Any suggestions about a moderately-priced camcorder with really good audio quality to record live music?

Question

Any suggestions about a moderately-priced camcorder with really good audio quality to record live music?

Answer 1

If the music is loud, the only way you can get "really good audio quality" is by controlling the audio gain going IN to the camera. This means you need manual audio controls.

As I see it (without going external by getting a discreet AUX feed from the mixing board), you have three choices:

1) Some Sony cameras - I think the DCR-HC28 and HC96, but you should verify by downloading their manuals from sony.com - have "Normal" and "Low" audio gain selections in their menu. "Low" is for loud noise recording.

2) The least expensive camcorders - of which I am aware - with full manual audio control are the Canon HV20, HV30, Sony HDR-HC7 and HC9.

3) Any camcorder with a mic in jack - that includes Sony cam with only the "Active Interface" shoe plus one of these:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/47... - using a BeachTek DXA-6 or DXA-6vu and either a couple of condenser mics or a decent stereo mic (like the Audio Technica AT825).

Without the manual audio control, loud music overdrives the auto audio level circuit and the audio gets muddy and clips. That circuit was never designed for extraordinary audio levels. Just using an external mic will not work.

Since "moderate" is relative, consider that the range of true manual audio controls actually starts at the Canon HV20, HC30, Sony HDR-HC7, HC9... then takes a jump up to the Canon GL2, XL2, XHA1... and Sony HDR-FX1, FX7, 1000HDU, HCR-A1U, V1U, Z1U... and Panasonic DVX1-B and HDX200... and it just gets more expensive after that...