Portable Sound Recording up to $500 at DVinfo.net

Mike Shkolnik · September 17th, 2005, 01:37 AM

I need a portable recorder for sound. I will be using an AT4053a or 4073a mic with a Beachtek and want a recorder that will get me great quality sound and record in WAV files, transferable with USB or Firewire. I am looking at the pro-level Minidisc players, though I don't need removeable storage. Anything else I should be looking at for up to $500? I will use it for recording ambiance, ADR, sound effects, music, etc.

Thanks,

-Mike

Douglas Spotted Eagle · September 17th, 2005, 05:30 AM

HDMD, and/or the MicroTrack from M-Audio, which just started shipping. Both are powerful yet small tools.

Hsien Yong · September 17th, 2005, 06:22 AM

Here's the link... should get my microtrack in the next 2 weeks...
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...2496-main.html

Mike Shkolnik · September 18th, 2005, 09:25 PM

Please post a review once you have a chance to play with it. Looks like what I might be looking for, though the 1/4" inputs with phantom power aren't making sense to me - I though phantom power was an XLR thing.

Matt Gettemeier · September 18th, 2005, 09:30 PM

Just get an XLR F to 1/4" TRS... the 1/4" plugs into the MicroTrack and the other end goes to the mic... trs still delivers the phantom. No problems.

After already ordering and paying for a MicroTrack I'm trying to decide if I should cancel my order and get the Marantz 671.

It's a bummer that M-Audio didn't go with a couple AA batteries instead of a sealed in job that's got to be recharged every few hours (of constant use).

I'm gonna' have to figure something out for that to not be a problem.

Mike Shkolnik · September 18th, 2005, 09:41 PM

Well here are some reasons to keep your M-Audio order:

1. The Marantz is more than twice the price.
2. The Marantz is 3" longer, just enough to make it inconvenient to carry in a pocket.

At $999 I would not consider it. I can do a lot with the remaining $600 after paying $400 for the M-Audio unit. What are you getting for an extra $600? The ability to swap batteries? Not worth it.

The phantom power on either unit is great and I don't believe is a feature of the Sony MD units, though I could be wrong. I won't have to use the Beachtek with it and can leave that attached to my camcorder.

-Mike

Steve House · September 19th, 2005, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Shkolnik

Please post a review once you have a chance to play with it. Looks like what I might be looking for, though the 1/4" inputs with phantom power aren't making sense to me - I though phantom power was an XLR thing.

Phantom power and balanced signals are an electronic thing while XLR and 1/4" plugs are a physical connector arrangement thing <grin>. XLR connectors provide for 3 conductors but so do 1/4" TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) connectors. While XLR is commonly used for mic circuits, the reason it's often preferred over TRS is not that its electrical properties or that it provides phantom power but rather that it locks solidly into its socket and so provides some protection against accidental disconnect and noise from loose or dirty connections as the talent moves about. (There are other multi-conductor connectors that could be used for balanced audio including phantom power as well - you'll run into them connecting mics to wireless bodypacks, for example.)

Marco Leavitt · September 19th, 2005, 08:47 AM

I'm with you Matt. They were so close! If only they'd used AA batteries the MicroTrack would an amazingly cool gadget. It was really tempting me to forsake minidisc once and for all. I guess you could always buy two, they're so cheap.

Matt Gettemeier · September 19th, 2005, 04:28 PM

Marco... yeah I'm REALLY torn... I either want two or none! You'll know what I did in the next week or two... 'cause as usual... I won't be quiet about anything I like or don't like.

Marco Leavitt · September 19th, 2005, 05:11 PM

Are you sure you need phantom? It would probably last a pretty long time without it.

Matt Gettemeier · September 19th, 2005, 05:40 PM

No I don't need phantom... but a couple guys have the MicroTracks over at taperssection.com and they're fielding questions as fast as we can ask them... every day is a new batch of answers since last Thursday.

Even without phantom OR even headphone monitoring the durations have been like 3 HOURS instead of the 8 that M-Audio says they'll do!

WiFiJeff is one of the most helpful guys over there and he rigged a 4-AA battery pack into the charge jack and he's still only getting 5 hours... and this is WITHOUT phantom! (and from what I understand this is NOT a battery bypass, but rather the unit acts like it's being charged from the plugged in batteries and it will run down it's own battery AND the plugged in batteries in that time... so basically the extra 4-AAs are giving an extra couple hours... the extras don't run all the way down, just low enough that the unit doesn't see a charging load anymore and shuts off)

Fudge.

I'm going to get a CLEAR DEFINITION of the return policy on mine... and if I don't like what they tell me then I'm holding off until I hear more about everyone else's experience.

If nothing else I'd like for M-Audio to get a big F-U from the general public for not designing the thing a little bigger and letting us keep the damn thing going! (by having the option of changing batteries as needed)... even a lousy mini-plug that you could route to a larger battery would have been reasonable!

Marco Leavitt · September 19th, 2005, 07:25 PM

I wonder what's sucking all that juice? It's just a flash recorder, isn't it? You'd think it would be pretty efficient.

Dave Largent · September 20th, 2005, 01:58 AM

I had just assumed it was batteries that run the M-Audio.
I was thinking about maybe getting it but I would be
using it with two 48V phantom mics at once.
Anyone heard how long it lasts with phantom? Three
hours without phantom is not very long at all.
Even two 9V batteries to run it would be better than
this solution.

Dave Largent · September 20th, 2005, 02:21 AM

Does Edirol offer anything small, with phantom power?

September 17th, 2005, 01:37 AM	#1
Mike Shkolnik Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Tigard, OR Posts: 42	Portable Sound Recording up to $500 I need a portable recorder for sound. I will be using an AT4053a or 4073a mic with a Beachtek and want a recorder that will get me great quality sound and record in WAV files, transferable with USB or Firewire. I am looking at the pro-level Minidisc players, though I don't need removeable storage. Anything else I should be looking at for up to $500? I will use it for recording ambiance, ADR, sound effects, music, etc. Thanks, -Mike

September 17th, 2005, 05:30 AM	#2
Douglas Spotted Eagle VASST Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Stockton, UT Posts: 5,648	HDMD, and/or the MicroTrack from M-Audio, which just started shipping. Both are powerful yet small tools. __________________ Douglas Spotted Eagle/Spot Author, producer, composer Certified Sony Vegas Trainer http://www.vasst.com

September 17th, 2005, 06:22 AM	#3
Hsien Yong Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 111	Here's the link... should get my microtrack in the next 2 weeks... http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...2496-main.html

September 18th, 2005, 09:25 PM	#4
Mike Shkolnik Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Tigard, OR Posts: 42	Please post a review once you have a chance to play with it. Looks like what I might be looking for, though the 1/4" inputs with phantom power aren't making sense to me - I though phantom power was an XLR thing.

September 18th, 2005, 09:30 PM	#5
Matt Gettemeier Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 936	Just get an XLR F to 1/4" TRS... the 1/4" plugs into the MicroTrack and the other end goes to the mic... trs still delivers the phantom. No problems. After already ordering and paying for a MicroTrack I'm trying to decide if I should cancel my order and get the Marantz 671. It's a bummer that M-Audio didn't go with a couple AA batteries instead of a sealed in job that's got to be recharged every few hours (of constant use). I'm gonna' have to figure something out for that to not be a problem.

September 18th, 2005, 09:41 PM	#6
Mike Shkolnik Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Tigard, OR Posts: 42	Well here are some reasons to keep your M-Audio order: 1. The Marantz is more than twice the price. 2. The Marantz is 3" longer, just enough to make it inconvenient to carry in a pocket. At $999 I would not consider it. I can do a lot with the remaining $600 after paying $400 for the M-Audio unit. What are you getting for an extra $600? The ability to swap batteries? Not worth it. The phantom power on either unit is great and I don't believe is a feature of the Sony MD units, though I could be wrong. I won't have to use the Beachtek with it and can leave that attached to my camcorder. -Mike

September 19th, 2005, 08:47 AM	#8
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	I'm with you Matt. They were so close! If only they'd used AA batteries the MicroTrack would an amazingly cool gadget. It was really tempting me to forsake minidisc once and for all. I guess you could always buy two, they're so cheap.

September 19th, 2005, 04:28 PM	#9
Matt Gettemeier Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 936	Marco... yeah I'm REALLY torn... I either want two or none! You'll know what I did in the next week or two... 'cause as usual... I won't be quiet about anything I like or don't like.

September 19th, 2005, 05:11 PM	#10
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Are you sure you need phantom? It would probably last a pretty long time without it.

September 19th, 2005, 05:40 PM	#11
Matt Gettemeier Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 936	No I don't need phantom... but a couple guys have the MicroTracks over at taperssection.com and they're fielding questions as fast as we can ask them... every day is a new batch of answers since last Thursday. Even without phantom OR even headphone monitoring the durations have been like 3 HOURS instead of the 8 that M-Audio says they'll do! WiFiJeff is one of the most helpful guys over there and he rigged a 4-AA battery pack into the charge jack and he's still only getting 5 hours... and this is WITHOUT phantom! (and from what I understand this is NOT a battery bypass, but rather the unit acts like it's being charged from the plugged in batteries and it will run down it's own battery AND the plugged in batteries in that time... so basically the extra 4-AAs are giving an extra couple hours... the extras don't run all the way down, just low enough that the unit doesn't see a charging load anymore and shuts off) Fudge. I'm going to get a CLEAR DEFINITION of the return policy on mine... and if I don't like what they tell me then I'm holding off until I hear more about everyone else's experience. If nothing else I'd like for M-Audio to get a big F-U from the general public for not designing the thing a little bigger and letting us keep the damn thing going! (by having the option of changing batteries as needed)... even a lousy mini-plug that you could route to a larger battery would have been reasonable!

September 19th, 2005, 07:25 PM	#12
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	I wonder what's sucking all that juice? It's just a flash recorder, isn't it? You'd think it would be pretty efficient.

September 20th, 2005, 01:58 AM	#13
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	I had just assumed it was batteries that run the M-Audio. I was thinking about maybe getting it but I would be using it with two 48V phantom mics at once. Anyone heard how long it lasts with phantom? Three hours without phantom is not very long at all. Even two 9V batteries to run it would be better than this solution.

September 20th, 2005, 02:21 AM	#14
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Does Edirol offer anything small, with phantom power?