Topic: M-Audio Microtrack

[SClassical]

That's why I don't understand why people waste money and time changing the internal battery when it dies anyway. Since it will never be reliable and you have to keep on paying to change it. Might as well use external rechargeable AAs...Less worries and more economical.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

External battery packs rule.  Almost everyone uses one or another with almost all gear here.

Important exception: R09 with AA's. The pair of internals last a Long time and cheap rechargables work great.  But I just about always run an external with my MT to 'save' the built in LiON for when it is really needed.

If you're seeing shows where crotching gear is necessary to get in, running an external battery is a burden. And especially in those situations, external power cords reduce the reliability of your rig over the long haul (though not so bad if you can fallback on an internal).

Whether the MT is right for you really depends on how you'll be using it. There are not many alternatives if you're looking for a handheld 24-bit bucket.  Otherwise I'd go with the r09.

[dallman]

             The supplied mic is, as you'd no-doubt expect, useless for pretty much any music purposes.

I disagree on that . I have some very good mics and I am not a novice, but I have made some excellent quality stealth recordings using the supplied T mic. It is surprisingly good. I have taken some bass out in post, but I have a pre-set for doing that as my battery box that sits atop the MT does not have bass roll off.

[king_rhoton]

I have some very good mics and I am not a novice, but I have made some excellent quality stealth recordings using the supplied T mic. It is surprisingly good. I have taken some bass out in post, but I have a pre-set for doing that as my battery box that sits atop the MT does not have bass roll off.

Hmmm.  Maybe I'll have to try again.  The only times I've tried using the supplied mic, it picked up all kinds of undesirable noises (including creaks from the MicroTrack itself when plugging the mic directly into the recorder rather than using an extension cable).  Given how hot it seemed, I couldn't believe it wouldn't clip for any real volumes.  It looks more like a dictaphone accessory.

[king_rhoton]

Oh, and I should also point out another (admittedly minor) plus of the MicroTrack.  Evidently the sampling clock on-board is very good.  I videotape concerts as a hobby (http://king.dyndns.org/DVDs.html), and when I want to sync the MicroTrack audio to the video I've shot, it's only (and reliably) off by 1 video frame every 15 minutes; this consistency makes synchronizing so much easier.  This is MUCH better than what a friend gives me from a Zoom H4.

[willndmb]

Oh, and I should also point out another (admittedly minor) plus of the MicroTrack.  Evidently the sampling clock on-board is very good.  I videotape concerts as a hobby (http://king.dyndns.org/DVDs.html), and when I want to sync the MicroTrack audio to the video I've shot, it's only (and reliably) off by 1 video frame every 15 minutes; this consistency makes synchronizing so much easier.  This is MUCH better than what a friend gives me from a Zoom H4.

what kind of camera do you have?
how di you find out its  1 fram every 15 mins, just trial and error?

[king_rhoton]

what kind of camera do you have?
how di you find out its  1 frame every 15 mins, just trial and error?

I've shot with a variety (and combination) of cameras--DCR-PC100, DCR-HC90, HDR-HC1, and even a PDW530.  My current set is 2 HDR-FX1s and 1 HDR-FX7.  They're all able to stay in-sync with each other down to the frame for 2+ hours at a time during free-run.  I've yet to find an audio source that's that accurate, but I have high hopes for the 744T that's coming tomorrow!

And yes, I found 1frame/15min by syncing to a drum beat on the video's soundtrack.  I'm not saying that's a perfect scaling factor, but it's still quite good after 3+ hours, and that's good enough for me.

Oh, and needless to say, this is all open video/taping with the band's knowledge and venue's permission.  Three cameras don't exactly go unnoticed, especially once the tripods come out!

[geordy]

Oh, and I should also point out another (admittedly minor) plus of the MicroTrack.  Evidently the sampling clock on-board is very good.

Good point.  If I'm doing video, I make sure and use the MT with the audio source that I want to sync up after the fact.  Never had a problem with it getting out of sync. 

[dallman]

I have some very good mics and I am not a novice, but I have made some excellent quality stealth recordings using the supplied T mic. It is surprisingly good. I have taken some bass out in post, but I have a pre-set for doing that as my battery box that sits atop the MT does not have bass roll off.

Hmmm.  Maybe I'll have to try again.  The only times I've tried using the supplied mic, it picked up all kinds of undesirable noises (including creaks from the MicroTrack itself when plugging the mic directly into the recorder rather than using an extension cable).  Given how hot it seemed, I couldn't believe it wouldn't clip for any real volumes.  It looks more like a dictaphone accessory.

I think it helps a great deal that the battery box goes through the 1/4TRS jacks. So the supplied t-mic is plugged into the 1/8 jack on the battery box, but the battery box is pligged into the 1/4 TRS jacks which are less sensitive. I also use an angle connector between the t-mic and the battery box, so that way I can swivel the mic forward. It is probably hard to picture, but if I can find some time, I'll shoot a photo of it. Tha battery box comes from Sound Professionals, and it takes up very little room, but makes the unit perform much better.

[king_rhoton]

I think it helps a great deal that the battery box goes through the 1/4TRS jacks. So the supplied t-mic is plugged into the 1/8 jack on the battery box, but the battery box is pligged into the 1/4 TRS jacks which are less sensitive. I also use an angle connector between the t-mic and the battery box, so that way I can swivel the mic forward. It is probably hard to picture, but if I can find some time, I'll shoot a photo of it. Tha battery box comes from Sound Professionals, and it takes up very little room, but makes the unit perform much better.

That's an interesting unit--I'd not seen it before.  Out of curiosity, it claims it uses a 12V battery.  What kind, and is it rechargeable?  Can it be powered externally (by the same box I'd use to power the Microtrack?  It's a shame it doesn't run off phantom power (since it's connecting to 1/4" anyway).

[dallman]

I think it helps a great deal that the battery box goes through the 1/4TRS jacks. So the supplied t-mic is plugged into the 1/8 jack on the battery box, but the battery box is pligged into the 1/4 TRS jacks which are less sensitive. I also use an angle connector between the t-mic and the battery box, so that way I can swivel the mic forward. It is probably hard to picture, but if I can find some time, I'll shoot a photo of it. Tha battery box comes from Sound Professionals, and it takes up very little room, but makes the unit perform much better.

That's an interesting unit--I'd not seen it before.  Out of curiosity, it claims it uses a 12V battery.  What kind, and is it rechargeable?  Can it be powered externally (by the same box I'd use to power the Microtrack?  It's a shame it doesn't run off phantom power (since it's connecting to 1/4" anyway).

The need for a battery was for me the biggest reason to hesitate. I have yet to open the unit to replace it, but I believe it is a button type of battery. I have used it for well over a year and many shows and it is fine, but like smoke alarms, maybe I should change it every year or so on a specific date. I was assured it would last for 50-60 shows, and I am well on my way. I have an older more traditional SP battery box too that I used for a long time, and that takes a 9v battery, and with that one too, I was able to go years without needing to replace it. I guess the power draw is very low and must only take place while actual recording is going on.

If anyone knows more about this topic, I'd love for them to chime in. I am always wondering what is the best way to conserve battery power on the battery box, as they do not have any type of indicator to help me know. I have never had a failure, but still, knowledge is power...

[Jimna]

so not see stupid but.... as far as the seemless files go, as long as you can stop every 1:50 or so to save that file your ok?  and if so how long does it take to save and start a new file?  could it be done quickly between songs?  just wondering about my options down this avenue....

thanks again for the insight.

[coloartist]

so not see stupid but.... as far as the seemless files go, as long as you can stop every 1:50 or so to save that file your ok?  and if so how long does it take to save and start a new file?  could it be done quickly between songs?  just wondering about my options down this avenue....

thanks again for the insight.

1:55 at 24/48. It seems to take about 5 seconds to save and start a file.

[BC]

so not see stupid but.... as far as the seemless files go, as long as you can stop every 1:50 or so to save that file your ok? 

yep

[Jimna]

so not see stupid but.... as far as the seemless files go, as long as you can stop every 1:50 or so to save that file your ok? 

yep

so not see stupid but.... as far as the seemless files go, as long as you can stop every 1:50 or so to save that file your ok?  and if so how long does it take to save and start a new file?  could it be done quickly between songs?  just wondering about my options down this avenue....

thanks again for the insight.

1:55 at 24/48. It seems to take about 5 seconds to save and start a file.

thanks for the clarity