O.S.P.H. Investigation

I almost exclusively use Sony recorders. They have good sensitive mics, are easy to operate and are a great size (and price). I just never got a hum like that on one so I was trying to figure that part out. Usually you only get feedback (if that is even what it is) when you are monitoring the audio (possible even with headphones). I've heard external mics do that too, but it sounds like that wasn't the case here.

We were using a Sony recorder, model icd-px312. Not expensive but we get good results with them.

It sounds like one of those "we will never know" sounds. Since you have eliminated something touching the recorder we have a couple of misterious sounds. The first definitely could be a whisper but I think it may be too short to make a definitive call especially with the hum cutting it off. Amping and filtering it might help but I suspect that the hum is going to keep it intelligible. I don't like too much filtering though. If you give me enough time in Audacity I can make a lawn mower sound like your mother.

What type of recorder was it? If it is an EVP usually an EM spike will cause a click or pop on a digital recorder. I guess it is possible that it could cause a hum, but it's not something I have heard before for comparision.

The recorder was sitting on a tray table pointed toward the center of the room. Not a very big room, typical hospital sized patient room. We were watching the adjoining room door and hallway door for movement.

I have my moments (few and far between as they may be)

I go so far as to attempt to train whoever I am working with that they should be careful and notice how they hold a recorder. There is a school of thought that holding a recorder is "better" for the spirits but we need not go into that right now. I've gotten good EVPs both while holding it and setting it down so I don't think about it much. Some of my best have been on recorders just left unattended.

I only use a mic if I am using a tape recorder. One thing I don't need is something else to keep up with as I tend to carry too much gear to begin with.

Wes_Forsythe wrote: Do you know if the recorder was being held or was sitting by itself? All I can hear is a brief rub/breath sound followed by the short hum which sounds more like mic feedback than a voice. There could be something burried in that but I can't hear it here.

Actually Wes, you bring up an excellent point! Not only in the context of this recording but in the context of all EVP recordings. So often I hear EVP's of some noise which is interpreted as a word. But in hindsight the recorder was hand held and the microphone was right underneath one of the fingers.

To anyone planning investigations, please be aware of the details. I know its difficult to do so when caught up in the moment of the surroundings. But it becomes very important after the fact to know that the recorder was not being held, and nothing was rubbing against the microphone. We often use an external clip-on microphone for just that reason. Not that it doesn't present itself with its own array of issues, but at least it tends to minimize them somewhat. It doesn't take much more than just a gentle brush across the microphone of a voice recorder to make it sound like Krakatoa is erupting again.

Do you know if the recorder was being held or was sitting by itself? All I can hear is a brief rub/breath sound followed by the short hum which sounds more like mic feedback than a voice. There could be something burried in that but I can't hear it here.

I can clear up this evp send me the audio file to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I think their is something in the first second or so also.

I couldn't hear anything specific. thought I heard a hmm but it was not immediately after Ashland City. would need further sound experts to decipher this one. thanks so much for sharing.
LadyJ2011

I'm not sure if I heard anything or not. Very soft. Could have been a Hmmm.