Field Recorders

[kevinlarue]

what experience can anyone describe with field mp3 recorders?

we have been using mini-disc for several years, primarily the sony mz-b100 and mz-b10, but i am starting to get aggravated by their lack of durability. i find they crap out after a year or two of service, not uncommonly because the record button stops functioning. although a little slow to manipulate at times, we haven't had many other complaints. $250 bucks for digital quality audio is hard to beat for feeding breaking news stories over the phone.

is anyone using mp3 out in the field with built in speaker on there to feed sound over the phone? what's it costing you and where do you buy?

kevin

 

[mboard]

> what experience can anyone describe with field mp3
> recorders?
>
> we have been using mini-disc for several years, primarily
> the sony mz-b100 and mz-b10, but i am starting to get
> aggravated by their lack of durability. i find they crap
> out after a year or two of service, not uncommonly because
> the record button stops functioning. although a little slow
> to manipulate at times, we haven't had many other
> complaints. $250 bucks for digital quality audio is hard to
> beat for feeding breaking news stories over the phone.
>
> is anyone using mp3 out in the field with built in speaker
> on there to feed sound over the phone? what's it costing
> you and where do you buy?
>
> kevin
>


been using the new marantz pro model. granted i've had it about six months, but it seems durable. no problems yet. granted, i've been pretty careful... i think our stations payed about $450 each.

pros:
audio quality
the usb port is a godsend
light
no tapes to change
reliable
decent built-in mic
the "track mark" feature is v. useful

cons:
sucks batteries like a drunk soroity girl. (i was goin through 8 AA a week)
built in speaker is tinny. (over phone, it's questionable.)
difficult to edit on the fly.
i worry about it breaking (lets just say... unlike my trusty shure mic... i can't use it to hammer in nails and still interview the governor.)
expensive.

overall:

this is the future, boys and girls. better learn it now. having sait that, it hasn't earned my trust yet. I still keep a back-up tape deck, just in case. call me paranoid.