portastudio, simple to use Options

[timtheenchanteru...]

Ive been asked to source a portastudio, or similar for our school (where I work)

we need somthing that can accept XLR, and provide phantom.

it needs to be simple to use, HDD based would probably be best, with an integrated burner and/or simple way to transfer to PC.

we do have a full studio, this is more for "on the fly" recordings, but nbeed to be still of sufficient quality for BTEC/GCSE recording.

I have a fostex, and and a tascam unit, neither of which are simple to use, especially if non-tech minded.

any Ideas? Ive been trawling the net all afternoon, but non really give an idea of simplicity.

[TomHoward]

If you want truely simple why not a solid state recorder that records direct to SD / other cards? I think most multi-channel recorders are going to be more difficult to use by their nature, they're usually trying to fit a lot of functionality onto a small surface, so they're probably going to be pretty fiddly to use. Could you get away with a stereo recording, as opposed to close-mic'd multitrack?

[Matt Riley]

I'm thinking zoom H4n. 4 channel multitrack recording (inbuilt stereo mic + 2 XLR.) Phantom power supplied. Can run off batteries, mounts to a stand, robust and easy to use.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/zoom_h4_n.htm

M

[tolley1466]

How many channels are you looking for?

[dbuckley]

I think you're dreaming of a product that isn't out there and probably never was.

The simple bulletproof portastudio died with the withdrawl of the Tascam 424 and even that only met a subset of your needs.

All thats out there now are the marvels of technology, the digital portastudios, which offer tons of capability, but only if you are prepared to press a lot of buttons. I have a Fostex VF80 as a toy recorder and understand exactly what you mean by not simple to use; I always need the manual the first time I pick the thing up after a while... (and it has hellishly noisy preamps that are spectacularly badly designed but its still a handy tool in the right circumstances)

The Tascam DP-004 looks the closest to a modern box with knobs and no tape, but its XLR-less, let alone phantom...

Howzaabout the Zoom HD8CD, or the Korg D888 which seems to have no shift button which is a distinct advantage - this is just a bit of searching...

[paulears]

Agreed! The proven concept of the portastudio has vanished now that you can add some ins and outs to a PC for hardly anything - and most come with Cubase LE. A hardware alternative will either be big and feature filled to have a sales advantage, or something too basic. Nothing really like it anymore.

[timtheenchanteru...]

looks like the portastudio idea is dead then...

my new studiospares catalogue arrived yesterday, and theres a few portable recorders in there, similar to the Zoom that Matt linked to, any one used these? they look as easy as a dictaphone to use, im presuming the mics are a MUCH better quality.

I,m going to try and find somewhere in the Leeds area that has a stock of some of these to audition them.