The New micro trio X05 Series Bat Detector From Ciel EaM

I'm very happy to report the arrival of a New (full-production-PCB) micro trio X05 Series bat detector from Ciel EaM. The test unit I have (pictured below) still happens to sport the black & yellow cover - But, the important thing is, that I can fully recommend this flagship of their new X05 Series detectors.

The (new) micro trio test unit from Ciel 

The full-production units will be black & blue in colour (as pictured on their Site). And they will be a pleasure to use! Excellent! 

I'll be re-visiting this bat detector in a future post...

Happy bat detecting!

Review: The micro trio From Ciel (New X05 Series)

Review: The micro trio From Ciel EaM

The brand-new micro trio bat detector from Ciel is three bat detectors in one. It is capable of operating as a heterodyne, frequency division, and (briefly) as a time-expansion detector! 

It is the latest offering from Ciel in Germany; and is part of their brand-new X05 Series of bat detectors. What makes this bat detector stand-out from the rest, is that it is the first low-cost time-expansion unit made. This is definitely something that many bat detecting hobbyists have been waiting for! 
However, before we all get too excited - I must point out, that this unit will only allow you to make one TE recording at a time.
Be that as it may, I believe it will still be attractive to many beginners; who would love the opportunity to have their very own time-expansion bat detector. 

As the saying goes "We were all beginners once"
Thinking back, to the time when I was a beginner: I know, that I would have gladly welcomed the opportunity; to get a detector which actually featured time-expansion (no matter how limited). 
Had this micro trio been available back then, I would have definitely set my sights on one. Because being able to make TE recordings of your local bats (even if it's one-recording-at-a-time) would've still been an attractive feature.

The current price, of the micro trio is: 199.00 Euros / 270 U.S. Dollars / 162 GB Pounds
(Price includes VAT & Delivery in Europe)

The (single) TE recordings, may be transferred to the recording device of your choosing - Including, of course, your PC (or other computing device) via a stereo patch cable.
This is done simply by playing the recording back (red button), while the micro trio is connected to a recording device. 
Again, this is accomplished via it's (3.5mm) Headphone jack. With the micro trio, you also have the ability to record a bat pass in HD (heterodyne) mode. A full 3 seconds of recording time, in HD Mode. It may not seem like much, to some - But, in practice, it works out just fine. The heterodyne recording is done in real time; whilst the TE recording is slowed down 10x upon playback.

The full product description, may be viewed on Ciel's Website. Their Brief Manual, for the micro trio, may be viewed and downloaded Here. 
In addition, the full Instruction Manual has also been made available Here. This recently released, 12-page Instruction Manual contains a lot of excellent information regarding the use of the micro trio - And I highly recommend it!

The micro trio fits fairly comfortably in the hand. Those with smaller hands may find it to be a little large for their taste. Especially if you're on a particularly long bat walk. The fact that the unit is very light (with 9v battery installed) helps compensate for this.

With all those stories of detectors falling into streams...I was happy to see an adjustable nylon wrist loop included. 
Insert wrist - adjust for a snug fit - and presto! Bat detector is secured. 
It's like being handcuffed to a briefcase (like in the movies!) - No worries of losing it - Neat!

The shape and design of the X05 Series is totally new, and nothing like Ciel's previous model bat detectors.
The electret-type microphone element is located on the front, right-hand-side of the unit. HD mode operates as you might expect: Frequency is adjusted (tuned) via a conveniently-positioned thumb-wheel. Same goes for tuning in TE mode - One-hand-operation for both. FD mode requires no tuning, of course. You may toggle between modes with the momentary press of a single button. So, it's very easy to use.

As with several of Ciel's bat detectors, the X05 Series of units are best suited for the hobbyist. 
The TE recording feature is activated, by pressing the red 'Rec' button. Best results would be obtained, while observing multiple (or swarming) bats. To further ensure that bat calls are not missed. With a little practice, capturing individual bat calls (recordings) will be easy.

Pros:

• Time-expansion mode! (and recording).
• Three detector technologies in one device.
• Ability to record in both HD & TE modes, with built-in memory.
• Relatively low-cost.

Cons:

•  9v batteries do not last more than 12 hours of continuous use.

* The reason for this statement "May exhibit a minor background hum" - Is because my test unit did exhibit some background hum/hiss when set at high volume levels. However: My test unit was a prototype, which was partially assembled by hand, etc. I've been informed, that the full production units have had this (and other) minor issue(s) corrected. Hence, the reason for the asterisk *

As with many bat detectors in this price-range, a small amount of background noise may be heard. I've found that it may be controlled very well (greatly reduced), simply by lowering the volume. 
The background "hiss" may even be eliminated - By lowering the volume setting -and- using earphones (headphones).

As always, the majority of my bat detecting is done via passive monitoring (overnight recording). In the case of the micro trio, I do this using the FD mode. A rechargeable (NiMH) 9v battery lasts for one overnight recording session - From Dusk until Dawn. Currently (in my case) this amounts to less than 12 hours.
High quality / heavy-duty alkaline batteries lasted longer in my tests. And, they also seemed to produce better overall performance. The micro trio displays a "Lbat" indication when the battery must be replaced.

The micro trio has worked well for me, for overnight recording; hooked-up to a Tascam DR-08 digital recorder. Of course, various other digital recorders may be used. Again, make sure that you use a good-quality, shielded stereo cable for connection. This will help avoid local interference from other sources in the area.
As for your recorder, one of the lower quality settings (i.e. 16-bit/44.1kHz) is all that is needed. And, will provide even better results in some cases than higher quality settings. This is also true, when using lower-quality (inexpensive) digital voice recorders. However, you should feel free to experiment. As you can see on the specification section (under 'Technical Data'), The micro trio's FD mode is of the type which retains amplitude. This is a plus.

The (FD) recordings may be used for playback and analysis: 

FD recording made with micro trio - Displayed (and zoomed) using BatScan 9 

(Bat hasn't been positively identified yet)

The same FD recording - Displayed (and zoomed) using (free) BatExplorer

The new X05 Series of bat detectors, which also includes The BATz 2.0 HD detector (for young Naturalists), The micro duo HD & FD (w/ record memory) may be ordered directly from Ciel Electronique's online shop. 

These detectors have a range of 18-130kHz; which means that many North American (and European) singing insects will not be detectable. This, of course is a blessing to most!

After testing and using the micro trio a bit longer, and at different (field) locations - I've found it to be a very nice detector overall. 
I also tested the unit with several 8 Ohm speakers - And it was able to drive them nicely, without any issues. Standard, Mono speakers were tested. This would be of interest to those who enjoy passive monitoring. 

These simple speakers also worked well when plugged into the 'Line-Out' of the digital recorder(s) while in use (with The micro mini).
This would enable you to listen/monitor bat passes while recording. Please note, that having a small digital recorder also driving a speaker, will drain additional power from the batteries. As previously stated, the same may be accomplished using (stereo) earphones/headphones. Compared to a full-sized speaker - Small earphones would place slightly lower additional power demands on the recorder's batteries.  

I found each of the three operating modes to exhibit excellent sensitivity. This fact became evident, when the background noise, which was heard while indoors, etc. - Was reduced to practically nil when used out in the field (away from sources of EMI, etc.). Very nice!

The maximum pick-up range (distance at which a bat may be recorded) is still TBD. I will publish any further findings in an up-coming "revisit" post.
At this price point, you shouldn't expect Professional-level performance. However, I believe it is an excellent choice for many bat detecting hobbyists.

As always, I may revisit the micro trio, in a future post.

Happy bat detecting!

Update Post + The Next Bat Recording Device To Be Reviewed!

The next bat recording device I'll be reviewing - Will be the newest ultrasonic microphone from Binary Acoustic Technology: The miniMIC Ultrasonic Microphone
It's specifications, and reported capabilities look wonderful! - You may view/download the Product Description Here (in PDF format). Wow! I'm really looking forward to the opportunity! 

Update, on what's going on: 

The Review of The micro trio from Ciel is in progress (even as I type this) - I must apologize for the delay: It is partly due, to new information and details; which I've recently been made aware of. The mini trio review will be the very next post you'll see - In fact, it is detecting bats even as I write...Using FD Mode -to- PCM recorder -via- Stereo patch cable.

Something New is now being offered from Ciel - And it looks like a really neat deal!
It's called the 'Boxed detector starter kit 2x / Stereo heterodyne' Product no. CA0101.
It's a package deal, centered around the latest version of their Box HD2 recorder (which looks awesome!). It looks like the perfect set-up for an advanced beginner; or even an experienced hobbyist. Especially, if you plan to do a lot of passive bat recording (as I do). Further details may be seen on their Website.

And, here is a wonderful Link: Bat Sound Services - Especially for those interested in the bats of America. The Excel files provided, are an excellent resource! (Thank you Folks!)

The New micro trio From Ciel Has Arrived! - First Impressions

The brand-new micro trio, from Ciel EaM - First impressions:

This bat detector is very new, and has just become available for ordering right now!
Ciel now has them in stock!

I'm very happy to report the arrival of the review sample micro trio, from Ciel EaM in Germany.
Since this new x05 line of bat detectors is soo new, I received a prototype; which happens to be black & yellow. Instead of the black & blue colours, which are planned (for the micro trio). I believe the blue & black scheme will make for a handsome-looking device.

The box which the prototype arrived in 

The detector was wrapped in light protective foam, inside it's box - Along with a small, folded 'Brief Manual'. This is printed in colour; with English on one side and German on the other.

A prototype of the new micro trio

(Production units will be black & blue)

As always, you should read the Manual first. Neglecting to do so, will lead to frustration in the case of the micro trio. Since there is a little "trick" to powering the unit on:
After pressing the 'On/Off' button, (you will see " ---- " in the display) you must press the "+" button within a second to confirm - Or the detector will switch back off.
This feature was implemented to avoid accidentally powering-on the unit. 

 The battery compartment, with diagram for proper polarity.

9v battery not included.

This detector feels very comfortable in the hand. It is a little bit wider in size, than The Batscanner from Elekon. The sides are made from a type of rubberized plastic, which assures a firm grip. The wrist strap is a nice feature to have, while traversing the woods!

Much more to follow!

Happy bat detecting!

A Fascinating Document From An Anonymous Amateur Researcher

I just received this fascinating document today, and wanted to share it right away - Below, is a document that was graciously provided to me, from a Naturalist who preferred to remain anonymous. It was originally provided in the German language, so I've pasted it in German first. Followed by a translation (attempt) made with Google Translate, into English.
*Note: I realize there is a problem with the chart text colour in the German version of the chart. I'm working on this...

In German:

Ergebnisprotokoll Fledermausdetektor Empfindlichkeiten        1.7.2013

 

Aufgrund von fehlenden Einschätzungen der Empfindlichkeit verschiedener Ultraschallempfangsgeräte haben wir uns entschlossen, einen diesbezüglichen Test durchzuführen. Die Ergebnisse sind natürlich nur als Richtwerte zu sehen und können von Gerät zu Gerät (innerhalb einer Serie) unterschiedlich ausfallen.

Mit einem UltraSoundGate Player BL Light wurde eine Ruf-Sequenz der Zwergfledermaus wiedergegeben. Die Verstärkung lag nach Einstellungen am Gerät bei 20 dB. Die Testumgebung befand sich in einer 70 m langen Lagerhalle, die völlig leer war. Die Entfernung wurde mit einem 50 m Bandmaß festgestellt.

Alle Geräte wurden mit ihrem Mikrofon direkt auf die Schallquelle ausgerichtet. Bei Geräten mit Kopfhöreranschluss entfernte sich die Person mit dem Gerät in der Hand langsam von der Schallquelle weg. An der Stelle, wo das Schallsignal nicht mehr in den Kopfhörern zu hören war, wurde die Entfernung gemessen.

Bei Geräten ohne Kopfhöreranschluss wurden alle 10 m Aufnahmen von Hand ausgelöst und später am Rechner mit der zum Gerät zugehörigen Auswertung Software begutachtet (zum Beispiel Batcorder).

Bei Geräten, die live die Rufmittelfrequenz erfassen und anzeigen (zum Beispiel Batscanner, Batlogger) bildete die Erfassung der Rufmittelfrequenz die Empfindlichkeitsschwelle, d.h. nur bis zu dem Punkt, an dem die Rufmittelfrequenz noch angezeigt wurde galt die Erfassung. In manchen Fällen waren die Rufe darüber hinaus noch hörbar, wurden vom Gerät jedoch nicht getriggert.

Ultraschall Empfänger	Typ	letzte Signale bei	Bemerkung
BATLOGGER alt	Echtzeit Ultraschallgerät mit Aufnahme auf SD Karte	58,70m+	Messbereich durch Hallenende begrenzt
BATLOGGER neu	Echtzeit Ultraschallgerät mit Aufnahme auf SD Karte und Mithörmöglichkeit	58,70m+	Messbereich durch Hallenende begrenzt
BATCORDER	Echtzeit Ultraschallgerät mit Aufnahme auf SD Karte	30m
PETTERSSON D240x	Mischer/Zeitdehnungsdetektor ohne eingebaute Aufnahmemöglichkeit.	16m
PETTERSSON D1000x	Mischer, Teiler, Zeitdehnungsdetektor mit Aufnahmemöglichkeit auf CF Karte	33m
BATSCANNER alte Version	Mischerdetektor mit Rufmittelfrequenzanzeige	17m
BATSCANNER neue Version	Mischerdetektor mit Ruf Mittelfrequenzanzeige	10m
SSF BAT2	Mischerdetektor mit Frequenzskala	23,5m
BATON Batbox	Teiler Detektor mit eingebautem Lautsprecher	5m
CIEL CDB105 R2	Mischerdetektor mit Frequenzskala	18m
CIEL CDB205 R2	Teilerdetektor	31m

Die Mini Horchbox von Battomania erreichte eine Reichweite von 3 m. Hier wird der Testaufbau noch einmal wiederholt, da das Ergebnis zu negativ ist. Die Batlogger werden ebenso noch einmal getestet, um die tatsächliche Reichweite zu vermessen, da bei der angegebenen Entfernung die Halle zu Ende war, jedoch nicht die Triggerung des Gerätes. Des Weiteren kommen noch andere Geräte zum Test. Hierzu zählen die alten Geräte von Sky, das Mikrofon von Dodotronik und andere Geräte, um deren Leihgabe wir ersuchen.

 

In English:

Results log bat detector sensitivities               1.7.2013

Due to the lack of estimates of the sensitivity of various ultrasonic receivers, we decided to perform a test in this regard. The results are of course seen as a guide only and may vary from device to device (within a series).

With an Ultrasound gate Player BL Light a call was - sequence of pipistrelle reproduced. The gain was on the settings on the unit at 20 dB. The test environment was in a 70-meter warehouse, which was completely empty. The distance was determined using a 50 m tape measure.

All devices were aligned using her microphone directly at the sound source. For devices with a headphone port, the person slowly removed with the device in hand away from the sound source. At the point where the sound signal could no longer be heard in the headphones, the distance was measured.

For devices without a headphone jack every 10 m recordings were triggered by hand and later on to the computer with the device associated analysis software assessed (for example batcorder).

For devices, the live capture and display (for example Batscanner, BATLOGGER) the Rufmittelfrequenz capturing the Rufmittelfrequenz formed the sensitivity threshold, ie only up to the point at which the Rufmittelfrequenz was still displayed was the capture. In some cases, the calls were also still audible, but were not triggered by the device.

Ultrasound receiver	Type	signals at last	Comment
BATLOGGER old	Real-time ultrasound machine with recording to SD card	58,70 m +	Range limited by Hall End
BATLOGGER new	Real-time ultrasound machine with recording to SD card and listen-	58,70 m +	Range limited by Hall End
Batcorder	Real-time ultrasound machine with recording to SD card	30m
Pettersson D240x	Mixer / recording time expansion detector without built-in option.	16m
Pettersson D1000X	Mixers, dividers, time expansion detector with option to CF card	33m
BATSCANNER old version	Detector mixer with Rufmittelfrequenzanzeige	17m
BATSCANNER new version	Mixer detector with call center frequency display	10m
SSF BAT2	Mixer detector with frequency scale	23.5 m
BATON Batbox	Divider detector with built-in speakers	5m
CIEL CDB105 R2	Mixer detector with frequency scale	18m
CIEL CDB205 R2	Divider detector	31m

The mini Horchbox of Battomania reached a distance of 3 m. Here is the test structure is repeated once more, because the result is negative. The BATLOGGER also be tested again to measure the actual range, since at the specified distance, the hall was over, but not the triggering of the device. Moreover join other devices for testing. These include the old equipment from Sky, Dodotronik of the microphone and other devices to the loan we ask.

                                                               ------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Amazing stuff, huh? I have some additional (positive) statements to make myself, in regards to The Batlogger M - In an upcoming Post. I'm very surprised by what this Author found with the Petterssons. I would like an opportunity to check these out myself. When testing the Pettersson D240X, I remember that it had very good pick-up range (distance)...

...Next Post will be the full review of The AR125 from Binary Acoustic Technology!