---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Ed Durbrow <edurbrow@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 11:32 PM
Subject: Re: small digital recorders-TASCAM DR03
To:
Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.comWhen my R-09 fell apart a while ago I bought a DR-03. It has a couple of nifty features the R-09 didn't have, but then time has marched on quite a bit since the R-09 first came out. I often use it in the car to listen to lectures, so one thing I like is the ability to increment the play speed by 10% intervals. This is handy if I've listened to a lecture but didn't put my full attention into it and then listen again at say 140%. Another feature that at first I could see no need for, but later found out could be very useful, was made clear to me when I went to a concert of a singer songwriter. There is a pre-record function. I can put it in record pause while the performer is futzing around and tuning, but not have to worry about missing the start of the tune because it records 2 seconds BEFORE I hit the record button!
Negatives:
Infuriatingly, it does not have a pause button. This actually made me decide to pay to get the R-09 repaired instead of throwing it out. When I'm composing, I might stop and think about where I'm going or try different chords. Without a pause button, every time I stop it creates a new file. This also seems to be a "feature" of most digital movie cameras these days. I don't understand the logic of this at all. Also, there seems to be only one speed to fast forward or review. At least you can go backwards past the beginning of a file to the previous file, which you cannot do on the R-09 (at least not on my version -the original). However, the R-09 would go faster the longer you held the FF or REV button. Listening to lectures, I often want to hear one sentence again. I often don't hit it just right and it goes to the beginning of the file (another infuriating thing). If it is a 1/2 hour or 45 minute file, it takes forever to find the place I was just listening to.
I've got both the R-09 and the DR-03 with me on this trip to America (as well as my RC-2, to stay relevant). I just have to say that these devices have changed my life. If I have an idea in the middle of the night, instead of having to boot a computer, turn on mic pres, mixers, wait for the DAW to fire up and then save a file before I can even record, I just turn one of these guys on. Four second boot up time for the R-09, seven seconds for the DR-03. Love 'em. Saves heaps of space too because I just keep all my ideas as mp3s in iTunes.
On Mar 3, 2011, at 7:46 PM, Scott Hansen wrote:
i ended my search, bought a tascam dr03.
saw they were on sale at MF for $79, they honored the $15 gift card from GC (my local GC didn't have it), & i had a 40$ gift certificate too. so i didn't pay much for it.
should note i had been debating either the olympus dm420 or ws700-small digital voice recorders...but then saw the tascams in my MF catalog...
i originally wanted to get the DR07,but both GC & MF were out of them, and come to find out, it's discontinued...it looks a little bigger, think it has a few more options. besides the price, a few reviews i read basically said it's an EASY recorder to use, which i wanted (i'm dumb & lazy).
FIRST REACTIONS-when i got it on tues, the box WEIGHED NOTHING. when i took it out of the mailing box, the packaging weighed less than NOTHING. i wondered if anything was in there. when i took it out, i couldn't believe how small & light it was. i also thought it looked kind of cheap/plasticy, wondered how it will last, but i figured i didn't pay much for it...i was bummed it had no headphones w/ it (the olympus recorders come w/ some). wed night i did a cursory read of the manual (barely)-just checked to see which option for recording, i set it on one of the higher MP3 settings (they start it at highest PCM recordings-which gives the 2mb memory card about 2 hrs of recording)-and the recording time went to 14 hrs, which i thought was plenty of time for my need-i really wanted to just record my practice/playing time and listen back to try to work on my playing technique. have no illusions of recording anything masterpiece-ful to wow anyone--really just wanted to hear my playing to work on things.
i recorded 2 little sessions on wed, one thursday morning, one thur afternoon. i was a little scared to listen back. wasn't sure if i'd just hear that i SUCK, or if the sound would suck, etc (should note i've done recording on my old 4 track tascam, my digital cd recorder, & my digital fostex 8 track). i think some reviews of people saying small recorders have crappy sound was in my head, and i figured the stereo mics in the thing were probably not great. well, after listening to the stuff i recorded, i'm really blown away by the sound. honesty really captures my sound/ playing i thought (warts & all). so far i've had it about a foot away from my fender amp a bit off to the side. it's a nice little recorder. i won't say that it will compete w/ any more expensive digital recorder (the $200 or $500 & up ones), but for $80 it's decent. certainly for capturing ideas it's easy to use, especially for me. the funny thing i've learning in my playing: i'm always STIFF in the beginning, and things sound better when i'm playing against my drum machine...at least so far....the other thing i like is it is small, not hard to carry to and from work which is part of the time i use for listening....
i'm finding in all my stuff so far once i get loosened up, i've done some little loop things w/ my digitech DL8 and played over it, textures, noise, lots of my FUZZ MACHINE use
w/ my swollen pickle stuff, little processing from my korg kaoss pad 2....i really love it. don't know if it will meet everyone's needs, not sure how it
compares w/ the zoom ones, but i like this one.
happy looping.
s---
