Before we "pre"-judge the FR2-LE as inadequate or disappointing,
remember that the big brother FR-2 is quite well regarded for its pre,
and Fostex rates the S/N ratio for the FR-2 to be 87 db, just 2 dB
better than the FR-2LE.
I'm expecting the FR-2LE to provide a pleasant sound at its price
point of $600. I also expect it to be a much better value than the
$500 Marantz PMD660.
When designing the FR-2LE, Fostex had to be careful to create a
recorder that would not steal sales from the $1300 FR-2. That's why
the FR2 has AES/EBU digital input and output, and can digitize at
rates up to 24/192. In contrast, the FR-2LE has no digital input, and
is limited to 24/96.
In several ways, the FR-2LE will be a better field recorder than the
FR-2. It's half the weight and 1/3 the volume of the FR-2. It can
record for 6 or more hours on the rechargable NiMH battery pack, while
the FR-2 is lucky to record for 2.
The FR-2LE should ship to dealers in the next two weeks. So it won't
be too long before we have real experience, not just opinions.
--oryoki
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