Topic: Tascam/Teac VR-10 Digital Recorder

[UnknownVT]

Slightly OT -
I don't monitor recordings with the Teac VR-10 (and/or my Tascam DR-07MkII)
- but usually during the break I like to hear what I've recorded -
for sometime I kept forgetting to bring along headphones......

Well those small IEM (In Ear Monitor) earphone are small and compact enough -
but a lot of the inexpensive are pretty poor -

However there are some pretty good sounding ones that are inexpensive -
a good reference is -
Multi-IEM Review - 271 IEMs compared at Head-Fi.org

One of the really outstanding ones is -
Philips SHE3580 IEM review--how can something sound so good for $10???

I now have multiple pairs of the Philips SHE3580 and they are astonishing and every bit as good as the numerous enthusiastic posts
- and at one time they could be found as low as <$6 shipped.

Unfortunately the Philips SHE3580 has recently been discontinued (for its replacement the SHE3590 - although it is said to be the same - feedback seems to suggest the original SHE 3580 may be "better")
there are some places that seem to be selling the SHE3580 at a premium -

I just found them at fleaBay for $6.95 shipped they claim to have more than 10+
and in black, blue, pink, and purple... ie: SHE3580, 3582, 3583, 3584 respectively

NOTE: from the item description -

New other (see details)
“OPEN BOX NEW, ITEM IS LIKE NEW! Original packaging was damaged and removed, item has been resealed in a poly bag. Show below. Item has been tested and sanitized if necessary.”

FWIW - I ordered a pair just before posting this - and according to eBay the item is already marked as shipped with a tracking number - now that is astonishingly fast!

Hope that helps.

[UnknownVT]

Back again with a couple more sample recordings from this cheapo Teac VR-10 using internal mics.

The first I think is quite extraordinary - considering the circumstances
venue was a museum atrium - not exactly known for good acoustics -
in fact it was pretty awful -


Recorder placement was on the table in front of the band - I moved the tip jar forward - so the VR-10 was pointing toward the band unhindered.


Original 24bit 48kHz LPCM converted to 44.1kHz MP3 vbr3 MP3Gain added:

Download 5.04MB

Can still hear the very echo-y room - but I think it does not detract too much.
Listening more carefully I can hear when the vocalist backs off the mic -
then her voice is not as reverb-y -
I think this was more a function of recording her voice more directly - rather than from the pa speakers.

I feel the recording was successful because of the close placement of the recorder/mics which recorded both the pa and a lot directly
so perhaps avoiding the very echo-y room acoustics.....

I am obviously not claiming this to be anywhere near great SQ - but it is extraordinary for the circumstances -
please let me know what you think?

Last night - different venue crowded club -


I think this is relatively successful  because I perched the VR-10 on top of the lighting control box which was just above head height -
notice the main pa speakers up just above that level in the picture.

I liked the performance especially the guitar playing -
but also notice the bass great tone and playing......


Same processing of the file as above:

Download 7.47MB

[UnknownVT]

I know this is now an olde thread.... but I thought I'd share something I recorded -
any and all my recordings can only be regarded as casual and unattended -
this was the Teac VR-10 off the internal mics
set on a counter across the room from the band in the corner of the room....

Recorder was behind where this shot was taken:


Original 24bit 48kHz LPCM converted to 44.1kHz MP3 vbr3 MP3Gain added

Download (12.11MB)

Enjoy!

[LikeASong]

Sooooooooooo I bought one of this things (the Tascam, not the VR - so more expensive being the same device - the VR just seemed to be nowhere available in Spain) a few months ago and I am VEERRYYY happy with the results. it's smaller than my smartphone and works a treat. Both with internal mics and with any external mix i've thrown at it (CA14s+UBB, AT943's+SPSB3 bbox, CAFS+UBB, and all of those mics just with plug in power), it works a treat!!! Best piece of gear I've ever bought for 60€.

[UnknownVT]

Sooooooooooo I bought one of this things (the Tascam, not the VR - so more expensive being the same device - the VR just seemed to be nowhere available in Spain) a few months ago and I am VEERRYYY happy with the results. it's smaller than my smartphone and works a treat. Both with internal mics and with any external mix i've thrown at it (CA14s+UBB, AT943's+SPSB3 bbox, CAFS+UBB, and all of those mics just with plug in power), it works a treat!!! Best piece of gear I've ever bought for 60€.

Cool!

Do you mean the Tascam PR-10?


Through your earlier encouragement I am using my Teac VR-10 at almost every gig -
more than my "better" Tascam DR-07 mkII
Just because of the tiny size and portability.

It's an amazing recorder for the size and price.

[LikeASong]

Nope, a Tascam DR-08:




I'm using it in less taper-friendly enviroments than you I'm afraid (aka bigger venues -arenas and even stadiums from far away- with less than optimal placement) but still I'm very happy with the results I'm getting. I've also used it as a backup recorder (the main rig being a pair of mics > bb > Roland R-05) and the recordings ended up being almost as good as the main one, so I can say I am happy, happy, happy with this purchase. I highly encourage everyone to get one, if only for the small price and size. You won't be disappointed!!

[UnknownVT]

Nope, a Tascam DR-08:

I'm using it in less taper-friendly enviroments than you I'm afraid (aka bigger venues -arenas and even stadiums from far away- with less than optimal placement) but still I'm very happy with the results I'm getting. I've also used it as a backup recorder (the main rig being a pair of mics > bb > Roland R-05) and the recordings ended up being almost as good as the main one, so I can say I am happy, happy, happy with this purchase. I highly encourage everyone to get one, if only for the small price and size. You won't be disappointed!!

Excellent - I considered the Teac VR-20

because I thought I liked the versatility of the rabbit ears microphone configuration
(which is BTW why I bought the Tascam DR-07mkII)

But as it was I am glad I got what I got because I have versatility of the mics on the DR-07mkII, and the smaller less fragile portability of the Teac VR-10.

Glad you like the Tascam DR-08

EDIT to ADD -

Only just noticed - the Tascam DR-08 can record at 96kHz vs. 48kHz of the Teac VR-10 or 20.
Is the 96kHz ability a real practical or just a theoretical advantage?

[LikeASong]

The "rabbit mics" has saved some of my recordings where I had to tie the recorder somewhere not stage-oriented. Then I swapped one of the mics so it was facing the PA and... vòila! A good recording. Of course the channel that didn't face the PA sounds a bit muffled, but some post proccessing took care of that no prob.


Regarding your last question......... Well, there's a looooot of discussion regarding 44/48/96 kHz and everyone seems to be right while telling that everyone else is wrong. I am not an audiophile and I convert my recordings to MP3 a lot of times (saving the originals of course) just for convenience - therefore I don't care. I use to record at 44 kHz and 16 bits (sometimes 24), but others will tell you that 48/24 is the way to go, others that 96/16, etc etc. Never ending debate. You can read further in some of this topics:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=94980.0
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=163073.msg2045130#msg2045130
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=157049.msg1981989#msg1981989

(You can find plenty more with the search function. As I said it's a recurrent debate )

[UnknownVT]

Regarding your last question......... Well, there's a looooot of discussion regarding 44/48/96 kHz and everyone seems to be right while telling that everyone else is wrong. I am not an audiophile and I convert my recordings to MP3 a lot of times (saving the originals of course) just for convenience - therefore I don't care. I use to record at 44 kHz and 16 bits (sometimes 24), but others will tell you that 48/24 is the way to go, others that 96/16, etc etc. Never ending debate.

Thanks for the comments - I have recorded where the VR-10 was not in front facing the stage -
from the side (eg: Download 6.28MB)
and once when I found someone had moved my VR-10 and had it sideways to the stage - I tried to hear when that occurred, but could not find it.....
I think it might be because the mics on the VR-10 are omnidirectional? 
But I am (pleasantly) surprised by the sound stage.

I did a lot of (re)searching here on TapersSection before I bought my VR-10 and followed the advice to record at 24/48 -
I also convert them to flac8 (still 24/48) to archive -
but convert to MP3 vb3 (16/44.1) for home listening
(vbr6 for portable mp3 players)

[LikeASong]

1) I would be so PISSED if I found that someone had been messing with my recording gear, the gear I adore and I have fought and paid big money to get.

2) I'm surprised that you can't hear the difference in the recording, even with omnidirectional mics there's a noticeable difference if they're directly facing or not the PA. What distance from the spearkers was the recording at?

[UnknownVT]

1) I would be so PISSED if I found that someone had been messing with my recording gear, the gear I adore and I have fought and paid big money to get.

2) I'm surprised that you can't hear the difference in the recording, even with omnidirectional mics there's a noticeable difference if they're directly facing or not the PA. What distance from the spearkers was the recording at?

I agree I was shocked and miffed when I found my VR-10 sideways -
it was the recording I posted in « Reply #61 on: March 03, 2013, 03:45:06 PM » (Download 7.47MB)
probably not the tune where the VR-10 was moved.

The position was about 4 ft behind where I took this shot:

at just about top of the head height - it was on the top of a light control box set on a wide pillar.

I may well have missed the turn or perhaps I was just lucky that it was moved only at the end....
and that it wasn't stolen.

Of course - I am at gigs mainly to photograph
that's why my recordings are "casual" and why they are unattended
but staying pissed doesn't help any or remedy anything......

Thanks

[LikeASong]

Yeah, I would have been worried for it to get stolen - although it's such a cheap piece of gear that you can easily replace it The sound ain't bad at all, not the best recording made with this recorder, but still very nice for a casual recording.

[UnknownVT]

Yeah, I would have been worried for it to get stolen - although it's such a cheap piece of gear that you can easily replace it The sound ain't bad at all, not the best recording made with this recorder, but still very nice for a casual recording.

Being stolen is always a possibility, for the way I record unattended -
but the rewards far outweigh any anxiety -
and I learnt to just stop worrying about it -
of course, I still glance over at where I left my VR-10......

Anyway another recording from that same venue above from the same position - Saturday
the volume was loud enough, so record level "0" was almost perfect (almost 0 Replay Gain when converting with Flac FrontEnd)

Download (20.93MB)

[UnknownVT]

Recording from Saturday Sept/28/2013 turned out better than my already optimistic expectations
- it was an all acoustic set tribute to Dave Brubeck in a church.


can just see the Teac VR-10 through back gap on the third from left seat.

Download folder

VR-10 24bit 48kHz >Flac8 >vbr3 with resample to 44.1kHz +MP3Gain

[LikeASong]

Holy shit, that sounds nifty 

Amazing Blue Rondo by the way, what an amazing piece it is.


EVERYONE should visit this thread and listen to some of that recordings, it would help a lot to change the general assumption that internal mics are always, invariably, shit.