Topic: Edirol R-44 - Solid State 4 channel recorder

[BayTaynt3d]

If not I plan on running two R-09's and trying the sync in post thing.  I'm hoping the clocks of the two identical recorders will be somewhat close, though I'm not fooling myself into thinking it will be simple to sync, regardless.

Absolutely the best feature of the R4/R4 Pro.  Not having to screw around with lining things up in post is worth the price alone.

Although, just for the sake of the 4-chan virgins out there, if you're matrixing with an R4/R4-Pro and your AUD is significantly far from the stage/PA, you will STILL have to add a delay to your SBD channels so they sync with your AUD channels correctly. But, once you get the delay right, the beauty is they will then remain in perfect sync forever from that point on.

[digifish_music]

I noticed the first ones up on e-bay now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Roland-Edirol-R-44-4-Channel-Portable-Recorder-NEW_W0QQitemZ200199120563QQihZ010QQcategoryZ41479QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

Claims to have 10. Title in the add says "New Samson ..." 

digifish.

[kskreider]

thread marker

[rokpunk]

Just got off the phone with Edirol. The delivery of the first batch of R-44's was pushed back until "mid-April", according to Justin at Edirol.

[digifish_music]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHobJi6TTak&feature=related

Video at Music messe.

Rep notes it has the same mic pres as the R4 pro.

digifish,

[OFOTD]

Rep notes it has the same mic pres as the R4 pro.

Okay let's look at this rationally without rose colored glasses on.   If the R44 gets the best of both the R4 and R4 Pro then why 1. Is it significantly less than both models and 2. Why even bother having an R4 and R4 Pro if the lowest cost machine the R44 undercuts both completely?  What history does Edirol have to support the thought that their lower cost models would outshine their pricer models?  The UA5 maybe?

Maybe i'm biased owning an R4 Pro and formerly an R4 but I really find it hard to believe that this unit will outperform either of those models.  When have you ever heard of a cheaper model outperforming the more expensive models in the taping world?  Never.   

I find it strange as well that each week one of us talks with someone at Edirol or Roland and we all seem to be getting different answers to the same questions.   I was specifically told that the preamps in the R44 were different than the ones in either the R4 or R4 Pro.  Now digifish's rep claims they are the same.   I have zero doubt that what other members are reporting is exactly what they've been told so then I wonder how much the Edirol/Roland guys actually know about these units because they are conflicting themselves.

The buildup to this new unit is starting to remind me of the build up to the MicroTracker.  Lots of conflicting info.  Lots of folks thinking that the unit was going to outshine pricer competitors, etc.   

[digifish_music]

Rep notes it has the same mic pres as the R4 pro.

Okay let's look at this rationally without rose colored glasses on.   

I was not excited at all BTW. I was just reporting the most interesting thing I saw in the Messe video above. Whether or not it's true we will see. I have BTW sent a bunch of questions direct to Edirol (I am a dealer) and waiting for some responses.

With the way mass-manufactured electronics works, possible reduced manufacturing costs in china, possibly disappointing sales of the R4 and R4 pro, it is entirely feasible that they may reposition the unit and relaunch. I would expect to see the R4 die and the R44 and R4 pro continue. Particularly if they share the same circuit boards here and there. 

BTW2: The R09-HR appears to be cheaper than the R09 it replaces.

digifish

[Gutbucket]

Maybe i'm biased owning an R4 Pro and formerly an R4 but I really find it hard to believe that this unit will outperform either of those models.  When have you ever heard of a cheaper model outperforming the more expensive models in the taping world?  Never.   

My R-09's were cheaper and much better than DAT, but you probably mean the same manufacturer's line.  These things follow the computer buisness model more than typical recording hardware.  Time marches on.

As a potential R44 buyer I'm hoping it smokes it big brothers for cheap!  I'm not first in line though, I'm still realistic.

[rose colored glasses dangling at the ready on crokies/]

[BayTaynt3d]

As far as I'm concerned, this unit could have the EXACT SAME audio quality as previous units and it'd still be a huge improvement on size alone. Not only is the unit way smaller (and man it looks great in that video), but no moving parts and much lighter b/c of flash, not to mention the potential to not need an external battery -- and my 4-chan setup just got a much, much smaller footprint, totally sweet and totally worth it IMHO for those reasons alone. But time will tell...

[ascouserinnewyork]

I have to stop by and ask, did I take a short knock to the head - or did Sweetwater inflate their price by $100? I could have been positive that this unit was getting billed for $795??? 

[Nick's Picks]

as I toy w/the idea of re-joining team Soundfield...this deck was particularly appealing to me for several reasons.  size, battery life, 4chan for B format.
but then I started to think of what 4 chan's of B format at 24/44 would run (4gb per hour) and how large of an SD card I could get....
and my excitement went away.

[Roving Sign]

Rep notes it has the same mic pres as the R4 pro.

Okay let's look at this rationally without rose colored glasses on.   If the R44 gets the best of both the R4 and R4 Pro then why 1. Is it significantly less than both models and 2. Why even bother having an R4 and R4 Pro if the lowest cost machine the R44 undercuts both completely?  What history does Edirol have to support the thought that their lower cost models would outshine their pricer models?  The UA5 maybe?

I dont see what the mystery is...?

The 44 doesnt have the wav editing stuff/timecode - so - they aren't equivalent devices (even if they are sonically comparable) - the 44 has fewer features...hence a lower price...

This deck will do nothing to undercut the market for folks who want onboard wav editing and timecode...cuz it doest have any of that...

[Gutbucket]

as I toy w/the idea of re-joining team Soundfield...this deck was particularly appealing to me for several reasons.  size, battery life, 4chan for B format.
but then I started to think of what 4 chan's of B format at 24/44 would run (4gb per hour) and how large of an SD card I could get....
and my excitement went away.

16gb SDHC card works fine in my R-09's.  The SDHC spec supports up to 32g.  That's 4 7-1/2 hours doable now and 8 15 down the road @ 4 x 24/44 (or 24/48) on a formatted card.

[edited for bad math]

I think you've accidentally doubled your file size requirements, Nick. 4 chan's of B format at 24/44 should run ~2gb per hour

[kskreider]

Ken at Porta Brace says they are waiting to make a decision on making a case for these.

Edit to add that Ken says he will try to talk to Edirol at the NAB show in April, but said they usually don't show any desire to support their products as far as a case goes.

[Rick]

as I toy w/the idea of re-joining team Soundfield...this deck was particularly appealing to me for several reasons.  size, battery life, 4chan for B format.
but then I started to think of what 4 chan's of B format at 24/44 would run (4gb per hour) and how large of an SD card I could get....
and my excitement went away.

16gb SDHC card works fine in my R-09's.  The SDHC spec supports up to 32g.  That's 4 hours doable now and 8 down the road @ 4 x 24/44 (or 24/48).

Maybe I'm confused, but isn't 2 channels at 24/44, 1GB/per hour? So 4 Channels would be 2GB/per hour.
A 8 GB card would yield about 4 hours of 4 Channels at 24/44 and about 8 Hours for a 16GB card. I'm I wrong?

Recording Time using 8 GB SDHC card   
16 bit/44.1kHz : 755 minutes (Stereo), 377 minutes (4ch)
16 bit/48kHz : 694 minutes (Stereo), 347 minutes (4ch)
24 bit/48kHz : 462 minutes (Stereo), 231 minutes (4ch)
24 bit/96kHz : 231 minutes (Stereo), 115 minutes (4ch)
24 bit/192kHz : 115 minutes (Stereo)

For the most part 8GB should do the trick and 16GB should be plenty. With the prices dropping so fast on SD cards festivals shouldn't be a problem.

Unless B Format is something else?