Recording a phone call

Jeff,

First, I use XLR out of the THAT-2 to the HD-P2. I mono-sum and set it for mic in with no pad. (If I run with the -20 pad, I have to crank the volume up to 10). Also, make sure you mute (using the button on the THAT-2) and do your fine adjustment on the volume with the knob on the THAT-2.

HTH,

Phil
 
I imported a sample into Avid and boosted the signal. It's really hissy. The more boost, the more hiss.

Is there any way to filter?
 
Here's a more technical approach, but will give you the best quality you're probably going to get. Find a VOIP provider who does custom Asterisk scripting as part of their service, and have them write a script to allow you to call through Asterisk (via a normal land line, or preferably through a high quality VOIP handset, such as the Polycom's), and use it's built in recording functionality to store the raw PCM from the phone call. Then have the script email you the PCM files when the call completes. Doing this you'll have to join the sound files, since Asterisk will output each side of the conversation into a different PCM file.

It's important to pick a business-class VOIP provider, none of the Vonage-class carriers, or it will sound like you're on a cell phone (at best). Also, make sure they lock both sides of the VOIP call to use the codec G.711 - this is the same codec that the phone company uses, and is uncompressed, so you'll get the best sound quality out of it. Most of the providers will try to lock you into either GSM or G.729, both of which are lossy compressors and you'll be able to hear the difference.

Anyway, if you spend the time to set this up, you'll only need to do it once, and you'll be able to use it over and over again, whenever you need to record calls, and the results are pretty hard to beat.
 
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