Topic: EDIROL R-44 (PART IV)

[rastasean]

I think a few people have unloaded their r44 and replaced it with the more channels 680. I have not see the 680 in person so I don't know much about it but it is really popular with a number of people who want a lot of channels. Truthfully, I would be happy with the sound devices usb pre 2, and the mixpre with the r44. I'm not asking for much, huh?

[kirk97132]

I ran an MP-2 with the R-44 and then a Busman UA-5 for digi input.  I actually liked the modded UA-5 a little better with my ADK LD mics.  But since you can run analog input on all channels why not just run two MP-2's and/or mixpre's?  You can pick them up cheaper than the new USBpre-2.  Or for that matter a V2  for about the same money also.  And the BUsman UA-5 sounded good too with a few in the YS now you can get them at a good price. 

[rastasean]

I ran an MP-2 with the R-44 and then a Busman UA-5 for digi input.  I actually liked the modded UA-5 a little better with my ADK LD mics.  But since you can run analog input on all channels why not just run two MP-2's and/or mixpre's?  You can pick them up cheaper than the new USBpre-2.  Or for that matter a V2  for about the same money also.  And the BUsman UA-5 sounded good too with a few in the YS now you can get them at a good price.

Kirk,

You know that makes perfect sense. You don't need to go digi in just because when you could get nice pres and be happy with analog in! I know a v2 would be more than the ua5 and probably mixpre but whats a used one cost these days?

[kirk97132]

I just sold my V2 for 675, but I see them for 700.  You might have to be patient.  Or if you are real patient a V3 will show up at the 800 range then you have both analog and digital outputs.  The MP-2/mixpre's sometimes pop up as low as 400-450, but 500 is pretty common.   I was also looking at the Audient Mico preamp and Dirk (TNJazz here on TS) is an Audient dealer with good pricing.  That came in under 700 but was a tad too big for my bag.  But the unit supposedly sounds as good if not better than the Grace preamps.  And it has digi output to boot!  I moved off the R-44 for the DR-690 because I wanted more channels and I have to have digi output from the preamp to utilize all of the inputs on the 680. 

[rastasean]

I also see you sold your ua5 for a real good price recently. Those machines don't bring in as much money as they once did because we now have all-in-one machines like the r44 & 680.

Did you ever do any midside m/s recordings with the r44? I like Shawn's microphone in the yardsale, lsd2, and I may make an offer so I can try out m/s recordings, and I have heard lots of great things about that microphone. in fact the only bad thing about it is the weight of it.

[kirk97132]

No I have not done any MS but a lot of stuff I do is multitrack so MS is not really an option.  I have considered it but have yet to play around with it.  There are lots of LSD-2 users here and it seems they like the mic.  Size and/or weight is not a problem for me but I lug around more gear than most.  I weighs about the same as one of my ADK's.   Try a search on LMA for LSD2 and see what pops up, I'm sure you'll get a bunch of hits to listen to.  Yeah the UA-5 market is down and I even considered keeping it because the box is SO flexible.  I sold it to fund other slutty purchases and because a good buddy has one I can borrow at any time...speaking of Josh I need to return your UA-5   I'm using an Apogee AD-1000 right now for digital output and am happy with that but looking forward to getting the new SD box Plus I got an MP-2 to use for a different flavor besides the stock Tascam preamps, which are plenty good if you ask me. 

The R-44 is a great little unit, you can go wrong with.  Easy to operate almost no learning curve and good sound out of the box.  If it had a way to sync clocks I would not have sold it....well maybe I would have since I sold the R-44 and it paid for my 680. 

[justink]

i just want to drop in and say that i LOVE my Oade CM R-44.  personally i think it's easier to use and sounds better than a 722 analog in.  and it's 4 channels. 

i haven't given the new 8 channel Tascam a spin yet, but i may eventually.  until then, the R-44 is a dream.

[cybergaloot]

I have many many hours on my stock R-44 now and its still cruising along just fine, even after having been dropped once. I hope to get a second one in a few months for multiple stage events.

[Chadfish]

So we can't record channels 3 & 4 without also recording channels 1 & 2?

I ask because I am getting a "Mixed Mod" (my own term) R-44 from Oade Bros. Channel 1&2 will be "Super" for dialogue & nature recordings, and channels 3&4 will be "Concert" for music. Granted I will most likely be doing matrix recordings: Ch. 1&2 Mics, Ch. 3&4 Board feed, but it would be nice to just use ch 3&4 sometimes.

So is it a definite fact that we can't record Ch 3&4 only?

[bugg100]

Yes, so just don't connect anything to 1 or 2 and don't copy those files from the sd card...

[Ozpeter]

As supplied there's no logical reason to provide for recording on 3&4 only, given that those channels are identical to 1&2, so they didn't provide that option.

[cybergaloot]

Someone posted once a while back that Doug Oade though that channels 1 & 2 picked up noise from the display light and liked to upgrade 3& 4 instead. I've never heard the noise myself. It would be nice to be able to choose which you wanted to use for two channel only inputs though and it might only be a firmware change on Edirol's part. In some situations it might be better to have the mic XLRs going into 3&4 rather than 1&2 physically. I haven't personally run into that sort of problem but I could see it.

[Chadfish]

It would be convenient to just record any channel, any combo - as with any audio interface. I think the Oade mods correct the display audio bleed. I've never heard of picking up the display after the mod.

 Either mod is still an upgrade to the original pres, so it's only a small want to be able to record on CH 3&4 only. For concerts I'll put my NT5 into 1&2(super), then board feed in 3&4(concert). The rest of the time I'll be using ch 1&2 (super) as 2nd system audio for video work with a shotgun, hyper mic, or a wireless unit.

[BayTaynt3d]

It's become pretty quiet here since I last checked. Is everyone selling their R-44s for the Tascam DR-680 or what? This might be off topic but maybe there should be some kind of poll to see what people think about each of the two...?

Just for the record I'm still using and loving my oade mod R44, the thing is a beast, not even a single glitch in hundreds of recordings.

[cybergaloot]

The only glitches I've had with my R-44 are ones I caused.