Topic: Edirol R-44 versus Sound Devices 722/744T SOUND QUALITY ?

[TheImplodingVoice]

Hi, I have seen this topic talked about loosely here on the forums, but has anyone come up with any overal comparison in White Noise and other areas of Sound Quality between these recorders, using the stock preamps?

The Edirol R-44 stock preamps versus the Sound Devices 702/722/744T stock preamps?
I understand the differenaces of all the units, but I have never tested the Edirol R-44 myself, never
having had the chance to borrow one. I understand it's rather small, even with a cumbersome external battery,
but is it as Clean as the Sound Devices recorders? I use an SD722 and enjoy how clean it is, but can imagine
the Edirol being great as well.

Anyone's thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Tom

[Carlos E. Martinez]

Hi, I have seen this topic talked about loosely here on the forums, but has anyone come up with any overal comparison in White Noise and other areas of Sound Quality between these recorders, using the stock preamps?

The Edirol R-44 stock preamps versus the Sound Devices 702/722/744T stock preamps?
I understand the differenaces of all the units, but I have never tested the Edirol R-44 myself, never
having had the chance to borrow one. I understand it's rather small, even with a cumbersome external battery,
but is it as Clean as the Sound Devices recorders? I use an SD722 and enjoy how clean it is, but can imagine
the Edirol being great as well.

I don't think you can fairly compare an R44 to 744T. To start with the 744 preamps are light years above the R44.

The 744 is also designed for sturdy location use in film/video shootings, so it was built accordingly. There's very little to criticize on a 744 and you certainly pay for that.

In spite of all that, I would buy an R44 if I had the money available now. It's a great deal and the feedback we get on this forum is very positive. Not many products can say that.   

[jeromejello]

Hi, I have seen this topic talked about loosely here on the forums, but has anyone come up with any overal comparison in White Noise and other areas of Sound Quality between these recorders, using the stock preamps?

The Edirol R-44 stock preamps versus the Sound Devices 702/722/744T stock preamps?
I understand the differenaces of all the units, but I have never tested the Edirol R-44 myself, never
having had the chance to borrow one. I understand it's rather small, even with a cumbersome external battery,
but is it as Clean as the Sound Devices recorders? I use an SD722 and enjoy how clean it is, but can imagine
the Edirol being great as well.

I don't think you can fairly compare an R44 to 744T. To start with the 744 preamps are light years above the R44.

The 744 is also designed for sturdy location use in film/video shootings, so it was built accordingly. There's very little to criticize on a 744 and you certainly pay for that.

In spite of all that, I would buy an R44 if I had the money available now. It's a great deal and the feedback we get on this forum is very positive. Not many products can say that.   

i dont know about all that... sure the build quality of the 7xx series is amazing, but remember the 744 still needs an additional pre (or at least p48 or power) since it only has built in pres for ch 1 & 2.

also, the r44 has the bonus of coming in flash only 4 channel which makes it super tiny.

the r44 can be modded with several different flavors as well which is quite nice, especially if down the road you want something different.

that said i heart my 722.

[digifish_music]

It depends on what you are recording. If you are recording ambient sounds then there is no comparison, the R44 has far greater levels of self-noise than the Sound Devices gear at equivalent high gain settings. For this reason, I run a MixPre in front of my R44 when the source is quiet.

However, if you are getting a hot signal, I don't think you are going to notice much difference.

In summary, I would have no hesitation using a naked R44 on a close-miced instrument or Piano or whatever in the studio/location. If I were recording beetles chewing wood, clocks ticking or distant sources I'd grab the MixPre.

digifish

[notlance]

The 744T line inputs will give you up to 18dB of gain, which is plenty for many condenser mics with typical concert sound levels.  So with the addition of a phantom supply, you can run 4 mics into the 744T quite easily.

On the other hand, if you are recording under conditions where 18dB of gain is enough, you don't need the 744T's slightly lower noise pre-amps.

Or you could just skip the whole quandary by purchasing a 788T.

[flintstone]

In this case, you pay more, and you get more.  That said, the R44 may be good enough for your subject material, venues and mics.  A reputable dealer like Sweetwater will let you purchase the R44, try it out for a couple of days, and return it if you're not happy with the results.  If you're very very careful not to damage the recorder or packing materials in any way, you should get your money back.

Flintstone

[TheImplodingVoice]

Thank you, everyone for your replies! This really helps me to make a decision. I may have found an R-44 (Oade mod) that I can borrow for a show in the Philly area soon. That will allow me to do a general comparison that will satisfy what I am looking for. I do some ambient recording on my SD722 recorder, including work for minor independent films. It does make me desire to have a 702T or 744T. I would image a 702T + a 702 or 722 would be a nice 4-channel setup, with the option to do timecode, and also having the 4 available gain pots. I have to compare the prices of all these units, including the 788T, to make a final decision. I do know the 722 to have some very low noise, making it very clean for quiet recordings. I do however think some of you are correct that the Edirol R-44 is best suited for louder input levels.

Tom Roach

[notlance]

Since you already have a 722, and you may sometimes need the timecode, it seem like getting a 702T is the way to go.  If you want 4 channel you can sync the 722 and 702T and have 4 excellent mic pres.  If you don't need 4 channel one recorder can act as a backup, or you can record two venues at the same time.  Needing to record at two places at once occurs more often than you would think.  You can have dual recording media with the 702T by adding an external hard drive; I do it all the time with my 702 and it works great.