KGraham045 Posted November 27, 2017 Report Share Posted November 27, 2017 I’m interested in finding a professional small footprint 4 Channel Recorder with 4 nice pres and timecode. Specifically for use with a SPS200. I would like something with nice quiet preamps. Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THSnodgrass Posted November 27, 2017 Report Share Posted November 27, 2017 One important thing to keep in mind is that you want the ability to have the gain for all 4 mic pre's linked so that they are exactly the same. This is necessary for the "imaging" that's done when being processed in post. I believe you can work around this by recording a test tone on each track and using that to make sure all channels are calibrated that way.. but it requires some extra cooperation from post and may be less accurate. The 6 series Sound Devices units do not have this ability. Zaxcom recorders and The SD 788 do... and the new firmware for the MixPre series from Sound Devices also allows for this. With the MixPre6 you'd need an external TC box but the cost of the two combined would be significantly less than some of these other options. I've been considering an ambisonics rig myself and have been leaning towards the MixPre6 and the SPS2000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGraham045 Posted November 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2017 I’ve been looking at the Mix Pre 6 as an option. Also been contemplating a 744. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanpeds Posted November 28, 2017 Report Share Posted November 28, 2017 Can you link the inputs on the Sonosax sx-r4? That could be a possibility Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Immoral Mr Teas Posted November 28, 2017 Report Share Posted November 28, 2017 The SD 744 is a 2x preamp + 2x line in recorder - I presume you know this and I'm stating the obvious but I'll mention it anyway. Not sure what the sps does in output (does it need the preamp?) and the TC is a factor irrelevant for ambisonics but perhaps important for your other applications. The Zoom F4 and F8 as well as the SD new MixPre series and the Tascam 70 w tc are worth looking at. If you can forsake TC the Tascam DR70 or the new Marantz might be enough. As has been said multichannel gain matching might be required and is imo woefully non-implemented in recorders. The older, larger, Tascam DR680 I've been told has very good gain linking, and might be worth looking at. 3 minutes ago, ryanpeds said: Can you link the inputs on the Sonosax sx-r4? That could be a possibility The original R4 was ideal for ambisonics and I'm sure the R4+ is as good and an improvement in every way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronFilm Posted November 28, 2017 Report Share Posted November 28, 2017 Zoom has been putting out a regular series of firmware updates to support VR recording with their F8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted November 28, 2017 Report Share Posted November 28, 2017 Had no problem using my SD664 to record my SPS-200 mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted November 28, 2017 Report Share Posted November 28, 2017 I was surprised to find that I am pretty happy with the results from my F4 with an SPS200. As long as you don't overdrive the inputs! While recording nature ambiences I have not had any complaints about the noise floor. Planes, hunters, ATV's, sure.... most of the time. Now that SD supports linking of all four inputs I may still consider a mix-pre series. I would prefer the Sonosax SX R4+, which is a great recorder, however ambisonics is a smaller portion of my income so I don't have a justification for the extra expense. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Thomas Posted November 28, 2017 Report Share Posted November 28, 2017 18 hours ago, ryanpeds said: Can you link the inputs on the Sonosax sx-r4? That could be a possibility Yes, and the R4+ (which has some new ambisonic decoding firmware on the way soon) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engaudio Posted November 28, 2017 Report Share Posted November 28, 2017 As others have said, both the F8 and SXR4+ can link input gains. It comes down to your budget, both machines do a good job and I'd be happy to use either for an ambisonics recording. ( I own both but only do production sound or stereo recording ATM. ) Grant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivanovich Posted November 29, 2017 Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 the best ambisonic capture i've done is with the sonosax sxr4+. for me its also the lightest most compact setup i've tried. sounds superb. you can gang the input gains to one pot and have a ton of head room with the 130+ dynamic range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Mayer Posted November 29, 2017 Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 On 11/27/2017 at 5:35 PM, THSnodgrass said: One important thing to keep in mind is that you want the ability to have the gain for all 4 mic pre's linked so that they are exactly the same. This is necessary for the "imaging" that's done when being processed in post. I believe you can work around this by recording a test tone on each track and using that to make sure all channels are calibrated that way.. but it requires some extra cooperation from post and may be less accurate. The 6 series Sound Devices units do not have this ability. Zaxcom recorders and The SD 788 do... and the new firmware for the MixPre series from Sound Devices also allows for this. With the MixPre6 you'd need an external TC box but the cost of the two combined would be significantly less than some of these other options. I've been considering an ambisonics rig myself and have been leaning towards the MixPre6 and the SPS2000. While the 6 Series all have analog trims and can't be ganged, the 688 can read the setting of the trim pot. This allows you to set all the inputs to precisely the same gain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel Posted November 29, 2017 Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 Tascam dr680 still has 1 of best ganging arrangements out there. You can quickly gang (and un-gang) any combination of trims/fades/balances of any combination of channels - but no ambisonic decoding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramallo Posted November 29, 2017 Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 I have a Aeta 4Minx for sale, isn't small footprint, but is light, have SPS200 decoder, the four best preamps of the market (Includes the Cantar preamps) and 8 tracks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel Posted November 29, 2017 Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 1 hour ago, ramallo said: I have a Aeta 4Minx for sale, isn't small footprint, but is light, have SPS200 decoder, the four best preamps of the market (Includes the Cantar preamps) and 8 tracks OT (sorry), I really wanted to like this AETA recorder and it's great to read the pres are so nice. Asking why you want to sell a recorder with such nice pres is probably unfair (:-?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramallo Posted November 29, 2017 Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 1 minute ago, daniel said: OT (sorry), I really wanted to like this AETA recorder and it's great to read the pres are so nice. Asking why you want to sell a recorder with such nice pres is probably unfair (:-?) Why it was a whim (and I need money), also I have another 3 recorders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bash Posted November 30, 2017 Report Share Posted November 30, 2017 Sonosax SX-R4+ for this job for sure. mazing mic pres, fantastic headphone amp, and very soon to come A format to B format decoding within. It's a brilliant sounding machine...... sb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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