Topic: Record 4 tracks real mobile

[Gauner]

Hallo everybody!

I've been looking for a device, similar to Zoom H2, which can record 4 tracks simultanously. The H2 does that only with his internal mics, I need 2 tracks from Line In and 2 tracks from the internal Mics.
Anybody has a hint (Please, no R44 or something. I want something real small, as I said: like Zoom H2)? The SONOSAX MINIR82 is fine, of course, but I can't spend more than few hundred EUR.
Any more ideas?

Actually, since I have almost given up, now I think about putting up 2 stereo devices.
BUT:
What about the timing? Has anybody experience with such a setup?
2 different device have probably a different timing. This I can correct in editing, if it is constant.
But what about the speed droop? What if the speed goes slightly up and down? This cannot really be corrected afterwards. (I am speaking about recording of about 100 minutes length)
Do these devices (Zoom H2, H4, Yamaha Pocketrak 2G, etc.) have a remarkable speed droop? (Attention: Remarkable in a 100 minutes recording is from about 0,0001% upwards!)

Thanks for any input!

[Ozpeter]

Speed tends to be pretty constant in digital devices, and although two different devices will almost certainly drift apart, you should be able to fix this pretty easily in your DAW software afterwards (Reaper springs to mind).  Two identical devices will be more likely to stay together as they should have the same clock chip.  I've used multiple hi-MD recorders in the past with more success than I expected.

[boojum]

Drift is a problem even between high quality recorders of the same make and model.  If you cannot link time code between the two yuo will have to fiddle with it in post.  I have seen some talk of using digital outs and re-reading them or something like that, but you will have to search that one out.

Good luck.  One four track recorder makes it a lot easier, though.

[sunjan]

The H2 does that only with his internal mics, I need 2 tracks from Line In and 2 tracks from the internal Mics.
Anybody has a hint (Please, no R44 or something. I want something real small, as I said: like Zoom H2)? The SONOSAX MINIR82 is fine, of course, but I can't spend more than few hundred EUR.

I don't know what really small is in your books, but you could assemble a 4-track lappy taping device with an Asus Eee + external soundcard. It'll be smaller/cheaper than an R44 at least...

Do these devices (Zoom H2, H4, Yamaha Pocketrak 2G, etc.) have a remarkable speed droop?

If you're planning to buy two Pocketrak 2G, you should consider the fact that you can get a R44 for almost the same price:
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270321256215

Lappy/R44 will also be able to tape 24bit, which is another big selling point over at least the Pocketrak.