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Re: four-channel digital recording

Subject: Re: four-channel digital recording
From: "Mike Rooke" picnet2
Date: Mon Nov 2, 2009 9:07 am ((PST))

--- In  umashankar <> wrote:
>
> well, if you are happy with 16 bit, the zoom h2 is very nice, but needs t=
o be modified for external=A0inputs. it is a=A0four channel device, self co=
ntained recorder to flash it has a usb interface, but far simpler to take t=
he flash card out and insert it into your laptop or a card reader.
>
> zoom has a new eight channel recorder with four xlr microphone inputs, bu=
t i have no experience with it.

Robb,

I brought one a while ago,
Its 8 channel, 2 of those have switchable phantom power. Pre-amp noise is p=
resent perhaps same as Edirol R09HR, theres internal processing of the audi=
o resulting, eq can be switched on and off, or fed to just the headphones. =
Its built like a LADA with a Mahogany steering wheel, looks nice but when y=
ou try to drive it it squeaks going around corners. - in other words not at=
 all easy to use in the field, faders / gain controls give noise when moved=
, but it does the job.

It records at 44.1Khz / 24 or 16 bit in stand alone mode and higher for DAW=
 use. Fine for mics with sensitivities around -30 dB or better, the input g=
ain on the R16 is I think +15 dB if that, quite low compared to FR2-LE or Q=
uadMic. BUT its best feature is its ability to roll 8 channels at once, you=
 can either configure it to save 8 wav (mono) files or stereo link them.  -=
 or connect two of the R16's together and roll 16 channels.

Its mic gain maybe the limiting factor for hydrophone use, and without a ba=
ttery box powering PIP hydro's -> R16 its getting cumbersome already.

For four channels Im sure Ive seen reports of the Zoom H4N recording from i=
ts XLR inputs AND PIP at the same time???

Hope this helps, drop me an email if you'd like some samples from the recor=
der.
-Mike.



> ________________________________
> From: Robb N <>
> To: 
> Sent: Thu, October 29, 2009 5:58:57 AM
> Subject: [Nature Recordists] four-channel digital recording
>
> Hello,
>
> I am asked fairly often for help referring a product that will record fou=
r channels simultaneously.=A0 Mic preamps would be nice and a USB or Firewi=
re interface to a laptop would be good.=A0 I've never found such a device o=
utside of a PCI device--which isn't all that convenient for portable applic=
ations.=A0 Does anybody know of anything?
>
> Short of that, is there free or low-cost software available that will rec=
ord two stereo USB sound interfaces at the same time?=A0 This is less desir=
able, I think, because I would expect relative timing errors to occur in th=
e serial data paths of the two cards.=A0 Is there a way to compensate for t=
his?
>
> My application would most often be for setting up hydrophone arrays to mo=
nitor the location of cetaceans while recording their vocalizations.=A0 We =
seem to have so many great options for digital recording these days that is=
 seems like a four-channel budget system could be made without moving into =
DAQ-oriented devices.
>
> Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
>
> Kind regards, Robb
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> "While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
> sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>








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