Need Simple Digital Recorder

Bob Snelgrove · From: san jose, ca

Hi Guys

Looking for a simple DAW that includes effects, would like guitar modeling too. The Korg D4 looks like a great box if it is good quality and simple? Or maybe step up to a used D1200?

Or??

thx

bob

Bob Snelgrove · From: san jose, ca

Tony? Anyone?

I'm looking at a used Korg D1200 MK II for around $300

Will I be able to edit on the PC with most of these?

Help! Smile

Bob Snelgrove · From: san jose, ca

Edit:

Not too simple, Would like to have a built in mixer and effects and be able to record 4 tracks at once.

thx

bob

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

The first one that comes to mind is the Fostex mr- 8 hd. It has the qualifications you are needing 4 track recording at once, simple to operate pretty good effects actually I'd say better than most and very simple. If you have ever used an old 4 track cassette recorder you be able to use this. Check it out here.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--FOSMR8HD

Now that being said think about this. When someone says it's simple man a 3 year old could use it Smile

Well everyone's idea of easy is very subjective. Whats easy for me might be very hard for someone else.

So be prepared to spend some time learning the in's and out's of this or any machine you might choose.

Bob
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Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Not familiar with Korg, but I suspect they are the same as the others. Once you learn and understand each manufacturers Operating System they are all easy !

Korg has not been jumping out as the leader of the pack..

It appears that Boss, Fostex and Zoom appear to have the "easy" part built in..

I would agree that with wanting to record 4 tracks at once Fostex may be at the top of the heap for the value to $$$ ratio.

Just make sure you get one with an SD card and USB...

then don't forget to tune before you record, then sing on pitch, then play on pitch, and all will be well Smile

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Bob, I forgot to mention that with the 4 track requirements that unless you advance up to a 16 track recorder the Fostex and Korg check out here http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Korg-D888-8Track-Digital-Recording-Studio?sku=702914X are the only 2 selections that jump out at me.

Now I know there must certainly be others but none come to mind right now.

Bob
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Bob Snelgrove · From: san jose, ca

Thanks, Guys

I don't know if I really need the 4 at once capability. I've never multi-tracked anything before! The used Korg D1200 MK II for $300 does that with lots of features! I'll keep looking.

thx

bob

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Well Bob, most record TWO tracks at one time so you can get a Stereo track of some sort onto the recorder, then from that point adding 1 track at a time is pretty common.

My Yamaha AW2816 will record 8 @ once, the only time I have ever used 5 or 6 was with a full drum kit, other than that it was 1 at a time.

My normal routine is to load a stereo drum track( 2 tracks) then build the tune 1 track at a time. When I can actually play TWO Instruments at one time then I may go for recording TWO tracks at a time, but for now I'll concentrate on getting ONE track done right Sad

Before you do anything, check out the Boss BR600/8 track. Use that as a reference point for at least an 8 tracker.

Bob Snelgrove · From: san jose, ca

Thanks, Tony

The Boss BR600 looks really cool, just wish it had phantom power and XLR's Smile

Do you know much about the Boss BR-864 and how it compares to the 600? The 600 has a "friendly" look to it, too Smile

bob

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Bob, I am thinking that phantom power and XLR inputs is not really a big deal anymore, I am thinking you will want to use a small TUBE preamp anyway for the LIVE mic scenario. Like a $50 ART, they have XLR inputs and Phantom power on them.

The digital inputs of most these workstations could use some help with a tube preamp , even a cheap one. I use a dual channel ART which has a selection of voicing's ( fixed EQ's) I think I paid $100 for it a year or so back.

go for it

tp

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hey just to clear things up a little the Br-600 does have balanced inputs which equals the very same good low noise input for your mics it just uses a 1/4 connection for it and it comes with an adapter to put on your microphone.

I agree with Tony on the phantom power to record a great microphone track you will definitely want to get some sort of a good mic pre so make sure you buy one accordingly.

The Boss unit is one that most other companies use as a comparison point when building their models. The main thing that I like about it is the quality of it's compression method for audio. Normally anytime I see a unit touting some sort of an audio compression scheme I usually run away from it as fast as I can due to there is no such thing as lossless compression but Boss really got it right!

Oh by the way I own one and have spent many hours recording on it in my easy chair. I usually set in my easy chair in my home and play all the guitar tracks to later move to my main recording computer at my studio which is in another location so late at night when I get a good idea for a lead line or any other idea for the project I'm working on I just pick up my guitar and plug it in to my Boss. I always take a copy of my most current rhythm tracks and port them over to the Boss and bring it back and forth from the studio to my home. I think I'd be lost now without it now.

When I first got it I thought my main use would be to record live events because it has 2 wonderful mics built into it for live recording but one night late this idea popped up and I have been using it like this ever since.

It records at 16/44.1 and my main recording rig is 24/41 so when I import it I change the bit rate to match mine and I can tell no difference between the 16 bit and the 24 bit recordings. A guitar recorded has enough ambient noise and grit (just the nature of 6 string and steel guitars) that I don't notice any fidelity differences.

Many other units will sound just as good as this one or even better but I don't think you'll find many this light and portable and so chock full of very high quality effects for every application you can think of. It has the exact same quality and most (99%)of the effects that the Boss GT-6 has. I got mine for way under 349.00 the list price. I saw one on ebay last month new in the box for 289.00 plus 10.00 bucks for shipping. Good luck and enjoy the hunt Smile

Bob

EDIT: Some where in one of my posts about the facts of the BR-600 I mentioned that I put a 4 gb card in mine and it formatted it and I was able to use it. Well I did but yesterday when I looked at how much free space it had left I noticed it only had 489mb left and I knew this couldn't be right. So I tried to reformat it again and it did it again but evidently it only sees 1gb. So anyone depending on what I said about using 4gb cards beware this one worked but did not format to 4gb.
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Bob Snelgrove · From: san jose, ca

Bob,

I'm confused on the compression. I thought the Boss did full CD quality like the "big boys" do?

thx

bob

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hey Bob, good point, basically there are 3 different compression/quality settings on the BR-600. The highest quality setting is the same thing as 16 bit 44.1 quality.

That means that the br-600 does not record to a .wav format it uses Roland's own proprietary form of audio formatting.

Is it well I can tell no difference. To use it on your DAW it must be converted to a .wav file or aiff for Mac it's your choice and it's done internally. I import the converted .wav files every day and I can tell absolutely no quality difference between it and my other files of the same instrument and passage recorded on my main recording rig on my computer which is Sonar 6.21 PE with a very high quality Roland VM-3100 pro/PCI interface.

It was very important to me for this unit to be as good as my main DAW so I would not hear any difference when used in a project on may DAW.

I searched extensively on the web thru every major reviewer trying to find just one complaint about the br-600 and I could not find even one small complaint. Maybe someone else has heard one or even has used it and doesn't like it if so please chime in.

So think of it like this while the audio file is inside of the br-600 it's in Roland's own form but when you export it or mix it down and master it the audio is converted into .wav format.

By the way there are 3 quality settings for those that may want to record other things than pristine quality audio. They offered this to make better use of small compact flash cards.

When I record a live band I use the 2nd to best quality to have enough room on my 1 gb card to record all 5 hours of a live preformance. That way I don't have to switch cards in the middle of the night. This setting yields a quality of approximatly 256 kbps mp3 audio recording. I can tell a difference with it just slightly but yet I can hear it.

Then there's the 3rd setting I have recorded using it only once and it seemed to be in line with a mp3 128 kbps audio file. I can tell the difference there as well.

So I guess you will have to try one and just judge for yourself. That's what I did with the intention of sending it back if I didn't like it and of course it cut the mustard.

I hope that helps clear it up and anyone with different views please chime in.
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Bob Snelgrove · From: san jose, ca

Thanks, Bob

I hope a firmware update could allow bigger memory cards!

bob

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

I agree with you on that one. In todays market to be really on the front line they should be able to handle at least a 2 gb and even better would be a 4 to 8 gb.

I don't have an inside ear but evidently this thing is being sold at a very high rate because it has been on the market since either late 05 or early 06 and the retail price is still at 349.00 after all this time and that means that it's selling pretty good. So that means that they will more than likely release a new firmware with some improvements like bigger compact flash capability and faster down load to and from the computer. As of now it is pretty much real time that's something they don't talk about to much and I just remembered to mention it to you. Most folks think fast when they hear USB but in this case due to the conversion process it takes longer.

I'll be sure and let you know if I find a new firmware for it.

Bob
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Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Bob-that is a pretty good explanation of the BR600 features according to your usage. I have been wondering what to buy to replace my Tascam 4 track tape recorder. And get into the Digital recorders. Maybe theat is a good one to buy. I only need two tracks, and want to keep it simple. I would record the backup on one, and my steel on the other. Maybe I can get a good sounding one yet, Dreaming, but hope is eternal....al. Smile

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Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hehe, Al you keep that dream alive Smile

I think for what you need it would be fine. If you would ever need them it has some real good effects but likely in your process you might not need them. Let me know if you need any more info.

Bob
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