Best method to record an audience and speaker

[Klinker]

Hi there, I've a complete newbie question, I want to record a Retreat, basically a single speaker and about fifty guests, I'm trying to source the best audio equipment to produce an optimum recording for distribution on dvd or just to convert it for internet broadcast.

The set up at the moment in the Retreat house is as follow;

1. TOA PA amplifier, model A-1724

2. Easy T. ET 150 Induction loop driver

3. Sennheiser True diversity receiver, EW 100

They may as well be toasters and microwaves for all I know about recording

Would it be possible to hook up a recording device to the above system or what would people suggest would be the best method, any suggestions regarding equipment or methods would be very much appreciated.

[Boswell]

Almost any type of audio recorder could be used to T-off the jack output of the radio receiver. Don't touch anything to do with outputs from the TOA amplifier. You may want to consider a recorder that has some form of automatic volume control if there is no human monitoring the recording process, but this could easily slip into the very lo-fi end of things.

Do you just need to record the person who has the radio microphone, or will you need any audience response or questions audible in the recording? Adding further microphones adds considerable complication to an otherwise single mono recording process, but if you are likely to have questions coming from the audience, you may need to consider this.

[Klinker]

Thanks Boswell, I'll look into this further, it would seem the important part of the process is the single mono recording, audience participation would be a consideration, I don't think it's paramount, I'll do some more research, much appreciated.

[JasonAlanJohnson]

An omnidirectional microphone would help. High up in the room? What do you think guys?

[Codemonkey]

I heard of a sound guy (several I think) who add the live audience to their church's broadcast mix for streaming onto the web. Generally it's a pair of condensers strung from the lighting rig. A single omni would probably work to get the sound, a pair adds stereo feel.

Up high will get you the combined laughter but probably misses the boat if any one person speaks out in direct response to a question.