| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
 Posted - 11/30/2005 : 2:57:27 PM
|
Hi all -
Some time ago I mentioned that I was reviewing a hand-held field recorder, the M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96. This is a device for recording audio -- both uncompressed and MP3 --to compact flash media -- and it conects to your computer via USB2.
The review's been published on-line: http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2005/11/30/m-audio-microtrack-review.html br /
I used the puppy to record some rehearsals and a gig in Hana, Maui, as well as a bit of Kevin Brown & Pekelo Cosma performing under the Banyon Tree in Lahaina. Audio clips & pix are included in the review.
Check it out.
Cheers,
Mark
|
|
|
Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 04:17:38 AM
|
Good review, Mark. Also nice to see and hear all our friends.
I have been following the reports of this device and they are about as mixed as yours was. I am interested in it for all sorts of reasons (like Feb. AMC, Sarah's vocal practice seesions for which she now uses a cassette recorder, etc.)On the one hand it has so many good design objectives, that it blows out anything (like a MD recorder, if you were going to buy that new) intended for the same purpose. On the other hand, it has that 30v phantom power that kills so many mics (so I can't use one that I already own), and battery buried inside that only the factory is supposed to changeout. And the other foolish compromises you noted. (BTW, you can get a good, inexpensive XLR to TRS short cable from Markertek, to get around that particular flaw.)
One review thought the whole thing was a Beta. But another account said that the BBC bought one for all its reporters.
In addition, that AT822 goes for $250-260 + s&h which brings the total way up there, even if Newegg has the Microtrack for about $384. So, you said that the included little mic, was OK. How OK is OK?
So, how do you really feel about it :-)? If it was your money, would you buy it now? Wait, until the bugs were shot? Buy it on eBay used in a few months?
(Do the answers to these questions violate journalistic ethics?)
...Reid
|
 |
|
|
Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 06:38:11 AM
|
Mark,
An amplification Of my question about the mic. (Inadvertant pun, I see after the fact.)
Yes, I have listened to the example(s). The sound quality is dominated by 2 things that hinder my own eval. 1. It sounds like there is a lot of ambient amplification by a PA in the recording (kind of hollow and reverby). 2. My playback mechanisms dominate what I hear: played through my computer 3 way speakers, it sounds bad; imported into Audition and played through Layla and my Sennheiser HD28 Pros, it sounds good (anything sounds good that way). Yet there is still that ambient PA-type sound clouding everything. So, I can't judge. Your other recordings are done in better settings with much better and much more expensive mics.
So, if you can, give me a personal take on this.
Does the USB battery pack get in the way of the controls or whatever, and cause the convenience level to drop way down? The internal battery useful time would make it impossible to use at AMC, given the kind of power there.
How do you really feel about the first one croaking? The answer could be: wait for the next release/model.
Thanks,
Reid
PS. You could email me privately if you don't want to go public, or you could ignore me.
|
Edited by - Reid on 12/01/2005 06:39:18 AM |
|
|
|
Mainkaukau
Lokahi
USA
245 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 06:39:38 AM
|
| Right on review Mark, exactly what I needed. With all the different units out there I was not sure which one would meet my needs. Your review was easy to understand and very informative. Good job. Merry Christmas to you and all! Oh, great follow up Reid, if I knew as much as you guys I'd probibly ask those same questions:0) mahalos... |
|
|
|
Darin
Lokahi
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 07:02:07 AM
|
Mark,
That was a great review. Very informative. Thanks! I really enjoyed the pictures and clips. |
Darin
http://www.hawaiiguitar.com/ |
|
|
|
cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 08:11:37 AM
|
| I've been following all of the portable recorders for the podcasting "industry". The general consensus there is that the Marantz PMD660 is still the better pick over the M-Audio and Edirol R-1 although, as Mark points out, none of them are perfect. A lot of people are waiting to see what the quality will be when recording with the new 5G iPods now that Apple has lifted the firmware recording quality limitations. Adapters to allow recording at CD quality using the new iPods will be available in January from Griffin Technology and Belkin. On the low end, the iRiver iFP-79x series still wins out. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 12/01/2005 08:18:58 AM |
|
|
|
Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 08:53:31 AM
|
Hey, nice to know somebody actually reads this stuff.
quote:
It sounds like there is a lot of ambient amplification by a PA in the recording (kind of hollow and reverby).
Boy howdy, ambient is right. That's why I included the other clips, including the one of the acoustic rehearsal w/ Duke Walls, Bob the autoharp player (sorry, I didn't ever catch his last name) & Kevin Brown. That was in a house near the road in Hana. Yes, that's rain in the background. Also cars. But no reverb... The mic was in the center of the room, we were spread out on chairs and the sofa.
But here's a better test, instead of listening to what's in front of your face -- namely the music coming over the PA -- listen to the quality of the ambience, as in, all the talking in the back ground. That's what impressed me. When I had headphones on listening to playback, I kept turning around when I thought somebody was talking to me.
The mini-mic is fine for 90% of what I'd want to do -- namely catch songs, workshops, etc. It does a fine job, everybit as good as the little Sony T mic on my minidisc, but without the motor noise you get on the minidisc.
As for other mics -- I'm not a big fan of the AT822, actually. I was using a borrowed unit. I used it cuz it's popular and (relatively) cheap. There are no doubt some better suggestions out there that will materialize as folks flame my review on O'Reilly....
RE: Phantom power issue. How many times do I really need phantom power when I'm recording songs at a workshop? I can count on one hand the times I've used a Neumann mic on a field recording, too. Make that one finger. If I was going to be doing critical recording work, I'd buy or rent a pro-unit.
quote:
Does the USB battery pack get in the way of the controls or whatever, and cause the convenience level to drop way down?
I didn't test it with a battery pack; the suggestion came from M-Audio's tech support. They mentioned a popular one designed for iPods, actually. The velcro reference came from the editor -- it sounds cool, tho. But my understanding is that a USB battery pack would simply be a lump at the end of the USB cable. Hence it would be totally out of the way.
quote:
How do you really feel about the first one croaking? The answer could be: wait for the next release/model.
That is a very good question. However, it is absolutely true that I regularly test equipment in ways that make it fail. I figure it's part of my job -- if I can think up some dumb*ss way to misuse a peice of gear, then some poor sap who bought it might try the same thing.
And, as you engineer types know, electronic stuff often fails early or not at all. The replacement unit is still going strong, and I've done some pretty ugly stuff to it, like drop kicking it, running it till the battery drained, running it without totally recharging, overloading the inputs, etc., etc. Given how easy it was to get a replacement, I'd not quibble too much. (Try getting anything out of Sony in similar circumstances....)
Bottom line? I think it's a reasonable choice for the types of applications I use a field recorder for. At least until something better comes along.
If you can wait, Reid, I plan to have one at Camp in February.
cheers,
M |
|
|
|
Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 09:07:49 AM
|
| Thanks for the review, Mark. Fun to hear clips of familiar names too. |
Andy |
|
|
|
Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 10:17:30 AM
|
Thanks, Mark, for the answers. Just what I needed to know. And, if you don't mind, I *would* like a roadtest in Feb. at the Camp. That is exactly the kind of environment we would want to use it in. Also, because of what you said, and what Craig said, I think it is a good idea not to rush into this.
Craig, as you said, none of them is perfect, and the reviews of the Marantz have been less than stellar (some have been *horrible*). In addition, it is $100 more than the M-Audio, and, in this case, you don't get what you pay for. Then, it is four hours on four AA cells - lugging lots of AA cells around is not my idea of fun, although I wonder if it would take rechargeable batteries (and I would have to pay more $$ for special batteries and a charger).
Jeez, it would be so simple for somebody to actually get it totally right the first time. All this technology has been around for a fairly long time - this is just systems integration, after all.
Thanks again Mark.
...Reid |
|
|
|
cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 8:27:03 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Reid
Jeez, it would be so simple for somebody to actually get it totally right the first time.
You'd think so, right? If the M-Audio were hard-drive based, had a replaceable battery, supplied a full 48V phantom power, and wasn't as buggy as it currently is it would be pretty close.
As for the Marantz PMD660, its primary shortcoming is in its preamps, but you can order a modded unit from www.oade.com that takes care of that. And yes, it will take NiMH batteries. You're right though about it being a different price point. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 12/01/2005 8:37:01 PM |
|
|
|
Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2005 : 08:47:03 AM
|
Nice review, Mark--I've been tracking this category for years and keep waiting for a device that is as convenient and cost-effective as my Minidisc recorders. The M-audio looked good until I read about the battery. (Who in his right mind designs a field unit without replaceable batteries?) I know and am used to all of MD's shortcomings, and am reluctant to trade them in on a new set.
I've been saving field and notebook recordings made with my MDs for years. My current favorite for reliability and convenience is the MZ-B100 (with built-in stereo mikes).
Here's a short MP3 whose recording conditions I remember clearly: student band rehearsal in a classroom (at Augusta's swing week), MZ-B100, internal mikes, auto-level (which can't be defeated on this model), the players all within 6-8 feet from the unit, which sat on a chair amongst us. ATRAC->WAV->320 bps MP3 using CoolEdit 2000. This is the sort of recording I make all the time at workshops and at home.
http://www.cloudnet.com/~rletson/Tango-frag2.mp3
(This is a little like showing home movies of one's vacation to dinner guests, but it's for purposes of technical illustration.)
|
Edited by - Russell Letson on 12/03/2005 09:40:50 AM |
|
|
|
Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2005 : 3:11:12 PM
|
Russell,
As you have a nice portable MD device now that makes you happy, there seems no reason to change until something *really* comes along that offers you a significant advantage. But, I *hate* MDs for a couple of important reasons.
One is that Sarah has a deep notch in her voice exactly between 4500 and 5500 hz. ATRAC, in its infinite Sony Wisdom, moves *all* of the signal out of that notch (even if it is backed up by a guitar that fills it a bit). Guess what that band is: "presence = leading edge of note attack. So, I have zero signal there to work with.
Second, the DRM copy protect messes me up big time, since I can't copy, more than once, what was digitally recorded, and I sometimes need to do that when I mess up the first.
As for that stupid M-Audio battery issue: every mistake somebody makes in a product is a business opportunity for somebody else. Were I still in Da Bidness, I would contract with a packaging House (probably just north of Hong Kong - Sarah and I have done quite a bit of personal business there) to redo the shell, in a minor way and simple supporting electrics (no *electronics*) and sell it at a premium. Shoot, Lawrence could do it. And if it needed a circuit board, Julie could design it.
TaroPatch INC. anyone?
BTW the price of the M-audio is dropping on Ebay (now $335+s&h). If it gets below $300, I'll jump on it and modify it myself.
...Reid |
|
|
|
hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2005 : 4:20:25 PM
|
I heartily agree with your criticisms, Reid, of the MD, which I work with regularly. I was royally screwed by the DRM limitations when my computer locked up in the middle of a transfer and the files disappeared when I rebooted. But when I download my files, I get them transferred to WAV and then they're mine without limitations as far as I can see.
One thing the MD has is the external battery pack, which gives it a long working life for a recording session. And it charges th einternal battery whenever it is plugged into a USB cable.
A colleague of mine got the okay (and dollars) to purchase a portable recorder for work and he chose the new Mac compatible MD over the M-Audio Microtrack because of bugs. But the MD format is going to dry up soon and the compact flash recorder is probably the next cheapest alternative.
Jesse Tinsley |
|
|
|
Julie H
Ha`aha`a
USA
1206 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2005 : 8:40:57 PM
|
Um, Reid, I do the layout design of integrated circuits, and though I have a rudimentary knowledge of printed circuit boards, I cannot design those. Integrated circuits, for those not in the know, are the chips that are used on the circuit boards. The first one I designed for Fairchild Camera and Instruments in 1968 had 4 transistors. The one I'm currently working on has over 10 million.
My claim to fame (not to toot my horn too loudly, but... ) was designing the first RAM, the first ROM and the first 8-bit microprocessor at Intel in 1971. Because of those products, we are all able to sit in our pajamies and talk to each other on our home computors in the middle of the night. Prior to these circuits and subsequent inventions, the only computors the industry used were huge machines that had to be housed in air-conditioned rooms with raised flooring and huge cable bundles running under the floors.
I'm not sure these contraptions make our lives easier, but they do make it faster to communicate. That's me in my jammies talking to all you folks around the country. Luckily no video posts here!
And thanks for all the great info,
Julie |
|
|
|
Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 12/04/2005 : 06:55:43 AM
|
Julie,
What you did was historically *great* AND, what you don't know you did for me was great for me. Because of Fairchild Camera (which, of course died a long time ago) and your work there, FC's stock went up 500% (during the short time I owned it) and allowed me to continue my education.
In the early to mid 60's I was a Research Assistant at IBM's TJ Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights (solid state magneto-optics). The hybrid integrated circuit (yeah, with 4 1/4" transistors on a ceramic substrate) had just hit the big time with the IBM 360. The chips were being poisoned by diffusing Aluminum and IBM put every resource into fixing the problem but were short lots of components for delivery. So, they outsourced to Fairchild, Transitron (also long dead) and lots of other places. So, being in the middle of solid state research, many of us knew of all this. We also had a dedicated line to the City, so we could call up our brokers any time we wanted. Buy, Sell, Buy, Sell...
I was playing with chump change, but it paid out enough for me to take off several years to get a degree.
Thanks.
Reid |
Edited by - Reid on 12/04/2005 06:57:43 AM |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Topic Locked
