Topic: Roland R-05 has secret easter egg menu for more settings too!

[listener2]

Hi, just got my new Roland R05 this afternoon and found there is a hidden menu you can access by pressing the "A<>B/Split" button together with the "Menu" button.
It will display what looks like the normal menu screen but with an extra option choice #8 that says "Special Setup".
When you select that option #8 it takes you into a bunch more parameters that you can set and fiddle with.
The most useful one for me at the moment is turning off the "Record" red led light whenever you go into record mode.  That's good for stealth mode recording in dark places so it won't catch attention.
There is also a mic gain setting which is default I think to 18DB gain.  You can adjust it in fixed increments up or down a litlle bit.  I think the next higher gain step jumps to 28DB gain, the next lower setting is like 13DB gain (I cannot remember as I don't have it in front of me now).  There is also a setting called "Mic Bias" which is default set to *0.9.  I have no idea what it is for except my guess is how much battery voltage it sends to the mic plug in power.
Many other adjustments are in there to tweak reverb timings and all that too, there's more too but I just cannot remember the list.  But there you have it.  Nice easter egg they gave us.

Preamp noise? I have no conclusive opinion yet compared to my Sony PCM-M10 and PCM-D50 mic-in preamp noise levels.  But the R-05 seems to be just as quiet by my initial impressions.
No, I have not tested line-in overload levels.  I don't use line-in currently.
Updated: to correct menu selection choice #6 to #8 for the "Special Setup" after I looked at it again.  Also there is not adjustments for reverb settings, but rather the "Auto Record Start" parameters instead as well as the AGC level and attack settings.
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[jbou]

Wanted to bump this for all the new R-05 owners. I was able to find this special menu but I don't know what all the options mean. If you know what some are, jump in and let us know!

[TimeBandit]

looks like the hidden menu from the r09hr has survived into this unit. In fact the r05 is its follow up.

[LikeASong]

Sorry for the loooooong bump, but I've just got myself a cheap R-05 and I was surfing the website looking for info... THANKS very much to the thread opener for this info, it will be interesting to tweak that stuff when I get the recorder

[rolandr05]

Sorry for the loooooong bump, but I've just got myself a cheap R-05 and I was surfing the website looking for info... THANKS very much to the thread opener for this info, it will be interesting to tweak that stuff when I get the recorder

It's cheap "now" after long time it was announced on the market so it doesn't mean the Roland R-05 is inferior to its direct competitors.
I've added more feedback in my thread: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=158660.15

And thanks to @listener2 for helpful information.

[bluntforcetrauma]

Sorry for the loooooong bump, but I've just got myself a cheap R-05 and I was surfing the website looking for info... THANKS very much to the thread opener for this info, it will be interesting to tweak that stuff when I get the recorder

It's cheap "now" after long time it was announced on the market so it doesn't mean the Roland R-05 is inferior to its direct competitors.
I've added more feedback in my thread: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=158660.15

And thanks to @listener2 for helpful information.

Its just the roland/edirol r-05 does not come with power cord, cover, which would make the unit a bit more expensive.  The r-01, r-09 all the way up to the r-05 has the hidden menu.  Of course I personally only use the LED and PK light. I dont even know what all those other numbers and selections mean.  I got 2 r05 and like them. Still use the r-09, but the r-01 remains relaxing in the closet.

[LikeASong]

Yeah I'm very happy with the R-05 and I won't be ditching it anytime soon unless a really cheap Tascam DR-2D surfaces. And even if that happens, I think I would keep my R-05. It has served me so well! And the hidden features are amazing, I use many of them besides switching on/off the peak/Rec lights!

[jbou]

Yeah I'm very happy with the R-05 and I won't be ditching it anytime soon unless a really cheap Tascam DR-2D surfaces. And even if that happens, I think I would keep my R-05. It has served me so well! And the hidden features are amazing, I use many of them besides switching on/off the peak/Rec lights!

Which ones do you use besides turning off the lights?

[bluntforcetrauma]

Yeah I'm very happy with the R-05 and I won't be ditching it anytime soon unless a really cheap Tascam DR-2D surfaces. And even if that happens, I think I would keep my R-05. It has served me so well! And the hidden features are amazing, I use many of them besides switching on/off the peak/Rec lights!

Which ones do you use besides turning off the lights?

yes i would like to know too please, I dont even know what all they mean.  Thats why i just use the LED light, i like to have it on for an entire show so i can make sure I got everything going correctly.

thanks in advance

[LikeASong]

I change the

Yeah I'm very happy with the R-05 and I won't be ditching it anytime soon unless a really cheap Tascam DR-2D surfaces. And even if that happens, I think I would keep my R-05. It has served me so well! And the hidden features are amazing, I use many of them besides switching on/off the peak/Rec lights!

Which ones do you use besides turning off the lights?

I change the mic boost depending on the nature of the show I'm recording; 13dB for loudest shows, 28 or 33 for acoustic or quieter shows. The mic bias is also useful if you use plug in power (I do many times), the higher the setting the better result you'll have (a higher bians means it's providing more juice to the mics). I remember I also tweaked the ALC DCY/ATK settings but I can't remember what it was for and if I liked the result or not haha.

[fmaderjr]

The mic bias is also useful if you use plug in power (I do many times), the higher the setting the better result you'll have (a higher bians means it's providing more juice to the mics).

That would be very useful if you could get the PIP up to 5 volts or so. Then you wouldn't need a battery box for most mics.

Unfortunately I can't find a mic bias option in the R-09 or R-09HR hidden menus or test modes.

[LikeASong]

The mic bias is also useful if you use plug in power (I do many times), the higher the setting the better result you'll have (a higher bians means it's providing more juice to the mics).

That would be very useful if you could get the PIP up to 5 volts or so. Then you wouldn't need a battery box for most mics.

Unfortunately I can't find a mic bias option in the R-09 or R-09HR hidden menus or test modes.

Of course, that would be awesome! Although, getting 5V of PIP power using 2 single AA batteries would be hard, batteries would die really fast I think. This option lets you choose between 0, 0'3, 0'9 (default setting) and 1'2 V if I remember right, so I got it up from 0'9 to 1'2 and I've found my mics brickwalling less often than when I ran the default option (using PIP, that is). All, thanks to this thread

[rodeen]

Bump for new R-05 owners like me who got a deal from Guitar Center.

I am taking mine into the field tonight for the first time and am looking for advice on record settings when going line in from a preamp.  I thought I read somewhere that 38 to 40 was a good place to start??

[yates7592]

I only used my R-05 once and I set out at 40 with DPA4061's in a fairly loud show. I only just got away with it, like peaks at -2dB, so if I was you I'd step back to 30-ish if its your first run with this deck.

[rodeen]

Awesome, thanks!

[bombdiggity]

Bump for new R-05 owners like me who got a deal from Guitar Center.

I am taking mine into the field tonight for the first time and am looking for advice on record settings when going line in from a preamp.  I thought I read somewhere that 38 to 40 was a good place to start??

May be a little late but the line in level with preamp is definitely sensitive to the volume of the show.  What I run it at varies a lot, though 30 is usually safe.  Unlike many other decks there is no audible artifact if you adjust the record level one step at a time so if you start out too loud or too quiet feel no reservations about resetting the gain as you move into the set. 

[perks]

Weird - I run mine for loud rock PA recording on line-in set at 10 when using my Nbox that has +20db gain.  I typically get peaks between -12 and -6 at this setting. Running with the R-05 set to 40 would be a brickwalled mess for sure for me.

[bombdiggity]

Weird - I run mine for loud rock PA recording on line-in set at 10 when using my Nbox that has +20db gain.  I typically get peaks between -12 and -6 at this setting. Running with the R-05 set to 40 would be a brickwalled mess for sure for me.

loud rock is probably the determining factor there.  I run some nearly unamplified classical shows using Tinybox at medium gain (I forget what that equates to on mine, though think it is less than +20) and have had to push the nominal gain up to 55-60 on some of those.  My usual unamplified jazz club show usually runs from 25-35 at stage lip (with drummer usually the determinant).  I've had a few things down to the teens but not much.  I very rarely go to loud shows though. 

[perks]

^ Jazz shows for me I run at 15 which is fairly conservative but I'm always afraid of a Peter Escovedo-like conga/cowbell blast that spikes up much louder than the rest of the show.

[Gutbucket]

I remember I also tweaked the ALC DCY/ATK settings but I can't remember what it was for and if I liked the result or not haha.

I never used the R-05, but found the secret menu on the R-09 back in the day.  I don't remember seeing those entries for the R-09, but my guess would be reading that shorthand as follows:

ALC = Automatic Level Control
DCY = Decay
ATK = Attack

I assume those adjust the auto-gain limiter attack and release speeds.

I still keep my old R-09s in the utility box for use as SBD patch decks and just in case I need the file repair option (re-writes the file header) for a card recorded in another deck while on the road.  I'd use one as a small digital out playback deck into my headphone DAC if I still had the optical cable with a RA 3.5mm swivel I once had for them.

[rodeen]

I ended up running the R-05 at 40 and had levels in the -12 to -6 range but I am pretty sure I was severely under utilizing my Littlebox and was getting a majority of my gain from the R-05's preamp.  Next time I'll dial back the R-05 significantly and drive the LB harder.  All-in-all I am happy with the recording and the R-05. 

Weird - I run mine for loud rock PA recording on line-in set at 10 when using my Nbox that has +20db gain.  I typically get peaks between -12 and -6 at this setting. Running with the R-05 set to 40 would be a brickwalled mess for sure for me.

[perks]

I ended up running the R-05 at 40 and had levels in the -12 to -6 range but I am pretty sure I was severely under utilizing my Littlebox and was getting a majority of my gain from the R-05's preamp.  Next time I'll dial back the R-05 significantly and drive the LB harder.  All-in-all I am happy with the recording and the R-05. 

Weird - I run mine for loud rock PA recording on line-in set at 10 when using my Nbox that has +20db gain.  I typically get peaks between -12 and -6 at this setting. Running with the R-05 set to 40 would be a brickwalled mess for sure for me.

I compared all 4 of the recordings and your AKG capture is particularly smoking hot. 

[rodeen]

Thanks, Perks!  I really like the LittleBox/AKG combo.  They pair up nicely.  Your recording sounds great as always, too.  You've got that sweet spot at First Av nailed!

[terryfunku]

Using this thread, http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=136806.0  I attempted to access the hidden menu and could not.

Did they lock it in further releases of the device? I can't find any updates to the firmware that may have compromised the menu (like they did with updates regarding the R-09HR's hidden menu).

Any help would be appreciated. I really want to turn off the recording indicator/light and see if I can boost the playback volume by a few dBs.

Also, anyone have access to firmware 1.02 or 1.01? That would theoretically allow access to the hidden menu as I'm sure the new firmware has locked it out.
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I tried posting a new topic about this but no one wants to contribute, so I'm bumping this emeffer.

My apologies if this is bad form, but I only have 1 more day before I use this device for the first time.

[larrysellers]

I am running v1.03 and the special menu is still there.

[robeti]

same here.
Just bought a couple of new R-05's (all 1.03 software on it) and all still with the secret menu.

Make sure you press "AB first" (hold it) and then press "menu"

[dallman]

I have not seen the need to make any changes, but I can access the secret menu too and I have firmware 1.03 on 2 R-05's.

[robeti]

Using this thread, http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=136806.0  I attempted to access the hidden menu and could not.

Did they lock it in further releases of the device? I can't find any updates to the firmware that may have compromised the menu (like they did with updates regarding the R-09HR's hidden menu).

Any help would be appreciated. I really want to turn off the recording indicator/light and see if I can boost the playback volume by a few dBs.

Also, anyone have access to firmware 1.02 or 1.01? That would theoretically allow access to the hidden menu as I'm sure the new firmware has locked it out.
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I tried posting a new topic about this but no one wants to contribute, so I'm bumping this emeffer.

My apologies if this is bad form, but I only have 1 more day before I use this device for the first time.

Have you tried again?
I'm sure it's you, not the recorder.

[terryfunku]

Well, to prove that I know how to do the button combination, I'm able to change the language to Japanese by doing another button combo AND I've done the secret menu crap with the R-09HR.

This R-05 o' mine ain't having it. IDK. I'll keep attempting it until I have carpal tunnel I guess.

Thank you for the replies though. At least I know that I'M the crazy one.

[terryfunku]

I've tried holding the A<>B button while powering up and as soon as the power flashes begin to hold the Menu button. No response from device.

I've tried powering up and as as soon as the power flashes on I've begun holding the A<>B button immediately followed by holding the Menu button. No response from device.

We're a few hours from show time and me breaking this bugger in, but I'd still like to accomplish this even if it is at a later date.

[robeti]

Reset to factory settings and try again.

[one8ung]

Any news about the hidden menu on the r-07?