I have to put together some field recording kits to send out with
interviewers to do a vast amount of interviews (200+). They all have
to be edited and archived as well, so to avoid transfer time I think
solid state to wav/mp3 is the only way to go. The new Edirol R-09
looks like exactly what I am looking for, but it's fairly untested as
yet, so does anyone have a lot of experience with the R-1? - I assume
these answers will be roughly the same for both machines?

I'm most concerned about stability - I recently lost five hours of
audio off a Marantz solid state recorder when the power failed. Will
it shut down cleanly if the batteries fail? Will it take a bashing?
Will it take rechargables?

Anyone who's used the R-1 - it would be good to know what I'm buying
into.

Thanks,

James

First, as far as I know the R9 will not materialize until August or so.

And then the R1. And remember this is my very personal thoughts.
- the dial fell off within 5 minutes
- the preamps are extremely noisy, so noisy that the unit barely
delivers 16 bit resolution (saves on memory though)
- the built-in mics sounds surprisingly good but are a bit noisy.

Do check one out in person.

Gunnar

Thanks Gunnar, I'd be a little nervous about sending them out for 100
interviews each if they weren't robust, though as it's just
non-broadcast speech so I'm not too concerned about a little noise. Do
you know of a similar recorder that's better built? The market seems a
bit small if you want a professional, portable solid-state recorder.

wag wrote:

Thanks Gunnar, I'd be a little nervous about sending them out for 100
interviews each if they weren't robust, though as it's just
non-broadcast speech so I'm not too concerned about a little noise.

But is it "just a little" noise, and what's it sound like? Depending on
noise characteristics, a little can sometimes surprisngly degrade
intellibility of speech.

Do
you know of a similar recorder that's better built? The market seems a
bit small if you want a professional, portable solid-state recorder.

But it's a growing market. There are going to be lots of these things
offered at an increasing rate for a while. Seriously robust units are
going to remain relatively expensive. One would wish you the budget for
the new Sound Devices two-trackers that write to CF media.

--
ha

Just had a look at the Sound Devices stuff. That's what I'm after, but
like you said, it's a budget thing.

gunnar wrote:
First, as far as I know the R9 will not materialize until August or so.

I actually own an Edirol R-09. I only had for a few days, but I say I
am pretty impressed. The built-in mics have a very decent sound. It's
small and light so I can carry it around unsuspiciously (it looks like
a weird mobile phone). It does a good job for standrad firld recordings
(on the streets, animals, machines, banging on drums). I don't know how
it would hold up recording bands, but I suspect it would manage just
fine.

What I don't like is the fact that you have to put in two AA
batteries... I would have loved to see an internal rechargable battery.

I am surprised in a positive way here -- looks like the R9 is out in
the shops. It sure looks nice.

If I had the money I think something like the HHB flashmic might be the
ideal thing to send out.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...6&U=shop_FV12N

Completely different price level though.

Gunnar

am surprised in a positive way here -- looks like the R9 is out in
the shops. It sure looks nice.

If I had the money I think something like the HHB flashmic might be the

ideal thing to send out.
http://www.hhb.co.uk/hhb/uk/news/fullstory.asp?ID=336


Completely different price level though.


Gunnar

gunnar wrote:
am surprised in a positive way here -- looks like the R9 is out in
the shops. It sure looks nice.

If I had the money I think something like the HHB flashmic might be the

ideal thing to send out.
http://www.hhb.co.uk/hhb/uk/news/fullstory.asp?ID=336


Completely different price level though.

The R-09 functions very well for my purpose: making field-recordings
that I use as material for my tracks.

RS

hank alrich wrote:

But it's a growing market. There are going to be lots of these things
offered at an increasing rate for a while. Seriously robust units are
going to remain relatively expensive. One would wish you the budget for
the new Sound Devices two-trackers that write to CF media.

Does anyone yet make a battery powered hard drive with interface that
can plug into the CF slot and expand the capacity at reasonable cost?

If not, why not? (Rhetorical question.)


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no simpler."

A. Einstein

"What I don't like is the fact that you have to put in two AA
batteries... I would have loved to see an internal rechargable battery."


Actually, I look at the AA batteries as a good feature. Look at all
the complaining about the MicroTrack's internal battery feature.
And look at how Sound Devices does it: they are on the battery
system.

Yep, AA's are the way forward. Send out each kit with 4 x rechargable
AA's and a charger.

I still think the R-09 is the best thing for the job that I've seen
yet. It's all very well paying £2K for a sturdy professional machine,
but it would be cheaper to break five or six R-09's and replace them.
After all, they're unlikely to break during an interview (which would
not be good), more likely to go when being hurled into the back of a
car.

The one thing that would make the R-09 "the bomb" would be phantom
power.

The one thing that would make the R-09 "the bomb" would be phantom
power.

On 29 May 2006 11:53:19 -0700, wrote:

The one thing that would make the R-09 "the bomb" would be phantom
power.

Then you're back to the battery issue. Hard to get with AA's.

Julian

"I'd be happy with XLR connectors for the mics, but a pair of XLRs is
about
the same size as the whole recorder."

Or 1/4" like the MicroTrack.

wrote:
"I'd be happy with XLR connectors for the mics

Or 1/4" like the MicroTrack.

I've never tried it, but having had a MicroTrack in my hands, I'd guess
that with two 1/4" plugs inserted, it would be mechanically unbalanced
and wouldn't stay nicely on a table. It's probalby OK in a belt pouch
though. I think that a recorder can be too small for certain
applications, and this is one that qualifies (for my applications). If
I had one, I'd also want one that's larger, heavier, and more likely to
survive people bustling and hustling around where I'm working.

That's a good question, if going XLR to 1/4' is balanced or not.

On 29 May 2006 14:20:15 -0700, "Mike Rivers"
wrote:


wrote:
"I'd be happy with XLR connectors for the mics

Or 1/4" like the MicroTrack.

I've never tried it, but having had a MicroTrack in my hands, I'd guess
that with two 1/4" plugs inserted, it would be mechanically unbalanced
and wouldn't stay nicely on a table. It's probalby OK in a belt pouch
though. I think that a recorder can be too small for certain
applications, and this is one that qualifies (for my applications). If
I had one, I'd also want one that's larger, heavier, and more likely to
survive people bustling and hustling around where I'm working.

Yes. I like a tiny shirt pocket minidisc recorder for use with a
cheap stereo mini mic just fine but with XLR or 1/4" need something
much bigger. With all the iPod madness, the market is being pushed
in the tiny direction.

Julian

The newest Sony MDs look pretty nice, if you're looking for something
to fit in your pocket, with 1/8" in.

Bob Cain wrote:

hank alrich wrote:

But it's a growing market. There are going to be lots of these things
offered at an increasing rate for a while. Seriously robust units are
going to remain relatively expensive. One would wish you the budget for
the new Sound Devices two-trackers that write to CF media.

Does anyone yet make a battery powered hard drive with interface that
can plug into the CF slot and expand the capacity at reasonable cost?

If not, why not? (Rhetorical question.)

I think the "microdrive" concept is being overtaken by flash storage,
the price of which keeps relaxing. Solid-state's nonmechanical advantage
seems clear in the long run, unless I'm missing something.

--
ha

On Tue, 30 May 2006 00:41:35 GMT, (hank alrich)
wrote:

I think the "microdrive" concept is being overtaken by flash storage,
the price of which keeps relaxing. Solid-state's nonmechanical advantage
seems clear in the long run, unless I'm missing something.

Just cost and I agree when that comes down more in price the best
design.

Julian

hank alrich wrote:
Bob Cain wrote:

hank alrich wrote:

But it's a growing market. There are going to be lots of these things
offered at an increasing rate for a while. Seriously robust units are
going to remain relatively expensive. One would wish you the budget for
the new Sound Devices two-trackers that write to CF media.

Does anyone yet make a battery powered hard drive with interface that
can plug into the CF slot and expand the capacity at reasonable cost?

If not, why not? (Rhetorical question.)

I think the "microdrive" concept is being overtaken by flash storage,
the price of which keeps relaxing. Solid-state's nonmechanical advantage
seems clear in the long run, unless I'm missing something.

Right, but for now I'd love to be able to attach a 2.5" laptop drive
of the many (tens or hundreds of) gigabyte variety via the CF
interface and not be concerned about the price of solid state or worry
about having enough chips to cover the weekend.


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no simpler."

A. Einstein

Mike Rivers wrote:
Julian wrote:
On 29 May 2006 11:53:19 -0700, wrote:
The one thing that would make the R-09 "the bomb" would be phantom
power.

Then you're back to the battery issue. Hard to get with AA's.

Low power and small size seem to be the buzzwords for consumer
electronics these days, and the R-09 is defiinitely one of those. I'd
be happy with XLR connectors for the mics, but a pair of XLRs is about
the same size as the whole recorder.

Clearly what I want is not a consumer product, but the consumer price
tag sure has me conditioned as to what the functionality is worth. But
that's my problem. I could always buy a Sound Devices 722.

Then again, the R-09 can be held nicely in your hand while running
arond looking for cool sounds.

RS

Bob Cain wrote:

hank alrich wrote:
Bob Cain wrote:

hank alrich wrote:

But it's a growing market. There are going to be lots of these things
offered at an increasing rate for a while. Seriously robust units are
going to remain relatively expensive. One would wish you the budget for
the new Sound Devices two-trackers that write to CF media.

Does anyone yet make a battery powered hard drive with interface that
can plug into the CF slot and expand the capacity at reasonable cost?

If not, why not? (Rhetorical question.)

I think the "microdrive" concept is being overtaken by flash storage,
the price of which keeps relaxing. Solid-state's nonmechanical advantage
seems clear in the long run, unless I'm missing something.

Right, but for now I'd love to be able to attach a 2.5" laptop drive
of the many (tens or hundreds of) gigabyte variety via the CF
interface and not be concerned about the price of solid state or worry
about having enough chips to cover the weekend.

A Weibetech Firewire Dock thingy gets you that via FW or USB or both.

http://www.wiebetech.com

Very handy gadgets. Allow one to use raw drives like they were reels of
tape, but without the saturation. g

--
ha

Julian wrote:
On 29 May 2006 14:20:15 -0700, "Mike Rivers"
wrote:
wrote:
"I'd be happy with XLR connectors for the mics

Or 1/4" like the MicroTrack.

I've never tried it, but having had a MicroTrack in my hands, I'd guess
that with two 1/4" plugs inserted, it would be mechanically unbalanced
and wouldn't stay nicely on a table.

This, in short, is why LEMO connectors are popular for professional grade
minature gear.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Scott Dorsey wrote:

This, in short, is why LEMO connectors are popular for professional grade
minature gear.

Still, it requires a special set of cables. That's fine for things like
wireless microphone body packs (or Nagra SNs) but I'd rather have a
recorder that isn't so small that it needs a miniature connector.

Are you ignoring my posts because I post from Google?

Mike Rivers @ wrote:

Scott Dorsey wrote:

This, in short, is why LEMO connectors are popular for professional grade
minature gear.

Still, it requires a special set of cables. That's fine for things like
wireless microphone body packs (or Nagra SNs) but I'd rather have a
recorder that isn't so small that it needs a miniature connector.

Are you ignoring my posts because I post from Google?

No way, he just thinks you might really be Mike Rivers.

--
ha

hank alrich wrote:

Are you ignoring my posts because I post from Google?
No way, he just thinks you might really be Mike Rivers.

Actually, at one point (I think in a discussion of people who get put
into kill files) Scott stated that he dumped any post that had Google
as the source in the header, and I suspect that includes my posts. He
often responds to a post of mine if it's quoted in another post, but
rarely if ever these days does he answer directly in this newsgroup.

Or maybe he just doesn't have anything to say.