Newbie Question - Which recorder?

[slarty101]

Hi All,

Needing some advice. I currently have a Zoom H2 which I've used to record some gigs with varying degrees of success however both the mic in and the line in have  given up the ghost (again - its my 2nd unit) so now I'm thinking of getting a replacement. I normally use external mics (started with the Sound Professional SP-CMC-22s but now replaced with MCSM-4s) connected via Sound Professionals mini battery box to the line in of the recorder. I normally record loud rock music in smaller venues. My budget is roughly £250/$400. With these requirements in mind what would you recommend? I'm considering the Edirol R09-HR and the Roland R05 or possibly even the Microtrak II but would like to get your input.

Thanks in advance,

S.

[jbell]

Sony PCM M10 would be a good choice!  Their is a deal at B&H so you could grab one for $200(if it is still on sale).  I would avoid the MTII unless you are using it for a bit bucket, which doesn't seem to be the case.  Good luck.

Hi All,

Needing some advice. I currently have a Zoom H2 which I've used to record some gigs with varying degrees of success however both the mic in and the line in have  given up the ghost (again - its my 2nd unit) so now I'm thinking of getting a replacement. I normally use external mics (started with the Sound Professional SP-CMC-22s but now replaced with MCSM-4s) connected via Sound Professionals mini battery box to the line in of the recorder. I normally record loud rock music in smaller venues. My budget is roughly £250/$400. With these requirements in mind what would you recommend? I'm considering the Edirol R09-HR and the Roland R05 or possibly even the Microtrak II but would like to get your input.

Thanks in advance,

S.

[fmaderjr]

Sony PCM M10 would be a good choice!  Their is a deal at B&H so you could grab one for $200(if it is still on sale).  I would avoid the MTII unless you are using it for a bit bucket, which doesn't seem to be the case.  Good luck.

I agree. M10 is a great choice. Definite no to the MT2. The R-09HR is also good, but does not have as good battery life. I would avoid the R-05 until it has been tested further-it does not handle as hot a line in signal as the M10 or R-09HR (although that may not matter if yo never add a preamp to the chain).

Since you can now get an M10 cheaper than the HR, I see no reason not to go with the M10.

[listener2]

Hi All,

Needing some advice. ... I normally record loud rock music in smaller venues. My budget is roughly £250/$400. With these requirements in mind what would you recommend? I'm considering the Edirol R09-HR and the Roland R05 or possibly even the Microtrak II but would like to get your input.

I highly recommend from what you said you need and want and for the price range you are willing to spend, that you jump on that $199 deal on the Sony PCM-M10 recorder at B&H Photo.
I own the Sony PCM-M10 and the Roland R-05 as well as the Sony PCM-D50 and older Edirol R-09.  All of them are excellent portable recorders.  The Sony's excel at everything.  The Sony M10 and Roland R-05 as far as I can tell are about equal in sound quality and noise levels but the Sony is better built and has better usable features than the R-05 IMO.  It also has a slight edge in overall sound quality from what I perceive when I recorded with same mics (Sony seemed to be more transparent in the highs where the Roland R-05 seemed to dim them a bit).  As for the line input maximum input voltage levels that the R-05 can handle, I am not sure about that yet but it may not be as bad as what has been stated in other posts thus far.  No one has verified if the R-05 cannot take hot +4dB Pro Level signals or not.  The specs sort of say it has a more sensitive line input level than the older R-09HR but everything is relative.  That does not mean that the R-05 cannot handle a 2.5volt max line input level.  It just might and not overload.  Only time will tell when someone gets to testing it out.  Roland does not specify max input voltages like Sony does in their data specs.  Sony line input can take max of 2.2v or 2.5v (I forget the exact spec).  But most decent line level inputs should take 2 volts without overloading.  I don't know if the R05 can or not at this time.  I will get around to testing it one day.  But you will not go wrong buying the Sony M10.  The D50 is slightly quieter and better but bigger and bulkier and has less battery run time and it only takes Sony memory stick pro cards and cost more.  The M10 can take micro SDHC cards as well as Sony memory stick pro mini cards. If I were you, I'd get the Sony M10.

[fmaderjr]

Listener 2-I agree with your analysis. I'm not saying the R-05 won't handle strong line level signals. I'm just saying that I wouldn't want to invest in one, if that was important to me, until it has been proven one way or the other. Especially since, as you say, the M10 has been proven to be an all around great machine and is in the same price range. Maybe even cheaper if that $200 sale is still going on at B&H.

[adrianf74]

What he said... and what he said...

Grab the M10 if you can for $200 from B&H.  If I didn't already own an Edirol R09 that's minimally used - and in mint condition working without issue - I would buy the M10 in an instant.

[earmonger]

PCM-M10. Sound quality, battery life, display, mic preamp, remote-control track marking as you record, even reasonable quality built-in mics...you won't regret it. And you'll probably never touch the H2 again.

[slarty101]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the replies - looks like I'm in the hunt for a M-10!

Cheers,

S.

[Ziggz]

If you can pull the trigger on it now, B&H still have $50 off at this point in time:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=pcm-m10-black&N=0&InitialSearch=yes

[slarty101]

If you can pull the trigger on it now, B&H still have $50 off at this point in time:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=pcm-m10-black&N=0&InitialSearch=yes

Yup, B&H will do it for $199 but then it's an additional $150 for shipping, taxes, duty etc 

Still searching - some deals on ebay...

Cheers,

S.

[stevetoney]

If you can pull the trigger on it now, B&H still have $50 off at this point in time:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=pcm-m10-black&N=0&InitialSearch=yes

Yup, B&H will do it for $199 but then it's an additional $150 for shipping, taxes, duty etc 

Still searching - some deals on ebay...

Cheers,

S.

If I were still traveling alot to Europe, I'd have no problem buying it for you here and then mailing it out once inside the EU.  Not sure when my next trip will be though.  Sorry.

[slarty101]

Hi All,

Just an update to say I pulled the trigger on a Sony M10 via US ebay. It arrived earlier this week and I used it for the first time last night. Initial impressions are verrry good! Will need to play about to sort out the optimal settings but tried it with and without a 10db pad into the line in and the with pad seems to be superior (listening through cheap headphones). Will have a look at the files in audacity and do a bit of processing on them. So thanks again for all your input.

S.    

[listener2]

You made a very good choice! Enjoy! M10 is the one still to beat in this segment of portable recorders.

[fmaderjr]

Will need to play about to sort out the optimal settings but tried it with and without a 10db pad into the line in and the with pad seems to be superior (listening through cheap headphones).

Great choice. Using a pad though is unnecessary and, if anything, could degrade the sound by requiring more gain. According to guysonic, the line in is overload resistant to +24 dB so it can take a very hot signal without a pad. I'm pretty sure that even the mic in can take a hot enough signal that you wouldn't need a pad in that case either (as long as weren't trying to feed the mic in with a preamp).