Topic: small portable recorder WITHOUT internal microphone

[Hank H.]

Hello,

I'm using a SD USBPRE 2 as a preamp, and I'm looking for a simple, cheap and portable recorder, preferably with digital in. I know the old iriver mp3-player had this. Is there anything similar? The only solution I can think of is recording into a netbook (which is cheaper than most handheld recorders with built-in mics). But that's not exactly portable... are there no simple record-only devices??

Any recommendations/ideas?

[John Willett]

The only small portable recorders I know of with a digital input (to be used as a "bit bucket") are: Tascam DR100II (SPDIF) and the Sony PCM-D50 (optical).

[Todd R]

You might find your request very hard to impossible to fill.  Putting mics into a handheld probably doesn't cost much and there presumably is a market segment that wants them, so it seems nearly all the handheld recorders have them.  And very few have digital inputs, so finding a recorder that has a digital input and doesn't have mics is not an easy task.

The Sonosax miniR82 seems to fit the bill, though it is $5000 and has 8 channels, so it might not be what you're after.

I just got a USBPre 2 and have been using it with a Sony D50.  Works great, though the D50 does have mics. 

Beyond the D50 and DR100mkII John mentioned, there also is the Marantz PMD-661 (which also has built in mics).

[Hank H.]

I see there probably isn't a market for devices I'm interested in. Until now I used an Olympus LS-10 with an external mic; the main reason I was looking for a recorder with digital in is because metering is easier on the USBPre 2. With analog connection between preamp and recorder I have to take care of clipping both on the preamp and on the recorder, right? But I'll get used to it. And instead of degrading the Olympus to a backup recorder I'll probably keep it and look for a cheaper backup and/or try to use a netbook when possible.

[Todd R]

I totally understand the desire for a digital-input recorder, esp as the USBPre has a very good A/D stage.  Given how hard it is to find recorders that have digital inputs, I'd punt on the desire to not have internal mics.  They might add a little cost and size to the recorder, but they'll be hard to avoid.

I happened to be digging around today and found that bhphotovideo.com has the D50 on sale for $400 shipped.  I'm not sure if that is their price these days or some kind of Cyber Monday sale for today only, but that is probably the cheapest you'll find for a new price on a handheld recorder that has a digital input.  Though you may find something cheaper on the used market -- there are a couple D50's now on ebay for <$250 and less than a day to go.

[dallman]

I see there probably isn't a market for devices I'm interested in. Until now I used an Olympus LS-10 with an external mic; the main reason I was looking for a recorder with digital in is because metering is easier on the USBPre 2. With analog connection between preamp and recorder I have to take care of clipping both on the preamp and on the recorder, right? But I'll get used to it. And instead of degrading the Olympus to a backup recorder I'll probably keep it and look for a cheaper backup and/or try to use a netbook when possible.

Find a used MT2496. You will need an external battery though, but there are pleny of small ones, or you can power both the USB Pre2 and MT off the same battery if it has 2 outputs. I use one all the time and while some do not like it, I have never had a problem with it. As long as it has later firmware on it, it is small, takes digi in, and does not have an attached mic.

[runonce]

I see there probably isn't a market for devices I'm interested in. Until now I used an Olympus LS-10 with an external mic; the main reason I was looking for a recorder with digital in is because metering is easier on the USBPre 2. With analog connection between preamp and recorder I have to take care of clipping both on the preamp and on the recorder, right? But I'll get used to it. And instead of degrading the Olympus to a backup recorder I'll probably keep it and look for a cheaper backup and/or try to use a netbook when possible.

Find a used MT2496. You will need an external battery though, but there are pleny of small ones, or you can power both the USB Pre2 and MT off the same battery if it has 2 outputs. I use one all the time and while some do not like it, I have never had a problem with it. As long as it has later firmware on it, it is small, takes digi in, and does not have an attached mic.

Man - they are going alwful cheap these days on ebay!

[John Willett]

Beyond the D50 and DR100mkII John mentioned, there also is the Marantz PMD-661 (which also has built in mics).

Thanks for this, I had not realised that the PMD-661 also had digital in (S-PDIF on a phono connector).

Thanks.

[F.O.Bean]

I too would go with th Sony d50. Proven reliable and has digi in. Who cares if it has internal mics?

[H₂O]

You could always pick up a used Korg MR-1 and use an external USB battery - No digi in but the AD is definitely on par with the SD MixPre2 -

[Hank H.]

Thanks for the suggestions! I hoped there might be cheaper "bit-bucket" solutions, but that's obviously not the case - maybe I find a good older piece on ebay.

[Colin Liston]

Tascam DR-100mkii goes for around $300.  Sometimes as low as $250.  It has a digital input.

[Todd R]

Tascam DR-100mkii goes for around $300.  Sometimes as low as $250.  It has a digital input.

Wow, good to know. Somehow I thought it went for around $400.

[eman]

Thanks for this, I had not realised that the PMD-661 also had digital in (S-PDIF on a phono connector).

Note that this recorder is a serious battery hog. Runs on 4 AA's, sucks them down in one set. I recommended it to a friend and felt obliged to help him with external power, also sucked down a small external battery pack in less than a set.

[flipp]

I see there probably isn't a market for devices I'm interested in. Until now I used an Olympus LS-10 with an external mic; the main reason I was looking for a recorder with digital in is because metering is easier on the USBPre 2. With analog connection between preamp and recorder I have to take care of clipping both on the preamp and on the recorder, right? But I'll get used to it. And instead of degrading the Olympus to a backup recorder I'll probably keep it and look for a cheaper backup and/or try to use a netbook when possible.

Find a used MT2496. You will need an external battery though, but there are pleny of small ones, or you can power both the USB Pre2 and MT off the same battery if it has 2 outputs. I use one all the time and while some do not like it, I have never had a problem with it. As long as it has later firmware on it, it is small, takes digi in, and does not have an attached mic.

ditto dallman's experience with the following caveat - the one time I had a problem was due to operator error, not the MT2496