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1. Re: R-44 issue

Subject: 1. Re: R-44 issue
From: "Dave Bird" davidjohnbird
Date: Fri Jun 22, 2012 5:05 am ((PDT))
Hello all,=C2=A0

I can't say I'm an expert in any of this, but I do own a R-44 and have had =
problems with unbalanced inputs and interference/noise - first discovered t=
his problem using Jez' custom built hydrophones.
The noise stems from the display screen as far as I can remember - mine cre=
ated a periodic electrical sound=C2=A0(almost mechanical, sounded quite lik=
e a mini disc recorder/player).=C2=A0=C2=A0Can't seem to find the informati=
on I had previously read online now, but I have come across other people co=
mplaining about the same problem.=C2=A0

One solution was to upgrade the R-44 with this company: http://www.oade.com=
/digital_recorders/hard_disc_recorders/R44_upgrades.html=C2=A0

Have also come across suggestions that a firmware update might solve these =
problems - I haven't got that far:=C2=A0http://www.rolandsystemsgroup.com/p=
roducts/100007

Not sure if thats off the mark or at all useful, just thought I'd share my =
frustrating experience!

Cheers,=C2=A0

Dave=C2=A0


From: Jez <>
To: 
Sent: Friday, 22 June 2012, 10:19
Subject: [Nature Recordists] Re: R-44 issue


=C2=A0

Hi Greg,

er....

firstly, in 35 years of being involved with field recording i've never come=
 across this type of issue with a mic / recorder match when using 'decent' =
mics & recorders.

DPA's are not built to be fed into wireless transmitters - that is just one=
 of the options for them. They are built, these days, to be used with a var=
iety of different options.

No recorder, not even the cheap Zoom's, have trouble handling balanced or u=
nbalanced mics (other than issues of the quality of the signal & noise of t=
he pre-amps). To clarify my experience: I tutor on the Wildeye courses & el=
sewhere so we get students with all kinds of mics & all levels of recorders=
. Over the years (on these courses & elsewhere) i've used hundreds of diffe=
rent mic / recorder combinations & have never come across these issues.

I use Sound Devices gear, so i'm used to spending decent money to get decen=
t kit, however its simply wrong to imply that recorders of the level of the=
 R-44 isn't very good. In various ways its a better recorder than the FR2LE=
 for example. By the way, if you're having issues with the FR2LE with unbal=
anced inputs its not the recorder - we never have any issues with them on a=
ny unbalanced mics, piezo based units etc.

As I've tried to explain already, this issue appears to be a very specific =
issue between the R-44 / R-26 & the DPA's - but it doesn't happen on any ot=
her recorder - from the cheapest (with xlr inputs) to the higher cost units=
. Therefore it is not an issue related to the issues you mention as lots of=
 these other recorders don't have transformer balanced inputs.

ta.

--- In  Gregory O'Drobinak <=
.> wrote:
>
> Jez:
>
> Please forgive my earlier comment, but I couldn't resist! Really, it was =
meant
> to point out that there are issues with mic preamps and mics that don't m=
atch up
> well and this is based on sub-optimal design parameters.
>
> The DPA mics are not balanced out of the box; they are single-ended outpu=
t mics
> that are designed to be fed into the single-ended preamps that are=C3=82=
=C2=A0built-in to
> the wireless transmitters commonly sold with these mics. I assume that th=
ere is
> a cable adapter that is sold to make the 4060s 'look' like a balanced out=
put,
> but in reality it appears that DPA uses some tricks that fall short of th=
e mark.
> This is problem #1: the 4060s are not really balanced output mics.
>
> The second issue is that most inexpensive recorders do not have transform=
er
> balanced inputs, which can usually handle an unbalanced input gracefully.=
 The
> preamps in my FR-2LE, for example, are 'balanced' inputs but this is done=

> electronically without the use of a transformer. The net result is that u=
nder
> various gain conditions the FR-2LE will not work well at all for single e=
nded
> inputs, such as a piezo transducer or a single-ended (not balanced) input=
 from a
> mic or instrument via an XLR connector. Various noises, hum and other art=
ifacts
> can be heard as the mic gain is increased. So using a single-ended output=

> device, such as the 4060, into the poorly electronically balanced input o=
f the
> R-44 results in mayhem instead of nicety. This has nothing to do with cur=
rent
> draw, but how well the signals are balanced at the input of the recorder.
>
> The 4060s work well on the SD series because=C3=82=C2=A0I believe that th=
ey=C3=82=C2=A0have
> transformer balanced inputs. I don't have time to go through the theory o=
f all
> of this, but you can research it on the web. Check what Rane has to say a=
bout
> balkanced vs. unbalanced.
>
> So the rule of thumb is use truly balanced mics into balanced preamp inpu=
ts and
> use unbalanced mics into preamps designed specifically to handle unbalanc=
ed
> inputs. Most manufacturers are not going to tell you how well their balan=
ced mic
> preamps are going to work with unbalanced inputs. Below a certain (high) =
price
> point, you get what you paid for.
>
> Sorry for the bad news.
>
> - Greg
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Jez <>
> To: 
> Sent: Fri, June 22, 2012 2:50:52 AM
> Subject: [Nature Recordists] Re: R-44 issue
>
> =C3=82=C2=A0
> thanks Grant, according to DPA the r-44 supplies more than enough power t=
o
> handle even 4 of the DPA4060's connected & these issues appear even if ju=
st one
> is attached. The powering issue also wouldn't explain the pick up of the=

> internal electronics of the recorder (regardless of mic position) & i'm m=
ore &
> more convinced that its some strange way the Roland recorders are built t=
hat
> happens to come up with these issues when using this particular mic. That=
 said,
> one chap who also has the R-44 & the DPA4060's has mentioned that his wor=
k fine
> !
>
> arghhhhhh !
>
> --- In  "Grant Finlay" <grant@> wrote:
> >
> > It's called "motor boating"
> > The non-techy explanation is that it can't supply enough power to the m=
ics, you
> >need to roll off some of the bottom end to get around this.
> > Or use an outboard PH48v supply.
> > The SD302 has this issue too with various mics, sanken cs-1 etc..
> >
> > Regards,
> > Grant.
> > http://naturesounds.co.nz
> >
>
>
>
>
>











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