Tentacle Track E - 1CH of 32 bit FP recording

[IronFilm]

^ Personally, I don't really need a safety track. I am a pretty good judge of where to set my levels and 24-bit allows you to be pretty conservative. I would love a stereo version of this recorder, though, with its variable plug-in power. An 1/8" locking male to two microdot female Y-cable and a pair of 4060s with that would be awesome...

If you're using this a bodypack recorder (and it looks like it would blow past any competition! Superior to the Tascam, and priced way way waaaaay under the Zaxcom / Lectrosonics products. Although... the new Deity TRX would now be tough competition for it!) then having a safety track mode would be fantastic.

If that 1/8" stereo input could handle line level so you could use an external preamp or phantom box for full-size mics, it really would be a Lectro SPDR killer, as someone else mentioned.

Regarding safety tracks:
<snip>
In other words, there is zero reason I can see to have something like the Track E record in anything but 32-bit FP.

Line level would indeed be a FANTASTIC option, perfect as a mini back up recorder I can feed a mix from my main recorder, light enough to even use for run&gun bag days.

However, is something else than 32bit needed? ABSOLUTELY! Too many productions have and expect a 24bit workflow. You can try fighting that if you wish at your own peril, but you likely have better battles to pitch your tent at, especially if you're just a day player. Is why I'd take a 24 bit "safety track" approach over 32bits in most scenarios for myself.

[jerryfreak]

thanks IronFilm! few of us are in your field we probably wouldnt have seen those

both those products look interesting
the existing HD-TX (https://www.deitymic.com/hdtx/) is a good alternative to the tentacle at a similar price
pro tentacle: 5V PIP and 32-bit float
pro deity: 48V phantom and optional TX if needed

walkthough of HD-TX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOpR1RLr5Eg
doesnt look like you can adjust levels once you start recording


as for the newly announced BP-TRX, its almost got the features of the lectrosonics SPDR for our purposes, though it would need a battery box to power most mics (not like the SPDR is all that on mic powering, but it can barely power CMRs and DPA 406x (both at higher noise than if they were properly powered). And of course the spdif input of SPDR is useless since it resamples everything
for $250 it looks pretty solid for a basic 2-channel recorder, with a ton of features we sont need but still cool to see bascially a universal SOC computer that can do so much
https://www.deitymic.com/bp-trx/

[aaronji]

If you're using this a bodypack recorder (and it looks like it would blow past any competition! Superior to the Tascam, and priced way way waaaaay under the Zaxcom / Lectrosonics products. Although... the new Deity TRX would now be tough competition for it!) then having a safety track mode would be fantastic.

Except I am not (or wouldn't be, anyway). Like most people here, I record live music. Given the choice of "stereo OR safety track", I would choose stereo a million times over. I guess "stereo AND safety track" would be cool, though.

Too many productions have and expect a 24bit workflow. You can try fighting that if you wish at your own peril, but you likely have better battles to pitch your tent at, especially if you're just a day player. Is why I'd take a 24 bit "safety track" approach over 32bits in most scenarios for myself.

People here are mostly their own "production". A lot seem to like 32-bit and, since they are controlling the whole process from start to finish, nobody is expecting a 24-bit workflow from them.

Tapers (for the most part) aren't doing sound for film. It'll seep in one of these days...

[voltronic]

If you're using this a bodypack recorder (and it looks like it would blow past any competition! Superior to the Tascam, and priced way way waaaaay under the Zaxcom / Lectrosonics products. Although... the new Deity TRX would now be tough competition for it!) then having a safety track mode would be fantastic.

Except I am not (or wouldn't be, anyway). Like most people here, I record live music. Given the choice of "stereo OR safety track", I would choose stereo a million times over. I guess "stereo AND safety track" would be cool, though.

Too many productions have and expect a 24bit workflow. You can try fighting that if you wish at your own peril, but you likely have better battles to pitch your tent at, especially if you're just a day player. Is why I'd take a 24 bit "safety track" approach over 32bits in most scenarios for myself.

People here are mostly their own "production". A lot seem to like 32-bit and, since they are controlling the whole process from start to finish, nobody is expecting a 24-bit workflow from them.

Tapers (for the most part) aren't doing sound for film. It'll seep in one of these days...

I honestly wasn't thinking about a film/TV set workflow, so that makes sense why 24-bit is heavily favored.  Maybe that will change in the future; who knows?

I was thinking from the perspective aaronj laid out.

[jerryfreak]

Tapers (for the most part) aren't doing sound for film. It'll seep in one of these days...

if taping ever became my job id probably find a way to hate it

[jerryfreak]

I reached out to Deity support with our usual wishlist for a 2-ch recorder (proper PIP voltage, spdif in, 32 bit float, BT remote, etc)

will be interesting to see if they have any desire to accomodate our niche market. even simply adding spdif input to a recorder of that size/price point would be a huge win

[Niels]

Are there any handheld recorders out there with "proper PID voltage"?

[jerryfreak]

tentacle claims it will offer proper 5V

lectrosonics servo input manages 4V but my 4061s were decidedly noisier when used with it, relative to my d:vice

most lavs work fine with 3v pip for dialogue and other moderate spl sources

[aaronji]

Are there any handheld recorders out there with "proper PID voltage"?

The Marantz PMD620 provides ~ 5V plug-in power. Someone here measured it as slightly lower at some point (maybe 4.6V; sorry I don't remember exactly), but several tapers reported no problems powering DPA 4060/1s, which are pretty demanding. I have used that recorder with Sennheiser MKE2s many times with only one issue, which was a WAY louder than expected segment of a show. I might have been OK if I had the opportunity to turn the gain down a bit...

[jerryfreak]

from what DPA has told me bias voltage is 2.75V

so PIP circuits should have in excess of this voltage when mics are plugged in

there are other factors (like adequate current primarily), but if your PIP is 2.3-2.7V like many handhelds with mics plugged in, its virtually assured that they will distort at some SPL less than the max under normal powering

[goodcooker]

Are there any handheld recorders out there with "proper PID voltage"?

The Marantz PMD620 provides ~ 5V plug-in power. Someone here measured it as slightly lower at some point maybe 4.6V

I measured the PMD620 at 4.85V. Powered the DPA 4061 just fine.

[jerryfreak]

4.85 w/mics attached?

i can measure my pmd661 (though i consider it a brick not a handheld)

i imagine with some varying resistance you could accurately determine the max current the input is set to provide ( by determining resistance, ie. 5V over 10k ohms, etc.)

[aaronji]

i can measure my pmd661 (though i consider it a brick not a handheld)

I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall that the 1/8" input on the PMD661 is line only, with no plug-in power.

[aaronji]

I measured the PMD620 at 4.85V. Powered the DPA 4061 just fine.

Thanks! I did search for this, but I couldn't find the earlier posts...

[jerryfreak]

i can measure my pmd661 (though i consider it a brick not a handheld)

I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall that the 1/8" input on the PMD661 is line only, with no plug-in power.

well i guess ill have to measure my tascam brick lol