Author Topic: DR-100 experience? (Read 14432 times)

yossi3080 · « **on:** July 23, 2009, 11:12:34 AM »

Hey all,
Long time since I posted. Thinking about getting the Tascam DR-100, but wondering if anyone has had experience with it. Specifically, I'm currently using KM184s>UA-5 (preamp)>Analog out>Zoom H2. I'd only want to get the DR-100 if it meant I could basically get rid of the UA-5, and use the input on the DR-100. Basically trying to shrink the amount of gear I am using. Anyone try this with KM184 or similar mics?

Respond here or PM...
Yossi

yossi3080 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 28, 2009, 05:19:54 PM »

Really, nobody's tried it? Argh...

sunjan · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2009, 03:42:10 AM »

Paging daspyknows from SF: http://taperssection.com/index.php?action=profile;u=21104

Besides daspy, there's one more taper on Dime:
http://www.dimeadozen.org//torrents-browse.php?search=%22dr-100%22&cat=0&incldead=1
Shamil Khan (aka Shamil11 from Salem Oregon, taping with bundled mics?)

dreyfuss · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2009, 09:32:36 AM »

I run the DR100 with some Countryman mics, it works pretty good but with my mics I get a little over an hour running off the supplied battery and AA's.

If you use a alternate power source such as an external battery the run time goes up dramatically. The battery I'm using ran for over 10hrs this weekend and only had gone down 1 light out of 4.

Hope that helps

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2009, 12:30:15 PM »

Quote from: dreyfuss on July 29, 2009, 09:32:36 AM

I run the DR100 with some Countryman mics, it works pretty good but with my mics I get a little over an hour running off the supplied battery and AA's.

If you use a alternate power source such as an external battery the run time goes up dramatically. The battery I'm using ran for over 10hrs this weekend and only had gone down 1 light out of 4.

Hope that helps

really only 1 hour? that doesn't seem right internal + AA's. was your internal charged completely? the battery life was the whole reason I was going to buy one.

dreyfuss · « **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2009, 05:41:32 PM »

Yup, I've run the Li-Ion batteries (I have 2 different ones) numerous times, one of the batteries runs for 55-60min before it dies and switches to the rechargeable AA's that last for 15min tops. The 2nd Li-Ion runs for about 70min before it dies and switches to AA's.

This is while running phantom power. When running mics that don't require phantom the Li-Ion will run for around 5hrs as will the AA's giving you 10hrs or so.

sunjan · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2009, 04:31:20 AM »

Quote from: dreyfuss on July 29, 2009, 05:41:32 PM

Yup, I've run the Li-Ion batteries (I have 2 different ones) numerous times, one of the batteries runs for 55-60min before it dies and switches to the rechargeable AA's that last for 15min tops. The 2nd Li-Ion runs for about 70min before it dies and switches to AA's.

This is while running phantom power. When running mics that don't require phantom the Li-Ion will run for around 5hrs as will the AA's giving you 10hrs or so.

That's just sad! What capacity is the AA's? I wonder if it helps getting the 2700mAh Eneloops?

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2009, 10:21:35 AM »

Quote from: sunjan on July 30, 2009, 04:31:20 AM

Quote from: dreyfuss on July 29, 2009, 05:41:32 PM
Yup, I've run the Li-Ion batteries (I have 2 different ones) numerous times, one of the batteries runs for 55-60min before it dies and switches to the rechargeable AA's that last for 15min tops. The 2nd Li-Ion runs for about 70min before it dies and switches to AA's.

This is while running phantom power. When running mics that don't require phantom the Li-Ion will run for around 5hrs as will the AA's giving you 10hrs or so.

That's just sad! What capacity is the AA's? I wonder if it helps getting the 2700mAh Eneloops?

I was thinking the same thing. From what I was told, it was supposed to last for hours.

yossi3080 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2009, 12:04:15 AM »

Hey all,
So I picked a DR-100 up to try it out, thinking I would return it if the preamp sucked or the battery life was really that bad. Tried it out tonight at Derek Trucks @ Lincoln Center. Went KM184>DR-100, straight, no outboard preamp, running +48v phantom on the DR100.

I did make a little boo-boo in my recording, but that was my fault not the deck. I'll post a couple of sample recordings so people can judge that part. I think they sound pretty darn good (wish I could A/B it with something).

However, my battery life experience was very different from what has been posted.

I had the Li-Ion battery in the unit, and used Energizer NiMH rechargeable AAs that are 2650 mAh. I was able to get well over 40 minutes on each set of 2 AAs. Didn't get to test out the length I could get on the Li-Ion but based on what people posted, I would assume I can get well over an hour on this. That is not terrible IMHO-I was thinking I would have to get a battery pack. Now I think I can get away with one spare Li-Ion and some AAs.

fmaderjr · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2009, 05:03:46 AM »

Quote from: yossi3080 on August 14, 2009, 12:04:15 AM

I was able to get well over 40 minutes on each set of 2 AAs. Didn't get to test out the length I could get on the Li-Ion but based on what people posted, I would assume I can get well over an hour on this.

To me this practically useless. This machine sounded very interesting to me until I heard about the battery life. I can't believe they couldn't do better than this. You can run a SD MP-2 preamp with phantom power for about 5 hours on 2 AA NiMhs.

daspyknows · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2009, 12:15:41 PM »

Sorry, better late than never. Been too busy working. I really like the DR-100 but I use an external pre-amp (Reutelhuber box which is similar to the NBox) with Schoeps MK-4's. With the external repamp, bbattery life is not an issue.

Quote from: sunjan on July 29, 2009, 03:42:10 AM

Paging daspyknows from SF: http://taperssection.com/index.php?action=profile;u=21104

Besides daspy, there's one more taper on Dime:
http://www.dimeadozen.org//torrents-browse.php?search=%22dr-100%22&cat=0&incldead=1
Shamil Khan (aka Shamil11 from Salem Oregon, taping with bundled mics?)

fmaderjr · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2009, 12:24:20 PM »

Quote from: daspyknows on September 13, 2009, 12:15:41 PM

Sorry, better late than never. Been too busy working. I really like the DR-100 but I use an external pre-amp (Reutelhuber box which is similar to the NBox) with Schoeps MK-4's. With the external repamp, bbattery life is not an issue.

If you have to use an external pre w/phantom power to get decent battery life anyway, what advantage does the DR-100 have over an R-09HR or even the much cheaper DR-07? It seems the main advantage of the DR-100 is the onboard phantom power, and the short battery life renders that practically useless.

daspyknows · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2009, 03:24:57 PM »

I don't have to use an external pre-amp, but I choose to use it. There are a variety of reasons I chose the DR-100 compared to the R-09. Phantom power was just not one of them.

sunjan · « **Reply #13 on:** September 15, 2009, 06:02:14 AM »

Quote from: daspyknows on September 14, 2009, 03:24:57 PM

There are a variety of reasons I chose the DR-100 compared to the R-09.

Care to elaborate? I'd be curious to know about other good features...
For other DR-100 users, I guess the easiest remedy is to carry an external battery pack for now.

acidjack · « **Reply #14 on:** September 25, 2009, 03:48:10 PM »

Quote from: sunjan on September 15, 2009, 06:02:14 AM

Quote from: daspyknows on September 14, 2009, 03:24:57 PM
There are a variety of reasons I chose the DR-100 compared to the R-09.

Care to elaborate? I'd be curious to know about other good features...
For other DR-100 users, I guess the easiest remedy is to carry an external battery pack for now.

Yes, I am curious about this, too... DR-100 would be a great option if it's basically a smaller PMD661 (i.e., decent recorder with built in phantom), but having to use a battery pack really kills that...

FWIW, what kind of external battery pack could you use to power it, and what would that cost?

sevenxbb · « **Reply #15 on:** September 27, 2009, 01:14:55 AM »

I got a DR-100 after my AXIM X50v died a couple months ago. Coincidentally the DR-100 uses a 5v 2amp external power supply like the X50v. The Dell power supply fits/powers/charges it perfectly. I also had a 12v > 5v 2amp cigarette charger from the X50v. I picked up a 6amphour 12v battery for $20 and hooked a 12v female socket to it. The 12v battery with the 12v>5v cigarette adapter will run the DR-100 with my AKG C3000 mics for at least 12 hours (which is as long as I've tried it at this point). The internal lion and AAs would give me another hour or so. If I want I can get a 3.5 amphour 12v and still probably get at least 6 hours out of it plus the internals. I LOVE not using DAT anymore! I really like the DR-100. Recordings that I've made using my C3000s through the phantom powered xlr inputs sound just fine to my 46 year old ears and I haven't had any complaints from anybody who's heard my recordings made with it. I was using a PDAudio with 2496 and a Deneke AD20 before. It was clunky and awkward and still needed a phantom power unit which I shoe horned into the AD20. I'm MUCH happier with good 0 latency monitoring and a useable line out. I was hesitant to use the built-in cardioids in the DR-100 but at a Keller Williams show last week decided WTF and used them to record the 1st set. I used my C3000s for the 2nd set. The recordings are on the LMA here: http://www.archive.org/details/kw2009-09-18._DR-100_1644 . A guy with an R-09 recorded with his setup 12 inches away from mine. His recording is here: http://www.archive.org/details/kw2009-09-18.flac16 . I did a rolloff at 70hz which he didn't do. I'm very happy with the pulls I got. Have a listen and tell me what y'all think. :-)

sunjan · « **Reply #16 on:** September 28, 2009, 08:04:30 AM »

Quote from: sevenxbb on September 27, 2009, 01:14:55 AM

I picked up a 6amphour 12v battery for $20 and hooked a 12v female socket to it. The 12v battery with the 12v>5v cigarette adapter will run the DR-100 with my AKG C3000 mics for at least 12 hours (which is as long as I've tried it at this point).

Are we talking abt 12V SLA here? Should be a pretty bulky thing then?

sevenxbb · « **Reply #17 on:** September 28, 2009, 12:09:58 PM »

It's not stealthy as a battery pack goes if that's what you mean but it's also not very heavy. I'm sure a Tekkeon would provide plenty of record time if you want to go that route but SLA is the best bang for the buck. As I said before you can also get a smaller 3.5ah SLA which is about the size of a pack of cigs. I used to location record with an invertor and a 17ah SLA to run my laptop and mixer so this is a drop in the bucket size and weight wise. I re-wired my old CSB mic cable to two xlrs and running that can get at least 5 or more hours of record time and it's more robust than a 3.5mm. Anyway I personally believe that the DR-100 is a good mix of relatively good quality internal mics with long record time and a phantom powered albeit externally powered DAT replacement. It aint perfect but it works very well for me. I do wish that it had a level control or peak meter on the remote. Once I get more used to it though, I'll just estimate where to set the level/gain and use the limiter. There is a clip indicator light on the side.

intpseeker · « **Reply #18 on:** October 01, 2009, 07:20:58 AM »

Quote from: sevenxbb on September 27, 2009, 01:14:55 AM

I was hesitant to use the built-in cardioids in the DR-100 but at a Keller Williams show last week decided WTF and used them to record the 1st set. I used my C3000s for the 2nd set. The recordings are on the LMA here: http://www.archive.org/details/kw2009-09-18._DR-100_1644 . A guy with an R-09 recorded with his setup 12 inches away from mine. His recording is here: http://www.archive.org/details/kw2009-09-18.flac16 . I did a rolloff at 70hz which he didn't do. I'm very happy with the pulls I got. Have a listen and tell me what y'all think. :-)

The first set sounds great! To my half-deaf ears, I'd have to listen hard for the difference between the first and second set. Your choice of rolloff makes a huge difference over the R-09 pull.

sevenxbb · « **Reply #19 on:** October 02, 2009, 12:37:21 AM »

Thanks! I'm really pleased with them. More to come!

papabear075 · « **Reply #20 on:** November 06, 2009, 03:16:59 PM »

SO did you buy it? I am currently thinking about the DR-100 or the Zoom H4n.

fmaderjr · « **Reply #21 on:** November 12, 2009, 08:00:45 AM »

Quote from: papabear075 on November 06, 2009, 03:16:59 PM

SO did you buy it? I am currently thinking about the DR-100 or the Zoom H4n.

Board consensus on previous products is that Tascam makes a much better product than Zoom. I wouldn't choose an H4n over a DR-100 without lots of evidence that it is a better value (and I seriously doubt that that will be the case). My Zoom H4 was the worst purchase of my life.

papabear075 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 12, 2009, 08:28:53 AM »

My Zoom H4 was the worst purchase of my life.

What made that product so bad? I know overall Samson has made some crappy products but this one is getting great reviews. A lot of people have mentioned how bad the battery life is on the tascam.

I ended up buying the Zoom H4n (is that the same one you bought or do you have the older model?). Anyway I am hopeful this will get me some good recordings. I have conversed with a few tapers that posted on Archive what their thoughts on it was and they love it. Especially the 4 channel feature you done get on Amy other hand held.

fmaderjr · « **Reply #23 on:** November 12, 2009, 08:43:04 AM »

The H4n is apparently much better. If getting great reviews, you have the "lots of evidence" I recommended. I just wouldn't have bought from Zoom again wiuthout a lot of evidence that the new product was good.

No time to go into the tons of problems with the H4-I know some of them (hopefully all the serious ones) have been addressed by the H4n.

yossi3080 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 01, 2009, 08:29:02 PM »

Hey all,
Thought some of you might want to hear the recordings i did with the DR-100 a couple of weeks ago.

http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=529607

MaxJames · « **Reply #25 on:** December 01, 2009, 10:03:25 PM »

Currently have a Tascam DR-100 and an Edirol R44. Happy with both. Here is a Youtube smaple using the DR-100 (excuse the video which was out of focus)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgp2a2M3LF0

Savage Messiah · « **Reply #26 on:** December 16, 2009, 02:43:35 AM »

A test done in another comparison post here has indicated that approximate runtime with phantom on and mics that draw 10mA current can total at least 2-4 hours with the 2700mA Ni-MH AA's and supplied lithium power.

Can you safely or efficiently use various Lithium AA batteries in this unit? From past experience, these far exceeded the runtime capabilities of Ni-MH AA's in my old D100 DAT unit and was reported in about all other applications. If it were possible in this unit, I would assume that when setting up you would cheat and select "Alkaline" for the choice of AA since there is no "lithium", and the batteries would do the rest.

This all said, If I started with two good pair of lithium AA's on me I could switch back and forth from the unit's lithium (low but not dead) battery while switching out the previous set of dead lithium AA's, which should theoretically tape any conventional length evening event without a break. Now if this all is indeed true, I see nothing wrong with this unit and potential power issues!

fmaderjr · « **Reply #27 on:** December 16, 2009, 05:52:58 PM »

Quote from: Savage Messiah on December 16, 2009, 02:43:35 AM

This all said, If I started with two good pair of lithium AA's on me I could switch back and forth from the unit's lithium (low but not dead) battery while switching out the previous set of dead lithium AA's, which should theoretically tape any conventional length evening event without a break. Now if this all is indeed true, I see nothing wrong with this unit and potential power issues!

You don't? The method you describe sounds like a hassle with a potential for taper error. Plus lithium batteries cost $4-5 for 2. If you're spending $8-10 per show on batteries that can quickly add up to a lot of wasted money and you're not doing the environment any good either.

Savage Messiah · « **Reply #28 on:** December 17, 2009, 10:41:46 PM »

You're exactly right, I was just wondering if anyone has tested what kind of runtimes you'd get with lithium AA's running phantom as opposed to Ni-MH. I've been away from taping for some time, and I almost assumed that someone had invented a rechargeable lithium AA battery that doesn't fry conventional electronics by now - so shame on me. I guess until that time we can just carry around an extra Tascam battery (Note I wouldn't dream of using disposable lithium with any frequency in this device.)

(PS: Somehow I get the sense that the lack of conventional rechargeable lithium AA's has more to do with deregulated capitalism than physics or chemistry.)

fmaderjr · « **Reply #29 on:** December 18, 2009, 05:13:16 AM »

Quote from: Savage Messiah on December 17, 2009, 10:41:46 PM

I guess until that time we can just carry around an extra Tascam battery (Note I wouldn't dream of using disposable lithium with any frequency in this device.)

Most likely a DR-100 user has discovered an external rechargeable battery that will power the DR-100 w/phantom power for quite a while, so you wouldn't have to worry about when to swap the battery out (the way people use DVD batteries to power Apogee Mini-Me's, etc.). Maybe someone could provide info on that in case you want to go that route.

Savage Messiah · « **Reply #30 on:** December 23, 2009, 04:21:29 AM »

For phantom power applications, I think I'll try to devise a way to simultaneously:

1. Operate the DR-100 from inside the included soft case by cutting out flaps and/or open rectangles and circles for desired plug-ins and key/wheel access, and
2. Locate and utilize a small enough battery pack with 5v/2A xxxxmAh output that will fit in the case behind the unit and power it externally.

Now, powering 10mA mics @ 48V, the external + internal li-ion combo should all work perfectly and untouched for upwards of 6 hours, assuming that there would be a smooth automatic transition from ext->int power, although I'm sure if you had to yank the pack's adapter plug out @ low charge LED you could do so without negative impact.

In the end I hope we're looking very viable handheld/pocket operation here!

Savage Messiah · « **Reply #31 on:** December 23, 2009, 06:57:14 AM »

Believe I found what's looking like a goody... Opti-Solar PowerBank440: 5V 2A 4.4Ah with Samsung lithium rechargeable battery and interchangeable tips that measures only 3.93 x 2.28 x 0.9", which should fit in the case with the DR-100!

This is a company that specializes in high-end innovative solar products and also makes conventional reusable power products. So far I give them credit because they've published what seems like every imaginable spec you could want to know about this item. Corporate page for this item: http://opti-online.com/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=52

Could only find this for sale in the US through the eBay store of a respected high-end bike shop located in Pennsylvania called Cycling Pro Store, link to the product list (search) is: http://stores.ebay.com/Cycling-Pro-Store__W0QQ_sidZ739219707?_nkw=opti-solar&submit=Search&LH_TitleDesc=1

I'm definitely going to order one of these and give it a trial run - if it performs anything like one of the bulkier 12V, no one should ever have a problem going phantom. And for $50-60, it's only a hair more expensive than a spare wimpier Tascam battery and about half of what Tekkeon charges for their large units.

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #32 on:** December 23, 2009, 11:47:12 PM »

http://www.batteryspace.com/customizli-ion18500battery5vregulated50wh1aratewith6long22awgwire.aspx