I've traveled with a Traveler + MacBook Pro + TetraMic. I will say
that for nature recording I don't think it was not worth the trouble.
First of all I don't think that the Traveler's preamps sound good, and
that they are too noisy for nature recording. Second, the weight of that
equipment was quite heavy, and though I did manage to once bushwack
through the woods on a 15 hour hike, I can also remember deciding not to
camp overnight once because of the combined weight of equipment + tent,
food, etc. In order words the weight of the equipment will limit what
one can or will do. Third, a long battery is essential for off-the-grid
nature recording, and the Traveler will limit a computer's already
limited battery life. Fourth, most laptops aren't very quiet, and unless
you always use really long cables, which is not always possible, you'll
probably pick up the noise, especially if recording surround sound. I
found the last point to be especially true when recording in really hot
places, when the laptop's fan would kick in high because the components
where overheating. Anyway this was my experience.
peace,
Charles
On 9/3/10 10:03 PM, Luiz do Carmo wrote:
>
> I was investigating the possibilities of a setup consisting of an
> interface/computer combo as a speculation over a 4 channel recording
> scenario
> within an investment scope of around $1K.
>
> To have a computer as part of the gear is an attractive idea as it can
> be a tool
> to sort thingsout, therefore organize the recordings on set, plus the
> whole lot
> of things a computer can do other than being a recording media. But I
> suppose
> that the mechanical HD=E2=80=99s aren=E2=80=99t sturdy enough for outdoor=
adventures
> and the
> ones equipped with SSD Hard drives are still too expensive for me at
> the moment.
>
> Although the Motu Traveller plus a 12=E2=80=9D laptop would weight about =
the
> same as the
> good ol=E2=80=99 Nagra IV-S, I think the newer portables can get the job =
done
> with less
> poundage.
>
> I believe the Traveller =E2=80=93 as part of a recording gear =E2=80=93 w=
ould be a
> very nice
> piece to record live performances in which one could operate from a still
> position. I may say that its features exceed in great manner what a
> recordist
> needs in the field.
>
> I=E2=80=99m still deciding what mics to buy, but in the meantime the DR-6=
80
> keeps on
> being my choice. Four mics to experiment surround arrays and an extra
> channel to
> practice my aiming on safe targets with a Telinga or a DIY parabola
> coupled to a
> MKH-416.
>
> Luiz
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Scott Fraser <
> <scott_fraser%40earthlink.net>>
> To:
> <naturerecordists%40yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Fri, September 3, 2010 11:51:19 AM
> Subject: [Nature Recordists] Re: MOTU Traveler. Was "Mic arrays and M/S
> behaviour"
>
> <<The Motu Traveler looks like a very nice piece of equipment, but I
> want my gear
> to be the lightest, most robust and simplest as possible. I believe
> that a
> combination of an audio interface with a laptop won't suit my plans.>>
>
> The Traveler is very light weight. It appears to be an aluminum shell
> with just a circuit board inside, no transformers. However,
> portability is the main issue. At the very least one requires a laptop
> & FireWire cable connection, & for any longer than the 2 or so hours
> battery life of the laptop, when bus-powering the Traveler, you'd have
> to add external batteries. So, all in all, not very easily portable,
> nor the simplest.
> Some years ago, convincing myself that I could make a laptop-based
> system work for nature recording, I purchased a Sound Devices USBPre.
> While its preamps are clearly superior to the Traveler, SD never
> really sorted out their OSX drivers very well & it has proved to be
> more trouble than it's worth. Hence the purchase of the Traveler,
> whose OSX drivers are bulletproof, but whose dimensions roughly double
> the bulk of a MacBookPro, & therefore make me unwilling to hike off
> track with the whole set up.
>
> Scott Fraser
>
>
>
>
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