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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: OnamaeWaNanDesuKa on October 09, 2013, 11:50:53 AM
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Just putting a basic setup together so I can get into taping.
The DR-40 looks amazing, but I'm wondering:
Are its preamps decent?
Will it play well with the Berliner CM-33 mic pair I ordered?
I'm also thinking of getting the DR-100MKII, but the massive downside on that one, is total lack of 4-channel recording (can't even record from a line-in and the internal mics simultaneously). Basically, the DR-40 has a great feature set, but I'm worried about its preamp situation, and the DR-100MKII has a limited feature set, but from what I understand, admirably solid preamps. I'm in a real bind. I would go with the Roland-R26, but it's now way out of my price range at ~$500. Looking for input from you fine folks. Thanks in advance!
P.S. I added a poll.
P.P.S. I plan on mostly recording sessions in studios, and shows in small to mid-sized venues for now, but eventually hope to try my hand at outdoor shows and in large-scale arenas. Music focus will be mostly rock and jazz, though I do frequent classical Hindustani / Carnatic events as well, so I'm sure I'll gravitate towards taping at those from time to time (should I get approval from the venues).
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My experience with the DR100 was it had a very noisy phantom power supply, which for most mics doesn't matter at all, but for those few that don't like that it was unusable. I don't know if the 40 is the same or not and I don't know if the DR100mkII fixed that (if anybody has one and a multimeter that can read VAC to the mV range, you can test it).
From what I've read the DR-100MKII's preamps are a vast improvement over the original DR-100 (at-least according to these links; http://www.avisoft.com/recordertests.htm | http://kenrockwell.com/audio/tascam/dr-100mkii.htm | http://thenetfilmmaker.com/tascam-dr100-mkii-test-and-review/), but I obviously can't independently confirm, as I haven't laid hands on the unit (let alone any similar ones). The new pair of CM-33 mics I got cost around $400 and I'm on somewhat of a limited budget, so I can't really spend more than $300 on the recorder itself, hence my being limited to the DR-40 or DR-100MKII (or any other solid device in that price range).
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Personally I like external preamps, so I would say neither. But if I had to choose I'd go with the 100.
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Thanks for the input PZ. Have to head out for a while, but I definitely would like some more info, so I'll throw out three more specific questions before I go:
1. Has anyone used the Berliner CM33s (or a similar pair of mics) plugged directly into the Tascam DR-40, or DR-100MKII?
1a. If so, did you find they worked well together?
2. For those of you who have tried the CM33s or a similar pair with both of these devices (however unlikely that is), which one fared better, if any?
3. For those of you who are knowledgeable enough to offer an informed opinion, without actually having tried any of the devices in question; looking at the specs for the mics, and both of the Tascam recorders, how do you think each recorder would fare in conjunction with the aforementioned mics?
Reference:
Berliner CM-33 Specs (http://berlineraudio.com/index.php/component/option,com_productbook/Itemid,31/func,detail/id,3/)
Tascam DR-100MKII (http://tascam.com/product/dr-100mkii/)
Tascam DR-40 (http://tascam.com/product/dr-40/)
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but the massive downside on that one, is total lack of 4-channel recording (can't even record from a line-in and the internal mics simultaneously). Basically, the DR-40 has a great feature set, but I'm worried about its preamp situation,
"can't even", well, that's exactly what the DR40 does; its 4Ch recording has to include the internals whether you supply an external microphone or an external line input.
If you need 4c recording go for the DR40. If you don't, then go for the MK - easy as that in my book :P
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I've run the DR-40 and the Berliners, though not, I think, together.
The -40 is much less expensive than the DR-100mkII, by more than $100 I think. The Berliners are pretty bright mics, and I think Tascam's pres trend a little dark, so it might make a pretty good match.
I would not spend extra money on the DR-100mkII unless you need its (finicky, semi-functional) digital input.
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I *thought* that the DR40 could ONLY be recording 4 channels by going Mics>DR40 + Internal mics ??? I thought it was UNLIKE the Tascam DR2D, where you can run [2] pairs of mics>DR2D, or Mics>DR2D + SBD>DR2D ???
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Thanks for the input PZ. Have to head out for a while, but I definitely would like some more info, so I'll throw out three more specific questions before I go:
1. Has anyone used the Berliner CM33s (or a similar pair of mics) plugged directly into the Tascam DR-40, or DR-100MKII?
1a. If so, did you find they worked well together?
2. For those of you who have tried the CM33s or a similar pair with both of these devices (however unlikely that is), which one fared better, if any?
3. For those of you who are knowledgeable enough to offer an informed opinion, without actually having tried any of the devices in question; looking at the specs for the mics, and both of the Tascam recorders, how do you think each recorder would fare in conjunction with the aforementioned mics?
Reference:
Berliner CM-33 Specs (http://berlineraudio.com/index.php/component/option,com_productbook/Itemid,31/func,detail/id,3/)
Tascam DR-100MKII (http://tascam.com/product/dr-100mkii/)
Tascam DR-40 (http://tascam.com/product/dr-40/)
#2. Someone on ts.com runs his Berliner CM33 mics>Naiant LittleBox with Output Transformers, and when I have listened to his recordings with that combo, I have consistently liked them ;) Maybe go for a Naiant TinyBox with Output Transformers and a Sony PCM-M10, IF you can afford that much at once ;)
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#2. Someone on ts.com runs his Berliner CM33 mics>Naiant LittleBox with Output Transformers, and when I have listened to his recordings with that combo, I have consistently liked them ;) Maybe go for a Naiant TinyBox with Output Transformers and a Sony PCM-M10, IF you can afford that much at once ;)
i noticed that while i was lurking before i decided to post. his recordings are what inspired me to get the berliners!
If you need 4c recording go for the DR40. If you don't, then go for the MK - easy as that in my book :P
dually noted.
I've run the DR-40 and the Berliners, though not, I think, together.
The -40 is much less expensive than the DR-100mkII, by more than $100 I think. The Berliners are pretty bright mics, and I think Tascam's pres trend a little dark, so it might make a pretty good match.
I would not spend extra money on the DR-100mkII unless you need its (finicky, semi-functional) digital input.
useful insight, thanks!
and many thanks to everyone else for all the input. been quite helpful so far. and yeah fobean, from what i understand about the dr40, you can record in the following combinations: line-in + internal mics or internal mics + external mics. would be useful for making rudimentary matrix recordings. which is something i'd definitely be interested in experimenting with down the road.
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a hearty thank-you to the fine folks of taperssection!
after much deliberation, i have finally decided upon the DR-100MKII. i love the feature-set of the DR-40, but after some intensive investigation, i found that the DR-100MKII gets good sound with nearly any set of mics, and has a notably lower noise floor than most of the other portables under $400. it came down to sound quality vs. tons of features i could toy with, and in the end, sound quality won out. expect me to be posting all sorts of questions within a few weeks, on recommended settings and configurations for recording live music with my CM33s & DR-100MKII.
p.s. if anyone wants some basic tests or recording samples made with the aforementioned combo, chime in. when the unit arrives, i'll put it through its paces.