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Handheld digital recorders

#21
Axtman said:
Fivestringgecko,

YOU LIED TO ME!! It's in the October 2008 issue Bass Player Magazine! ;-)

I will read it and give a synopsis. The article is over a year old and hopefully technology has not changed THAT much.

Thanks for the heads up!
Click to expand...

Wow, I've actually got that issue with me (at work) and you're exactly right... October 2008. Sorry about that! I could've sworn it said December, but I did have a big stack of back issues sitting there. Apparently I got all confused. Derrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....... :rollno: lol

Anyway, that article may be just a touch dated by now with new recorders out there and all, but it's still good info on good recorders. I think I've narrowed my selection down to the Zoom H4n. It's all subjective of course, but based on reviews I've seen/read (and the advice of my sound guy who's an audio equipment junkie), I don't think there's better unless you get into the next higher price category.

Now it's just matter of timing... Santa might be bringing me something cool this year! :D hehehe

5sg.
 
#23
thobbinghotrod said:
I just got the Tascam Dr-07. It's really good for the money. $142 on Amazon. The first practice I had the gain structure set too high which resulted in a distorted sound. I was also in the highest quality wav. format and I noticed that half of the soundcard was used up by the 20 minute mark. I used the lowest gain this afternoon and it sounds perfect. This unit has a wheel on the side to tweek the gain while it's recording, very useful.
I noticed right away how we can tweek the songs. It's amazing how hearing it back can alter your perception. I play too hard at certain loud parts and it's totally unnecasary. on other parts I'm not ending the notes as evenly as I thought I was. Overall I think it's going to be the best money I've aver spent on equipment.
Another usefull aspect that will help the band, everyone can take home thier own copy of the practice if they bring a flash drive. i haven't done this yet but i read about it in a review.
Did I mention yet how I can practice at home with the band just by playing with the recording. It's really going to be a great tool.:cool:
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of getting one of these next week, any problems at all?
It's on sale for $170 Cdn. and comes with a 2GB card so seems like a good deal.
I just want something simple to record practices and gigs from time to time for the same reasons you do.
We have slightly different arrangements of many songs, and I want to check my playing in a detached way, as the audience would hear it.
Very revealing at times, sometimes you end up playing too busy when in the moment you're just adding fills or whatnot.
 
#25
+1 for the H2...best gear purchase in recent years...

everything stereo MP3 onto a 4GB SD card, then dump into my PC and Audacity for chopping up and emailing to the band...

James hart said:
I turn off any processing that it can do, set it to work in the loudest environment and set it for all 4 mics and the highest bit rate MP3.
Click to expand...
waitaminnit!
I thought you could only record quad in WAV format?!
I need to check the manual....
 
#27
rappa29 said:
1.) Excellent quality recording!
2.) I LOVE this song, among countless other Stevie tunes (I'm originally a keyboard player). Great performance DWBass et al! :bassist:
Click to expand...
Thanks. A lot of folks are recording in mp3 format but I record in wav format. I always keep the Mic Gain on medium. I then import to my laptop and into Audacity where I chop up the individual songs, add fades and convert to 320 kbps mp3's. I love this unit. No it's not as small as the Tascam or other units, doesn't have a built in usb plug nor will it fit in your pocket without looking bulky but it works great for me. I just set the mics (either 1 direction stereo or 4 channel stereo placed in center of room), hit record and I'm done! I see Tascam lowered their initial price to compete (I do remember it being higher when they first came out). With all the accessories you get with the Zoom (except the lowly memory card), I still think it's the best bang for your buck unit and I see it only getting better.

1547274622_56bbc3f996.jpg
 
#28
kcole4001 said:
I'm thinking of getting one of these next week, any problems at all?
It's on sale for $170 Cdn. and comes with a 2GB card so seems like a good deal.
I just want something simple to record practices and gigs from time to time for the same reasons you do.
We have slightly different arrangements of many songs, and I want to check my playing in a detached way, as the audience would hear it.
Very revealing at times, sometimes you end up playing too busy when in the moment you're just adding fills or whatnot.
Click to expand...

I got my DR-07 about a week ago and tried it out at practice the other night. The recordings sound great, just gotta find that sweet spot and tweek the settings a bit as the first couple of songs came out kind of loud which made it a bit fuzzy, after a couple of tweeks though it started to sound good. Another week or so, few more practices and we should have it perfect. But Im pretty happy with it, the sound quality is nice.
 
#30
Update:
Got to the store (L&M in Moncton) today and they were out of the Tascam, but had several H2s in stock ($219 Cdn), so I went with that.

The Zoom had a 1GB card instead of the previously advertised 512mb card, but I bought a 4GB card for and extra $25.
It also comes with lots of extras, looks like a good unit and has great reviews.
I won't get to use it 'til after Christmas, but will post my opinion then.

Thanks for the info, folks!

OT:
I told the wife that if they had (by some freak miracle of fate) a 4003 in stock, it would be coming home with me instead, but alas no Ricks as always. There was a nice looking Stingray 5 in black with white guard ($1799), but I didn't have time and all the staff were busy, so I didn't try it out.
 
#32
Is anyone else using the line-in? I record all of our gigs from the RCA outs on the mixer right into my H-2. The quality is great. I have just started to pan the 3 vocals to 10-12-2 o'clock and the 2 guitars to about 10:30 and 1:30 just to make things sound a little more interesting. I'm not sure of the rules here, can I post a link to my "myspace" page?
 
#33
Popps said:
Is anyone else using the line-in? I record all of our gigs from the RCA outs on the mixer right into my H-2. The quality is great. I have just started to pan the 3 vocals to 10-12-2 o'clock and the 2 guitars to about 10:30 and 1:30 just to make things sound a little more interesting. I'm not sure of the rules here, can I post a link to my "myspace" page?
Click to expand...
Absolutely.
 
#35
I have a Tascam DR-07, and it has worked great for me. I have a question though. Does anyone know where to get the adapter to mount this on a mic stand? Tascam doesn't sell one and its an odd size. 1/4 20 x either 3/8 0r 5/8. This is the only thing that pisses me off with this unit. Tascam boasts that its mic stand mountable, but leavces you hanging as far as finding an adapter.
 
#36
Popps said:
Is anyone else using the line-in? I record all of our gigs from the RCA outs on the mixer right into my H-2. The quality is great. I have just started to pan the 3 vocals to 10-12-2 o'clock and the 2 guitars to about 10:30 and 1:30 just to make things sound a little more interesting. I'm not sure of the rules here, can I post a link to my "myspace" page?
Click to expand...
Sure. I wanna have a listen.
 
#38
I have the H4n, and it's real handy.
You can direct in two inputs and also record using the external mics.
Levels are real easy to set.

It's simplicity is great. When my son has his drum lessons, I just start it and lay it on the table. The external mics pick up not only the drums, but the voice instruction as well. Download the lessons to the PC and then right into his MP3 player.

Unfortunately, I have nothing to compare it to. It's the only recorder I've ever used.
 

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