What MD should I get?

[sades]

I want to start recording live music but I have no idea what MD and what equipment I need. I'm not real serious about recording so I don't want anything high tech and expensive, I just want something that is simple and gets the job done. I don't care if the recorder picks up background noise from the audience, etc. just as long as I can hear and understand the band when I playback. I know that the cheaper the price the cheaper the quality is going to be, but I don't really want to spend much.

Can someone let me know of some decent equipment that does a good job for a good price. Thanks

[bobt]

I want to start recording live music but I have no idea what MD and what equipment I need. I'm not real serious about recording so I don't want anything high tech and expensive, I just want something that is simple and gets the job done. I don't care if the recorder picks up background noise from the audience, etc. just as long as I can hear and understand the band when I playback. I know that the cheaper the price the cheaper the quality is going to be, but I don't really want to spend much.

Can someone let me know of some decent equipment that does a good job for a good price. Thanks

You should be able to get an NH-700 or 800 on ebay relatively cheaply, this recorder will allow you to digitally upload to your puter, and media is cheap.

Good luck,

Bob

[A440]

If you're just starting out, minidisc is a very quirky recorder because it records in its own format--not .mp3 or .wav. It requires special software to upload, and if you have a Mac, only the most expensive minidisc recorders are compatible. You have to upload and then convert the recording to .wav or .mp3 to be played back on most people's machines.

Note: You also need to buy a microphone with any minidisc recorder, and for loud music you also need an additional gadget, a battery module, to prevent the minidisc from overloading and recording only distortion.

You might be better off with a straightforward digital recorder with built-in mics.

For instance: the Samson Zoom H2

http://www.samsontech.com/products/product...cfm?prodID=1916

or the soon-to-be-released Tascam DR-1

http://www.tascam.com/products/dr-1.html

Both are around $175-$250.

The Roland Edirol R09 has a pathetic display and is more expensive, but I got a good rock-band rehearsal recording with one by just pushing the Record button. I haven't tried the other two recorders, but if you Google around you'll find a lot of opinions on the Samson Zoom H2.

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productde...px?ObjectId=757

[bobt]

"If you're just starting out, minidisc is a very quirky recorder because it records in its own format--not .mp3 or .wav. It requires special software to upload, and if you have a Mac, only the most expensive minidisc recorders are compatible. You have to upload and then convert the recording to .wav or .mp3 to be played back on most people's machines.

Note: You also need to buy a microphone with any minidisc recorder, and for loud music you also need an additional gadget, a battery module, to prevent the minidisc from overloading and recording only distortion."

It's not all that complicated, even with a mediocre mic you can get impressive results, SS works quite well, and once you have it in the puter you have freedom to do what you want with the file. I still think that bang for buck MD is a good alternative, and for starting out an NH700 or 800 will do everthing you need it to do.

JMHO

Bob

[BIGHMW]

.....not to mention that it runs on AA batteries and is also one hell of a player, but, in order to really enjoy it as such, you're also going to need the RM-MC40ELK remote, the Holy Grail of minidisc/Hi-MD remotes. Once you learn how it operates, it is a piece of cake.

[bobt]

.....not to mention that it runs on AA batteries and is also one hell of a player, but, in order to really enjoy it as such, you're also going to need the RM-MC40ELK remote, the Holy Grail of minidisc/Hi-MD remotes. Once you learn how it operates, it is a piece of cake.

Amen to that

Bob

[Fifty9]

I have recorded bands in loud settings (punk music, indoors) with my NH700 without a battery module; surprisingly no distortion or brick wall effects. Just set the mic sensitivity to low and see how it works for you. I would still recommend a good battery box with bass rolloff for such situations, but even without it a decent recording can be had. All I used was an NH700, a pair of cardioid mics and my 40elk remote for monitoring/adjusting levels in the dark. If I forget the remote I have used my cell phone light to initially set the levels and check periodically.

Also, uploading the recordings and converting to WAV is fairly simple and straight forward, it has been since the modern versions of SonicStage. I don't see this as an issue at all.

[A440]

Folks, I'm a minidisc diehard too--heading out to record two shows tonight. But all of us here are very used to the quirks.

Upload--convert to .wav--convert to .mp3 is just not as simple as Upload.

Built-in mics are simpler than outboard ones, especially with battery modules or attenuators.

Also, minidisc plus $50 mic plus $50 battery module plus $75 remote is pricier than the new flash recorders.

When you can get a Samson or (presumably) a Tascam for around $200 that lets you just press Record and get the gig, that's what a beginner needs. The Edirol runs on AA, don't know about the other two.

Fifty9, what mic are you using? It would be great to have a mic that just plugged into the mic jack and worked for loud music.

My guess is that yours is low-sensitivity, has limited bass response (many cardioids only go down to 100 Hz) or both, but I'd love to have it as an option.

I have recorded bands in loud settings (punk music, indoors) with my NH700 without a battery module; surprisingly no distortion or brick wall effects. Just set the mic sensitivity to low and see how it works for you. I would still recommend a good battery box with bass rolloff for such situations, but even without it a decent recording can be had. All I used was an NH700, a pair of cardioid mics and my 40elk remote for monitoring/adjusting levels in the dark. If I forget the remote I have used my cell phone light to initially set the levels and check periodically.

Also, uploading the recordings and converting to WAV is fairly simple and straight forward, it has been since the modern versions of SonicStage. I don't see this as an issue at all.