Topic: Olympus LS-100 with XLR, 8 channels

[flintstone]

Obviously a typo.  Item is $11.79, Shipping is $2.98, Total $14.77 
Or buy 3 Chinese knockoff batteries for about $12.

The point is that the cost of the rechargeable battery should not play a role in the decision to choose the LS-100 or not.  Battery life, quality of preamp, ease of use, construction quality, these are the sorts of features we need to pay attention to when the LS-100 becomes available.

[aaronji]

If I could get a dependable 2.5 or 3 hours running phantom, I would be pretty interested (assuming decent pre-amps).  Olympus says it can handle a draw (both channels combined) of just under 20 mA...They didn't actually answer my question, though, which was P48 run time with 3 or 4 mA mics...They also said, "The AC Adapter cannot power the recorder -- it is only used to charge the battery in the recorder." 

Oh, and one of the dimensions in English (3.25") doesn't match the metric size (159 mm) on their website; they said the metric sizes are correct.  Still not huge, but not nearly as small as it seemed!

[aaronji]

The manual is now on-line (http://www.olympusamerica.com/files/oima_cckb/LS-100_Instruction_Manual_EN.pdf)...

[aaronji]

Based on the manual and web descriptions, I had a few questions for Olympus:

1.  Max input level for the XLR mic- and line-ins.
2.  Approximate battery life with P48 (for any draw they choose).
3.  Cross-memory recording (like the M10).
4.  2 GB splits (automatic? seamless?).  It seems to me that one of the earlier ones (maybe LS-10) just stopped at 2 GB.

So far, I have heard back on the cross-memory recording.  It is not possible with this recorder...

[rjp]

4.  2 GB splits (automatic? seamless?).  It seems to me that one of the earlier ones (maybe LS-10) just stopped at 2 GB.

That was true of the LS-10 with the early firmware. Once I updated mine, it gave me seamless splits.

[aaronji]

^^^ Olympus confirmed that it will do seamless splits.  They said they will still let me know about maximum input levels and battery life with P48, but I am not really holding my breath at this point!

[ausavim]

B&H - Hands-On with the Olympus LS-100 Portable Recorder:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/indepth/audio/hands-reviews/hands-olympus-ls-100-portable-recorder

[John Willett]

B&H - Hands-On with the Olympus LS-100 Portable Recorder:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/indepth/audio/hands-reviews/hands-olympus-ls-100-portable-recorder

Very useful, thanks.

But he forgot to mention one great advantage of the level control - it looks as if it's been designed to be hand-held and you can easily adjust the level by sliding your thumb over the control (Tascam have done this on the HD-P2) and can even be done with gloved hands.

[flintstone]

So true!  Few manufacturers give thought to actual field use, preferring instead to design gear that works best when it's sitting on a table. 

[John Willett]

So true!  Few manufacturers give thought to actual field use, preferring instead to design gear that works best when it's sitting on a table.

Olympus are certainly the exception.

They want feedback from users as to what is really needed.  They contacted the Institute of Professional Sound (formally the Institute of Broadcast Sound - I am on the committee) - so someone from Olympus is coming to see me in a couple of weeks and I will also put him in touch with other sound recordists.

I have already mentioned a few things (like I would like to see an optical digital input so it can also be used as a "bit bucket" back-up recorder) - and he will be bringing an LS-100 with him.   

[Chimney Top]

So true!  Few manufacturers give thought to actual field use, preferring instead to design gear that works best when it's sitting on a table.

Olympus are certainly the exception.

They want feedback from users as to what is really needed.  They contacted the Institute of Professional Sound (formally the Institute of Broadcast Sound - I am on the committee) - so someone from Olympus is coming to see me in a couple of weeks and I will also put him in touch with other sound recordists.

I have already mentioned a few things (like I would like to see an optical digital input so it can also be used as a "bit bucket" back-up recorder) - and he will be bringing an LS-100 with him.   

I have been impressed with Olympus since I bought the LS-10.  great mic's, built sturdy, compact...  I would like to see atleast 4 or 6 track recording (XLR + line-in + built-in mics), not just playback.  That's the main thing keeping me from the LS-100 right now.

[John Willett]

So true!  Few manufacturers give thought to actual field use, preferring instead to design gear that works best when it's sitting on a table.

Olympus are certainly the exception.

They want feedback from users as to what is really needed.  They contacted the Institute of Professional Sound (formally the Institute of Broadcast Sound - I am on the committee) - so someone from Olympus is coming to see me in a couple of weeks and I will also put him in touch with other sound recordists.

I have already mentioned a few things (like I would like to see an optical digital input so it can also be used as a "bit bucket" back-up recorder) - and he will be bringing an LS-100 with him.   

I have been impressed with Olympus since I bought the LS-10.  great mic's, built sturdy, compact...  I would like to see atleast 4 or 6 track recording (XLR + line-in + built-in mics), not just playback.  That's the main thing keeping me from the LS-100 right now.

The LS-100 is 8-track recording.

You can record 4 at once and overdub the others.

To record 6 or 8 at once the price goes up as you need more mic. pre-amps and they cost money for good ones.

[ausavim]

In stock: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/830941-REG/Olympus_LS_100_LS_100_Multi_Track_PCM_Recorder.html

[ero3030]

if anyone gets one, give us a update.  this is something i think would work for me.  ed

[ausavim]

The Olympus LS-100 has Equivalent Input Noise (EIN, A-weighted, impedance 150 ohms) of -125dBu, see http://www.avisoft.com/recordertests.htm