SAUL MINEROFF ELECTRONICS NATURE DIVISION

Nature Division History

Saul Mineroff was always interested in the science of sound. As a young boy growing up in the streets of Brooklyn NY he always tinkered and repaired audio equipment (radios) for his relatives and neighbors. After graduating from high school in Brooklyn, NY, Saul Mineroff continued his education in electronics by attending the RCA Institute. Studying and designing circuits, he applied his knowledge in creating and enhancing electronics for both industrial and consumer products.

In the 1950's , he worked with the first wire recorders and the first U.S. tape recorder that used a paper tape coated with a ferrous emulsion. It was manufactured by 3M. Saul tested the first Sony recorder brought into the country by Superscope, a company that was known in the motion picture industry. Saul opened and managed the New York office for Uher, a West German recorder manufacturer. Uher's primary end users were professional entertainment, the motion picture industry and government agencies. Saul modified many of these recorders to meet the needs of specific applications for these users including Universities, Government, and the Motion Picture Industry.

In 1970, Saul left Uher and started his own business, Saul Mineroff Electronics, Inc. (SME), A year later, he become the exclusive U.S. importer of UHER.

Due to the high demand of nature recording and closley working with Sennheiser Microphones, Marantz , Sony Recorders, as well as Nagra he began suiting universities, tour groups, and nature enthusiasts with various recording equipment for their specific applications for recording worldwide. Some of these items were custom made and/or modified to their own specifications.

As of today, Saul Mineroff Electronics, Inc. specializes in all areas of information gathering to individuals, tour groups and universities that specialize in nature recordings worldwide.

In the new millennium solid state recorders, Saul still takes much pride, excitement and dedication in repairing, modifying and supplying accessories to all fields of recording.

Whether your goal as a birder is to engage in professional recordings or simply to record calls at a volume which is loud enough to lure birds into view, Saul Mineroff Electronics, Inc (SME) is here to help you in your applications and equipment needs.

Memberships & Affiliations:
American Birding Association
National Geographic Society
Audio Engineering Society (Life Member)
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (Life Member)

Saul Mineroff Electronics Nature Division Time Line

1970's
• Attended and Showcased Field equipment at The Museum of Natural History, NY
• Introduced first version of SME-BA high gain microphone amplifier
• Introduced SME Field Playback Speakers
• Created a four channel UHER Recorder for Syntonic Research ( Recorded Nature Sound LP's)
• Saul developed and modified taperecorders to synchronize sounds with motion picture cameras

1980's
• Introduced SME Version of the SONY TCM-5000 Recorder modified for extended frequency response. Later introduced a modification for playback of endless loop tapes
• Published in TIME MAGAZINE article "Don't Look now, But Birding is In" May 25, 1987

1990's
• Manufactured SME Parabolas
• Introduced Complete Recording Packages geared for Individuals needs.
• Showcased Audio Equipment at Cape May Observatory N.J.

2000 & Beyond
• Manufactured Digital Underwater Recording System for Whales
• Manufactured Hydrophones for salt water use.
• Manufactured small electret microphone/amplifier for digital recordings of Bees.

Here is what some of our customers are saying:

"Saul Mineroff Electronics has served the bioacoustics field for decades, providing both equipment and service. They have a new web site (under construction) but currently no sales from it. E-mail or send them a postcard and ask for a natural sound recording catalog:"

"After much effort to record this frustratingly quiet bird, today I finally got one chip note on tape using my Saul Mineroff Starter Recording Package"

"Dear Nature Recordists, I want to do bird song playbacks for my study. I will be using Marantz PMD 671 for the purpose and Saul Mineroff speaker."

"Singing male Orange-crowned and Virginia's Warblers that defended territories that permitted continuous observations (e.g., smaller territories away from steep canyons) were chosen preferentially for playback experiments, although within this group we selected males at random. For each territorial male, we placed a speaker (SME-AFS Field Speaker, Saul Mineroff Electronics, Elmont, New York, USA) and playback recorder (Sony TCM-5000 high frequency tape recorder, Saul Mineroff Electronics) within its territory,

"Redstart song was played continuously from the centre of the plot, using an amplified speaker (Saul Mineroff Electronics AFS Speaker) and compact disc ..."

"Recordings were made with an Audio-technica AT815A shotgun microphone, a Saul Mineroff SME-BA3 preamplifier and a Sony Professional WM-D6C recorder. ..."

"I usually just make my own tapes. Good mikes can be purchased from Mineroff Electronics. They offer kits in the $1000 range that give you everything you need to get started. Their website is.. "

"We purchased a speaker (SME PB-25 Mini-Vox, Mineroff Electronics, Elmont,. N.Y.). To attract lions from farther away"

"Saul Mineroff Electronics, Inc. - Supplier of equipment to Nature recording A one Stop Shop for Bird Song Recording Needs ..."

"Seasons Greetings from Venezuela. Thanks for your priceless advice. The equipment is GREAT ! Have a happy & Healthy New Year"

"Hello from London. So far all pieces of equipment operating well (Nothing like the Mineroff Touch!)"

"Please find enclosed a cassette I recently produced entitled A Bird Walk at Chan Chich. The cassette features vocalizations from 150 species of birds as well as selected mammals. All sounds were recorded by me in northern Belize using equipment purchased from you, e.g., a Sony TCM5000 Recorder modified by you, a Sennheisser ME80 Microphone with K-3U Power Module and a SME-BA3 Booster-Amplifier. I have used this equipment continuously over the last 3 ½ years and have been very pleased with its durability and performance. Thanks for providing such a fine product and for providing helpful and frendly service.

"I recently returned from leading a National History Tour to Kenya with Rose Anne of Field Guides, Inc. I was very impressed with the recording equipment for the field that she bought from you. I design and lead Natural History Safaris for the Nature Company....."

"Thank you very much for the generous discount you gave toward the purchase of sound recording equipment for Cuban ornithologist, Arturo Kirkconnell. Many thanks again for supporting Birder's Exchange. Because of people like you, this program can continue its important work"

"Thank you very much for the generous loan of the Sony NT-2 recorder and docking station. It worked perfectly. As a result we were able to successfully transcribe an otherwise inaccessible 40 minute, stereo environmental recording made on Rubono Island, South Africa over to the more readily available R-DAT and CD formats. This important recording will now be added to our natural sound research collection"