Has anyone used the Fostex FR-2 to record concerts? What are your
opinions?


I'm asking because this machine seems to be marketed towards the
Film/TV industry or ENG/EFP type recording; which is primarily for
dialogue. I just wonder if it is good for music (particularly
classical music)


Thanks.

In article .com writes:

I'm asking because this machine seems to be marketed towards the
Film/TV industry or ENG/EFP type recording; which is primarily for
dialogue. I just wonder if it is good for music (particularly
classical music)

There's no reason why it wouldn't be just find for recording concerts
as long as you had enough storage capacity (flash card) for the length
of recording that you needed. It has a number of features that aren't
necessary for straightforward concert recording, however. If you can
consider that you're getting those features for free rather than
worrying about why you can't get a cheaper version without the extra
"frills," it'll do just fine.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Mike Rivers wrote:
In article .com writes:

I'm asking because this machine seems to be marketed towards the
Film/TV industry or ENG/EFP type recording; which is primarily for
dialogue. I just wonder if it is good for music (particularly
classical music)

There's no reason why it wouldn't be just find for recording concerts
as long as you had enough storage capacity (flash card) for the length
of recording that you needed. It has a number of features that aren't
necessary for straightforward concert recording, however. If you can
consider that you're getting those features for free rather than
worrying about why you can't get a cheaper version without the extra
"frills," it'll do just fine.

It seems to me that if you want to do a good job of recording concerts
then you would want better preamps. I don't know anything about the
Fostex preamps but I doubt they are particularly good.

When I've recorded an orchestra, I have needed to bring a 12' boom
stand, good mics, good preamps etc, long power cables etc. If you need
this stuff, then carrying any size of digital recorder is the least of
one's worries. So, I don't think that a portable recorder is the best
solution.

I just purchased the Edirol R1. My logic behind this is that I can use
it for recording things when I don't care about the sound quality, and
have a highly convenient all-in-one-box-including-mics to tote around.
If I do care about the sound quality, then I unfortunately I can't
justify not bringing a trunkful of stuff.



--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

In article .com writes:

It seems to me that if you want to do a good job of recording concerts
then you would want better preamps. I don't know anything about the
Fostex preamps but I doubt they are particularly good.

Then maybe you should find out. There is no reason to use inferior
equipment to record anything, but sometimes we can't afford it so we
do what we can.

When I've recorded an orchestra, I have needed to bring a 12' boom
stand, good mics, good preamps etc, long power cables etc. If you need
this stuff, then carrying any size of digital recorder is the least of
one's worries. So, I don't think that a portable recorder is the best
solution.

You have a good point there, but the questions was asked about a
particular portable recorder. Perhaps it will be good enough for who
it's for.

I just purchased the Edirol R1. My logic behind this is that I can use
it for recording things when I don't care about the sound quality

Does this mean you think it's junk? Have you tried it with good
preamps and microphones? Maybe you're really rather tote a small
recorder than an ATR-102.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Well, what are the cheaper versions with less frills? I want something
that of similar quality to the Tascam DA-P1. Are the FR-2 preamps of
similar quality to the DA-P1?

Also, The largest CompactFlash II card I could find was 4 Gb but is
called "Microdrive" and I don't know if the FR2 can accept
"Microdrive". Has anyone used "Microdrive" CFC with the FR2?


Mike Rivers wrote:
In article .com writes:

I'm asking because this machine seems to be marketed towards the
Film/TV industry or ENG/EFP type recording; which is primarily for
dialogue. I just wonder if it is good for music (particularly
classical music)

There's no reason why it wouldn't be just find for recording concerts
as long as you had enough storage capacity (flash card) for the length
of recording that you needed. It has a number of features that aren't
necessary for straightforward concert recording, however. If you can
consider that you're getting those features for free rather than
worrying about why you can't get a cheaper version without the extra
"frills," it'll do just fine.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

In article .com,
wrote:
Well, what are the cheaper versions with less frills? I want something
that of similar quality to the Tascam DA-P1. Are the FR-2 preamps of
similar quality to the DA-P1?

This is the age of mass-production. You pay _more_ money to get fewer
frills today. That's the problem with these things.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

wrote in
oups.com:

Also, The largest CompactFlash II card I could find was 4 Gb but is
called "Microdrive" and I don't know if the FR2 can accept
"Microdrive".

Actually real CompactFlash (not microdrive) cards in 4 Gb size have became
pretty available in the last year. As of this moment, newegg.com lists 6
cards under 5 brands for sale at prices ranging from $218 to $346
delivered.

Or are you thinking you _need_ type II? Not so, the only difference is
card thickness, and all type I's are to run in type II slots.

see:
http://www.compactflash.org/faqs/faq.htm#What_is

Peter A. Stoll
retired computer guy

On 2 Aug 2005 15:51:28 -0700, wrote:

Well, what are the cheaper versions with less frills? I want something
that of similar quality to the Tascam DA-P1. Are the FR-2 preamps of
similar quality to the DA-P1?

Also, The largest CompactFlash II card I could find was 4 Gb but is
called "Microdrive" and I don't know if the FR2 can accept
"Microdrive". Has anyone used "Microdrive" CFC with the FR2?



Yes it uses microdrives fine, but they are a power drain compared
to CF. I am using 8 GB CF these days (mostly in an Edirol R1,
which has marvelous sound if you go line-in with a preamp).

Both the Fostex and the Marantz PMD671 preamps have been
found to be noisy in operation. The Marantz also needs a
firmware upgrade to output "old" 24 bit files that most editing
programs can read, unfortunately this has to be done at
D&M (mine just went back to them for reflashing).

Jeff

I was trying to compare the FR2 with the PMD670 but I'm not very good
at reading specifications. What I found was:

FR2:
S/N: Mic: 87dB (ADC-DAC, 24bit, ref:-20dB, fs: 48kHz) typical
Dynamic Range: 100dB (ADC-DAC, 24bit, ref:-20dB, fs:48kHz) typical

PMD670: Signal-to-Noise Ratio IEC-A Weighted: 65dB
Dynamic Range: 86 dB

These numbers are copied directly from their advertised specs. If I
understand correctly, the FR2 has better S/N ratio and Dynamic range.
But if I'm incorrect, please let me know. Seems like every company
states their specs in a slightly different way.

In article .com writes:

Well, what are the cheaper versions with less frills?

That's the problem. There isn't one.


I want something
that of similar quality to the Tascam DA-P1. Are the FR-2 preamps of
similar quality to the DA-P1?

So do I. Send me an FR-2 and I'll check it out. It's not too hard to
get getter preamps than the DA-P1 - they're not awful, but they're
certainly nothing to brag about.

Also, The largest CompactFlash II card I could find was 4 Gb but is
called "Microdrive" and I don't know if the FR2 can accept
"Microdrive". Has anyone used "Microdrive" CFC with the FR2?

I believe that I read that the Fostex could use a Microdrive (which is
an actual disk drive with the same form factor and connector as a CF
card). However, I also believe that someone told me that it couldn't
use a Microdrive. Talk to your dealer. Borrow one and check it out.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

On 2 Aug 2005 15:51:28 -0700, wrote:

Well, what are the cheaper versions with less frills? I want something
that of similar quality to the Tascam DA-P1. Are the FR-2 preamps of
similar quality to the DA-P1?

Also, The largest CompactFlash II card I could find was 4 Gb but is
called "Microdrive" and I don't know if the FR2 can accept
"Microdrive". Has anyone used "Microdrive" CFC with the FR2?



Have you seen John Willett's review of the FR-2 on the forum at
http://www.soundonsound.com? That should answer most of your questions -
and John seems like a friendly guy and would probably be happy to answer
any others that you have.

Cheers.

James.

Mike Rivers wrote:
In article .com writes:

It seems to me that if you want to do a good job of recording concerts
then you would want better preamps. I don't know anything about the
Fostex preamps but I doubt they are particularly good.

Then maybe you should find out. There is no reason to use inferior
equipment to record anything, but sometimes we can't afford it so we
do what we can.

When I've recorded an orchestra, I have needed to bring a 12' boom
stand, good mics, good preamps etc, long power cables etc. If you need
this stuff, then carrying any size of digital recorder is the least of
one's worries. So, I don't think that a portable recorder is the best
solution.

You have a good point there, but the questions was asked about a
particular portable recorder. Perhaps it will be good enough for who
it's for.

I just purchased the Edirol R1. My logic behind this is that I can use
it for recording things when I don't care about the sound quality

Does this mean you think it's junk? Have you tried it with good
preamps and microphones? Maybe you're really rather tote a small
recorder than an ATR-102.

I think that it's probably junk, but I don't know yet. I have a use for
something that doesn't work all that well, though, if I can carry it
with me easily, and use it as an iPod at the same time.

I don't carry an ATR-102, but if I have to carry good preamps,
microphones and a 50lb boom stand, then I will also carry the DA-38, a
bit splitter and decent converters, and I'll have something that is
(probably) more reliable and definitely easier to back up/store. When I
think about it, if I have to carry a rack anyway for the preamps it
would actually be *easier* to stick a rackmount recorder in there than
have a whole bunch of cabling running from the preamp to recorder and
the attendent possibility of me accidentally kicking the cables out.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

In article .com writes:

I don't carry an ATR-102, but if I have to carry good preamps,
microphones and a 50lb boom stand, then I will also carry the DA-38, a
bit splitter and decent converters

Do people still use bit splitters? I thought that was a really cool
idea, but I haven't seen one in years.

if I have to carry a rack anyway for the preamps it
would actually be *easier* to stick a rackmount recorder in there than
have a whole bunch of cabling running from the preamp to recorder and
the attendent possibility of me accidentally kicking the cables out.

Smart packaging is really important when you're doing remote
recording. A rack on wheels might be bigger and heavier than a back
pack and hand truck full of small and light units and cables, but you
only have to make one trip from the car, and all the cables are alredy
hooked up. Just plug in the power, the mics, and go.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Mike Rivers wrote:
In article .com writes:

I don't carry an ATR-102, but if I have to carry good preamps,
microphones and a 50lb boom stand, then I will also carry the DA-38, a
bit splitter and decent converters

Do people still use bit splitters? I thought that was a really cool
idea, but I haven't seen one in years.

I do, when I'm doing an orchestra. I have a couple of DA-38's lying
around doing nothing which have no resale value, and a couple of RME
converters that are decent and do the bit splitting, making a DA-38
into a 4-track 24-bit recorder. I have boatloads of the HI-8 tapes, and
they're easy to store.

I could replace the DA-38/RME with an ADAT HD24, and it would be
lighter and record more tracks. But I don't need more tracks, and I
don't want to spend the money.


if I have to carry a rack anyway for the preamps it
would actually be *easier* to stick a rackmount recorder in there than
have a whole bunch of cabling running from the preamp to recorder and
the attendent possibility of me accidentally kicking the cables out.

Smart packaging is really important when you're doing remote
recording. A rack on wheels might be bigger and heavier than a back
pack and hand truck full of small and light units and cables, but you
only have to make one trip from the car, and all the cables are alredy
hooked up. Just plug in the power, the mics, and go.

Right! I have the DA-38/RME, API preamps, a power supply, and a
headphone amp in one 8-space rack, with holes punched through for the
connectors - 2 mic cables and a power cable. It probably weighs 50lbs
instead of 5lbs, but it is quicker to setup and I need the exercise
anyway. And it may be easier to justify charging someone when you carry
more equipment.



--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo