Topic: Roland R-26 - initial review

[randelph]

Hi- if you or anyone else reading this thread gets the chance to use the internal mics I'd be very interested to hear the reports!

I do a lot of recording using the internal mics of my Edirol R-09, and have been less than happy with them.  I suppose them being omni mics contributes to what sounds like an indistinct sound field, somewhat hollow, when recording gigs, rehearsals, etc. 

Using just the internal mics, I'd love to have a recorder that captured a sound that was very close to being there, and I'm at least imagining that having both omni and condenser mics to blend to taste in a DAW would bring a good combination of direct and ambient sound.

[shaftpolls]

Hi mates !

I also own a R-26. It's a nice device..

Let me share with you my last recording using it.

Hope you like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SSai73CZ34

[SmokinJoe]

Hi- if you or anyone else reading this thread gets the chance to use the internal mics I'd be very interested to hear the reports!

I do a lot of recording using the internal mics of my Edirol R-09, and have been less than happy with them.  I suppose them being omni mics contributes to what sounds like an indistinct sound field, somewhat hollow, when recording gigs, rehearsals, etc. 

Using just the internal mics, I'd love to have a recorder that captured a sound that was very close to being there, and I'm at least imagining that having both omni and condenser mics to blend to taste in a DAW would bring a good combination of direct and ambient sound.

My 2 cents worth...  spending $500 on an R26 to get better internal mics may not be your best strategy.  For that money I would get external mics and a pre to go with the R09.  If you want to go on the cheap, and/or just insisting on internal mics for convenience, the Zoom H2's and H4's have significantly better internal mics than the R09, and are more like $100.

I'm thinking I need an R26 for my "small bag".... MK4 active setup and VMS42 into the R26, probably using the minijack and save the XLRs for board patches, but maybe the other way around.  Size is 3.25 x 7.1 x 1.6" (82 x 180 x 41mm) ... a PMD660 is  4.5 x 7.2 x 1.8" (113 x 184 x 47mm) so it's about the same length, but an inch narrower.  Cool.

[ellaguru]

any more field tests on this one?

the usual questions apply:
- able to record multi track at the same time?  answer seems to be 'yes'
- can plug in power be shut off so you could, perhaps run a board feed into it while using the xlr for mics?
- can 48v be shut off so i could go mics>pre>xlr in?

thanks!
chris

[yates7592]

any more field tests on this one?

the usual questions apply:
- able to record multi track at the same time?  answer seems to be 'yes'
- can plug in power be shut off so you could, perhaps run a board feed into it while using the xlr for mics?
- can 48v be shut off so i could go mics>pre>xlr in?

thanks!
chris

'Yes' to all the above. Phantom power and plug-in power is selectable/deselectable for all inputs.

[jbell]

Can the R-26 be powered externally??

any more field tests on this one?

the usual questions apply:
- able to record multi track at the same time?  answer seems to be 'yes'
- can plug in power be shut off so you could, perhaps run a board feed into it while using the xlr for mics?
- can 48v be shut off so i could go mics>pre>xlr in?

thanks!
chris

'Yes' to all the above. Phantom power and plug-in power is selectable/deselectable for all inputs.

[yates7592]

Can the R-26 be powered externally??

[

Yes I believe it can although I have never used that. I don't think you would need it in the majority of circumstances as you can get 7 hours on P48 with Eneloops rechargeables.

[aaronji]

<snip> you can get 7 hours on P48 with Eneloops rechargeables.

What's the draw on the mics you were using?

[ashevillain]

I was under the initial impression the 3.5mm input was only a mic level input but it looks like after reading the specs that you can set the sensitivity to low which allows a max input of +4dBu. That should be good for most any SBD feed.

Also, their brochure for this recorder states that the mic preamps were "directly inherited" from the R-44...which is nice.

Apologies if these things are already common knowledge.

[yates7592]

<snip> you can get 7 hours on P48 with Eneloops rechargeables.

What's the draw on the mics you were using?

I am using 2 x Nevaton MCE400's rated at 10mA per mic.

[yates7592]

I was under the initial impression the 3.5mm input was only a mic level input but it looks like after reading the specs that you can set the sensitivity to low which allows a max input of +4dBu. That should be good for most any SBD feed.

Yes, true, there is a menu setting where you can set the sensitivity of both the XLR and 3.5mm inputs. The sensitivity of the XLR's moves in 12 stages from -62dBu to +4dBu (this gives a maximum input level of +24dBu at the lowest sensitivitiy setting). For the 3.5mm input, the sensitvity is in the 3 stages as low, medium and high, with low giving a maximum input level of +4dBu.

BTW there is also an 'auto-sens' feature whereby you can let the recorder 'listen' to the source input and automatically select the optimum sensitvity. Sounds kind of dangerous, so I haven't used it myself!

[ashevillain]

I was under the initial impression the 3.5mm input was only a mic level input but it looks like after reading the specs that you can set the sensitivity to low which allows a max input of +4dBu. That should be good for most any SBD feed.

Yes, true, there is a menu setting where you can set the sensitivity of both the XLR and 3.5mm inputs. The sensitivity of the XLR's moves in 12 stages from -62dBu to +4dBu (this gives a maximum input level of +24dBu at the lowest sensitivitiy setting). For the 3.5mm input, the sensitvity is in the 3 stages as low, medium and high, with low giving a maximum input level of +4dBu.

BTW there is also an 'auto-sens' feature whereby you can let the recorder 'listen' to the source input and automatically select the optimum sensitvity. Sounds kind of dangerous, so I haven't used it myself!

So have you tried to take a hot SBD feed into the 3.5mm input just to confirm?

[jbell]

What is the DC input voltage??  5v??

Can the R-26 be powered externally??

[

Yes I believe it can although I have never used that. I don't think you would need it in the majority of circumstances as you can get 7 hours on P48 with Eneloops rechargeables.

[yates7592]

So have you tried to take a hot SBD feed into the 3.5mm input just to confirm?
[/quote]

I wish! I am a pure stealth taper, never had a board feed.

[yates7592]

What is the DC input voltage??  5v??

Sorry, I don't know.