I know there have been threads on this, but as I’m now ready to purchase (yes, in part for Cathal’s workshop/concert, but it’s also upcoming birthday and the family will foot the bill), I’m looking for most current feedback. I’ve read some reviews, but am looking for personal actual experience with these devices as well. The cheapest of the new generation seems to be the Edirol - R1, but drawbacks were noted that were addressed in the bigger pricier Magnavox, for example.
Tom - I think you have specific recent experience in this arena, you’ve probably explained it to me several times, but I either forgot or wasn’t listening keenly enough.
It should be easy to search for or track back to the recent post in this regard. I suspect that, much like word processing or spread sheet software, there is probably a natural tendency to confuse what one knows with what one likes. As you know all too well, I am new to home recording, but really enjoy it as both a learning tool and as a way to work with other folks via the Internet. With all of that having been said, and in the awarenes that there are many C & F frequenters who have tons more knowledge than I do in this regard, my configuration consists of: my Dell home PC with the decent sound card it came with, Cakewalk Music Creator 2.2 ($40.00), a Behringer m802 mixer w/ phantom power for the mic ($50.00) an Audio Technica 2020 microphone ($99.00) and a good boom type mic stand ($27.50–yes, I 'm no longer using my camera tripod with the little (and good) SONY Mic taped to the base for what would be a camera). As I recall, I did not have the Audio Technica mic. or the mic stand when you were here last. I will send you a tune or two I recorded using it.
The ability to convert whatever files you create to MP3 is, I believe, an important feature of any set-up if you intend to make CD’s or swap tracks with players of other instruments.
I regret that the %^%&*(#$%#^% Transit Strike of a few weeks ago put the kibosh on getting together. Perhaps after the Cathal event, we will have some time?
In closing, you can probably get better advice from any number of folks on the Board. As I said earlier, I like what I know and have the good sense to not confuse that with what is best.
I’ve also had great luck with a cheap Behringer mixer in my computer recording setup. (Even used it to provide for a house concert several months ago.)
I use the (free) open source software Audacity to do the recording, and it is perfect for the job.
I’m set up to record now at home with the top of the line Dell soundcard, a pre-amp and mic; I guess I was thinking more of a traveling portable recorder that’s simple to use, has decent quality, ample recording time and transfers easily (USB cable) to computer. Built in mics along with option for plug ins as well. Is there anything better than the Edirol for this purpose that still runs about $400? I read some reviews that were mixed.
Check out the M-Audio mobile recorder, this may be what you’re looking for. If you have a laptop, you could use the M-Audio Mobile Pre-USB. That’s what I use with a couple of studio condensor mics and that works quite nicely.
OOPS!! Philo–Sorry for not understanding your original inquiry. I have been real pleased with my SONY Hi-Mini CD Recorder, but was surprised to find that the most practicable way to offload whatever you have recorded is as ‘line in’ to the computer (i.e., analog). I am aware that there are some patches and fixes that (reportedly) enable you to download the digital signal to the PC without going in analog, but the whole web of fixes seemed too tenuous to me, and I never investigated it. For capturing sound out in the world, the Hi-Mini has great capacity. I use an $80.00 SONY Condensor mic with it, and am happy with the capture. It is a good idea to have extra battteries, and the mic. would benefit from some sort of ‘you are running low on power’ indicator, but otherwise, it is a good field recorder outfit. I will bring it to the Cathal event for your inspection. My ear is not sufficiently sophisticated to discern any degradation in signal as a result of going analaog into the PC.
There is one user group from which I have received some communication to the effect that SONY may be walking away from the Hi-Mini CD format–the impact of i-podness, no doubt?
Our son has an I-River (I think that is the brand name) that, unlike the Ipods that I am mildly familiar with, has a built in mic and evidently records passably. It is like a slightly bulky I-Pod.
I wouldn’t rely on the iRiver’s internal mic, but the external one it comes with makes very servicable recordings. A lot of the stuff I listen to every day was recorded on mine. And the soundboard recordings I made last year using the line-in on the iRiver came out very well.
It records straight to MP3 or WAV, and acts as a USB external harddrive when you attach it to the computer, so it’s dead easy (and fast!) to get your recordings onto your computer.
You know what works realy well - get a digital movie camera with a fire-wire or USB2 link (needs a fire-wire/USB2 computer-card which usually comes with the camera). This could even be a second hand one. I have an old Panasonic NV DX100 but there’s better around these days. They are fairly compact and can capture 16-bit plus resolution (anything less than 16 bit won’t do). The most important thing is to also have a good Mic - I use a Sony ECM-MS907 stereo Electret condenser.
The cameras come with rudamentry editing software so, If you don’t want the footage, you can extract the sound as MP3 (or WAV then convert to MP3). I work entirely in WAV because it is not “lossy” i.e. it dosn’t trash parts of the sound.
I second the vote for M-Audio sound cards - I’m using a firewire Solo at the moment for studio capture and playback - there’s also some real good bundles since Avid bought M-Audio out - Avid also owns Pro-Tools which is what most serious stuff is done with (but the price tag keeps getting better - yay!).
One tip - as in all things digital, keep the resolution as high as you can untill it’s time to publish - any step in the editing chain that is lossy will spoil the clarity (i.e keep it out of MP3 until the very last step).
I have a second-hand report. A friend got the Edirol and loves it. Michael Eskin here (he posted just minutes before I did), gave a thumbs up to the Olympus DS-2/DS-20. For most casual musicians the Olympus’ CD quality sampling is plenty enough, and it is half to one quarter the cost of the Edirol. (You could always ask for two gifts).
I just got an M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 yesterday. It’s a little cheaper than the Edirol R-1, can record at a higher quality (probably overkill for most things though), and should have a longer battery life. However, the battery is built-in, rechargable, and NOT user servicable (not a good thing).
So far I’ve only used it with the included stereo T mic, but it works just fine for my purposes (mainly recording my own playing, practice and classes, and sessions).
However, I was using a Marantz portable cassette tape deck with its built-in mic and then transferring files to my PC with the RCA line out. To be honest, I don’t really notice a huge difference in quality…I’m sure it’s there, but for my uses it isn’t noticeable.
I am interested in getting a better mic if anyone has suggestions…
I’m currently considering:
Sony ECM-DS70P Stereo Mic
Sony ECM-MS907 Stereo Mic
or maybe this “thing” which is made for the Microtrack:
That’s great in theory, but in practice (and yes, I just checked) the crystal-clear soundboard recording I made to MP3 on my iRiver not only sounds great, it still sounds great after being converted from MP3 so it can be edited and then saved as MP3 again.
Mind you, that’s at a pretty high bitrate, 192(k?). But that should be plenty for anything you’re doing short of a professional project.
I have been using a ZOOM PS-04 for a couple of years now and I think it’s great. The built-in mic works well at session and concerts, etc. For more serious home recording I use my Shure mic. I download my recordigs to the PC via line-in. It has a built-in mixer and sound effects which make beefing up your recordings a snap. Best of all, the whole “Palmtop Studio” fits in your pocket and can be had for $200.
enough.