Topic: Advice on buying a used R44?

[Ekko]

Hi

I'm in the UK and have the opportunity to buy a used R44 from a private seller. The machine is described as being about 18 months old and in excellent working order.

Are these machines generally pretty reliable? And if something did go wrong with it, would I be able to get it fixed at reasonable cost in the UK?

[drewski1986]

No problems with mine for the 2 years I have had it.  Solid recorder.

[acidjack]

Hi

I'm in the UK and have the opportunity to buy a used R44 from a private seller. The machine is described as being about 18 months old and in excellent working order.

Are these machines generally pretty reliable? And if something did go wrong with it, would I be able to get it fixed at reasonable cost in the UK?

I think the first answer is yes and the second is probably no.  You can check Roland's page as to where the nearest repair center is to you. But based on needing my R-09HR's screen fixed and what they quoted, fixing the deck may well not be worth it.

The R-44 is rock solid, though.  Assuming it has been used properly and works when you get it, it should keep working for a long time.

[Ekko]

Thanks for your replies!

[rastasean]

In this post cybergaloot says his R-44 fell about three feet and it did fine.

[DigiGal]

There have been a few users who lost the ability to externally power their R44's for one reason or another. 

One thing to be aware of if you plan to power it with an external battery is that R44 uses (center-neg.) and (sleeve-pos.) which is reverse polarity from most devices.

[Fried Chicken Boy]

One thing to be aware of if you plan to power it with an external battery is that R44 uses (center-neg.) and (sleeve-pos.) which is reverse polarity from most devices.

Definitely something to keep in mind as hooking it up to a power source with "correct" polarity can blow the tiny non-user-replaceable fuse on the circuit board. 

Aside from that little twist, I personally can't recommend the R-44 enough.  I've used mine pretty much constantly for well over 4 years, run it off external power sources and internal batteries, and have never had a single issue with it except ones caused by me.  A reliable, great-sounding deck that I wouldn't hesitate purchasing another one of if I needed to.

[vwmule]

I've had one since they hit the market and it's never failed. Dropped it several feet once, too and the body was barely scuffed.

[Gutbucket]

One thing to be aware of if you plan to power it with an external battery is that R44 uses (center-neg.) and (sleeve-pos.) which is reverse polarity from most devices.

This is very important!  I built a custom power cable with the correct polarity to run mine on an external battery supply and that cable stays permanently attached to the machine so I can't accidentally mix it up with similar cables used to power my other gear using the same pool of external batteries, all of which use 'standard' center-pos. polarity.

[Ekko]

Thanks for your replies!

[capnhook]

Buy it with a taper friend, and then buy him out a few months later.......share it in the mail, until either of you wants to buy the other one out.  It's kind of like "taper lay-away", but with another taper that is cool.

 

Thanks Waltisb62

 

[Kindguy]

I need a quick answer. How long will the r44 record on internal AA's I forgot my power cable & am stuck running internals. Regular Duracell AA's

Haven't ran internals since I bought it years ago.

& the R44 is as solid as they come. Haven't had any trouble with mine...

[Fried Chicken Boy]

I need a quick answer. How long will the r44 record on internal AA's I forgot my power cable & am stuck running internals. Regular Duracell AA's

Haven't ran internals since I bought it years ago.

& the R44 is as solid as they come. Haven't had any trouble with mine...

My personal experience.  YMMV. > http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=153957.msg2001195#msg2001195