Topic: pmd 660 (no mods) offer

[shukenja]

welcome all.

i was given an offer to buy one-month old pmd660 with no mods done on it, added 2gigs of CF cards (dont know what brand are they thogh).

all of it for a nice price of 350$.

i know its a good price, but heres the question:

as a person just starting in field recording, is pmd 660 worth the price, or is it better to get something later for more $ ?

i was thinking about fostex fr2, i know its pro and expensive but i want one since ive seen it advertised. im just unsure - should i get the marantz or should i wait for next year / two and buy a shiny new fostex.

i wont be recording any gigs, i want to start in field, and no linguistics,juzt ambiace recording most of the time.therefore i know all gig-type mods are of no use to me. actually, im not a pristine-sound searcher, i know my newbie ears wouldnt hear a difference in different recordings for a start, but still. im just wondering, should i go for it or wait a bit more. the mic i would get, is, probably akg c900 (cardioid condenser) or rode nt-1a  - maybe that doesnt sound reasonable, but these are the mics i found myself the best-sounding, gathered from samples available on net.

so, thathe main problem, to buy it or wait for something bigger.

any advice would be nice.

best regards.
shukenja.

[Krispy D]

I'll take it if you don't want it!

[shukenja]

haha

well, the question is, really, is it worthy taking for this price. i was doing a few months of research a year ago, tryin to pick up recorder i want to buy. obviously, fostex landed up first, equally with quality and price of it. then, as i remember, marantz and tascam.
now, i havent heard so many bad opinions about pmd660 as about any other. seems like most pro guys dont like it in first issue version. since i dont want to do any mods, im wondering - if its really not good enough.
in other words ive heard not so long ago - i just dont want to get a dearer table top recorder. i want a field recorder, and what i can gather, pmd 660 lacks in here a lot.

BUT

im a newbie. lot to learn, and if you start to drive, you certainly dont get a bmw from beginning.
hence the questions

[saxophoner]

its a good little box for what its doing.  records in 16 bit 44.1k, has phantom 48v power so you can power two condensor mics.  i enjoyed mine thouroughly but i sold it to eclarke so i can finance a DAT and some other junk i prolly should buy .  for $350 its a great price, i sold mine for $450 with rechargable batts, 10ft. stand, and case for it.  sounds like you're getting a great deal.  jump on it.  its a great deck for anyone new, hell im still new and i figured it out no prob, w/o reading directons

[Krispy D]

how is the pre stage on this box?  AD?

Pros cons?

[pmonk66]

its a good little box for what its doing.  records in 16 bit 44.1k, has phantom 48v power so you can power two condensor mics.  i enjoyed mine thouroughly but i sold it to eclarke so i can finance a DAT and some other junk i prolly should buy .  for $350 its a great price, i sold mine for $450 with rechargable batts, 10ft. stand, and case for it.  sounds like you're getting a great deal.  jump on it.  its a great deck for anyone new, hell im still new and i figured it out no prob, w/o reading directons

Plus it has an XLR inputs!

[flintstone]

Buy it, use it, sell it in six months for $350. 

After you have some experience, you'll have a better idea what
you need to attain the results you want from the venues you tape.

Flintstone

[paullySC]

For 16 bit recording you can't really beat the PMD660 w/ Advanced Concert Mod for the money. I can't see myself using anything else for 16 bit and considering it an 'upgrade'. At least not a very noticeable upgrade.

[shukenja]

the guy who was supposed to sell me this baby dones'nt answer my mails anymore. i could put this on friday night, but if i would be selling a piece of equipment like pmd i would be consistent enough even to say "im away for the weekend".
we'll see,

i actually started to consider getting fostex fr2 again. seems like the first option you consider is allways the best one, and most probable to happen...

offer seems to be completed on monday.
pmd 660 with a box and cables / 2gb of CF cards / 350$ inc.shipping overseas.

oh dear...