michael Jackson.  Ok, so maybe you like MJ, but the practical implication is that the conference call will come to a complete stop until you return—and then you will know what embarrassment truly is.  One hundred of your most important business contacts will be wondering why you just wasted their precious time, and they’ll be looking to “light you up”—maybe literally—like Jack in the picture above.

While these five steps won’t guarantee a perfect conference recording, they will catapult you above your competitors who are not following these steps.  Your company brand now has one more edge in the dog-eat-dog world of business.

photo by garybirnie

The post 5 Tips to Get the Best Quality Conference Call Recording appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.