Sound recorder options

bairn7

Sorry, this is a strange request, but I'm at my wit's end.

I moved to an 18 floor apartment block in August and I'm on the top floor. Very intermittently there is a loud metalic banging noise, which I can only assume is something to do with the lifts/liftshaft but I can't be sure. But on various evenings it has been constant and is incredibly loud when it happens.

I've managed to record it briefly a couple of times when it has been constant (i.e. every minute or so) but sometimes it only happens a few times per night - but still wakes me up each time. The building owners have received no other reports and despite my recordings are not looking further into the issue.

I need a voice recorder that can pick up faint background noises (when I have recorded the sounds it has been faint on the recorder but louder in person) and that I can leave running when I'm sleeping throughout the whole evening. I have tried on my phone but it doesn't pick up the sounds.

Any suggestions? I'm going crazy with this noise that no-one else seems willing to acknowledge!

Thanks

Neil_Jones

The recorder itself to my mind is irrelevant, you need something with a decent microphone, as the noise you seek will otherwise be buried in the background distortion that's naturally present, and manifests itself on tape as a humming noise.

I would suggest in the first instance either earplugs for night sleeping, or next time the noise occurs, go walkies and follow your ears.  Pointless raising complaints about a noise that you don't know where its coming from.

Norman_Castle

bairn7 said:

I moved to an 18 floor apartment block in August and I'm on the top floor. Very intermittently there is a loud metalic banging noise, which I can only assume is something to do with the lifts/liftshaft but I can't be sure. But on various evenings it has been constant and is incredibly loud when it happens.

Ask your immediate neighbours. Keep a diary of times, they may recognise its when their washing machine is spinning or another activity.

debitcardmayhem

When it's constant is it windy outside?

EssexExile

You'll probably find that whatever you used to record the sound has automatic level control, so quiet talking and loud banging will be at roughly the same loudness.

Heedtheadvice

Mmm mmm I thought I had posted but it seems to be lost......

Non of the downsides reported above🤫 the Tascam DR-05 will do the job.

Bit short of time at the moment but if interested I can post more details.....

coffeehound

Another option is to buy an external microphone for your mobile phone, which should be better than the internal one.  They go from about £30 upwards.  A "directional" microphone should help you pick out the noise from surrounding background sound if you can tell which direction it is coming from.