portable recorder with mic pres

[evisto]

I am looking for a recorder with good mic pre. Which one do you thing has the bes mic pre?
Tascam hd p2
Korg mr 1000
edirol r 4

I know nagra lb 2 and sound devices, but it expensive for me

evisto

[John Willett]

Don't touch the Edirol R-4 (I think it's now discontinued, anyway).

The R-4 Pro is much better, as is also the R-44.

A friend of mine ditched his Zaxcom and moved over to the R-4 Pro for classical music recording, so they must be pretty OK.

[evisto]

I thought that the diferent between r 4 and r 4 pro was just the hard disk and the time code, not the mic pre

evisto

[tnjazz]

Originally Posted by evisto

I thought that the diferent between r 4 and r 4 pro was just the hard disk and the time code, not the mic pre

evisto

The mic pres in the R4 Pro are much higher quality than the ones in the stock R4 unit, as are the preamps in the R44. In addition, the R4 resamples the digital input - the R4 Pro and R44 do not.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by tnjazz

The mic pres in the R4 Pro are much higher quality than the ones in the stock R4 unit, as are the preamps in the R44. In addition, the R4 resamples the digital input - the R4 Pro and R44 do not.

Yup - I would not touch the original R-4 with a bargepole (especially after I discovered that i/p #4 on the early units was the opposite polarity than i/ps #1, 2 and 3) - the R-4 Pro and R-44 are much better units and are excellent devices.

If money is tight, go for the R-44.

I must admit I am pretty sure that Edirol have (or are) discontinued the original R-4 after the R-44 came out.

[Ozpeter]

The Fostex FR2LE seems to have a good reputation for its preamps if two channels will do.

[JEGG]

The HD P2 has excellent pre's, very quiet and produce a very large sound/image.

The HD P2 has a lot of other very usable options under the hood: sophisticated power switching and monitoring, powered by internal batteries, (included) external international mains supply, FW, or easily constructed external battery supply. It's runs more than 5 hours at any sample rate and with mic's that ask for reasonable power. It's file management is also better than most, and you'll never loose a file due to a power problem. Project and Display menues have dedicated access buttons. It's pre-record buffer is configurable, it's entire menue system is available in any mode, and it remembers where you've last been. It has digi ins/outs and the list goes on. It has no RF problems whatsoever, and is strongly built of a composite material over a lightweight metal frame-all connectors, etc., are mounted to the frame. And it's got time code, etc.

An excellent product.

[leddy]

I have two R44's. The preamps are decent. I have 4 channels of Sytek preamps to use if need be, but I only bother with the extra gear when using ribbons or certain dynamic mics.

[RickZ]

I've got 2 MR-1000's, although I only use one at a time. Having the second one along has bailed me out of battery problems. I've settle on Imedion NiMH batteries by Powerex, they will give 3 hrs recording before power led changes from green to red, and will go another 1/2 hr while red, before shut down.

I use these recorders either with TLM-103 pair, if I am recording organ, otherwise I use MKH-8040 pair, directly to MR-1000. Both of these mic sets have reasonable phantom pwr draw.

I've attached a short clip of vocal plus piano, using MKH8040's to MR-1000.

Rick Z

[MichaelPatrick]

thumbsup on the HD-P2. I use one for backup to an SD744T and agree with everything you've said about it. The converters are good too.

It also stands up well when I take it out on its own with a MicroTrackII or CD burner for backup.

Originally Posted by JEGG

The HD P2 has excellent pre's, very quiet and produce a very large sound/image.

The HD P2 has a lot of other very usable options under the hood: sophisticated power switching and monitoring, powered by internal batteries, (included) external international mains supply, FW, or easily constructed external battery supply. It's runs more than 5 hours at any sample rate and with mic's that ask for reasonable power. It's file management is also better than most, and you'll never loose a file due to a power problem. Project and Display menues have dedicated access buttons. It's pre-record buffer is configurable, it's entire menue system is available in any mode, and it remembers where you've last been. It has digi ins/outs and the list goes on. It has no RF problems whatsoever, and is strongly built of a composite material over a lightweight metal frame-all connectors, etc., are mounted to the frame. And it's got time code, etc.

An excellent product.

[lamacchiacosta]

If you are on the budget and you are in USA you could try to buy one of the recorderd modded by OADE:

[Brackish]

Originally Posted by RickZ

I've settle on Imedion NiMH batteries by Powerex, they will give 3 hrs recording

The Powerex 2700 AAs would probably get a person even more run time if needed.

[Brackish]

Originally Posted by lamacchiacosta

If you are on the budget and you are in USA you could try to buy one of the recorderd modded by OADE:

Right. His modded R-44s cost about the same as buying non-modded!

[Ozpeter]

Two and a half years on I guess the OP has made his choice anyway...