Best MiniDisc replacement?

[elsongs]

I'm looking for a great digital 2-track machine that uses USB or memory card capability to directly transfer wavs to computer.

 

Something along the M-Audio Microtrack, but I know that thing is buggy as hell.

 

I currently use a Sharp Mini-Disc recorder to record my band's rehearsals, but it's so damn time-consuming recording the audio in real-time to my computer. I'd like to do the direct wavefile transfer now.

[MikeRivers]

Best? It depends on what you like best about your Minidisk recorder.

 

Does the audio have to ultimately go to your computer? What do you do with the audio files after they get to your computer? What kind of mics will you you be using with it? How often (and how much) do you use it?

 

How much is it worth to you to change recorders? Or are you just getting the urge to have a new toy?

 

Minidisks are nice because you can just take the disk out of the recorder, put it on the shelf, and not feel guilty about never listening to the recording. A disk holds an hour or two of material and doesn't cost a lot. But if you get home from a rehearsal or concert and want to e-mail copies of your recording to your 20 best friends or 4 bandmates, then something that you can stick into your computer has some advantages. Then you can erase the memory card and be confident that someone to whom you sent a copy will keep it if you ever need it again.

[Anderton]

If you have the bucks the Korg MR-1 is aces, although it's hard disk based, not flash or USB.

[Peter Doubt]

I've posted here a few times about the Zoom H4. Internal stereo mikes and uses up to 2 gig sd cards. Usb direct to computer. $299.00 or less if you look around.

 

Here's a forum of users:

 

http://www.2090.org/zoom/bbs/viewforum.php?f=15

[D Charles]

The Zoom PS 04 just had a price reduction in the new AMS catalog. I don't know anything about Zoom stuff, but for 149.00 it might be worth checking.

[thankyou]

 

I've posted here a few times about the Zoom H4. Internal stereo mikes and uses up to 2 gig sd cards. Usb direct to computer. $299.00 or less if you look around. Here's a forum of users: http://www.2090.org/zoom/bbs/viewforum.php?f=15

 

 

Thanks for that link. I bought an H4 just a couple of weeks ago from Sweetwater. It's a neat machine, but it goes through the AA batteries pretty fast, at least on the default WAV setting. The AC adapter is 9V, so it's three times the two AA's. It works really well. I haven't used the four track or MP3 mode yet - I may try to post some stuff, but as yet I only know how to get the WAVs from the Zoom to my desktop. I can put them on data discs, but I don't know what to do to get them to play in the provided Cubase LE. This is the second Cubase product I've had and I can't really give many props for their documentation. I've seen this before in other electronic stuff. It seems that the engineers write the manual, instead of tech writers who also use the product. Just my whine, I guess.

 

This was my first experience with Sweetwater and I'm really pleased. The sales guy, Robert Williams, was super and I felt he really cared about what he was doing and the customers he was serving.

 

I may fashion a portable power supply with a couple of 9V batts in parallel once the warranty is up.

 

A little grin: We used to hang an old Sony stereo Walkman from a nail in our drummer's basement to record some practice sessions. I never could figure out why the tapes seemed out of tune. Turns out, I grabbed the wrong adapter and I think the transport motor was running at the wrong speed. This went on for a long time until we moved the band into my new basement. By then, the 70's Sony had shot craps. It's been one of my back burner projects to put some of the best of those tapes in a Tascam portastudio and try to bring the music back up to tune. Probably won't happen.

[slight-return]

I heard that zoom unit is spec'd for 2GB, bu cn actually address bigger memories

 

any idea if that's true?

 

also, any idea what the actual internal operating voltage is? (ie will those guys run off 1.2V rechargable AA -- I'm typically running 2600mah units)

[elsongs]

 

I heard that zoom unit is spec'd for 2GB, bu cn actually address bigger memories any idea if that's true?

 

 

I'm sure it's true. 2GB was probably the max SD card available at the time the unit was designed.

 

I've heard good things about this unit save the fact that the plastic housing doesn't feel solid enough. Is this true for any Zoom owners out there?

[Xance]

 

I heard that zoom unit is spec'd for 2GB, bu cn actually address bigger memories any idea if that's true? also, any idea what the actual internal operating voltage is? (ie will those guys run off 1.2V rechargable AA -- I'm typically running 2600mah units)

 

 

Currently the H4 can only use up to a 2GB SD card. It will take a firmware update to go to the new SDHC cards...

[Peter Doubt]

Zance: Someone at the forum I posted above used nimH's (is this what you'd use?) and got 7 and 1/2 hrs run time. I'd check over there for the voltage - I don't remember off the top aof my head but I'm pretty sure you won't have any probs. People are even building external power supplys for them.

 

As for 4gig cards, the jury is still out. Some one claims to have made it work, but had to format on computer.

[UstadKhanAli]

I don't know how good the Zoom is, but it certainly has a fair amount of features.

 

If I buy one of these things, I'd most likely get the Korg MR-1, which sounds amazing and is about $700.

[ShakaCthulu]

Why not a Hi-MD recorder like the Sony MZM200? You can find them for around 300 clams. I mean, cmon, $700 for a portable recorder?

 

Item Description: The Sony MZM200 represents 3rd generation HiMD recording and includes an HD Amplifier -- for improved sound quality. The ability to record in Standard MD Mode ensures compatibility with previous MD Recorders, without the need to transfer audio through a PC or Mac. The addition of USB 2.0 increases data transfer speeds to a computer, freeing up valuable time. The inclusion of V 2.0 Mac software allows both upload/download of audio files to a Mac. The MZM200 is provides you greater flexibility, sound quality and ease-of-use.

 

Features

Bright Organic EL (Electro Luminescent) Display

 

11 Segment Recording Level Meter Display

 

Record in Standard MD or HiMD Mode

 

Record up to 34 Hrs on a single HiMD Disk

 

MAC or PC Upload/Download via USB 2.0 w/ supplied Software

 

Clock Stamping of Audio Files when uploaded to a PC or Mac

 

2-Way Power Supply -- Battery can be fully charged from Computer via USB or from the included AC adaptor.

 

Dynamic Normalizer -- Provides a uniform volume level for tracks that may have been recorded at different volume levels on the same disc

 

Digital Pitch Control

 

Archive Data with Low Cost, 1GB Removable HiMD Media -- At a fraction of the cost of other popular data storage media devices

 

Skip-Free G-Protection 2 Technology

 

Includes Stereo Microphone and Quality Earphones

 

---------

 

A Hi-MD disc will record about an hour and a half of non-compressed audio.

[thankyou]

 

I heard that zoom unit is spec'd for 2GB, bu cn actually address bigger memories any idea if that's true? also, any idea what the actual internal operating voltage is? (ie will those guys run off 1.2V rechargable AA -- I'm typically running 2600mah units)

 

 

It seems that the tip-over point where the recorder senses it can't go on is not too far from the 3V that the batteries put out. I say this because when I put the batteries it doesn't like in a tester, they come out well into the "good" range, but just a bit less than the fresh ones. I would have reservations about depending on rechargeables that already are lower in voltage than alkalines.