Tech: Simple Digital Recorder

Subject: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 05:58 PM

I love mine..I had another one before but just could not figure out how to use it..it might have been defective...anyway, this is a Sony ICES NMB 003. It records in MP3 and maybe something else but MP3 is great..some of the others you have to translate into MP3s. THis is easy enough for an amateur to use. I can actually send MP3s of just singing via email..so if I have promised anybody a tune to anything just PM me with your email (unless you are on my bad list in which case do not bother). I can not attest to sound quality..I get a lot of static but probably there is some user error there..anyway, if you are just trying to transmit tunes etc. it is great. mg

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 06:00 PM

I forgot to say it also has a slideout USB port and you just plug straight into slot in your computer and it charges battery..plus you can just drag MP3s onto your computer etc. It is about the size of a biscotti. biscottus? mg

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Nick
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 08:30 PM

A biscotti biscuttus. Everyone's favourite size.

I had a biscotto biscottu but lost it when playing bagatelle on a ski slope.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 08:37 PM

mg, what's the Model number on your do-dad? Is it a voice recorder, an MP3 player, or what? I was trying to find a picture of it, and couldn't find it. I tried several variations of Sony ICES NMB 003 at the Sony Website, and no cigar.

I have a biscotti-shaped Sony Walkman MP3 player that also recorded. I was very happy with it, until I uploaded too much music to it, and it crashed. Staples gave me a better one for a minimal surcharge, and I've had that quite a while. I like it a lot, but it doesn't record like the other one did. And this one is shaped more like a Zippo lighter.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Nick
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 04:54 AM

Sorry thought it was a joke or spam

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: michaelr
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 06:07 PM

mg, please post your bad list so we know not to bother.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 06:32 PM

No thank you. It is short..only about 4 or 5 people and they have shown a tendency to be abusive so I do not deal with them, in person or in ether. mg

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 11:25 PM

It says Sony IC recorder ICD UX200

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 02:09 AM

Ah here (click) it is. Looks like a nice one, and may be easier to operate than my Zoom Handy H2 recorder. I bought the Zoom because of the extremely good recording quality, but the controls are a bit clumsy to operate (or, maybe I'm the clumsy one...)

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 04:28 AM

Jo. Worry not, It's not you! I have a Zoom H4. Setting it up is a pain in the arse..plasticy controls, tiny screen etc. But, I usually use it to record from a mixing desk, via a direst feed from the output. So, once I've got it sorted, It's got a nice big record button! I do all the post production at home, Great quality as well. (depending on my mix obviously!)

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: treewind
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 06:06 AM

I've always been rather dismissive of voice recorders on sound quality grounds, but all these devices seem to do MP3 at bit rates up to at least 192k if you want. 2GB memory and USB makes it a useful tool - and that one even has a stereo mic!

So for about half the price of a Zoom H1 (which is already cheap), you get the functionality you need for recording tunes at sessions etc, but perhaps not for making a professional-grade recording with external mics or using the line inputs for any reason (like Ralphie recording off the desk to an H4, or me hooking up my Edirol R-09 for digitising vinyl). I'm going to take a serious look at these...

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Maryrrf
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 09:53 AM

Joe, It's not just you when it comes to the difficulty (not really difficult, just fidgety and involved)of the Zooms. I have the H4, the older model, but I understand the newer version is more user friendly. It's okay once you've fiddled around with it to just do a basic recording using the internal mic, and not too bad to plug in (guitar in one channel, vocal mic in the other) but while four track recording is theoretically possible, it's a very involved process and far too PITA. Still, I like the H4, and don't regret purchasing it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 11:40 AM

We have a friend who has one of the Sony recorders (a narrower one than this model, I believe) -- he calls it his "tune sucker", its primary purpose being to record new tunes at sessions to learn at home. Simple controls are the primary feature, for him.

~ Becky in Long Beach

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Mr Red
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 01:29 PM

we use Edirols at the radio station for vox pops and such. Apart from the larger Zoom (too large) there isn't much that is better and still get in your pocket.

There is not much you can do about stray noises except get closer to the sound you want. Even in the studio we have computers and such that make white noise.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Bert
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 01:53 PM

I just bought an Olympus WS 600s.

It is very small,cost about $70 and records MP3 and WMA.
Plugs directly into a USB slot.
The only problem I have with it so far, is that the print in the instruction manual is too small.

I'll let you know how I get on with it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Folkiedave
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 03:52 PM

Another Edirol fan. The latest model is simply brilliant.

About £250.00 for absolute top quality.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Don Firth
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 06:45 PM

After taking a look at the Amazon page, I checked a bit further. I presume the size indicated there, 6.2 x 2.3 x 7.9 inches, is the size of the package it comes in, because the size given on the Sony web site is quite a bit smaller:   1 1/2 × 4 × 19/32 in. Easily slip into a shirt pocket.

That's cuter than a baby kitten, and a whole lot smaller!

When I first discovered the existence of small digital recorders, I checked out the Zooms. I focused on the H4 first because of the XLR mic inputs, but some of the reviews made it sound a bit like a torture device, what with the postage-stamp size screen and the arcane and convoluted menus and instructions. So I moved on to the Zoom H2, which, although it had the same tiny screen and it lacked the XLR inputs, did look "handy" indeed. So I got one, and it has been pretty good. It's about fourteen quantum leaps better than the small Panasonic battery-powered cassette recorder that I started packing around in the mid-1970s.

But some folks I know have recently acquired the much more recent Zoom H4n, which appears to be a great improvement over the H4. Bigger screen, more logical menu structure. I haven't actually seen one, but one friend raves about it, sound quality and all, and another, although she likes the sound quality, wants to hang whoever wrote the user's manual.

I'm trying to build a home recording studio around my computer in the manner of the lash-up that Roger McGuinn demonstrates in his DVD, "Roger McGuinn's Guide to Home Recording on a Computer," and start cranking out CDs and other marvels. But—a couple of months ago, my laptop upped and died a horrible death. So I replaced it with another laptop. A veritable Doomsday Machine. State of the Art. Quad Core, 8 gigabytes of RAM, 64-bit, 1 terabyte of dual, 7200 rpm hard drive.

Obviously I didn't do enough checking. Now I find that a couple of pieces of equipment and software that I have are not compatible with 64-bit systems, and I have to wait for the peripherals and software to catch up with the technology. One needs the appropriate driver and the software is awaiting the beta release of its next version.

SNARL!!

In the meantime, although not necessarily an essential to my recording project, the li'l Sony ICD-UX200 looks like a very handy little gadget to have in one's kit. Lemme check my credit card balance for this month. . . .

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Nick
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 07:22 PM

Don

If you have non compatible software just have a check - you might be able to set up a Virtual Machine on your 64 bit machine and run 'old' stuff very happily. (If it's Windows 7 Pro rather than Home or Home basic)

One of the products I work with is a 16 bit application which won't work normally on a 64 bit machine. However it runs very happily so that you wouldn't notice with a combination of XP Mode and MS Virtual Machine. (Windows 7 Pro with 4gb RAM)

Downloadable from Microsoft for free and VERY easy to set up

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 07:32 PM

I like being able to record npr as well as voice but it does a poor job at concerts.
It would be nice if it had a seperate mic input for morehigh end mics.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Don Firth
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 08:59 PM

Thanks, Nick. Unfortunately, the version of Windows 7 that came on the new machine is the Home version. But I will start nagging Microsoft (couple of Mickeysoft employees live in the same apartment building I do and they may have an idea or two) and/ the manufacturer of the USB interface and software and see if I get any kind of response.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple Digital Recorder
From: Cool Beans
Date: 25 May 11 - 05:15 PM

I'm convinced, but before I buy, a couple questions:
1. Does the Sony ICD UX200 have a built-in speaker, or can you listen only through earphones?
2. Is the ICD UX512 an improvement on it? Its biggest feature appears to be that you can overdub (record and play at the same time)? Can you overdub with the UX200?
Thanks for the guidance.
CB