Topic: Newbie: Edirol R-09 + ... (field recording)

[onateyac86]

Hi! this is my first post here after some time reading and trying to learn inside the forum. So first of all: hi everybody! ^^

Next month ( early june ) im planning to assist to an open-air festival, and id like to start with this hobby, trying to record my favourite band show. Since im new, i dont know what would be the best equipment for me, but I know i cant spend too much money in it for now ( i must pay the tickets, hotel...).
My idea is getting a MD like the MZ-N510 ( ive seen one of these used for 30-40 € around ) and some kind of preamp and cardiods ( maybe spending some money on church audio stuff ^^ ) Do u think this would be a good option? Could i take this "newbie rig" with a 100-150€ budget??

Forget that, I think I should start saving for good quality equipment, like an edirol r-09 instead of buying cheap stuff and later buying again and again to get better gear. An edirol r-09 alone should be ok for a field-recording? it has no windscreens so... that would be the main problem. Later I should add to it some good mics, but like i said, im starting in this. Ive seen other options like the zoom h4 (but ive read bad reviews about it), is there anything else I can compare to the edirol?

Thanks for your time!!

[Arni99]

-The Zoom H2 will be available soon 199$.
-Soundman DR2 2GB recorder (149€) very small sized - to be released mid May 2007.
-The Microtrack 24/96 compact flash card recorder with phantom power.
-Sony MZ-RH1 HI-MD recorder with VERY GOOD preamp(low noise!) but 94min55sec PCM-limit on 1GB HI-MD or you record in HI-SP(256kbit ATRAC3) which makes 7h56min on a single 1GB HI-MD.

Check the "Recording Gear" threads for more info on the above.

[onateyac86]

-The Zoom H2 will be available soon 199$.
-Soundman DR2 2GB recorder (149€) very small sized - to be released mid May 2007.
-The Microtrack 24/96 compact flash card recorder with phantom power.
-Sony MZ-RH1 HI-MD recorder with VERY GOOD preamp(low noise!) but 94min55sec PCM-limit on 1GB HI-MD or you record in HI-SP(256kbit ATRAC3) which makes 7h56min on a single 1GB HI-MD.

Check the "Recording Gear" threads for more info on the above.

Thanks! Ill take a look at those

[SmokinJoe]

I have an R09 and love it, and I recommend it.  But IMO, the built in mics are not particularly useful.  Maybe in an extreme stealth situation, but that's about it.  I don't recommend anyone buy an R-09 thinking they can use those mics until they get something better.   The zoom H4 has some larger built in mics which I think sound amazingly good.  I think they ARE good enough to use until you get something better. Don't want to start a holy war... but that's my opinion. Listen to http://www.archive.org/download/raq2007-04-22.flac16/raq2007-04-22t02_vbr.mp3.

If you can't get a rig ready for a particular event, post a "tapers wanted" message, and I would be surprised if you didn't get takers.

Have fun.

[divamum]

Not a "holy war", but I have certainly used the Edirol's built-in mics successfully to record classical performances.  They have done particularly well in very live acoustics.

I haven't heard/used the Zoom, so can't comment how it compares, but I definitely like the Edirol better than some of the cheaper external mics available.  CLeaner, warmer sound.    Good external mics will probably give better results.   But the internal mics certainly can do a lot for you, and IMO are WAY better than something like the Sony 907 that many people start with. I'd definitely rec an R09 using internal over an MD using the Sony.

[SmokinJoe]

Not a "holy war", but I have certainly used the Edirol's built-in mics successfully to record classical performances.  They have done particularly well in very live acoustics.

Point well taken.  I expect in a nice quiet place, the internal mics would work great.  I tried them once in a chatty bar, and I got as much chat as music.  They are omnis, and I used them in the wrong way.  Someday I will have to try them again under the right circumstances.