nerissa Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Hoping some of you sound experts can help me. Need to record some sound underwater and would like some advice on hydrophones. Where can you hire them from & how much should I be looking at for a 1 week hire? I am based in Manchester so northwest suppliers preferred. Other suggestions also welcome. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 DPA make a hydrophone - model 8011. My DPA catalogue from Sound Network, the media centre, 131-151 Great Titchfield Street London W1W 5BB tel 020 7665 6463, email sales@soundnetwork.co.uk, sound network has a list price of stirling £1250.00 plus VAT and delivery. I'm not sure if Sound Network have a hire business, but the may be able to suggest suppliers / hirers in your area. (also in the catalogue, they suggest that this can be done by wrapping conventional mics in plastic or rubber, quote "running the risk of the loss of both a non-repeatable recording and an expensive microphone. The results are often disappointing. The rugged, waterproof and easy-to-use 8011 is always ready for the toughest underwater applications". Great sales pitch - the only thing missing is the endorsement from Jacques Cousteau!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Just thinking out aloud here but would a normal dynamic mic work underwater? If it did and would last a week it might be cheaper to sacrifice one than hire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicgross Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 there seems no reason why a dynamic wouldn't work in the short term.The only thing I can think of is that the water would cause a huge slow down in reaction speed of the dyaphram, so the results wouldnt be all that great. Water would proberly corrode the diaphram and the coil within a few hours too. Just make sure phantom power isn't applied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
london sound Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 And of course unprotected, water will short out the coil and any other wiring. A cheapish mic sealed within a plastic bag will work in shallow water, in deep water the pressure may adversely affect the diaphragm. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 And of course unprotected, water will short out the coil and any other wiring. Being a bit picky but water does not conduct electricity, only when you get impuritites in it. A glass of tap water for instance measure nearly 1 MOhm with my meter probes 1 inch apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivemaster Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 How deep do you expect to need to go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nerissa Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 It is part of a week long multi arts project in a school so probably only the bottom of a tank or possibly swimming pool. I am not actually running the sound workshop but I promised I'd ask you lot for some advice on his behalf while he saved his wine bottles & egg boxes for my part of the project. The whole project has an underwater/sea theme. His group will be experimenting with sounds to create a composition which will either be used as a piece on its own or together with the video work being done to act as a soundtrack. We have a budget of £150 per artist for materials, tools, equiptment etc so I think he should be able to sacrifice a cheap mic as part of the experimental process. Thanks for all your suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ace Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 I seem to remember reading an article once where as part of a BBC nature documentry they had put a standard dynamic mic inside a condom for waterproofing! I don't know if that was true or not, but it does seem feasible! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 I seem to remember reading an article once where as part of a BBC nature documentry they had put a standard dynamic mic inside a condom for waterproofing! I don't know if that was true or not, but it does seem feasible! :)this makes sense - if you're going to do this you want the thinnest toughest membrane you can find. you probably want to wash off any lubricant or other chemical goo off first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivemaster Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 A maplin dynamic or electret capsule soldered directly to a long screened wire then a finger from a thin PVC glove sealed over everything to the PVC cable sheath with pvc glue ( B&Q or a swimming pool shop). Whole job done for a fiver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted June 29, 2004 Share Posted June 29, 2004 Can you still get C-ducers? They used to say that these worked really well underwater (but take care as whales like to eat them!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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