Now using the Tascam DR-05 handheld recorder for needledrops

You must be running the budget Studio version of SoundForge. My full version has done 24/96 for a long while - prior to, including and following version 8.

Cheers,

VP

 

Hah, maybe that's why it was cheap at Fry's. As I mentioned, an uninformed impulse purchase. Double-drat

 

Yep - if you paid less than 100 bucks - it's definitely Soundforge Studio. If you are going to dive into needledrops on a more serious level - probably want to get a decent 24/96 editor.

But it looks like to upgrade Forge to the full v10 from Studio is like 300 bucks...probably a bit more than you want to spend

VP

 

Bumping this thread, as I had my first two uses of the DR-05 for recording live music, using the built-in microphones. Happened to be Rock [mostly] with a Klezmer band too. For the price, really good. If you're in a band and need to record yourself but want to do so with minimal fuss the DR-05 is a good choice. I had an improvised stand—a photo tripod that was modified to hold the DR-05—on the stage, close to the singers and pointed down towards the speaker cabinets. The room where I recorded—Full Circle Brewery—has a particularly attractive sound for the drum kit. However, balances were hinkey and impossible to control with just the two built-in omnis. The drum sound was very impressive. As the drum sound wasn't amplified but peaked louder than anything from anyone else, it dominated the sound. A little bird tells me that having a sound-check would have helped. However for casual recording of bands the DR-05 is more than satisfactory. While the "Line Level" input overloads too easily, the built-in microphones can easily record live rock 'n' roll with half-way decent sound and no overloading. However, if you're going to get real about it, you'll want an outboard mixer and more than just the two built-in microphones.

 

I purchased this to digitize my music. I wanted to get away from the recording to my computer as I'm always getting spurious noises from somewhere. I figured that this will hold me until I can get a better understanding of how to fix the problems with recording straight to my computer. I know that I need a better sound card, but I'm also thinking about how fix the problem in a cost effective manner. For now this is it and I'm using the onboard soundcard with the stock Realtek drivers. Surprisingly the sound so far is okay, but sonically it's nothing like a good sound card. Anyway, this is getting what I need done for now, without the extraneous noise (e.g.. popping sounds). link is here.



M~

 

So the sound quality is just OK? That's too bad. I was thinking about buying the DR-100mkII for needle drops. Have you heard it?

 

i think fellow member twowwheels has the dr100 so you can ask him what he thinks. i have the edirol r09 and like it a lot. these units do have higher settings so maybe that's worth a try.

 

See Robin L's thread on this same unit. . .

 

It's okay based on my computer configurations. I'm using the stock onboard audio until I can figureout/buy an up to date sound card. The Creative card that I was using is 8 years old, so I would be lying if I said it sounds great, since I have no reference to baseline what I'm hearing. After all nb one listens to music on their computer right?

BTW, I'm recording from the headphone jack on my cassette player. I can get levels down to where recording is not a problem.

M~

 

i also have an r09 & an r09HR, which both have a surprisingly good a > d for what the unit costs. while im not familiar with the tascam in question, id wager its not too dis-similar to the edirol.

pardon my ignance, but why are you going from the headphone jack instead of the line outs from the cassette deck to the tascam?

 

So that I can control the level of the input signal, if I don't do that, it will overload the recording circuit. I'll probably go with a mixer as I don't want to do any recording with my computer.

M~

 

I use 2 DR-2d at 2496 and 1 Dr-07 in redbook ( which sounds great) for my location recording. Great bang for the buck. I hope you are keeping your levels below -3db. No overs.

 

Cut out the wires,to bourgeois
Hold the tascam near the speakers and use the mics
Like Daniel Lanois,waggle it a bit.

 

Naughty, very naughty.

Whatever it is, it's obviously better than the audio ins on my I-Mac. So much for integration über alles. Sounds better running off batteries as a recorder, for what that's worth. The built in mikes are crap, but what did you expect for your $80?

 

You will need a couple of mics, a dual channel mic pre to make some decent recordings. You can also do some good needle drops taking the tape out of your reciever for preamp with a stereo phono cable to stereo mini plug.

 

I use the DR-100 (@24/96) for all my drops. Sounds wonderfully transparent - I have zero complaints.

As always - what you "feed" it - has a lot to do with what you get All drops go thru my Phonomena II to my Creek 2 channel amp and then to the recorder.

VP

 

I'm getting there, I'm at the -12 max and was thinking about going down to the -6 mark. The -3 sounds like a winner.

thnx


M~

 

This is right on

This was the first thing that I checked was using the batteries for the recording and I decided to use audiophile batteries. Seriously, though I'm going to go with some high quality rechargeable batteries, to see if they make a difference in comparison with regular batteries.

M~

 

I've been using one for a few months now and really like it. I put 12 db attenuators on the tape outs from my receiver, that and having the input gain way down (I think it's on 8 or so) makes for nice, clipless recordings. The best thing is I can record in real 24-bit and dump into Audacity, thereby getting around their hidden 16-bit limitation on Windows.

 

I hold all my levels to -6 on all drops. Gives me perfect transfers and just the right amount of headroom if necessary when I take the recordings into my post-production phase...

VP

 

Thanks from what output are you taking the signal from on your Creek?

M~

 

Do you have a link for the attenuators ? Are these it?

M~

 

Tape Out to Line In on the Tascam. This setup practically records itself

VP

 

Once you have gone to -6db and turned on that last bit, there is nothing more to gain. This will insure you have no overs. I have no idea what the Tascam metering really represents, but you will know what overs sound like.

 

I'm going to order the attenuators and then I'll be in business.

M~