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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: nak700s on December 20, 2008, 09:42:34 AM
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I'm considering switching from my trusty DAT (M1) to one of those new fangled flash drives. I would want something small (stealthy) and that runs on normal batteries, not a rechargeable one. Do any of these little things have individual right/left level controls or balance? Also, how about digital I/O?. It would also be nice if, unlike the R9, the lights could be turned off so I don't have to tape over the screen or controls. Any recommendations?
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I'm considering switching from my trusty DAT (M1) to one of those new fangled flash drives. I would want something small (stealthy) and that runs on normal batteries, not a rechargeable one. Do any of these little things have individual right/left level controls or balance? Also, how about digital I/O?. It would also be nice if, unlike the R9, the lights could be turned off so I don't have to tape over the screen or controls. Any recommendations?
Too bad, all pocket-sized recorders that offer digi-in all come with proprietary batteries: H1xx, JB3, MTII...
So you'll have to sacrifice one requirement or the other. If you're concerned, they can be powered with external AA battery packs though.
R09-HR is highly recommended, but lacks digi-in. Don't know about lights, someone else here could elaborate if they've improved them interface.
For a good overview, take a look here:
http://www.wingfieldaudio.com/compare-portable-recorders.html
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I'm considering switching from my trusty DAT (M1) to one of those new fangled flash drives. I would want something small (stealthy) and that runs on normal batteries, not a rechargeable one. Do any of these little things have individual right/left level controls or balance? Also, how about digital I/O?. It would also be nice if, unlike the R9, the lights could be turned off so I don't have to tape over the screen or controls. Any recommendations?
Too bad, all pocket-sized recorders that offer digi-in all come with proprietary batteries: H1xx, JB3, MTII...
So you'll have to sacrifice one requirement or the other. If you're concerned, they can be powered with external AA battery packs though.
this is not true. the R09 and r09hr both run on AA's.
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Also, how about digital I/O?.
the only small decks that have digital inputs are the M-Audio Microtrack, Microtrack II, and the just released Marantz PMD-661.
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This may be a bit bigger that you want but the Marantz PMD661 has many of the features you were describing including the ability to be a potentially really good AIO box.
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,112681.0.html
edit to add: Jason ^^^ beat me to it.
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Sony D50 fits the bill for digi-in, runs on 4 AA's, and the light is off unless you turn it back on. I have a D50 and an R-09. I use the D50 most of the time.
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Too bad, all pocket-sized recorders that offer digi-in all come with proprietary batteries: H1xx, JB3, MTII...
So you'll have to sacrifice one requirement or the other. If you're concerned, they can be powered with external AA battery packs though.
this is not true. the R09 and r09hr both run on AA's.
Yeah, but they don't have digi-in, which was the requirement of the OP. Was thinking abt the 661 as well, but it hasn't been tried and tested much in the field yet, and is on the verge of being too big for true stealth.
Belexes is right abt the D50 though, didn't think abt that one...
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I'm considering switching from my trusty DAT (M1) to one of those new fangled flash drives. I would want something small (stealthy) and that runs on normal batteries, not a rechargeable one.
What is so bad about modern NiMH batteries?
Do you want to explain?
Since I dumped DAT I never looked back at `normal` batteries.
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I primarily do stealth and don't want to use any more external equipment than necessary. A battery pack should not be necessary. If I do a festival or a show with a few acts, I will run out of power or sweat it out to much for comfort. Also, the more you recharge rechargables, the less charge they hold. I like what I've read about the Sony PCM-D50, I want to see one close up though. I want something small like the M1 that I don't have to worry about tapes (and editing and burning to disc later is much easier too).
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I need to look into the D50. It seems like the best one for my needs. I do have a question for those who have one: Is there any chance the attached microphone assembly can be removed without doing any damage to the unit itself? That would make it perfect (except for the inability to balance the right & left channel).
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There is a size comparison photo that I posted here:
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,113554.0.html
I don't think you could hack off the externals on the D50, or want to chance it, without damaging it.
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Thanks. That helps put it into perspective. I'm using an M1 now, so this photo says it all. To bad the mic assembly isn't just attached by a couple of screws!!
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If you can find a clean iriver H120/H140 you'd be all set. The battery can be swapped out if necessary, mine gets 16hrs on a full charge on playback of mp3's, roughly 8-10 hrs on recording wav. Mind you, its a 16/44 recording device. It also features analog line/out, optical in/out. You have to rockbox it to really appreciate its recording features though (not a biggie) and you can control left/right channel's independently with rockbox.
It's also small (ie. pocket-sized).
edit: oh, its not flash, its HDD-based.
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I primarily do stealth and don't want to use any more external equipment than necessary. A battery pack should not be necessary. If I do a festival or a show with a few acts, I will run out of power or sweat it out to much for comfort. Also, the more you recharge rechargables, the less charge they hold.
And that is going to hinder you?
Batteries are built to give you xx% of charge capacity after a certain amount of recharges. Nothing new. That percentage is mostly 80% or more.
So you do 6-hour shows each time?
Spend money wisely. A set of NiMHs and a charger earn themselves quicker than you think.
And there's also the environmental aspects. I do 100+ shows on one set of NiMHs, you throw away that amount of batteries.
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I'm talking about the recorders that have built-ins. Not the option of recharging a AA size battery instead of using throw-aways. I want the ability to put in a fresh set of batteries whether their rechargable or not.
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the iRivers can be modded to use CF cards, check this thread if you want.
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,95239.0.html
Even if this was an issue (being flash based or not), the JB3 is out of the question then too.
(not saying one couldn't mod one of those to use a CF card......)
If you can find a clean iriver H120/H140 you'd be all set.
It's also small (ie. pocket-sized).
edit: oh, its not flash, its HDD-based.
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Has anyone used the Olympus LS-10 and the Marantz PMD620? I'm interested in knowing more about the two of these. The reviews of both were good but I am wonderng about how they stand up to what we use them for.
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the iRivers can be modded to use CF cards, check this thread if you want.
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,95239.0.html
Even if this was an issue (being flash based or not), the JB3 is out of the question then too.
(not saying one couldn't mod one of those to use a CF card......)
If you can find a clean iriver H120/H140 you'd be all set.
It's also small (ie. pocket-sized).
edit: oh, its not flash, its HDD-based.
The analog ins/gain stage on that type of recorder are not that good. I would suggest either Edirol R09 or Sony PCM-D50.
Richard
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I don't think they have digital ins, so the analoge in would be important. Not to mention using it as an aid in transfering cassettes. Which machine are you referring to? I haven't heard of anyone using the Olympus and the review I read seemed pretty postitive. I'm sure the Sony would be good, I've depended on Sonys ever since I started recording live.
My friend is telling me that hands down the marantz is the best one but the review I read was very critical about the access door on the bottom of the unit. I would love feedback from real users like people on this site that ues them for the same thing I will be using it for...
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Has anyone used the Olympus LS-10 and the Marantz PMD620? I'm interested in knowing more about the two of these. The reviews of both were good but I am wonderng about how they stand up to what we use them for.
Use the search function. There are lots of posts here with plenty of user verdicts.
Bottom line: LS-10 and PMD620 are OK, but with their current pricepoint, R-09HR provides much better value for money and has lower self-noise.
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Thanks. I got my friend started with an R-09 and it makes nice recordings. I just wish you could turn of the lights! I'm also not to happy with the lack of digital I/O.
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Has anyone used the Olympus LS-10 and the Marantz PMD620? I'm interested in knowing more about the two of these. The reviews of both were good but I am wonderng about how they stand up to what we use them for.
Use the search function. There are lots of posts here with plenty of user verdicts.
Bottom line: LS-10 and PMD620 are OK, but with their current pricepoint, R-09HR provides much better value for money and has lower self-noise.
I don't know about the LS-10, but I don’t think that is a particularly fair assessment of the PMD620. For starters, the 620 is going for $299 whereas the R09HR is going for $335 (lowest prices I saw from reputable dealers in an admittedly quick online search).
In terms of noise, the R09HR is probably a bit quieter, but the 620 is probably less noisy than other recorders in the class (including the R09, DR-1, and MT2). I say “probably” because I have yet to see any real comparisons, or even measurements at typical recording levels (which may be important given the often non-linear relationship between gain and noise). In any event, the self-noise of the 620 is sufficiently low for most any live music recording.
I would give an edge to the 620 for design/layout, ease of use, plug in power voltage, and battery life and to the R09HR for offering sampling frequencies above 48K.
If high sampling rates are necessary, it is a no-brainer. But if not, I fail to see how the R09HR is a “much better value”. Of course, to each his own and YMMV and whatnot! :)
P.S. nak700s: I haven’t had any problems with the SD access door. Like any of these things, I wouldn’t manhandle it, but with a little care, it should be no problem…EDIT TO ADD: As for digital in/out, here is a pretty good list of recorders with digi-in (http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,114653.0.html (http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,114653.0.html)). Your options, at least at the low end of the price spectrum, are pretty limited in this regard.
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I got my friend started with an R-09 and it makes nice recordings. I just wish you could turn of the lights!
FYI - you can turn off that red record light with the latest firmware
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Thanks. I just emailed my friend to tell him about that. ;D
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Has anyone used the Olympus LS-10 and the Marantz PMD620? I'm interested in knowing more about the two of these. The reviews of both were good but I am wonderng about how they stand up to what we use them for.
I use the PMD620 on occasion and have been quite happy with it. Some samples...
http://www.archive.org/details/ragbirds2008-08-02.flac16
http://www.archive.org/details/gsbg2008-08-02.flac16
And a couple discrete pulls at DIME w/samples
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=196502&page=0#startcomments
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?returnto=%2Faccount-cp.php&id=209976
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I don't know about the LS-10, but I don’t think that is a particularly fair assessment of the PMD620. For starters, the 620 is going for $299 whereas the R09HR is going for $335 (lowest prices I saw from reputable dealers in an admittedly quick online search).
I would give an edge to the 620 for design/layout, ease of use, plug in power voltage, and battery life and to the R09HR for offering sampling frequencies above 48K.
Oh, i didn't know that the 620 dropped so much! Last time I checked, the R-09HR was the cheaper one around my parts. That makes it a good bargain, and I'll bow for aaronji's first hand experience. Just make your research here before pulling the trigger...