Tascam DR1 TASCAM PORTABLE STUDIO AUDIO RECORDER

List Price: $399.00 Discount Price: $203.99

Features:

• Portable, Handheld Recording with Built-in High-quality Stereo Condenser Microphone
• Variable Angle Microphone Mechanism with A/B Configuration
• 48 or 44.1kHz 24-bit Recording Resolution; MP3 and WAVE file Recording and Playback
• Switchable Low Cut Filter; Analog Auto Gain Control; Analog Limiter; Built-in Tuner and Vocal Cancel Features; Overdub Feature to record narration, singing or instruments over an existing recording
• Rechargeable/Replaceable Lithium-Ion Battery; USB 2.0 Connection to Computer

Customer Reviews:

I am pretty impressed so far [Posted on 2008-04-23]
I've had this DR-1 for 4 days now and I am learning about it relatively quickly. The instruction manual (on the SD card (included)) is very thorough, and straight forward. I'm no idiot, but sometimes manuals can bog you down..this one gets to the point. {Don't forget to back up that manual on your pc BEFORE you ever format the card (formatting is not necessary to use the card initially as it is empty) or its adios manual}. The playback sound is quite good, not that I have ever done any studio mix downs, but for something the size of a chubby IPod Classic it sounds good. You can slow music to 50% speed and the pitch stays accurate...as claimed. As far as weeding out vocals or instruments, unless they are on distinctly different L or R channels...that isn't gonna happen totally.

I have yet to overdub, and I see you can't OD in MP3 format (WAV only), so you best have a big gig SD card if you plan on any J Garcia 10 minute wanderings.

So, thus far, I am impressed. For under 230 USD new on Amazon...a good portable unit with some nice features, well constructed, good sound (have to use headphones, unless you connect to your PC for playback). I am not a sophisticated guitarist, but I can see this will be a good learning tool for me...because you never know how bad (or good) you were til you hear it back on a recording. LOL.

Wish it was 5 stars... [Posted on 2008-07-12]
Bought my DR-1 through Amazon reseller NVS and received a unit that was functionally operable, but crippled. Everything "worked" but the recording sensitivity was woeful, never getting above 30% even when I (an opera singer) shouted into MIC1 from six inches away, on highest input and gain levels. Even so, I was able to (barely) record a live recital so it was audible, but very low quality. Interviews with singers at 18-inch mouth-to-mic distance and max gain sounded darn good at 48kHZ.

Tascam customer service recommended returning the unit to the supplier for replacement, which I did (Note: they only responded to email sent via Amazon). The reseller promptly replaced the unit within just a few days (and credited my shipping cost for almost the right amount, which I'll chalk up to dyslexia on their part). The replacement unit works fine (peaks the meter as expected), but HAD NO SERIAL NUMBER!!! Oh well, I guess I'll make it work.

Bottom line: This is probably a fine unit, and I expect to get a lot of use out of it. No operational problems with the concert I recorded so I expect to use it for lots of live events in future. Big lesson for me: BEWARE AMAZON RESELLERS. That low price may not be worth the hassle.

Good recorder. But no mounting place to put it on mic stand or a tripod. [Posted on 2008-07-18]
Only thing I am not satisfied is that there is no mounting place(like a nut at the bottom of every camera) Therefore it is difficult to place it properly when recording.

A Great Product [Posted on 2008-09-01]
This little recorder gives great sound with little fuss and almost no effort. It's just the thing for field reporting, for bands that want to check their sound, for faculty looking to add audio of class presentations to review materials.

It's also easy to digitize sound from other sources. Clean and crisp and a decent price.

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