Portable recorder recommendation??

AFSDMS wrote on 7/26/2004, 9:00 AM
A friend is looking, on a tight budget, to get a multi-track standalone digital recorder for recordng a choir. He would use something like Vegas to do the multi-track post-production. There are so many gadgets out there I thought I'd ask for recommendations.

He is looking for 8 simultaneous channels of recording. Probably hard disk based. Direct mike inputs with faders/gain controls hopefully with phantom powering. Ability to connect to a Windows-based PC (USB 2.0, Firewire, Ethernet) for file download.

On a similar note, I'm looking for a two channel (four would be nicer :-) portable recorder with mike inputs (maybe phantom power too) for recording to Compact Flash. Mostly for interviews, location ambient sound etc. It seems most of the portable machines have all kinds of effects etc. and what I really want is a heads-down recorder. (That newer Marantz unit has my eye, but it looks on the expensive side.)

Thanks!

Wayne

Comments

AFSDMS wrote on 7/27/2004, 12:11 PM
Any experiences with the USB devices for a Windows notebook also appreciated.

Thanks much.

Wayne
LegendComm wrote on 7/27/2004, 4:20 PM
I have only used a couple of USB devices (from M-Audio) and I was NOT impressed.

However, on the firewire side of sounddevices... I have been using (happily) the MOTU 828 MKII with great success with my laptop.

Cannot say enough about the product (and NO I do not work for them). In some configurations I use an ADAT as an added input device allowing me the ability of 18 I/O's at the same time.

44.100 kHz works like a dream, 48k/24 bit - no problems yet, 96K, 24 bit... well I would not reccommend it for too many things at present.

Good luck in your search.
AFSDMS wrote on 7/28/2004, 3:16 PM
Thanks much, I'll look up the specs on that one.
Geoff_Wood wrote on 7/28/2004, 3:51 PM
I have an M-Audio Transit USB which does just fine 2 channels @24/96 (though I only use it at 44K1 on a regular basis). Of course no mic pre's on that, but USB1 seems to cope with that data rate OK.

geoff
farss wrote on 7/28/2004, 8:40 PM
I have M-Audio Firewire 410, only two mics in though. Works fine upto 24/96 if you really need it.
FuTz wrote on 8/6/2004, 9:57 AM
Usually no good critics concerning USB and audio. FireWire seems the way to go. It's a question of "architecture" some say.

I'm about to cash out on this FireWire 410 card from M-Audio. Any comments anyone? I haven't seen much complaints these last months about this model. If there was, seems like updating the drivers fixed all the issues, ain't it?

If you want to record to 8 tracks simultaneously, maybe look at the FireWire 1814 by M-Audio too...?
Nat wrote on 8/6/2004, 10:26 AM
Check the quatafire 610 by ESI, in my opinion it's nicer than the m-audio unit, smaller and has more features.
LegendComm wrote on 8/6/2004, 11:46 AM
There have been some great comments on different devices:

Quatafire 610 (6 in, 10 out),
Firewire 410 (4 in/out),

M-Audio FireWire 1814 $599.00 (OSX, XP A 18-in/14-out FireWire audio/MIDI interface - includes 8 channels of ADAT Lightpipe I/O, stereo S/PDIF I/O and an 8-input, 4-output analog I/O section. ), and others...

Specifically you were looking for at least 8 I/O. I still might again suggest the MOTU 828MKII, although it is not inexpensive (around $800.00 USD) - it works - well. Here are some other possiblilities...

Edirol/Roland: FA101 Firewire Audio Capture $498.00
(OSX, XP A smashing 10x10 audio interface, capable of 24-bit/96 kHz at a full 10 channels in & out.)

Also by Ediro/Roland: UA-1000 $689.00
(2k, XP A 10-channel hi-speed USB 2 audio interface with XLR/TRS combo jacks, Hi-Z guitar, SP/DIF, 8 channel ADAT, MIDI, and even inserts for effect send/return.)
I cannot comment on these as I have not used these particular sound devices.

Firewire and USB 2.0 are really your only options for a portable laptop based device. I use my 828MKII, constantly and have placed it in a rack case for portability and protection - a 2 unit rack case runs about $50.00 USD. Add an ADAT, portable mixer to feed the ADAT, and some lightpipe, and you can have up to 20 In/22 out if you use S/PDIF also.

Or buy a Behringer ADA 8000 around $200.00 USD, and place it in the rack space under the 828MKII for the additional 8 I/O via lightpipe.

If you have any questions regarding the MKII and would like to ask a user, email me.

On the 4 I/O side there are a number of good devices which would meet your needs, including these:

Korg Pandora PXR4
4-Track Portable Digital Studio Workstation with USB. You may have seen small, portable recording devices before, but you've never seen it done like the PXR4. The PXR4 provides everything you'd expect from a digital recorder many times larger in a compact, ultra-portable package only 4.8" wide, 4.25" high and 1.33" deep. This is serious...
$299.97

Tascam Pocketstudio 5
4-Track Portable Digital Studio Workstation with USB and MIDI Tone Module. The Pocketstudio 5 might be Tascam's ultimate "portastudio," a portable four-track digital recorder that you can literally slip in your pocket. It uses Compact Flash cards for media. In addition to its four audio tracks for your vocals, guitars and other instruments, $299.97

Boss BR-532
Demo 4-Trk Portable DAW. Compact and VERY affordable, the BR-532 presents a remarkable opportunity for the songwriter/guitarist who needs to capture his or her music while it's fresh. It boasts a lot of sophisticated features for such a compact device. The BR-532 offers 4-track digital recording with a separate stereo Rhythm Guide drum...

Boss BR-1180CD, Boss BR-864, Tascam 788, Zoom MRS-802, Zoom MRS-802CD, etc.

There are mor of course, these are just what i could find doing a quick search.

LegendComm


datman wrote on 8/8/2004, 3:58 PM
I used 2 m-audio usb devices. I didn't like them there where band width problems and other issues I didn't like too.

I guess firewire is the newest and allot people are happy with the results. I got an new echo mona very cheap. It uses the pcmcia interface and works great the mona is limited to 4 analog / mic ins and adat or coax digital ins . I have recorded over 6 hours nonstop with 4 channels in 24/96 with not one problem. I love it

Bill
DouglasClark wrote on 8/9/2004, 1:52 AM
Here are a couple others for the list...but no I have no experence with them, yet:

Annouced only: RME Fireface 800
http://www.rme-audio.com/english/firewire/ff800.htm
firewire 800, 8 balanced i/o 24/192, 4 mic preamps, 2 ADAT/spdif i/o, 1 MIDI i/o, word clock.

Now shipping: Presonus FirePod. List price $800.
http://www.presonus.com/firepod.html
firewire, 8 mic preamps/bal line in 24/96, 8 bal line out, spdif i/o, MIDI i/o, 2 bal sends/returns.

Mackie Onyx 1220 12 channel analog mixer with firewire i/o option
http://www.mackie.com/products/onyx1220/
firewire, 4 mic preamp/line in + 8 line in, 24/96, 4 line out, 4 inserts, EQ section, 2 bus.
Mackie Onyx 1620 16 channel analog mixer with firewire i/o option
firewire, 8 mic preamp/line in + 8 line in, 4 bus, etc etc
Mackie Onyx 1640 16 channel analog mixer with firewire i/o option
firewire, 16 mic preamps/line in, 6 bus, etc etc
(these would be great...if only they could also function as control surface for Vegas!)

The M-Audio Firewire 410 gets good reviews, but only the 2 mic/line inputs are balanced, all other i/o is unbalanced.

Sound Devices USBPre
USB1, 2 mic pre 24/96, 2 bal line out (16 bit out), 1 spdif i/o (20 bit out)

I'm real interested in the Edirol FA-101 and/or Presonus FirePod...but waiting for others to try them with Vegas first ;-)

Douglas Clark
Denmark
farss wrote on 8/10/2004, 3:56 AM
I have one and I've no real complaints. Just be aware it's only really got 2 inputs, they seem to be counting the co-ax/lightpipe SPDIF in as another 2 inputs.
But it does everything I bought it for and at the time it was the only unit that met all the criterion. Only real issue I have with it at times is the port that drives it and my ADVC-300 video A/D may get confused and things can get ugly. But a restart with bot devices on fixes it. Once they're both identified to the OS they've never lost the plot.

Bob.