Mitch:
A friend of mine has a PMD661 and it seems to be a nice unit.
However, I am not aware of how one might use the built-in mics simultaneously
with the LINE2 inputs. So it looks like you can record using either the
PMD661's
XLR mic inputs or the 302 via the LINE2 inputs, but not both. Is this correct?
The other issue is that no matter how many mics you cascade using 302 preamps,
you still get only 2 channels of recorded material mixed down on the PMD661.
The advantage of the Tascam DR-680 is that you can record 6 channels of audio
simultaneously with very good quality preamps that have phantom power, each to
its own separate track (normally as 3 stereo tracks, but you can also make them
6 mono channels). No extra cables and stuff to juggle or extra batteries to
worry about. I don't find the OS of the DR-680 to be unusually problematic.
The latest OS Rev. supports M/S recording and decode:
http://tascam.com/content/downloads/products/43/e_dr-680_add_va.pdf
I haven't had the occasion to use this function since I don't have any M/S
mics.
Perhaps other users of the DR-680 can comment on their experiences. But I am
quite satisfied with using the DR-680 in the field with 6 mics for surround
recording. I once used this recorder with an outboard digital preamp feeding
the
SP/DIF inputs to record a gamelan ensemble with very good results!
Take care,
Greg
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