>...we have a three-horse race now:
> 1) Sony MiniDisc MZ RH1
> 2) M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96
> 3) Edirol R-09
Raimund Specht has a web page that summarizes measurements of
microphone input noise for these three recorders under similar test
conditions.
http://www.avisoft.com/recordertests.htm
These numbers confirm hands-on experience. The MZ-RH1 has a
noticeably quieter mic preamp (-124 dBu), but it reaches overload at a
lower sound pressure (-64 dBu).
The overload issue is rarely a concern with nature recording (apart
from thunderstorms, big surf at the beach, and sage grouse at 10
meters). You can address the overload issue by switching to low mic
sensitivity, and by adding an attenuator (a "pad") of -10 or -20 dB as
necessary.
The Hi-MD units record in stereo only. The MZ-RH1 has an optical
digital input, but no SPDIF digital output.
The Microtrack 24/96 added mono recording in a firmware update last
year. The Microtrack has digital input via an RCA jack.
The R-09 has a mono/stereo switch on the back, but mono mode records
one mic input to both left and right channels. The results is that
the R-09 uses the same amount of storage space for mono or stereo
recording. The R-09 has no digital input.
Speaking of inputs, the MZ-RH1 and R-09 have a single mini-phone jack
(also called 1/8" or 3.5mm Tip-Ring-Sleeve jack) for stereo microphone
input.
The Microtrack 24/96 has a mini-phone jack, too, but it also has two
standard phone jacks (1/4" or 7mm TRS) for two-channel mic input.
This might prove useful in the event that the mini-phone jack develops
a fault (and provided that you have the right mic cable available).
Problems with the mic input jack happen all too often in
consumer-grade recording gear. The R-09, in particular, has a
disturbing history of failure in its microphone input jack. Edirol
will repair such failures under warranty, but that is little comfort
when you're in the middle of a recording project and your mic input
develops a fault.
--oryoki
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