Hi songcrafters, I'm a new user from Europeland and I'd appreciate if you could help me to choose the right MTR digital recorder. I've searched and read tons of stuff in the forums in the last few days, and it has been quite helpful, but I'd like a direct suggestion.
So, my needs: I need recording keyboards and/or iPhone / iPad software (line-in stuff, in a word) and some acoustic instruments (mainly harmonicas and wood instruments); I don't play bass or guitar.
I want to be able to record a few tracks (I think 4 should be enough in general), mix and bounce them completely in the device: that includes adding effects (mainly a good reverb). I want to be able to record dry and apply reverb later... bonus point for being able to hear reverb while recording dry :-); it must work on batteries and have decent storage so I can actually use it on the go.
I want the internal microphone to be good enough to record a decent sound, and an external mic input (I don't care much whether is phantom powered or not, as I'd buy a new dedicated microphone of the appropriate type for that).
I absolutely need to be able to hear in headphones / monitor previously recorded track while recording a new one (i.e.: I want to record bass / drums then do some improv on them using an harmonica); importing external audio (mp3 or wav/ aiff) is a must as well.
Other stuff, like drum machines and such could be nice to have but I don't really need them.
My target price cap is around 300€, but I'd like to spend less if possible, of course ;D
From what I've seen my options are Micro-BR, Micro-BR BR-80, Zoom H4n or Alesis IODock for iPad (which I already own)... but I see each one of the devices has some cons (especially about effects application) and I'm not able to understand if they could hinder my intended usage so... any input would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance,
-- Federico
Federico.
The MicroBr will do all of that. They are priced very competitively at the moment since being superceded by the BR80. Don't let that put you off, they are simple to use and powerful little boxes.
Buy a mains power pack for it.
Thanks, Harry!
In principle I'd be happy to spend a few more bucks to have a better product.
But from what I've seen the only useful things the BR-80 has for my kind of usage is more tracks, and support for largest SD, but if I've understood correctly reverb and effects management is worse...
Also, I wonder how the BR-80 stereo microphone compares with the mono one of the old micro...
-- Federico
i have a friend in a similar situation, i advised him either the original micro br or the br80, the micro br is no longer being made and is getting harder to get a hold of, i noticed prices are slowly creeping back up. not long ago you could pick one up with headphones thrown in for £99 sterling, now they seem to cost more than their original rrp of circa £145 sterling.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boss-Micro-BR-Digital-Recorder/dp/B000JJSABS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323781018&sr=8-1
i have a microbr but will hopefully be getting a br80 soon. i will be holding onto my microbr, but the prospect of built in stereo mics and 8 tracks (not counting all the v tracks) looks very promising, and from what i see there are more effects available than there is on the micro br.
Micro Br or MBR..
Both are Amazing little bits of tech that have changed my life for ever.
Get the BR80 if you can afford it (Just for the 8 tracks and the easy EQ. Sonar LE is included to!!). But the 1st MBR is Just as easy to use and will do you proud!!
Thanks all for your input!
Zoom surely doesn't seem to have a good reputation around here, mh? What is it you don't like of those recorders?
-- Federico
Quote from: FedericoC on December 14, 2011, 01:40:30 AMThanks all for your input!
Zoom surely doesn't seem to have a good reputation around here, mh? What is it you don't like of those recorders?
-- Federico
this site started originally as a forum for micro br users, so we are probably a bit biased lol, tho there are now a wider range of users and not exclusively microbr users.
for me and a lot of people here the micro br has become more than an MTR a bit of a life changer in fact.
i'm sure there are folk here who use other brands hopefully they can throw in some advice too.
That explains everything! ;D ;D ;D
Sorry: I didn't know about that bit of history, as I've only recently discovered this site while reading stuff about the MTR recorder I want to buy.
-- Federico
ciao federico, benvenuto, qualsiasi cosa tu scelga ;-)
anche io ero indeciso tra zoom e BR - credo che comprerò quest'ultimo prima o poi perchè, anche se non ha il microfono a condensatore come lo zoom, il microfono che ha va molto bene come sento in questo sito. Ciao!
Ciao a te... stavo proprio per risponderti su un altro topic ;D
Actually I believe the new BR-80 does have a stereo condenser mic on board... I'm just not sure if its quality is the same of the Zoom's; judging from the few clips I've found one soundscape Zoom's sounds better.
-- Federico
uh... I was talking italian! Sorry, me and federico are questioning about the condenser microphone. By definition, a condenser mic is often better than a dynamic mic (so I've been told) - now Zoom is always equipped with a condenser mic, and the new BR seem to have it too. now we are discussing what condenser mic sound better (for me is a pure theory question, cause I've been a bad boy this year ;-)
If a good reverb is important, you shouldn't go for the original MicroBR. It's about the only feature of that shiny little box that sucks :) The BR-80 could be a good choice, or maybe the BR-800. The 800 has the advantage of more inputs, the ability to record dry, but still listen with effects, and then apply the effects when mixing. It also has a phantom powered input + the internal mics are rather good.
If someone could post some link of an acoustic instruments and/or vocals recorder with BR-80 embedded mic I'd really appreciate it very much ;)
-- Federico
Hi again all ;D
After a friend lent me his Zoom H4n and I used it for a while... I decided to get the MBR-80, which I got
just last week ;D.
I'll try and write a small review of the two products, explaining why I decided to buy the BOSS in the end, as I think such a comparison would've been very useful to me when I was deciding... so I guess it'll be useful for someone else.
Thanks again for all your help and tips so far!
-- Federico
Quote from: FedericoC on May 16, 2012, 04:44:04 AMI'll try and write a small review of the two products, explaining why I decided to buy the BOSS in the end, as I think such a comparison would've been very useful to me when I was deciding... so I guess it'll be useful for someone else.
Looking forward to that Federico. I too think that would be very useful!
OK, I'll write something in a nutshell, 'cause if I'll wait to write the perfect review, I'll know I'll never write one :)
About me: I play keyboards, harmonicas, woodwinds, NOT guitars.
I'm a fan of tiny, portable gear, better if it's battery-powered too.
I need something to capture my ideas, both with good onboard mics for acoustic instruments and line-in input for electric ones.
I want something I can develop an idea on, possibly all way to the final master.
The H4n is an ugly, bulky, heavy, ugly thing. Did I mention ugly? ;D
Onboard mics are very very good; on-board effects are good enough but, ugh: if you record with reverb
it gets wrote down forever. No going back. No applying it after recording either. A bit of a showstopper for me.
Also, the interface is maddingly bad, clunky and unintuitive.
All in all, the device is definitely thought for field recording, not for musicians (e.g.: timecode only in
seconds, not in beats).
So, when I found BR-80 in a local shop I just bought it without even trying it: I had already narrowed down the choice to those two products, and I wasn't having a great time with H4n.
Well, I've only used it briefly for a few days but I must say I'm quite pleased with it so far!
It's very lightweight, relatively small and with a convenient form factor (can be tossed in the gig bag quite safely, as it hasn't protruding parts, much unlike H4n).
The interface is very well thought: I never had to check the manual yet. This is a great achievement in se, especially considering how we're all spoiled by multitouch interfaces nowadays. It's functional and productive in clever ways (reminds me much of old Nokias interfaces): I would've never thought setting A<->B points without actually seeing a wave would've been so easy.
The feature set is just right for me; I appreciate eband too. COSM effects are very nice, and very usable with the harmonica (unlike Garageband for iPad's ones, for instance).
I would like to have a bit more freedom with effects, actually: I'd like to apply them to line-in too, and at bounce time but all in all it's good enough, and at least I don't have to commit the reverb forever ;D
Also, what really surprised me is that BR-80's onboard mics are really good, maybe as good as H4n's!
I was expecting an huge difference there but, actually, BR-80's mics are easier to get a good sound with: H4n's tend to capture a lot of ambiental sound, even with narrower capsule setting, which is not really optimal in my usage.
Just a little test I made: I recorded my Korg microPIANO in three different ways: once connecting it directly to LINE-IN, for reference, once using H4n's internal mics and once using BR-80's. In the latter cases the digital recorders were placed just below microPIANO's lid, right over its speakers.
I'll post all of three and let you draw the conclusions (just don't pay attention to what I specifically played, I was just fooling around):)
Sorry for this so-called review being much more of an aimless rambling, but I hope some points I touched can be useful to someone considering the choice!
-- Federico
First of all the "reference" recording using direct line-in connection (BR's incidentally: H4n is very prone to clipping when using inputs...)
recording with H4n's onboard mics
recording with BR-80's onboard mics
AJO', Federico!!!
;D
After listening to all of the 3 clips, la mia preferenza va NETTAMENTE alla prima delle tre (the first one is the best, IMHO)
(My 0.0002 dracmas)
Baciamo le mani
Alfredo
P.S. advise to all the other songcrafters: if paradise on earth exists, probably it's in the wonderful Federico's land, SARDINIA...
:)
Well, of course it's the best one... but the whole point was comparing BR-80's and H4n's onboard mics: I only include the first one for reference purposes ;D
Also, thanks for your kind words about my homeland ;)
-- Federico
Glad you're happy with your new recorder! I'd like to get one of those as well some day.
Mark
Yes, I'm quite happy.
I've found some old (and I mean old) japanese microphone I had lying 'round at home, which I found years ago in my parents' basement... turns out it's a dynamic mic and it works very well with the BR-80 with my harmonica.
Also, I'm discovering eband mode and backing rhythms, which I had too hastily dismissed, thinking I had enoough sequencers and drum machines around my keyboard, computers and iOS devices... :)
-- Federico
You just picked up the perfect toy federico. don't forget to let us hear your music, you will always have the perfect feedback on this unique site
daniel
Thanx for taking the time to make those recordings comparing the two recorders!
To me the BR80 sounds better.
And I must say I do look forward to hearing some of your music, your piano-skills are very impressive!