Topic: Roland R-05 (announced at Musikmesse)

[willndmb]

For comparison purposes

Edirol R09
Mic input: -33 dBu (Default input level)
Line input: 0 dBu (Default input level)

Edirol R09HR
Mic input: -33 dBu (Default input level)
Line input: 2 dBu (Default input level)

Roland R-05
Mic input: -33 dBu (MIC GAIN is H, Default input level)
Mic input: -15 dBu (MIC GAIN is L, Default input level)
Line input: -7 dBu (Default input level)

Tascam DR-1
Mic input:  -64 dBV (GAIN set to HIGH)
Mic input: -48 dBV (GAIN set to LOW)
Line input: -10 dBV (Default input level)

Tascam DR-2d
Mic input:  -64 dBV (GAIN set to HIGH)
Mic input: -48 dBV (GAIN set to LOW)
Line input: -10 dBV (Default input level)



IMPEDANCE:

Edirol R09
Mic input: 20 k ohms
Line input: 17 k ohms

Edirol R09HR
Mic input: 30 k ohms
Line input: 15 k ohms

Roland R-05
Mic input (MIC GAIN is H): 7k ohms
Mic input (MIC GAIN is L): 5k ohms
Line input: 8 k ohms


Tascam DR-1
Mic Input: 30 kΩ
Line input: 23 kΩ

Tascam DR-2d
Mic Input: 25 k
Line input: 22 k

whats best the numbers don't really mean anything to me

[sunjan]

It seems that the initial street price for R-05 is landing at around $249:
http://www.google.com/products?q=roland+r-05

The price point puzzles me a bit.
Apart from different ergonomics and not being able to take a hot line in signal, is there anything major that sets the R-05 apart from the R-09HR?
Since the R-09HR sells for $249-$269 these days, I reckon most serious tapers would still pay $20 extra to get that extra headroom for line in.
Unless there's any selling point that I have missed (like more quiet gain when going mic in, for stealth rig without external pre)?

[deadhoarse]

Quick observations:

1)  Moved Mic-In/Line-In connections up Top
2)  Hold button is on the Side, instead of the Back
3)  Input adjust buttons are now on the Face
4)  Improved battery door?
5)  Bigger screen?

More or less, a complete ergonomic redesign.  I like it. I bet it sounds exactly like the HR.

Very interested in this. The mic/line location, hold button, and input adjust locations were all odd decisions in my opinion on the R-09HR. The rubbery body as well...it made the R-09HR hard to slip in and out of tighter pockets.

[flintstone]

The initial advertised price means little, since the recorder won't be available for several more weeks.  And prices will be high for the first month or two after introduction.  Then the discounting will start.

The street price of the R-09HR today is 65% of its MSRP.  Starting from an MSRP of $299, the street price of the R-05 will fall to $195 or thereabouts by the end of Summer.

Flintstone

[guysonic]

At this point, suggest considering the new R-05 not as an upgrade to seemingly more capable R-09HR, but as another model choice likely suiting different recordist (musicians?) feature requirements. 

Because of the apparent difference in analog input, R-05 might not work (without overload/noise/lack of sufficient mic power) if substituted for R-09HR configurations. 

As mentioned before, would be interesting and informative for TS members to put this newest model through tests like I've done for the R-09HR shown in the tech review at: www.sonicstudios.com/r09hrrev.htm

I'm open for a ship paid loan of this deck for doing such tests whenever available in USA.

[yawnfactory]

overall sounds like a good unit.  the biggest concern is the mic in jack. ive had to send 1 of my r9's off 3x and the other 1 at least once. gotta have back up gear!

now all i will need are some great new sound pro mics/battery box to go with this unit.

[listener2]

I just ordered one of these R-05 recorders.  It seems to me aimed to compete with the Sony M10.  Looks like it is similar in build, size, battery life and screen and features for the most part.
The lower input impedance on the R-05 compared to the Edirol R-09 and R-09HR seems to indicate that there is a chance that this R-05 will have lower preamp self noise.  Usually the higher the input impedance it is, the more noisey an input stage can be...  but only time will tell when I get it in my hands to compare with my Sony M10 and D50 units.

As for the price difference being lower now than the R-09HR, I was wondering about that too.  But I see from the advertisements that this R-05 comes without an AC/DC power adapter and it does not have a wireless remote control feature that the R-09HR unit comes with.  That might explain the price diff?  Just guessing but seems logical. 
I sort of like the idea of having a wireless remote control capability, but it makes me wonder why they went with a wireless RF remote.... because wouldn't that RF oscillator and signals cause extra noise interference in the recording circuits being so dang enclosed in the small case?  Hmmmm, I wonder.  No one seems to have ever commented on this aspect so I don't know about it.

[Korso]

To me, it looks like they took the best of the R09 and the R09HR and created the the R05.  The top of the R05, specifically the mics & inputs,  looks eerily similar to the R09. 

That said, it also claims to have the same IARC technology and 24/96 recording ability of the HR.  Soooo......

They discarded the wireless remote. It lacks a remote period. :-/

[flintstone]

Looks like the going price for the R-05 is $250.  The R-09HR is available for $265 from reputable dealers.  Is the R-09HR worth the extra $15?  I think so.

In the future, retailers will start to offer a steeper discount for the R-05.  I expect it will cost less than $200 after a few months.  Right now, however, the R-09HR looks like a better value.

[jamroom]

With regard to some of the figures quoted, can anyone please advise of any differences I might notice in using the R05 with my CA11s and CA9100 pre, versus my old R09? I always go line-in and usually record loud rock in small venues. Due to my taping method, the R09 is set to unity and lock the buttons. I then adjust the volume on the pre to get the right levels. Any advice will be appreciated.

Edirol R09
Mic input: -33 dBu (Default input level)
Line input: 0 dBu (Default input level)

Roland R-05
Mic input: -33 dBu (MIC GAIN is H, Default input level)
Mic input: -15 dBu (MIC GAIN is L, Default input level)
Line input: -7 dBu (Default input level)

Edirol R09
Mic input: 20 k ohms
Line input: 17 k ohms

Roland R-05
Mic input (MIC GAIN is H): 7k ohms
Mic input (MIC GAIN is L): 5k ohms
Line input: 8 k ohms

[jamroom]

Bump.

Anyone?

[sunjan]

Looks like the going price for the R-05 is $250.  The R-09HR is available for $265 from reputable dealers.  Is the R-09HR worth the extra $15?  I think so.

Funny, the price gap is so much wider in EU. R-05 retails for €182, while R-09HR is still €272 (and M10 even steeper at €289).
New tapers in EU facing this choice would find it hard to justify paying €100 more for a similar feature set, and might opt for the R-05. Perhaps that will generate a few new users here at TS?

[deadwing]

Funny, the price gap is so much wider in EU. R-05 retails for €182, while R-09HR is still €272 (and M10 even steeper at €289).
New tapers in EU facing this choice would find it hard to justify paying €100 more for a similar feature set, and might opt for the R-05. Perhaps that will generate a few new users here at TS?

Yep, here's one!!!
I paid £160 for the R-05 a couple of weeks ago- which puts it into the same area as the H2 I was replacing. Loving it so far, especially the battery life.. and the 'power saver' mode that turn out the glowing red record button

My only complaint is that once you put the recording lock on it goes 'dark' so checking levels can be a ball ache requiring the unit to be unlocked. I'm paranoid about doing that as the lock is on the same switch as the power on/off - you push it one way to switch on or off, the other other way to lock it and I'm sure I'll just push the switch a little too hard and it will go pass the centre position and switch the power off. I've asked Roland if they could make it so that while you can't alter anything with the lock on, the display backlight at least comes on (It did on the H2 and I'm pretty sure it's the same on the Edirol??)

[it-goes-to-eleven]

I'm paranoid about doing that as the lock is on the same switch as the power on/off - you push it one way to switch on or off, the other other way to lock it and I'm sure I'll just push the switch a little too hard and it will go pass the centre position and switch the power off.

Sony did something similar with the m10... They probably saved less than a dollar by not putting it on a separate switch.  It is cost-cutting gone too far.

[flintstone]

The Avisoft web site now has preamp test results for the R-05.  The results show the self-noise of the R-05 to be somewhat quieter than the R-09HR when the record gain is close to maximum.  http://www.avisoft.com/recordertests.htm