Anyone tried the Fostex FR-2LE?

[Jeremiah Hall]

Anyone tried it? Thoughts?

[Brooks Harrington]

Yes, I have one. Good audio. Pretty good preamp, although a bit low. Preamp have trim. Headphone jack is noisey, but file made doesn't have noise.
Running on a 4500mah 7.2 volt Tamiya battery, 8 hours at least.
Check this Forum.

http://www.fostexusa.com/mercuryboar...p?a=forum&f=22

[Jeremiah Hall]

Thanks for the link.

Jeremiah

[Andy Wilkinson]

Yes, thanks for the link! - interesting reading around in there.

A mate and I are considering the FR2LE instead of a Zoom H4, the current other main contender (I have just got the H2 and am very pleased with it.) It will be mostly for recording music/choirs etc. in a cathedral - I think the Fostex will be a better/more serious compliment to my highly portable Zoom H2 for his XLR mics (Senny ME66 and AT's mostly.) The H2's already getting used for more in-promptu moments (of musical brilliance!) since I will always carry it with me when I'm in there - great device!

However, as with all things, there appear to be two or three little niggles with the Fostex - from what I've read. Otherwise it seems like it's excellent!

Maybe someone can comment on the following questions;

Is it really that difficult to load up/extract batteries?
I keep reading that it's difficult to delete files on the card - why?
Lowish level on the mic inputs?
Noisy headphone out - is this typical and true?

....and any other comments you might have before I persuade him to shell out 350 quid. We already know the on-board mics on it are pretty naff but that's not an issue BTW. Thanks!

[Brooks Harrington]

Andy, I will comment on all of those questions.
No difficult to take out the battery. It just could have been designed better. What they did do right was make it work with a Tamiya battery. One person reported he got 14 hours of recording with 4500mah NiMH, without using Phantom power.

You cannot delete files through the menu. Only way to delete is to reformat the card. I don't see a problem with this. In fact, I view this as a positive.
BTW, you have to format the card for the sample rate and bit depth you are recording.

Mic pres have 40 DB gain. Realistically they should have 60db. Usable with really hot condensers.... Dynamic mics ? Preamps are quiet though, and they have seperate trim and peak light for overload.
I'm using mine with an external pre.

Yes, headphone amp has some hiss.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Thanks Brooks. Great info!

So anyone care to specifically recommend any "really hot condenser" mics for use with this Fostex?

[Jeremiah Hall]

Wow. Quadruple thanks for the link. Finally had time to sit and read them.

Couple of questions.

I plan on doing double system sound on a shoot, documentary / reality-style. Half outdoors, half indoors. I want to use my boom mic, an AT835b with a Lightwave Audio miniscreen and minisock for outdoor. For indoor, I want to use two wired lavs, one an AT-803b, the other a Sony ECM-50PBW. I also plan on using a Sennheiser EW100 ENG G2 system for ultra-wide shots where the boom-op has no place to hide in frame, wires can't be hidden, etc.

What I want to know, are the F2-LE's mic pres quiet enough to handle these mics without a separate mixer running between the mics and the unit?

One other one, how is the audio/video synch when dumping into FCP (or any other NLE, for that matter)? I've read about the synch problems with the H4, read pretty good things about the F2 staying in sych for the first 15 minutes or so, and was wondering about the F2-LE.

Thanks for your time,

Jeremiah

[Richard Gooderick]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

Yes, thanks for the link! - interesting reading around in there.

A mate and I are considering the FR2LE instead of a Zoom H4, the current other main contender (I have just got the H2 and am very pleased with it.)

Andy

I'm not an expert on sound. Still struggling to work out the best kit for what I do.

However I just got back from an excellent Wildeye sound recording course with Chris Watson (who was brilliant - see http://www.chriswatson.net/).

Took my Zoom H4 along and did a head to head comparison with the F2-LE. I much preferred the F2-LE recording. I'm selling my H4 and buying an F2-LE.

[Brooks Harrington]

I have everything I need to do a test. Various cams, slate, recorder, I just haven't had time. I'm wonder how is the sync myself. Evertime I think I'm going to use the recorder, we end up going right to cam. And nobody is willing to come and get the baackup files from the Fostex. Everyone is in such a hurry to make a movie.....

[Anna Harmon]

Couldn't have said it better Brooks. They'll only come to you when there's something wrong with the audio. At least then you have backups.

Call Fostex and ask. They're a pain to get through to though.

[Andy Wilkinson]

OK, after reading the advice and comments from everyone on here (THANKYOU!) my mate and I have decided, tonight (over a beer or two...) to order what was the last remaining Fostex FR2-LE listed on Amazon UK (at the moment.)

It's coming from Absolute Musical Solutions - who I've bought from several times before (always well priced and highly efficient in dispatch.)

He paid 382 quid (actually I paid... and he owes me!) and we should have it in a few days! When we've had time to play with it I'll let you know how we find it and how it compares to my new Zoom H2 (OK, I know it's probably an unfair comparison as they are targeted at slightly different users/price points/each have their own pros and cons.)

More toys for the boys (as our wives would no doubt say!)