Topic: What is the defect of the microtrack 2 ????

[ben9999imsc]

What is the defect of the microtrack 2 ?

i want to buy it

[Brian Skalinder]

For what purpose, and with what other gear, do you want to buy it?  There may be better options, depending on your intended use.

Whoops...missed the "2" in the subject line.  Comments deleted.

[Rick]

Early firmware was unstable.  No seamless split at 2GB WAV file size.  Not true phantom power.  Noisy analog stages.  There may be others.  When I used one, I liked it as a bit-bucket.

Isn't he asking about the MT2 not MT1?  I don't think anyone knows any "defects" with version 2 yet since it just shipped this week.

[ben9999imsc]

Early firmware was unstable.  No seamless split at 2GB WAV file size.  Not true phantom power.  Noisy analog stages.  There may be others.  When I used one, I liked it as a bit-bucket.

For what purpose, and with what other gear, do you want to buy it?  There may be better options, depending on your intended use.

i am really concern about the sound quality (both playback and recording )


is there any portable device better than microtrack 2   (under $400)

[Rick]

Early firmware was unstable.  No seamless split at 2GB WAV file size.  Not true phantom power.  Noisy analog stages.  There may be others.  When I used one, I liked it as a bit-bucket.

For what purpose, and with what other gear, do you want to buy it?  There may be better options, depending on your intended use.

i am really concern about the sound quality (both playback and recording )


is there any portable device better than microtrack 2    (under $400)

The problem is we don't know how much, if any, improvement was made to the Microtrack 2 over the old one. But according to M-Audio

"extended input gain range, analog input limiter, 48V phantom power, faster file transfer rate, seamless recording of files beyond 2GB in size and other enhancements"

Unless your in a hurry, I would wait to hear what poeple have to say about it when it actually gets in the field. Otherwise I think the R-09 and Marantz PMD620 are good choices.

[Todd R]

Early firmware was unstable.  No seamless split at 2GB WAV file size.  Not true phantom power.  Noisy analog stages.  There may be others.  When I used one, I liked it as a bit-bucket.

For what purpose, and with what other gear, do you want to buy it?  There may be better options, depending on your intended use.

i am really concern about the sound quality (both playback and recording )


is there any portable device better than microtrack 2   (under $400)

I still think you need to think more about your intended use and let folks know before you get good feedback.

For example, for me I only want a recorder that has a digital input.  I also already have a 16bit recorder I like, so any recorder I get now, I want to be 24 bits.  If I take these requirements I have and add it to yours,  I get the following as a necessary minimum:  24bit recorder, digital input, under $400.  The only recorder at all on the market that meets these 3 criteria is the MT II.  So if those also happen to be your criteria, the MT II is the only option, so it is the best.

But you might not personally care about 24 bit recording or digital input.  Bottom line is there are a lot of tradeoffs on what recorder you choose, so you should think about what absolute requirements you have so you can narrow down the field.  Then you can think about which one might have better recording quality, playback quality, reliability, mfg service, etc.

[ben9999imsc]

i am now considering a machine have

1. at least the same playback and mic record quality as sony rh1 (rh1 use line out)

2. can use rechargeable battery

3. under $400

4. not too big , microtrack is acceptable

[Javier Cinakowski]

1. at least the same playback and mic record quality as sony rh1 (rh1 use line out)

The rh1 has the best mic preamps of the budget recorders, hands down...  The microtrack isn't going to improve your recordings...

If I wanted to make really good stealth tapes with only a set of electrets and a small recorder, the Sony Hi-MD's can't be beat.  I love my iRiver and liked my Microtrack v1, but they just can't hang...

[Chilly Brioschi]

The current problem with my MTII is that UPS has it on a truck apparently stuck at an intersection in the Midwest without electricity for it's traffic light and I have been waiting on the front porch for it for days.

The specs are quite good, the proof will be in the usage of it.
A full nickel of PIP (that's 5vdc) for small electrets, P48 for bigger condensers (supposedly), improved preamps, 3-5 hours of internal battery life and a few other good things are all promised.   

The word out has been to not expect the pres to be top-drawer.
I wouldn't expect a box that fits in a shirt pocket and costs less than $300 (at the moment) to be able to do it all as well as a $2000 rig would.
I suspect the issue is simple:
What good is a box that records at 24/96 if the audio quality of the analog side is less than that of a portable cassette recorder?
The only answer is bit-bucket, unless the A/D is decent.
I have heard mixed reviews of the MT's (version one) A/D.
I expect to run an O/B pre of some kind, and maybe an outboard Pre & A/D   

I doubt that dogs, or pigs, or truffles, the chocolate or fungi kind, really figure into the situation at all.


I hope that Santa leaves me a few of these in my stocking:

Washed and Cut White Truffle

[Todd R]

i am now considering a machine have

1. at least the same playback and mic record quality as sony rh1 (rh1 use line out)

2. can use rechargeable battery

3. under $400

4. not too big , microtrack is acceptable

Lots of people find downsides to the MT, for me the biggest one is the lack of a field-replaceable, rechargable battery (eg, AAs).  The upside it is about the only one around for the price that takes a digital input, esp a coax digital input.

If a digital input isn't important to you, I think the R09 is probably the best choice.  Don't know much about the new Marantz (620?), which also might be a possibility.  As much as I've never been a MT basher, I wouldn't recommend it to people who don't want/require a digital input.

[rowjimmytour]

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