Thanks Oryoki...excellent report as always.
Danny
--- In "oryoki2000" <> wrote:
>
> I had a chance to spend a few hours with the new Fostex FR-2LE
> yesterday. Overall, I'm enthusiastic about the recorder. Here are my
> impressions.
>
> The FR-2LE has a clean and quiet preamp. I'd guess it's quieter than
> anything under $500 or so, perhaps on a par with the Marantz PMD671.
> It seems to me that, for those of us who don't own mics with extremely
> quiet self-noise levels, the FR-2LE is quiet enough not to be heard.
> We'll have to wait for some side-by-side comparisons to be sure.
>
> The FR-2LE's controls for recording are easy to use. The machine is
> designed to be carried from the shoulder, or perhaps in a gear bag at
> your waist. The Standby, Record, and preamp Volume controls are on
> the front edge (the top when standing in a bag), and easy to find
> without looking. Each works in a different direction (Volume rotates,
> Standby pushes in, Record slides to the right) so you're unlikely to
> make a mistake. Press Standby, and you can hear the mic input to
> check levels and monitor without recording. While recording, pressing
> the Record switch will add cue marks to the track. Two LED meters
> above these controls help you keep track of recording levels.
>
> Fostex has taken a lot of care to prevent loss of a recording. Each
> take results in a new file, so you can't write over a previous take.
> And the recorder automatically updates the Compactflash FAT table
> every 60 seconds while recording. So even if some problem develops
> (sudden loss of power, for example), it's likely you can recover all
> but that last 60 seconds without extraordinary effort.
>
> Speaking of the file system, it supports file names up to 13
> characters long, including spaces. For example you can name your
> session, "Iguasu Day 1_" The recorder will add track numbers as
> recorded, up to 999. The resulting files will be named "Iguasu Day
> 1_001.WAV" and so on. The files have date and time stamp associated
> with them, even if the date is not part of the file name.
>
> The FR-2LE records to Compactflash media (CF). The FR-2LE ships with
> a Transcend 128MB card included. Its speed is rated at 80X. CF cards
> are available in sizes up to 16GB. The 4GB CF cards cost about $50
> and the 8GB cards cost $100 (tax included). The 16GB cards are new,
> and carry a premium price. 16GB cards from Samsung and Sandisk cost
> about $250, tax included.
>
> A remote controller is included with the FR-2LE. This is an extra-cost
> option for most manufacturers' products. The controller attaches to a
> mic when you're holding one, or can be used to control operations
> while the recorder is covered up, away from the elements. Commands
> include standby, record, and mark cue points. Volume levels still
> must be set on the recorder itself.
>
> The FR-2LE is pretty fast in operation. It takes 4 to 5 seconds to
> power up, 2 seconds to start recording (that's why the Pre-Record
> function is 2 seconds long), and about 3 seconds to power down.
>
> Playback is straightforward, but the transport controls are on the top
> of the recorder. So it's not so easy to play back while in a gear
> bag. FF and RW during playback results in an audible "scrub" of the
> recording to help you arrive at the right point.
>
> I like the battery solution. The FR-2LE has a big battery
> compartment, much larger than the 4 AAs it normally runs on. The
> compartment accepts a 7.2V battery with Tamiya-style connector. These
> batteries are commonly used in radio-controlled cars and other toys.
> The batteries are available from many vendors. A single battery and
> the transformer to charge it from mains power costs about $40.
>
> This RC car battery is composed of 6 sub-C NiMH cells. Fostex says a
> 7.2V, 3600 mAh battery will provide about 8 hours of recording. This
> type of battery is now available in capacities up to 4200 mAh.
>
> Opening the battery compartment is a bit tricky the first couple of
> times you try. Use the tips of your fingers, not your fingernails, to
> do the job. With a little practice, I could remove the old battery
> and install a fresh one in less than a minute. It helps if the
> recorder can rest on a flat surface during a battery change so you can
> use both hands.
>
> The transformer that ships with the FR-2LE is not a universal design.
> The one I received works with 120V AC only. This is a pain for
> international travelers. It's worth noting that the FR-2LE does not
> contain circuits to charge batteries internally. You'll have to carry
> a battery charger separately.
>
> The FR-2LE has a number of idiosyncracies to talk about.
>
> First, when you format the Compactflash card for use in the FR-2LE,
> you specify the bit depth and quantization rate to be used (like
> 24/96). These settings are entered in the audio decision list, a text
> file stored on the flash card. If you want to change this setting
> (say to MP3 or 16/44.1), you have to re-format the flash card. The
> formatting will cause you to lose any data already on the card. This
> is a quick format, just a few seconds.
>
> I don't see this as a major problem, because I usually don't decide to
> change recording rates in the middle of a session. If you really want
> to record one track at 16/44.1, the next track at 24/96 and a third
> track using MP3, then you'll have to have change between three
> Compactflash cards, each set up for a particular recording rate. I'd
> guess it takes less than 30 seconds to shut the recorder off, swap in
> the new Compactflash, and start up again. But it would be a pain.
>
> Second, the maximum size of a single file is 4GB. When the file gets
> to 4GB, the recorder just saves the file and stops. 4GB is space for
> six hours of continuous recording in 16/48, but only two hours at
> 24/96. This is not an issue for most nature recording scenarios, but
> could be a problem if the recorder will do double duty as a concert
> recorder.
>
> Third, the FR-2LE has only one bit depth for MP3. It's 192kbps
> continuous (no variable rate). Recording at this rate, a 1GB card can
> hold approximately 11 hours of recordings. You'd need to change
> batteries or run from an external power supply to record for such a
> long time.
>
> Fourth, you can't erase any tracks from the machine in the field. You
> can remove tracks from the audio decision list, or change the order of
> the tracks in the list, but you can't delete any. When you attach
> your flash card to a computer, you can delete if you want to. Or you
> can format the card in the recorder. But an individual file can't be
> deleted in the recorder.
>
> Fifth, the FR-2LE records in stereo only. This is wasteful of storage
> space if you are recording with a single mic. I guess you could use a
> "Y" cable to send the mono signal into both channels of the recorder,
> and then record at different preamp levels.
>
> I think these last two design decisions are part of a strategy Fostex
> has to reduce errors when the machine is being used by a
> less-experienced recordist, perhaps like a news reporter. In that
> scenario, an audio technician sets up the recorder, including the
> flash card, in the shop. The FR-2LE stores settings like ALC on/off,
> high pass filter on/off, Input mode, digitizing rate, phantom power
> on/off, and so on, in non-volatile memory that retains the settings
> even with the battery pack removed. The Compactflash card holds
> information like the digitizing rate, the project name or reel number,
> and pointers to the start and stop points of any existing tracks and
> cue marks.
>
> Once the FR-2LE is configured, the field recordist doesn't need to
> think about settings, just when to push the Record button. It doesn't
> matter which XLR jack a mono mic is plugged into. Most relevant
> settings are visible on the LC screen if you want to check.
>
> I'm sure Fostex worked a long time with customers like radio stations
> to come up with this fail-safe arrangement. The FR-2LE forces you to
> work a particular way to maximize the liklyhood that your recordings
> will come home intact, and in the format you want. But some people
> will find these restrictions burdensome.
>
> These points notwithstanding, the FR-2LE seems to be a great machine.
> The preamp is quiet, the controls are easy to use, the machine is
> well-designed for use in a shoulder bag, and the Tamiya RC3600 NiMH
> battery solution is clever and good for 8 hours.
>
> Street price for the FR-2LE is about $500. I expect this price to
> decline a little in the next few weeks.
>
> --oryoki
>
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