DAT-heads Digest #153

Contents:
  Re: S-P-O-O-N (joe@riouxs.org)
  Re: Security for Venues ("Gary Davis")
  Re: Hard disk\flash based recording ("David Stovall")


From: j.rioux@comcast.net (joe@riouxs.org)
Subject: Re: S-P-O-O-N
Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 19:36:07 +0000


> From: "Bob S." <onalimb@hotmail.com>
>
> does anyone have any Spoon tapes/discs they'd be willing to trade and do you 

This might be a good place to start

http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=collection%3Aetree%20AND%20creator%3A%22Spoon%22

> know how they feel about recording?

http://btat.wagnerone.com/





From: "Gary Davis" <g@hoxnet.com>
Subject: Re: Security for Venues
Reply-to: g@hoxnet.com
Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 14:23:17 -0700

Especially for large venues, the type of security is more related to 
what sort of band is playing than what the venue is.  For example, 
security at Staples would be tighter for the Rolling Stones than 
for Simon and Garfunkel, tighter still if Guns and Roses was 
scheduled...

--Gary



From: "David Stovall" <da9ve.s@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Hard disk\flash based recording
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 10:26:01 -0400

I've been using a M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96 for a few shows now,...

>My basic requirements are:
>Frequency response comparable to or better than DAT, large file capacity,
>auto-leveling for loud sources, hold\lock buttons, ability to use external
>mics etc...

Basics: up to 24-bit/96KHz, as the name implies.  Supports (CD-quality
and better) 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96KHz sample rates.

Pluses: As much storage space as you have flash-card capacity.  I've
been very pleased with the pre-amp in this tiny device - my best
recordings at straight CD-quality sound *significantly* clearer and
more detailed than my best with a D8.

Hold button: Yes.

External mics: Yes - powered or using phantom power, as long as you're
going through the 1/4" TRS inputs.  I think the 1/8" mini-plug doesn't
supply phantom power; at least, it wouldn't hear anything using
non-powered Core Sound Low-Cost mics, but is perfectly happy with
powered ones.

The interface is pretty intuitive - the menus are set up so it's easy
to find whatever setting I've wanted to change.  The only difficulty
I've had is with the level meters and the various settings that effect
gain and the final levels of a recording.  The meters don't seem as
intuitive as they should be, and I have trouble figuring out if I'm
getting adequate (or excessive) levels just by looking at them.  The
basic level settings are two buttons on the front of the unit, which
can be used independently or locked so the channels' levels match.  In
addition, on the side of the unit, there's a mic sensitivity switch
with three settings, AND there's a 27dB boost setting buried in the
Record Settings menu, and I just haven't experimented around with them
in all combinations in order to get a feel for what settings I should
use in any situation.  I'm assuming there'll be some discussion about
this kind of stuff at http://www.taperssection.com/ - I also haven't
really dug through that forum at length, yet.

Auto-leveling?  I just don't know - I wouldn't use a (D8-style)
auto-limiting feature, anyway, and don't even know if the M-Audio has
such a feature.

As for using this recorder in real life, overall, the controls are
well thought-out and pretty practical.  I could *almost* run the
device by 'feel' and in the dark - as I was accustomed to doing with
the D8 - if it weren't for the volume settings being so complicated
(though I kinda wish for a *little* more tactile
feedback/differentiation with all the buttons).  The Hold button is
well-implemented, and you can't even turn the recorder off while it's
in Hold.

One small bit of flakiness I've experienced with the M-Audio is that,
a couple of times, it has just stopped recording and refused to
continue even when there's plenty of space left on the CFII card.  I'm
halfway assuming that there's some file-system bug that tricks it into
thinking it's full even when it's not on occasion, and so I've learned
to ALWAYS FORMAT the media before starting a critical recording
session to reduce the chance of this happening.  Of course, this wipes
anything that's already on it, so I would lose anything not already
transferred to my computer, and I could see that being a problem in
some situations.  I hope/suspect future firmware updates might fix or
at least reduce this flakiness (which I've fortunately seen only once
or maybe twice, in a non-critical testing situation); I'm using the
most current firmware as of May 2007, but you never know what future
fixes might come along.

Far and away the main gripe I have about this recorder, though, is
battery life.  It has only an internal (non-removable) rechargeable
battery.  I'm sure this looked good on paper to a design engineer, but
for those of you who want to tape festivals, you can't just bring a
pocketful of the ol' AA's and swap out between sets any more.
Re-charging via USB connection takes a few hours (not really sure how
long from a dead zero) and, on top of that, even foregoing phantom
power, I've not gotten even 4 hours of record time on a full charge,
whereas with good alkaline AA's in a D8, I could get six or seven EASY
if not more.  And the D8 was mechanically spinning a tape as well as
writing - I just can't see why a solid state device wouldn't even be
able to fill a 4GB CFII card on a single charge when it doesn't have
that electro-mechanical overhead.  I'd have gladly taken a
"MilliTrack" instead of a "MicroTrack" if it meant doubling the
battery life or adding a compartment for removable AA sled like a
D8's.  I'll be buying one of the external USB battery packs soon.
(Anybody have any recommendations there?)

>What I am looking for from this post is actual user experience and opinions.
>Please reply to the list, I am sure there are other people considering the
>same purchase.

I'm looking forward to hearing about the others, too.

da9ve


** FOR YOUR REFERENCE **

To unsubscribe from this digest, please send email to
dat-heads-unsubscribe@datheads.phish.net 

If your email address has changed, you may (optionally) 
send the message to

dat-heads-unsubscribe-oldaddress=olddomain@datheads.phish.net

and the old address will be removed.

Problems or questions about a subscription should be addressed 
via these avenues and then if needed to

dat-heads-owner@datheads.phish.net
or 
postmaster@datheads.phish.net

never the list itself

You can submit a message for inclusion in the next digest via this address:

    Internet: dat-heads@datheads.phish.net

Archives of DAT-Heads digests and related files are available on
the DAT-Heads home page:

http://www.solorb.com/dat-heads/


End of DAT-Heads Digest
******************************