Recording - Demo - 9

Marantz Introduces New Digital Field Recorder The PMD661 is the newest digital field recorder from Marantz. Designed as an improvement on the popular PMD660, the PMD661 offers a streamlined form factor with smaller footprint, added and improved features, and an overall design that provides pro-level recording features in a setting familiar to users of entry-level recorders. The PMD661 measures 6.5 x 3.7 x 1.4 inches and features a redesigned control layout for easy one-handed operation, with an OLED main display and colored LED metering. The unit can operate without any attached peripherals, using built-in stereo condenser microphones and playing back recorded media over built-in stereo speakers. It has dual balanced XLR inputs, unbalanced line outs on RCA, an 1/8" unbalanced line input, a 1/4" headphone output, and RCA S/PDIF digital inputs. It records Broadcast WAV files at resolutions up to 24-bit/96 kHz on SD media cards, with compatibility for SDHC cards currently up to 32 GB in size. There’s a USB 2.0 port for drag-and-drop file transfer, and a free Mac/Windows Mark Editor program that allows recorded files’ markers to be moved after the fact. The unit runs on four AA batteries. Price: $599 street More from: Marantz/D&M Professional, www.d-mpro.com. New Entry-Level Computer Audio/Video Solutions From Blue Blue has released three useful and inexpensive products for the laptop computer musician or portable recordist. The Icicle is an inline mic preamp that converts any dynamic or condenser microphone into a USB mic, offering 48V phantom power, built-in gain control, and plugand-play driverless operation on Mac and Windows computers with 16-bit/44.1 kHz audio output. Mikey is a stereo recording attachment for current-generation dock-compatible Apple iPods, featuring an adjustable stereo condenser mic array with three user-selectable gain settings and a built-in playback speaker. The Eyeball is a condenser USB microphone built into a stand/case/laptop clip mount like that on the Snowflake USB mic but also incorporating a pop-out Super HD webcam lens that retracts into the mic capsule and switches off when not needed. Prices: Icicle, $59.99; Mikey, $79.99; Eyeball, $99.99 More from: Blue Microphones, www.bluemic.com. Samson Premieres Portable USB Mic The Go Mic is a new portable USB microphone from Samson, featuring a condenser capsule swivel-mounted on a base that sits on a desktop or clips to a laptop computer. The mic folds up into the base when not in use for easy and safe transport. The Go Mic has a switchable omni or cardioid polar pattern and its specs claim a 20 Hz–18 kHz frequency response (no tolerances given). It’s bus powered and USB class compliant for use on Mac or Windows computers without driver installation, and comes in either black or white. Price: $49 More from: Samson Technologies, www.samsontech.com. RECORDING FEBRUARY 2009 9

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Recording - Demo

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