Portable Recorders - Recommendations?

[harry]

Hey guys,

i need to find myself a portable recorder - primarily to record live acoustic / electric performances with its inbuilt microphones, but mainly to record DJ sets out of the console (rec out) - i recorded a set using a laptop last week and realised that i will need a recorder that can attenuate a line input sufficiently - the console i use at the club (djm 800) usually has to be run at around +6 or more to get enough volume out of the sound system (i know... but what can ya do) and this clips the input ...

was looking at:
http://Ta@#$%.com/product/dr-2d
i would prefer this one as its size nice and small - and can record from mics and line in at same time (4 channel mode) (get crowd noise and nice line out from desk)

or

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h4n

does proper 4 channel but is a fair bit bigger - but has XLR inputs for better mics ect,...

has anyone used either of these? wondering how the mics and pres compare on these units..

cheers

h.a.r.r.y.a.r.v.a.n.i.t.i.s

[Text_Edifice]

Have used the zoom before as a room mic with a desk feed and it worked great. Think it's better suited to the application you describe than the Ta@#$% if you're recording a mix of electronic and acoustic sources.

[The Tasmanian]

Korg MR1000 - best quality in line in - the Pre's :not so sure about them
but DSD /1bit
shit hot A to D
Killer mix down machine too

[tony]

I use the zoom for that application and it's not bad. A little fidderly to try and use in a hurry but anything that size is going to be a bit of A problem. I also carry a couple of inline pads in my adapters kit for desks running really hot.

That said these days I mostly turn to a nagra vi, best thing I ever did for my portable recording rig. Slight price difference

[mylesgm]

Fostex FR-2LE easy to use decent sound and cheap too.

[harry]

Thanks guys,

the suggested items are obviously better quality but a bit too big and expensive for me right now..

i went with the Ta@#$% dr2d in the end as it is the size of an iphone and can do 2 stereo pairs.. $195 is cheap cheap cheap..

if i need better pres and mics i got a lunchbox api ect...

will let you know how it goes.. and give you all an apraisal of the mic pres and s/n sound ect....

cheers

h.a.r.r.y.a.r.v.a.n.i.t.i.s

[no-fi]

I've got the H4n.

It's not a bad device, but a bit bigger that I'd like. so I never carry it around, which kinda means I don't get the use out of it I thought I might when I bought it.

But it is very handy for recording gigs - you can do desk feed, room recording, or both at once.

[walding]

I've got the H4n.

It's not a bad device, but a bit bigger that I'd like. so I never carry it around, which kinda means I don't get the use out of it I thought I might when I bought it.

But it is very handy for recording gigs - you can do desk feed, room recording, or both at once.

Yea I've done both a desk feed and used the mics from the desk.

take it home, import into a DAW, time align the tracks if needed and it can sound pretty good.