Topic: EDIROL R-44 (PART IV)

[kirk97132]

Question about the "Limiter Link" function.  The manual isn't very clear on this.  In circumstances when I'm running 2 mic + board feed, I would like to use the limiter on the board feed when its hot but not on the mics.  The "link" command only seems to link together two channels for the limiter rather than "turn off" the limiter for channel where you don't want it used.  Or am I misreading this?

Limiter is an on or off setting with control as to how it is set up on the 4 channels.  You cannot have it only work on two channels. It is all 4 or nothing.   You can only select how you would like the limiter to act on the 4 channels. 

I've never used the limiter, has anyone else?  wondering how it sounds when engaged. 

[danlynch]

Question about the "Limiter Link" function.  The manual isn't very clear on this.  In circumstances when I'm running 2 mic + board feed, I would like to use the limiter on the board feed when its hot but not on the mics.  The "link" command only seems to link together two channels for the limiter rather than "turn off" the limiter for channel where you don't want it used.  Or am I misreading this?

Limiter is an on or off setting with control as to how it is set up on the 4 channels.  You cannot have it only work on two channels. It is all 4 or nothing.   You can only select how you would like the limiter to act on the 4 channels. 

I've never used the limiter, has anyone else?  wondering how it sounds when engaged.

That was kind of what I feared.  I have been forced to use it on occasion when getting a very hot soundboard feed and I'm not in a position to lower the levels of the feed.  Its a hard limiter from what I understand so there are definitely compression issues, but they certainly beat brickwalling.

[kirk97132]

Question about the "Limiter Link" function.  The manual isn't very clear on this.  In circumstances when I'm running 2 mic + board feed, I would like to use the limiter on the board feed when its hot but not on the mics.  The "link" command only seems to link together two channels for the limiter rather than "turn off" the limiter for channel where you don't want it used.  Or am I misreading this?

Limiter is an on or off setting with control as to how it is set up on the 4 channels.  You cannot have it only work on two channels. It is all 4 or nothing.   You can only select how you would like the limiter to act on the 4 channels. 

I've never used the limiter, has anyone else?  wondering how it sounds when engaged.

That was kind of what I feared.  I have been forced to use it on occasion when getting a very hot soundboard feed and I'm not in a position to lower the levels of the feed.  Its a hard limiter from what I understand so there are definitely compression issues, but they certainly beat brickwalling.

Fwiw I'd go ahead and use the outer ring and live with the tiny drop out it creates.  I don't think you'll notice it in a matrix situation.  The other thing I've found is that I almost always run with the outer gain setting turned all the way down and only use the inner knob if needed.  Even if the levels are a little low since it's 24bit I just add gain in post.  I also think that there was a detailed discussion on the limiter in the Team R-44 thread a while ago.   If I recall the consensus was to run levels lower and add gain in post, I think that it is more like a pad as opposed to a true limiter.  I might not be remembering it correctly, you would have to find the thread.  Hope that helps, Kirk

[Gutbucket]

Limiter is an on or off setting with control as to how it is set up on the 4 channels.  You cannot have it only work on two channels. It is all 4 or nothing.   You can only select how you would like the limiter to act on the 4 channels. 

I've never used the limiter, has anyone else?  wondering how it sounds when engaged.

Oops, my bad- I was thinking the compressor setting (which can be engaged on a per channel basis), not the top pannel engaged limiter (engaged on all channels or none, as kirkd mentions).  I've turned both on and off to see how they work, but have never recorded with either one.

One possible work around is engaguing the limiter and using the digital input for the two channels you don't want limited. The manual doesn't go into it, so you'd need to check what 's going on in that case, but I doubt the limiter acts on the digital SPID input.  The manual states that the limiter and low-cut are bypassed when selecting the internal mics, but says nothing about the digital inputs.

[powermonkey]

Hey guys.

Couple of questions about my neat new R44, if you'd be so kind.

1) Has anyone had any issues running whilst plugged into the mains? Got a gig coming up soon where I should be able to get power and haven't had a chance to sort out a DVD battery and cables and whatnot yet.

2) Should I be looking for any particular 'class' of SDHC card? Thought I'd check before shelling out £100+ for a 32gig.

Thanks guys.

[DSatz]

powermonkey, I can tell you that I've tested my R-44 with AC (mains) versus batteries and could detect no difference in hum level by ear, though I didn't measure it.

Also I tried disconnecting and reconnecting the AC power supply while the unit was set to playback, and could hear no disturbance in the output either way. Haven't tried that while recording.

--best regards

Edited later to add: Since writing the above message I have also tested the failover to internal batteries while recording four channels. It worked perfectly.

Also, the changeover between external and internal batteries seems to be fairly "smart" since if you plug in an external supply cable with no battery attached, the unit keeps running on its internal batteries. Many other recorders would have stopped working the moment I plugged anything into the external power socket (whether powered or not), so I consider this is a real plus.

[DSatz]

Odd note: I assumed this would be a no-brainer, but perhaps not. I wrote to Edirol tech support asking whether there would be any problem using an external 48-Volt phantom power supply (to save on battery consumption) if the supply was the kind that passes the DC along to its outputs. To my surprise this question had to be sent on to "the engineers in Japan" who replied that this had not been tested and was NOT recommended.

Now, I don't have a schematic and have never taken my R-44 apart, but in general the input circuit of any phantom-powered device will have transformers or (these days, more likely) coupling capacitors with a sufficient voltage rating to block the unit's own 48 Volts from entering the active circuitry. So I asked the gentleman at Edirol about that--but all he said in return was, "I am going to have to defer to our team in Japan on this one. While it may may seem the circuitry won't be damaged, they cannot assure us it will be safe, and they recommend against such use."

For what it's worth.

[BayTaynt3d]

Regarding the limiter, it's pretty much useless. This has been beat to death in other threads, but the way it limits is just stupid (and I say this as someone who loves his R44 BTW). Basically, you can still brick the preamp because it's not a true analog brick wall limiter, so you pretty much can get the same added (psuedo-added that is) headroom by turning down the gain by 10 db or something like that (2 clicks for 12 db), and I feel like you're better off doing that because then at least you'll know you're bricking. Also, don't forget to watch the channel indicator itself, it'll invert color if the pre is bricking (e.g., if you've turned an inner gain knbow down, you can look like you have headroom via the clipping indicator while you are actually clipping the pre as shown by the inverting channel indicator).

[Nick's Picks]

limiter schmittiter.  who needs it for a rock band ?
acoustic, ensamble of wind or full orchestra....I could see it.
but its a 24bit deck.  just run the gain low and adjust in post, you'll be fine.

actually, I tried and really liked the emphasis effect while recording.  you can activate it on playback to, so record raw, listen raw, then listen w/emphasis.  Only problem is you cant add it in post that I knw of

[justink]

hey guys!  i haven't been around here in a while but i've been catching up.

i recently closed a deal with OFOTD for a pair of DPA 4021's, been wanting to own my own for a long time.   

i don't have them in hand yet, but i've run 4023's > Bm2p+ UA-5 (analog out) > R-09 a few times and like the sound.  but i'm really wanting to move toward an all-in-one box because i've had chain problems before and hate troubleshooting while the band is playing (less cables is better) and really want to work with 4 channels... 

so, that brings me to this thread.  i don't have the budget for a 744, but the R-44 looks about right budget wise.

i'm going to back read a bit, but i wanted to throw some questions out there if you don't mind.

1.) i run the ua-5 on one of those silver dvd batteries, will/how long will that run a R-44?

2.) say i wanted to run 4 mics or aud/sbd; will the four channels drift much?

3.) mod options:  busman?  oade (concert/super)?  i know tastes vary, but what's the best explaination for difference in sound?  any comps handy?

4.) thoughts on the DPA's paired with a modded R-44?  any other options?

i'm not really in a hurry to buy unless a good deal comes along, but i like to do as much homework as possible.  again, sorry to ask, because i'm sure this has all been discussed before.  i fully intend to back read, but that's a lot of pages   

[cybergaloot]

No drift between channels. I'm pretty sure you can use the same DVD battery too, mine outputs 9v. I can run 4-channel all night at a club show (3-4 hours) on one battery but I usually use two in parallel just for insurance. I ran all day at the Wanee fest on two in parallel with no hint of running out of juice but I was only using two channels at that fest.

[justink]

No drift between channels.

sweet.  +1 for you and the R-44

[Ozpeter]

Note that if you have internal batteries in the R-44, you can "hot swap" external batteries without losing any recording.

[skotdee]

Silly question, or at least it seems that way to me:

Is running two mono channels and panning 100% left & right accordingly in the post, essentially the same as stereo x 1?

[Ozpeter]

Yes.