Handheld audio recorder

Redukt · 2022-10-04T18:28:38.935Z

Hi, i hope this is in the right section - i’m looking for an audio recorder to pair with my Digitakt; since the DT supports audio over USB i’m specifically looking for a recorder that supports that feature.

My reason is that i like to keep one or even two external synths connected to the hardware inputs and still be able to sample from the recorder over USB.

I’m able to do that with the iPad and it’s great but i would like to have a small, portable recorder that lasts for a long time on batteries to take with me and record random sounds and noises.

Something like the Tascam DR-05 but with USB audio functionality.

Any ideas?

obscurerobot · 2022-10-04T18:42:55.903Z

Redukt:

since the DT supports audio over USB i’m specifically looking for a recorder that supports that feature.

The DT isn’t a USB host, so you won’t find what you are looking for. Just get a midrange Zoom or Tascam.

shankiphonic · 2022-10-04T18:56:23.739Z

obscurerobot:

The DT isn’t a USB host, so you won’t find what you are looking for. Just get a midrange Zoom or Tascam

Agree with the advice given here.

I’ll just add, I use a CEntrance Mixerface r4r. I saw a deal on eBay and I grabbed it.
It’s arguably overkill for my purposes, but…. The sound quality is very good and it’s basically a sturdy battery powered (or plugged in) audio interface.
A lot of smaller audio interfaces only have one USB port, so it’s either getting power from whatever it’s connected to, or sucking battery if it has one. With this, I can keep it powered and route digital audio simultaneously.
It’s quite handy for routing audio directly to an iOS device over usb with the camera connection adapter.

This lets me record audio on the mixerface while simultaneously routing audio to whatever I’m recording with the iPhone camera.
Maybe zoom and tascam and Sony can also do this, but it just works all the time, with zero fiddling, and that’s huge for me with limited time.

Redukt · 2022-10-04T18:59:55.167Z

obscurerobot:

The DT isn’t a USB host

Yeah, i know. I just thought maybe there is a recorder with class compliant USB audio on the market that i’m not aware of. Maybe i’ll have to buy a cheap, used iPhone and use that as a field recorder.

Thanks for your answers, though.

obscurerobot · 2022-10-04T19:04:24.349Z

Redukt:

Yeah, i know. I just thought maybe there is a recorder with class compliant USB audio on the market that i’m not aware of. Maybe i’ll have to buy a cheap, used iPhone and use that as a field recorder.

I don’t follow.

Most/many recorders are class compliant, but the DT isn’t a host so having a class compliant recorder won’t matter. My Sony M10 has outlasted several iPhones and will outlast many more - I would strongly advise against buying an old iPhone for recording when you can spend less money and get a high quality recorder that you can put eneloops into.

However, you can record with a handheld recorder and then play the audio output into the audio input of the DT. Just forget about USB.

maymind_trax · 2022-10-04T19:11:13.801Z

I use the Tascam you mentioned for this exact purpose. Works great. No need for USB.

Potr · 2022-10-04T19:25:30.983Z

I don’t know what kind of recording quality you need but I use iDevices (some old iPhones and an iPad) to sample directly into the Digitakt with so called Camera Connection Kit cables. You can set the iDevice to use the Digitakt as speaker. Record your stuff in the voice notes app and play them back using the cable for sampling.

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Rambling

The first SE model for these tasks is great, it is tiny yet powerful enough to run complex synths and its easy to pocket! iOS 15 wil be the last version it runs if that matters. They can be found cheap refurbished. I mainly use AUM and sample synths and drums but also load stuff recorded with the voice memo app. I don’t need high quality recordings so it’s ok for me. It is also possible to sequence stuff on the iDevice from the Digitakt, which is great fun. Midi learn + 8 midi tracks + 8 endless encoders go a long way!

Apple makes two types, one with just a usb port and one with usb and a charge input. Both are overpriced but worth it for me. The fake ones got really hot, I tried those first

Don’t forget to enable audio/midi mode in the config. It doesn’t work in Overbridge mode.

Redukt · 2022-10-04T19:34:06.172Z

obscurerobot:

However, you can record with a handheld recorder and then play the audio output into the audio input of the DT.

Yes, of course. My point is: I already have two synths connected to the two hardware audio inputs.

I can however additionally/at the same time use the USB port for sampling, like i do with my iPad.

Now i’d like to have a recording device that outputs its audio over USB (which iPad/iPhone both can) and i thought that maybe there’s a hardware recorder that could do that as ii’d like that better than having to resort to an iPhone (iPad is out of the question, too big to carry around all the time). But looks like that kind of feature doesn’t exist in digital recorders.

Redukt · 2022-10-04T19:36:56.845Z

Potr:

Rambling

The first SE model for these tasks is great, it is tiny yet powerful enough to run complex synths and its easy to pocket! iOS 15 wil be the last version it runs if that matters. They can be found cheap refurbished. I mainly use AUM and sample synths and drums but also load stuff recorded with the voice memo app. I don’t need high quality recordings so it’s ok for me. It is also possible to sequence stuff on the iDevice from the Digitakt, which is great fun. Midi learn + 8 midi tracks + 8 endless encoders go a long way!

Apple makes two types, one with just a usb port and one with usb and a charge input. Both are overpriced but worth it for me. The fake ones got really hot, I tried those first

That was very helpful, thanks a lot! I guess i’ll have to look for a cheap iPhone SE now…
I already have a camera connection kit which i use with the iPad. Class compliant USB audio is great!

obscurerobot · 2022-10-04T20:08:38.600Z

Redukt:

Yes, of course. My point is: I already have two synths connected to the two hardware audio inputs.

the easy way around that is to get a small mixer like a Mackie 802 or 1202 and use that to manage inputs to your DT.

A more challenging approach would be to hack together a Raspberry Pi into a USB host. There are tutorials out there explaining how to do that with MIDI, but my experience with Linux audio has largely been disastrous due to lack of patience.

The iPhone/iPad Camera Connection Kit turns the iOS device into a USB host, which is why you are able to make audio connections over USB between the iOS device and Elektron device. An MPC or a 1010 box can also be a host, but neither of those make very good portable recorders.

ryanjustin · 2022-10-05T05:34:12.025Z

Talkboy mk2

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Redukt · 2022-10-05T06:51:05.264Z

Does it have song mode?