Topic: Deity PR-2 Pocket Recorder

[dabbler]

Anybody operate this via touch and feel in their pocket?  How is it?
I don't like using phone apps and touch screens, but over the years I've learned to use the R-09, M10, and A10 entirely by feel in stealth situations by keeping my recorder in my pocket.

[TheJez]

Also the level display needs be fixed to show dbFS.

^
My number one request correctable via firmware is choice of FS or VU metering.
Displaying metering while playing back should be easy to accommodate as well.

After playing with it today I just realized the v2.1 fw has switched the meter to dbFS! I did some tests connecting to my M-Audio USB audio interface's headphone out and playing sound fro Reaper's tone generator (sine) and it matched to the set generated dbFS value, so the -10dB on the screen is actually -10dB! Hooray!

Not owning a PR-2 myself, but... I'd be careful to pop the champagne based on this test using a constant sine signal. We simply don't know how they calculate the meter. It could be e.g. the average peak value over 100ms or whatever. A better test would be playing a constant sine at e.g. -10dBFS including a single wave every 1s at 0dBFS. Will this single peak every 1s show up on the meter or not??
If they really changed the metering in the firmware, that would be an important change and I would expect them to clearly indicate this in the release notes, which doesn't seem to be the case.

[Gutbucket]

A pure sine wave signal will peak about 3dB lower on a VU meter (RMS) than on a PPM meter (peak).  A more complex signal which involves transients such as music will produce a larger difference.  How much larger depends on the crest-factor of the signal, which is a measure of how "peaky" it is.  Peak values can end up 10-20dB higher than VU values. 

When recording amplified music which is louder than the applause from an audience position, that difference is likely to range around 10-12dB.  When recording on-stage near transient rich acoustic sources (say drums and percussion) which have not been reamplified and limited through the PA, the difference can be significantly larger, say up to 20dB.

I updated firmware back in December when I picked up a second PR2 but have yet to seriously looked into the metering.

[tim in jersey]

Anybody operate this via touch and feel in their pocket?  How is it?
I don't like using phone apps and touch screens, but over the years I've learned to use the R-09, M10, and A10 entirely by feel in stealth situations by keeping my recorder in my pocket.

I'd like it if my car had buttons and knobs I could feel for in the dark instead of fucking touch screens that take my eyes off the road @ 75 mph...

[Gutbucket]

Anybody operate this via touch and feel in their pocket?  How is it?
I don't like using phone apps and touch screens, but over the years I've learned to use the R-09, M10, and A10 entirely by feel in stealth situations by keeping my recorder in my pocket.

No by feel.  Yes by eye.  Its all done using two buttons.  The small on/off button located on the side (exit/return) and the larger scroll-wheel button (choose/select).  Best to set it to auto-lock itself after 15 seconds (or whatever time period you prefer) so that an accidental button push in pocket doesn't cause a problem.  Unlocking then requires 3 quick presses of the on/off button.

I prefer not to use phone apps too, but the app is the easiest way to monitor the PR2.  Otherwise first determine how best to set gain, start the recorder, wait for it to it self-lock, then put in pocket and let it run the entire time.  Use the auto-lock.  Peek if you need to.. or check phone.

[Gutbucket]

I'd like it if my car had buttons and knobs I could feel for in the dark instead of fucking touch screens that take my eyes off the road @ 75 mph...

I'm going to be sad when my 2013 ride needs replacing.  Can operate everything entirely by feel, including CD player. No blinding screens, no blue lights, only night-vision friendly red dash lights, no apps, manual transmission.  IMO it mostly all goes downhill from there with the BS, although adaptive cruise-control would be nice.  I don't need nor want additional automation, screens, lock-outs, pages of menus. My gf's new Subaru is a total nanny state car!  Hard to tell if its even turned off.  Screams at you for all kinds of stuff, and mutes the stereo each time it does.  Give me a good old simple chime, and in a perfect world, the small button on the instrument cluster binnacle my old Mercedes had, which would immediately silence any chime and turn off all dash warning indicators.  Driver has been notified but is the one in control - "Thank you for letting me know, now shut-up until I restart the car again."

[lpmaskman]

Well, my main purpose with this test was to check the acutal levels, because I remembered it was clipped at -10 and it meant different and I always set my levels around -20 which resulted sometimes noisy interludes or quiter songs. So this proved me to I can let it peak around -10 without any problems and clipping and no need to set that low.

[Gutbucket]

Would also help if they would have it display levels on playback.

[TheJez]

So this proved me to I can let it peak around -10 without any problems and clipping and no need to set that low.

I'm sorry to say, but the test you performed doesn't prove this at all. Yes, it is valid in case you'd be recording pure sine sounds, but I hope you record other things as well ;-)
Gutbucket mentioned the crest-factor, i.e. the 'peakyness' of the music you're recording, which depends on a lot of factors. The 'peakier' the music, the more safety margin you need with this device when setting the record level. A pure sine is not peaky at all...
Re-read his post and it will show you what safety margins you should apply in different circumstances