Edirol R-1 - useful as a solid state MD recorder replacement - currently available for about US$400, it has plug-in power mic input socket, but not phantom power pro inputs…
…if you want those you need to go more upmarket
- like the Marantz PMD660 available down to US$499…
- or go all the way to the Nagra range - some of which are even becoming quite affordable! - such as the Ares M or Ares PII+.
M-Audio Microtrack is US$499 rrp
web surfing notes on field recording
In a Proaudio Asia article, Greg Simmons says:
‘I’ve always admired field-recording pioneers like David Lewiston and Alan Lomax,’ says Simmons.
April 2005 Nagra News has articles by:
Frank Schreiner - tv/film recording engineer
Chris Watson - documentary film recordist - records army ants and bees, etc, using interesting ultrasensitive transducers
Gérard Beuchat -recorded treks in Kilimanjaro
Chris Watson is an interesting character, a founding member of Cabaret Voltaire, also worked with Hafler Trio, KK.Null, Z’EV, and others, has done an invisible jukebox in the wire, also an eminent field recordist who worked for David Attenborough.
There is also the radio show fieldwork on 2ser in sydney, which has a website with lots of info about field recordings.
creative nomad jukebox
http://www.nomadworld.com/products/Jukebox3/
http://www6.tomshardware.com/mobile/20020419/jukeboxiii-05.html
dismantled here:
http://www4.tomshardware.com/mobile/20001110/mp3-14.html
does not play 96kHz files:
http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/nomadjukebox/page2.asp
20GB for AU$400 here:
http://www.mp3direct.com.au/webstore/pdinfoadv.asp?productID=81
analog mic pres to digital spdif output
http://www.core-sound.com/inbox.html
JNC has “voice recording”
http://www.jnc-digital.com.au/products.php
Neuros records to HD from fm, line in or internal mic
http://www.neurosaudio.com/store/prod_neuros.asp
digital format converters incl spdif adat etc, but nothing to combine spdif to a single adat
http://64.213.162.194/catalog/ws2001/converters.html
cantar-x crazy mutha.
http://www.aaton.com/products/sound/cantar/
Boss BR-532 records to smart media. can be battery powered.
http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=12&subcatid=48&prodid=BR-532
maybe some of these portable 4-track recorders would be useful:
http://www.bizrate.com/buy/products__att278376–275668-,cat_id–521908.html
m-audio firewire 410 does 2 mic preamps and 4 ins for b/w $700 - $1000 AU.
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWire410-focus.html
… and even the more expensive 1814 only has dual preamps.
Sound Devices 744T does portable 4ch recording for US$4250
http://www.sounddevices.com/products/7.htm
Maybe can hire gear in Sydney?
At Metroscreen, even for portable dat, hire costs over $100 a day.
http://www.metroscreen.com.au/facilities.html#sound
Zaxcom has portable multichannel hd recording gear (with soundfield conversion options) at $10,000
http://www.zaxcom.com/audio/deva4.shtml
Some other solutions here (with shocking web design!):
http://www.sonicstudios.com/
One likely option:
Sennheiser ME-104 lavalier capsule:
http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/icm_eng.nsf/root/04227#
see my
B&H Photo wishlist
for necessary accessories.
check out the Edirol R-4 4track harddisk recorder:
http://www.edirol.com/products/info/r4.html
US$1595 at B&H Photo (not yet available)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=356881&is=REG
at US$1595 is cheaper than any other 4track or more recorder I’ve come across.
In fact at this price it competes with the laptop+multichannel audio interface solution to portable multichannel field recording.
(eg Metric Halo Mobile I/O 2882 or RME Fireface at ~A$3000 or RME HDSP + QuadMic at a similar price)
Others include Sound Devices 744T at US$3950 retail:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=325631&is=REG
Need to make a comprehensive list at some stage and publish here in the blog.
All of these are from the fantastic B$H photo video web store:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=search&Q=&ci=5691
listed under the category:
Home < Professional Audio < Field & Broadcast Audio < Recorders