What’s New, Pussycat?

Here’s a quick rundown on some of the physical changes in the new models. Both M-Audio and Edirol continue to upgrade their products via free firmware updates. Visit their sites (M-Audio; Edirol/Roland) to make sure you have the latest.

MicroTrack II vs. MicroTrack

• New color: Black
• 48V phantom power
• Analog limiter
• Improved battery with longer life and faster charging
• Selectable One Touch or Record Ready/Record operation
• Extended input range
• Records files larger than 2GB
• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed transfer
• Monitor S/PDIF input via headphones while recording
• Add markers while recording

Edirol replaced the rickety battery door on the original R-09 with a sturdier hatch.

Read the whole review here

Reviews and others

The Edirol is a popular machine and Roland introduced an update to the R-09 in april ’08 called the R-09HR. I bought this recorder (R-09) a year ago and have used it quite frequently to record classes, bhajans and kirtans (Listen to a class i recorded). I will not write a full review of this recorder as i belief there are already many good reviews available. I will point them instead so you can read them if you like. My conclusions are also acknowledged in these reviews.

Great review on the Edirol R-09 at oreilly.com

The Edirol R-09 is a handy field recorder with some surprisingly sophisticated file-maintenance features. It is profoundly easy to use (once you suss out the buttons), it records to inexpensive media, and the onboard mics do a decent job. Battery life is outstanding. It looks cool, too … It’s not for everyone. Professionals will want higher sample rates, enhanced metering, and more robust mics. But they’ll have to pay a lot more

thorough review and info at f7sound.com 

It’s tiny (smaller than a microcassette – see below) and records 24 bit digital audio with a sound quality that surprised me in a good way. It’s light even with batteries and should easily fit in a shirt or pants pocket. The only gripe I have so far, and it’s been mentioned on the net via group lists and the like, is the battery cover. The cover, located at the bottom of the device is very hard to deal with and seems like it’s going to break long before anything on the rest of the unit.

Review at Gizmodo

Still, if you’re willing to spend in the neighborhood of four hundred bucks, you can make NPR-quality recordings for podcasts or radio shows, or quality concert bootlegs. Not bad for a gadget that fits in a shirt pocket.

In-depth review of the Edirol R09
More reviews and info about the R-09 at createdigitalmusic.com

My comments

First, recording with the machine is simply. Just put it near the speaker/singer and start recording. I really like the simple controls on this recorder. A big button to record that starts recording with 2 clicks. (The first click will start the recording preview, also very handy).
The two internal mic’s will pick up even faint sounds like the questions at the end of a class. When recording bhajans it will record also the singing public. (Listen to a bhajan i recorded)

Secondly this machine works with regular AA batteries. I am a fan of that because if you do run out of power, you can buy them everywhere. And your precious investment will not become useless once the integrated battery is dead.

Next is the support for SD/SDHC memory cards. With the latest software inside (v1.30) this machine will support SD or SDHC cards upto 8 GB. I have tested a 4 GB SD card and it works flawlessly. The battery / Memory card / USB compartment is really really flimsy. As noted by other reviewers Roland really made a serious design flaw with this. Luckily they solved this with the new model R-09HR. The battery compartment has been moved to the back and USB access is easier.

With a memory card of 2GB (small these days) you can record 2h in 24 bit/44KHz WAV. That is the highest quality for the R-09 model. The R-09HR will even record in 96KHz. Ouch, where are the bigger memory cards…..????

Strong and Weak Points (R-09HR)

Strong
* Uses 2 AA batteries (in new compartment)
* Records MP3 (320 kbps) and WAV (24bit, 96.1kHz), (44.1kHz  R-09)
* Good battery life (using NimH batteries)
* 2 Internal microphones (electret)
* Easy controls
* Uses SDHC cards
* Mounts as a standard harddrive when plugged in USB

Weak
* Flimsy battery comparment (in older model R-09)
* Protective bag is optional
* No screw for mounting on tripod (comes extra with protective cover)
* Batteries cannot be charged from USB

Conclusion

I highly recommend the Edirol recorder. It is expensive compared to the Zoom H2 but the use of SDHC speaks in its favor. But if you are low on cash the Zoom H2 is a worthy contender for $180. The recording quality is sufficient with the internal mics although some noise is there. You can always plug in an external (electret) microphone. My Sony mic does a nice job.

Now that Roland updated to the R-09HR model, personally i would not consider to buy other brands unless a better recorder will emerge.

Competitors

Direct competitors for the Edirol R-09 are the Zoom H4 and H2 , the M-Audio Microtrack I/II and the Marantz PMD620. The price of the R-09/HR is quite high compared to the Zoom for example, but makes up in ease of use. The Microtrack II is also a nice option, but uses a integrated NiMh battery which is not replaceable.

References, guides and websites

* Some bhajan that i recorded with the Edirol

* Edirol R-09 product page
* Edirol R-09HR product page
* Edirol Firmware v1.30 (up to 8GB SDHC cards)

* Edirol R-09HR at Amazon

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74OMEI6yTDQ]

Improvements over the R-09 Model

• !! Built in Speaker
• New Oled screen
• Decent battery compartment (normal AA)
• New SD memory card slot
• Sample Freq improved to 96 Khz, 24 bit
• Remote control (optional)

Links:

1. Edirol Product page
2. Roland Product Page