Recommendation sought for digital recorder or DAT

[iumonito]

Hi all,

My wife and me would like to buy a digital recorder or DAT.  She is doing a PhD dissertation and needs to record a bunch of meetings and interviews, two to eight people.

I will inherit the recorder and use it therefrom to do piano home recordings.

We are getting different mics for each of these endeavors, but I am interested in whether you have any insight into what piece of equipment to buy.

[moderator: this may have fit better in miscellaneous, but my purpose is really "what's the best digital recorder I can get to do piano home recordings, which for me is performance after all  ]

Thanks!

[m]

Most definitely, I'd highly recommend not even look into DATs. It is expensive and the MOST unreliable format on the market and is already long gone for professional use. Besides, it is a PITA to transfer to CDs.

[iumonito]

Thanks, Marik.

The serious purpose is to record meetings, likely to be held around a table in a small working room, say 10' x 12'.  We are thinking for that 2 multi-directional mics, to pick up everybody's voice pretty clearly.

Then I inherit the recorder to make home-made recordings of myself, for recreational purposes (burn home-made cds for friends, create some markers for music practice, etc.)  Should I get to a point where I would seriously recording a "commercial" CD, my piano (and particularly the room where it sits) would not do and I would likely go to a studio.   I have a 7'4" Irmler which I love, but which is not a recording instrument.

I would load the recordings into my laptop.  Currently what I do is just plug a cardioid condenser microphone (a got a pair from ebay, but only one jack, so i have never used two at the same time).  I use Audacity.

You can listen to the results here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,9563.0.html

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,12091.0.html

Thanks for the help.

[violinist]

I eagerly await this reply!!!  I need to know what the get to record.  I'm not happy with what I have which is some kind of walkman that records onto a memory card.  And because it's small, I've lost it somewhere in my house .  I recall it was made by a company named zoom. 

So Iumonito,  you record this right onto your laptop on a windows laptop?  pretty good sound... nice stuff...

[m]

OK,

But we still have the very first question: how much money you are willing to spend? Without knowing the answer it is impossible to give advice.
Also, do you want it new, or willing to get from ebay? 

What are the mics you have? Brand, model?

 

[bartolomeo_]

The flash recorders made by Marantz and others are the current standard for that sort of thing.  They cost around $1000 which is comparable to what cassette and DAT cost in their heyday on an inflation-adjusted basis.

If that's too much money you can look at the iriver portable music players, many of which will also record.  The quality can be quite high but they are harder to use in a production situation and aren't as reliable.

[iumonito]

We are looking at a Olympus VN3100PC, which seems to be able to do the trick for about $70.

https://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1272

I went to the Marantz page, but didn't understand it very well.  What did you have in mind (a link would be most welcome, although to tell you frankly - I have never heard them, but this Marantz stuff seems priced a la Steinway).

Grateful for the advice, please don't read me wrong.   

[violinist]

Hello Iumonito,

I've used the Olympus recorders with flash memory (various models) for over 3 years.  They are good for dictations, but horrible sound quality.  And all the ones I've tried weren't in stereo. 

I believe that even for piano solo recording, stereo adds a tremendous component.  My Zoom (Zoom PS-04) recorder right now does mono, and I can't figure the damn thing out.   

links:

https://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Effects/product/ZOOM/PS-04/10/1
has some reviews

https://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php?masterid=3845869
for some good prices

I've lost mine... during my recent move, so I can't really refresh my memory on how it sounds, etc.  But all my recordings previously sent to the audition room were done on this device.  You have to download a special software from the web to translate it's proprietary format to mp3, then it had some glitch where long recordings just didn't translate over - yikes!

Good luck! 

[quantum]

Have you looked at MiniDisc's?

I got my MD recorder for around $300.  (There are cheaper models, but they don't have mic input). 

[m]

I believe that even for piano solo recording, stereo adds a tremendous component.  My Zoom (Zoom PS-04) recorder right now does mono, and I can't figure the *** thing out.   

You cannot record on this Zoom in stereo, unless you have external preamp and mics. This thing was intended for use for overdubbing, hence all the virtual tracks and drum kit. Also, it uses very unreliable SM card.

Look at Edirol R1, or R-09. Both have an internal stereo mics (for conferences), but you can also connect external stereo mic through 1/8" jack, for better results. They use much better CF cards and have sound effect capabilities--EQ and reverb, which can greatly enhance the final sound.

Apart from minidisk, I believe those are the cheapest option for something like more or less quality recording (providing you are using external mics).
If you are willing to spend $800 and up, then it is already completely different matter.

[iumonito]

You cannot record on this Zoom in stereo, unless you have external preamp and mics. This thing was intended for use for overdubbing, hence all the virtual tracks and drum kit. Also, it uses very unreliable SM card.

Look at Edirol R1, or R-09. Both have an internal stereo mics (for conferences), but you can also connect external stereo mic through 1/8" jack, for better results. They use much better CF cards and have sound effect capabilities--EQ and reverb, which can greatly enhance the final sound.

Apart from minidisk, I believe those are the cheapest option for something like more or less quality recording (providing you are using external mics).
If you are willing to spend $800 and up, then it is already completely different matter.

Spot on, Marik.  I just checked out the Edirol R-09 and it sounds precisely as what I wanted.

Violinist, thanks for the warning re Olympus.  This is why we posted, just to make sure something like this was not going on.  Good to know!

Because you two were so helpful, you get to choose what I record first on the gadget when I inherit it (think easy, I verymuch cannot play Tannhauser overture  )

Thanks!

[violinist]

Ohhh, get to choose....  Vocalise by Rachmaninoff - sheet music available on one of the boards here... I posted a request for the sheet music.

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,20115.0.html

Good luck with the device.