Jump to content

Roland R88


Maxie Mendonca

Recommended Posts

Did you try to output TC and make the camera sync to your recorder's TC, and letting them be in freerun? How much do they drift or offset then? I am new to this syncing thing, but this way it seemed to work, or at least the guys doing the sync in production didn't report any problems... (eventually :) ) but we also had three ways of possible syncing - TC, slate and reference audio on cam to be used with Pluraleyes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do you mean by doesn't match? At all or that it drifts? We easily jam synced with both mentioned cameras and confirmed by counting... Anyway I hope you sort it out... Also for free run and jam syncing make the recorder send the TC to camera - that way it worked for us, we didn't try the other way around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, no need to be rude, man... Even if you don't like his cynical style.

 

I am just curious if something I said triggered a funny face emoticon and why...

 

Anyway, whatever, I don't bother with no info posts, but I am curios if someone doesn't understand what I want to say or misinterprets it... that's the only reason I asked the question about the funny face reaction... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just recently recorded sound for a club concert video of a certain afro-jazz band and piano and percussion mics went through R-88 preamps/conversion... its preamp/conversion quality is completely fine for my taste... Rough mix attached. (no processing on piano - no eq, compression or reverbs) 

 

Afrojazz excerpt.mp3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just recently recorded sound for a club concert video of a certain afro-jazz band and piano and percussion mics went through R-88 preamps/conversion... its preamp/conversion quality is completely fine for my taste... Rough mix attached. (no processing on piano - no eq, compression or reverbs)

Afrojazz excerpt.mp3

i'm sure it does sound fine. I haven't been able to listen to it yet. It's just... Recording live music is a very important aspect when judging preamps, but where preamps really shine (or not) is with very quiet scenes, whispering voices, quiet landscapes, quiet classical music, whatever.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i'm sure it does sound fine. I haven't been able to listen to it yet. It's just... Recording live music is a very important aspect when judging preamps, but where preamps really shine (or not) is with very quiet scenes, whispering voices, quiet landscapes, quiet classical music, whatever.

 

Yes, or with very dynamic and complex material - how they handle it... or how well can they drive the "hungry" mics that require much gain - like ribbons, most dynamic mics and low sensitivity condensers...

 

Anyway, I start to sound like a fanboy for this machine or even R-88 idolater, hehe... which I'm not.

 

It is just a reasonably priced machine that really does work well. It payed for itself within one big TV drama project (with quite some soft talkers, whispering, distant booming, etc. involved) and I used it on a couple more of remote music+video recordings within the last two months, earning yet more money, with customer and my own satisfaction. Otherwise I would have to dismantle my studio racks and bring the cumbersome set-up of several preamps, soundcard and laptop with me... not to mention all the additional cabling... I still have to do that for more channel count, but the little machine is really ok for what it is and when 8 channels suffice.

 

I worked with some high-end preamps (Amek Pure path CIB channel strips, Avalon 737sp, etc.) in my life and my current preamp of choice is a very noiseless and neutral DAV BG1U - designed by DECCA engineers to record classical music... and I don't hear R-88 lacking in comparison. I don't doubt Nagra would be better, though... :) But that is speculation... I didn't compare directly to really know how much of a difference THAT would be... I also used some vintage Siemens and WSW preamps which are more euphonic (colored) and exciting on vocals, etc. in studio work. On location the speed of set-up and neutral, noiseless and accurate capture is more important to me - and R-88 provides, believe it or not. But it's up to anyone to try and decide for themselves.

 

If your funding doesn't allow for a pricier machine with 8 channels - soundwise the R-88 is not some big compromise to make - other parts of the chain are probably a bigger problem - like microphones... I was privileged to use many of the nicest ones with it - like Sennheiser MKH series, Neumann M149, good dynamic mics like Sennheiser MD441 and Beyerdynamic M99... which does make much of a difference... 

 

Now, mixing skills, that is something else altogether... can't blame the machine... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

and the A-D converters are inferior

sure, it can make 24 bit files, but it does not have 24 bit audio!

 

 

 

Could you explain what you mean by that? What is your source for that kind of information?

 

And did you test the converters (or hear/read any tests) to know they suck?

 

Just checking if its your subjective opinion, hearsay, speculation because of the price or do you have some valid source of information to claim that. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And you can take it to the next whale song recording session... :)

 

299-roland-front-iso.jpg

 

Thats an interesting looking case .. Is that a water proof casing ? I am sure STUDIOmPRD will have some itching issues to point out here as well.

 

I must share my clients response on R88 - No Complaints what so ever. We rented out our R88 with Rode Kit (NTG3/Boom/blimp) hope that goes on smooth in their work flow. Their Boom man was just complaining of the slight weight of the pole (which of-course was expected) rest so far so good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read the whole topic.

Please. Stop "this": In the market it's not only Sound Devices or Zaxcom.

Many people they can't afford the investment of Sound Devices or Zaxcom.

Roland and Tascam it's ok machines and done the job properly.

I think most of the responses were meant to be helpful, just to calm down some over-excitement and to warn of potential pitfalls with this machine. Especially the additional pitfalls of buying this thing for a rental business.

It's not a case of only SD or Zax are the way to go, after all, many here use the Tascam HS-P82. But in the end, all's well that ended well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...