Topic: Modern all-in-one recorder help

[Brian Skalinder]

Hi All — Long time no see!

My old Fostex FR-2LE finally bit the dust and I'm in need of a new 2-4 channel recorder.  I have about a week to get one in-hand before my next recording and I have no clue about the current landscape of recorder options.  What better place to take advantage of the hive mind and identify a good replacement recorder?

Looking for something that roughly satisfies the following:

• ~$500-ish, but not set in stone.
• 2-4 channels of 48v phantom power (though I'm not opposed to more channels)
• Min of 24-bit / 48 hz (I assume everything these days will do this)
  
• Low noise analog components / internal preamps / ADC at high-ish gain.  I record a bunch of unamplified choral music and while the ambient noise floor relative to source sound isn't particularly low in the field — even with dead quiet audiences (e.g. HVAC) — I'd rather not add to it unnecessarily with noisy analog circuitry
• Internal / onboard battery power of minumum 3 hours actual with 2-ch P48 / 10 ma draw
• Ideally a plug for an external DC power source
• Seamless WAV splitting
• Non-proprietary media, e.g. SD
• Non-proprietary file format, e.g. WAV / BWF (I assume everything is WAV / BWF?)
• While not critical at all, I'd prefer to NOT have built-in X/Y mics sticking off the side / end (what a waste of space)

That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

These days I record mostly choral and organ music, with the occasional amplified bluegrass mixed in.  I anticipate getting back to louder amplified shows at some point in the next ~6 years (when the kiddo starts driving himself around).

[breakonthru]

welcome back!

certainly many users who could help a bit if you take the time to search and post in threads that are more topical to that which you seek

[AbbyTaper]

WOW!  Looks like your first post in over 5 years.

[voltronic]

Zoom F3 is the only thing I can recommend in your price range. If you can stretch your budget a bit, I would recommend an F6 instead.

Both options will require external power, however. I would not trust the internal batteries to get you 3 hours powering two mics with either recorder. If you get the F6, My recommendation is to use Sony L-mount style batteries that attach to the back.

One caveat with Zoom products that I recently discovered: they will not repair anything. My F6 suffered a short fall and two of the inputs were damaged. I had to spend $300 to replace the whole thing.

The other option I'd recommend is look for a used Sound Devices 702T or 744T, both of which could be had used around your price range. These are tanks and will last a very long time, and the company will repair them. I recently got a 788T-SSD and have been very happy with it.

[rocksuitcase]

I own and might recommend the Tascam DR-680d. The downside for your specs above would be the mic preamps themselves in terms of the noise floor. I have zero issues running them without an external pre-amp, BUT, if I have my way I typically use externals before the 680. Others, and some on here, have claimed the noise floor is poor with the stock pres. You could always ask OADE's what they think and/or have on hand to sell you. That is where I bought my Marantz PMD-661 from. ( I am not rec'ing the Marantz as Dsatz gave a scathingly bad review regarding its' preamps, however, it does have the XLR and no internal mics stocking out feature you mention)