Deity PR-2 Pocket Recorder

[breakonthru]

from the page today for the non-us version:

32-bit Float Mono / 24-bit (Mono/Stereo)

https://deitymic.com/products/pr-2/

yeah i dont think that page has been updated since well before the spec change was announced last month. i cant think of a reason they would lock out 32-bit stereo recording in the US

note that the box that Psinka has also says "32-bit float recording: mono/stereo" right on the box

[Gutbucket]

Be aware that it can to be somewhat more of a challenge to split a single stereo pair across two recorders than it is to record two separate sources that will be mixed together to separate recorders.  At least some stereo pairs where maintaining tight phase correlation between the two channels is more critical, such as a coincident pair.  Should be less of an issue with a wide-spaced pair.

Yea I wondered about the lack of precision when lining up independent sources in post. Does it affect critical time arrival differences? I'm sure it does. [snip..]

Somewhat.  I think the issue will be if the error in precision falls within our perceptual tolerance for error.  When aligning the two channels of a coincident pair and you zoom in, the peaks of both channels will/should always align, whereas with a split pair it's easy to see the time offset of peaks arriving from sources that are off-center.  Sometimes you just need to split the difference when aligning a split pair with SBD.  Additionally, perfect alignment is somewhat less critical when aligning two separate stereo sources, than when aligning the two channels of a single stereo pair. 

On that last point but even more OT, there is a technique proposed maybe 20 years ago for mixing in spot mics with a main mic pair, which might be applicable to mixing in SBD with AUD, since a SBD feed acts essentially as a "collective spot mics" stem.  It seeks to better preserve the imaging and depth cues of the main/AUD pair by delaying the spot/SBD signal by a few different randomized  milliseconds or factions of, and pans those slightly delayed signals around to random static locations so they act like early reflections.  The main pair/AUD source then retains unmolested first arrival status preserving its image cues, with the pseudo early reflections provide clarity and "direct-soundiness".  Never tried that, but its an interesting approach modeled on the behavior of real world direct/early/late arrival acoustics.

[daspyknows]

Yeah, a little spec confusion going around...

Psinka - can you verify if your version can record in 32 bit stereo?

I already test these: when you select 32bit channels goes to mono and no way to select stereo with 32bits.
32 bits accessible for mono only. Stereo can be recorded with 24bit only 🤷‍♂️

Dealbreaker.  Tascam DR-2D I use already does that. 

[breakonthru]

...and then some (4ch)

[voltronic]

The more I learn about this recorder, the more I'm confused by it. What kind of customer is this being marketed towards? It has too many limitations (sample rate, EIN) to be considered a professional-tier unit, IMO. A bait-and-switch on 32FP only being available in mono is not a pro move.

I think the only good option in a similar form factor is the Lectrosonics SPDR. You get their "split gain" when recording in 48 kHz. The biggest negative with the SPDR is only 4V PIP.

[goodcooker]

I think the only good option in a similar form factor is the Lectrosonics SPDR. The biggest negative with the SPDR is it's $1400 price tag

The Deity is clearly being marketed towards audio for prosumer videographers.

[voltronic]

I think the only good option in a similar form factor is the Lectrosonics SPDR. The biggest negative with the SPDR is it's $1400 price tag

The Deity is clearly being marketed towards audio for prosumer videographers.

I guess they want some of the Zoom / Tascam market. The PR-2 seems to be a mix of the Zoom F1 and F2 recorders.

[dallman]

Yeah, a little spec confusion going around...

Psinka - can you verify if your version can record in 32 bit stereo?

I already test these: when you select 32bit channels goes to mono and no way to select stereo with 32bits.
32 bits accessible for mono only. Stereo can be recorded with 24bit only 🤷‍♂️

I am still unclear. Because the unit does record in stereo, and because it does accept a stereo mic, what exactly does it mean when 32Bits is selected? Does it go to 2 mono channels? Does it go to one mono track only? If so it it pulling from the left mic or the right mic. I am just looking for some details to understand what switching to mono in 32Bit mode means exactly.

[grawk]

It means mono has 24 and 32 bit options and stereo only has 24

[dallman]

It means mono has 24 and 32 bit options and stereo only has 24

That in no way answers my questions.

[Rairun]

I am still unclear. Because the unit does record in stereo, and because it does accept a stereo mic, what exactly does it mean when 32Bits is selected? Does it go to 2 mono channels? Does it go to one mono track only? If so it it pulling from the left mic or the right mic. I am just looking for some details to understand what switching to mono in 32Bit mode means exactly.

I don't have it, but I assume it will just pull from the left mic (the tip connector), since that's the only connector mono mics also have.

[voltronic]

It means mono has 24 and 32 bit options and stereo only has 24

That in no way answers my questions.

I thought that was a very clear response. In 24-bit mode, it can record two channels. In 32-bit mode, it can only record one. As to why this is the case, that's a mystery.

[Gutbucket]

My speculation, yet seems clear enough to me.  The auto-switching between multiple input gain / ADC stages that happens in the course of constructing the data for the 32 bit file requires two or more separate gain/ADC paths (3 in the case of SoundDevices).  A stereo path provides two.  They can use them as two separate channels with identical gain for 24bit stereo, or use both for a single mono channel by setting them to different gains and auto-switching between them to produce the data which gets written as a mono 32 bit file.

Unfortunately it has not been made clear by the manufacturers, but the auto-gain switching part and the 32-bit floating point file storage format are really two entirely separate things.  In addition to the typical way of using a switching input path and writing a 32bit file from that, its entirely possible to use a single non-switching input stage /ADC and produce a 32bit floating point file. Or to use a switching input stage design and write a 24bit fixed file from that.  The first is equivalent to using a traditional recording interface and writing a 32bit float file in the recording software.  The second is how the current 32bit recorders work in 24bit mode.

[grawk]

I'm hopeful that the hardware is there and later firmware updates will add the functionality. But if not, it still fills a need for me.

[dallman]

It means mono has 24 and 32 bit options and stereo only has 24

That in no way answers my questions.

I thought that was a very clear response. In 24-bit mode, it can record two channels. In 32-bit mode, it can only record one. As to why this is the case, that's a mystery.

It may be clear but does not answer my question. My question was specific to someone who has the unit. The above answer is obvious and not what I was asking. Perhaps repeating what I am asking will help.
Because the unit does record in stereo, and because it does accept a stereo mic, what exactly does it mean when 32Bits is selected? Does it go to 2 mono channels? Does it go to one mono track only? If so it it pulling from the left mic or the right mic. I am just looking for some details to understand what switching to mono in 32Bit mode means exactly.