MR8 might be the Holy Grail

[Vantage455]

I have yet to record anything but I'be been reading the postings for a while. It seems the MR8 might be the simplest and least expensive way to get hands on experience with digital recording and improving the recording with N-Talk. I'm not interested in making prosounding recordings I just want to lay down drum tracks and an electric guitar so I can play along for fun.
Is the MR8 really just plug in and record or will I still need a decent sound card in the PC, mics with pre amps and a host of other things?

[radiorickm]

hi vantage

in all actuality, the mr-8 is a totally stand alone product, and you dont even need the computer to do what you say.

you can input the mike, guitars, electronic drums and whatever else you want straight into the mr-8, mix it and play it back.

If you wanted, then you could transfer the mix into the computer for further processing. this is a file transfer via usb, so you wouldn't need more sound cards and stuff.

good luck

[kesterdevine]

Very cool little machine and easy to use!

But, keep in mind that the MR8 comes with only a 128MB flash card. Not much space.

You will have to mix down to some external device. Or you will need to transfer tracks to PC to work on any long songs or songs with a lot of tracks.

[kdgospel]

I agree with everything everyone has said, but will add that with the 128mb card that comes with the MR8 you only get 24 track minutes. In other words 8 tracks of a 3 minute song. That is the reason that most people use it in conjunction with a computer.

[dave in toledo]

if your just going to jam a along to the music, use extended mode and it will be fine, run it through your pa or whatever, but you cant really record in extended mode with any quality.....

[pjh6467]

The MR8 stand alone is a great multitrack recorder for the money. Anyone who has fought for quality after bouncing with cassette tape will love this machine. Extremely portable,takes batteries, internal mic good for getting ideas down quickly. Internal bouncing can give you up to 14 tracks with enough memory. I have a 256MB card with pc mixing software and have yet to run out of time and well worth the money. For roughly $400.00 I have a decent multitrack studio. And with help from these threads you could get close to the ''prosound'' you didn't think you could get. But even for the $300.00 and the 128MB card its a great tool for songwriting/building. My two cents. Good luck Pj

[esteef]

I'm an absolute novice when it comes to recording. I got the MR8 for Xmas and have had a blast! It's an inexpensive recorder that's easy to use and understand. It basically makes recording fun no matter how experienced you are at recording or playing for that matter. (This is starting to sound like a commercial!) Anyway, I love it, but would agree that a bigger compact flash card is needed.

Good luck and Have Fun!
esteef

[mrx]

It's just so flexible - I was working with a guy last night, learning a tune and our fingers were bleeding from playing the same thing over and over. I fired up the MR-8, plugged his guitar in one input and a mic in the other and had him perform the song.

At that point I could play along to work out parts, and then transfer the wavs to a PC and edit his vocal to fit with my guitar playing in a different time signature!

The MR-8 is just so easy and 'invisible' (short of the card space...) that it always gets used.