BR-532, PXR4, or what for recording?

[Cap]

I haven't done any recording since cassette tapes were the way to go. I'm wondering what the most practical, convenient, inexpensive, painless recorder would be for "today's pianist." A leader I occasionally work with will show up with an earlier model Roland 16-track, but when I see him pore over his instruction manual, then pull out his cellular to call Roland for help, I know that's not for me.

 

The Roland BR-532 and Korg PXR4 appear to be contemporaneous, identically-priced, similarly-featured machines (though the Korg, with its blue/silver face and limited number of controls, seems aimed at a consumer like me). Is either of these machines appropriate for recording, say, a single acoustic piano or small combo, and is the Korg indeed a simpler machine to use?

 

I notice that practically all of these units are pitched to guitar players, who apparently plug their ax into one input and sing into a mic plugged into another. Are there other options for a keyboardist to consider (Sony minidisc, perhaps, or digital tape?).

 

Appreciate any tips, recommendations, warnings.

 

Cap

[Dan O]

Cap,

I would recommend spending or saving some xtra bucks and buy the Tascam 788 .

If you consider the amount of money you will have to spend on smart media cards over a 6 month period and the fact that the BR532 has no scsi ..........the 788 is worth the $$$ .

Think about this ...the 788 has a 7 1/2 gig hard drive ......how many smart media card would you have to buy to equal 7 gigs ?

Dano

[Cap]

Dano,

 

Thanks, I'll look carefully at the Tascam. I bought my son one of their cassette models a couple of Christmases ago.

 

What about the question of user-friendliness--quick set-up, intuitive controls, etc.? I take it this must be an issue with other consumers as well, since Roland/Boss is making simplicity a major selling point in the ads for their latest models.

 

Sam

[Cap]

Dano,

 

Thanks, I'll look carefully at the Tascam. I bought my son one of their cassette models a couple of Christmases ago.

 

What about the question of user-friendliness--quick set-up, intuitive controls, etc.? I take it this must be an issue with other consumers as well, since Roland/Boss is making simplicity a major selling point in the ads for their latest models.

 

Sam

[Cap]

Dano,

 

Thanks, I'll look carefully at the Tascam. I bought my son one of their cassette models a couple of Christmases ago.

 

What about the question of user-friendliness--quick set-up, intuitive controls, etc.? I take it this must be an issue with other consumers as well, since Roland/Boss is making simplicity a major selling point in the ads for their latest models.

 

Sam

[Dan O]

Tascam 788 is very easy !

I believe you can read a reveiw in RECORDING MAG Dec. issue !

Here's the main issue .....

A smart media card is available . 128megs = around $99.99

$395.00 + 60 smart media cards AND no SCSI !

Tascam is a better value in my opinion and RECORDING MAg !

Dano

 

[ 12-28-2001: Message edited by: dano ]

[Byrdman]

Originally posted by dano:

Tascam 788 is very easy !

I believe you can read a reveiw in RECORDING MAG Dec. issue !

Here's the main issue .....

A smart media card is available . 128megs = around $99.99

$395.00 + 60 smart media cards AND no SCSI !

Tascam is a better value in my opinion and RECORDING MAg !

Dano

 

[ 12-28-2001: Message edited by: dano ]

 

128M is about 12 minutes worth of recording time at stereo, 44.1Khz 16 bit res. You can get quite a bit more with compression but your sound quality suffers so you will certainly haev to re-record if you want to put something out on CD.

 

This is undoubtably useful for recording a song or two, but to get as much as a full cd's worth you would have to buy $500 worth of flash. Given all this, I fail to understand the attraction of these flash based systems.

 

If you are using one of these systems, please post why you chose it and what particular requirements you had that made you choose this over a hard disk based system.