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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: jerryfreak on March 25, 2015, 04:02:42 AM
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looking for budget, but reliable (aka, not super overkill, 8 channels, etc. like for example you wouldnt use a 744T for bit bucket
smaller ones
sony D50 (incompatible with a lot of stuff)
Marantz PMD661
bigger ones:
Marantz PMD-671
Tascam HD-P2
Edirol R-44.
anything else out there? dont be all 'microtrack' either ;)
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Id say that the 661 is the best bet reliability and compatibility wise. Then the D50 for size
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TASCAM DR-100mkII. $300 at B&H. Well-built. But also has compatibility issues like Sony D50.
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Tascam DR680. Not sure if you consider this overkill, but it is smaller and sells for less than the HD-P2 (which is a great deck in its own right). You dont have to use all the channels, but you have the flexibility.
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The "reliable, affordable (and relatively cheap) bit bucket" has become the taper's Holy Grail, lol. If a manufacturer would make one in a Sony M-10/Edirol-Roland R-05/09 size with a normal SPDIF input, we'd have a winner. That said, the 661 and R-44 are likely your best bets for reliability and compatibility in the lower price range. I haven't had an issue linking the R-44 with with anything and I've heard the same anecdotes about the 661. Never used/owned a DR680, and they are getting cheaper, but I understand they're fairly compatible with a lot of preamps.
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My 661 has become my "go to" bit bucket recorder. I haven't used my DR100mkii or MicroTrack 8) since getting it.
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DR-680
Bigger than necessary for just dig-in, but..
Press the stereo mode button and it operates as a two channel recorder instead of a 6+channel machine.
Coax RCA digital in/out up to 24/192.
Inexpensive.
It's worked with all digital sources I've plugged into it, most frequently a V3 or the S/PDIF out from an R-44.
R-44 is smaller, simple and works very well but isn't budget.
After the 680, I'd probably consider the 661 or an HD-P2.
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The 661 is great as a bit bucket.. and with an Oade mod, the box does great as an all-in-one.
Pretty much the only draw back that I can think of is that it's max is 24/96, if that matters to anyone.
With a proper cable, it can run on an external 5v usb battery pack.. standard stuff these days.
Great deck!
But I agree... a S/PDIF palm-size deck the size of an M10 would be most excellent.. the good ol MT/MTII fits the bill!.. if ya got the guts. ;)
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i had a 680. just too big/too much of a battery hog/ i didnt like the sound of the A/D so it was overkill for my needs. maybe i need to run 4 microtracks concurrently
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i had a 680. just too big/too much of a battery hog/ i didnt like the sound of the A/D so it was overkill for my needs. maybe i need to run 4 microtracks concurrently
Or just buy a Sonosax miniR82 - it accepts 8 channels of AES
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DR-680
Bigger than necessary for just dig-in, but..
Press the stereo mode button and it operates as a two channel recorder instead of a 6+channel machine.
Coax RCA digital in/out up to 24/192.
Inexpensive.
It's worked with all digital sources I've plugged into it, most frequently a V3 or the S/PDIF out from an R-44.
R-44 is smaller, simple and works very well but isn't budget.
After the 680, I'd probably consider the 661 or an HD-P2.
The 680 is great but it shares the same compatibility issues with certain preamps as the DR-100mkii, and the DR-100mkii is smaller. I've used it with the digital out of an SD USBPre2 and it's wonderful. However it's only 24/96.
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I've thought about an MT bit bucket with the M10 running as back up.
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I love my HD-P2...
Since I don't get out anymore, I use it ONLY as a bit-bucket transferring DATs...
Terry
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i had a 680. just too big/too much of a battery hog/ i didnt like the sound of the A/D so it was overkill for my needs. maybe i need to run 4 microtracks concurrently
I can see the battery issue, although I always run an external battery on any deck I use, but if you are using the deck as a bit bucket, the A/D would be bypassed as it would just be getting the digital signal direct from the preamp.
I never had any issues using my MT, but I just had to remember to turn on and off carefully, that was pretty much it.
As for a deck that is a very reliable easy to use bit bucket, I agree with Rodeen, the Marantz PMD 661 is my go to bit bucket. However, again, I always run an external battery.
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i had a 680. just too big/too much of a battery hog/ i didnt like the sound of the A/D so it was overkill for my needs. maybe i need to run 4 microtracks concurrently
Or just buy a Sonosax miniR82 - it accepts 8 channels of AES
miniR82 is small, very capable, and the only one on this list that can accept more than a single digital pair. Unfortunately it certainly is not budget. Otherwise I'd probably own one!
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looking for budget, but reliable (aka, not super overkill, 8 channels, etc. like for example you wouldnt use a 744T for bit bucket
smaller ones
sony D50 (incompatible with a lot of stuff)
Marantz PMD661
bigger ones:
Marantz PMD-671
Tascam HD-P2
Edirol R-44.
anything else out there? dont be all 'microtrack' either ;)
You missed the Sony D100
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I guess affordable is relative... :)
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I guess affordable is relative... :)
Of course it is - in a Forum, a budget range should be stated, rather than "cheap" or "affordable".
For me, anything under £1,000 is "cheap" when it comes to mics, monitors or recorders.