"noise" in the background of the MR8

[dyuob]

Am I just overly picky? I hear noise when I turn the trim up, it sounds like a flickering sound, sort of. I never had any noise problems with any other recording set up I've used (although its all been analogue). It is really apparent, even on the finished recording, and it exists no matter what the source (and, I'm using new, gold plated cables.) I sort of thought that the internal noise would be non existant in this set up. Am I living in a dream world? I've e-mailed fostex, but still no answer. I really like the system, as a whole, and the built in mic is even pretty good, it's just I needed very quiet recordings, and the noise is really distracting.

[dyuob]

I really hate posting my own reply, but...
I figure this forum needs this answer!
Thats right, folks, Fostex e-mailed me, and here is the reply!

> Thank you for your question.
>
> We tested our unit here and confirmed it generate some low level residual noise via
> Headpone out, as you mentioned it is like tape hiss. We believe this is only occurring
> on HP output.
>
> Please check the stereo out of your MR8. If this output do not generate the noise,
> your MR8 is normal.
>
> Best regards
>
> Masaki Shimmachi


So far, to the best that I can hear, there is no problems with the stereo out, as opposed to the headphone out. I'll set up a mixdown later today to find out for sure.

[junplugged]

interesting info, thanks. self-reply, do it, especially if you found more info. info info info is good.

[dyuob]

Me again. I just connectedthe MR 8 to my computer, and downloaded the .wav files, put them into club tracks and kept increasing the the volume by 3db. The recordings are very clean, no artifacts at all from what I heard in the headphones. I am recording an acoustic ukulele, so any problems like what I was hearing would be quite evident.
Needless to say, I am thrilled.

[digitcallous]

Gentlemen,

I am deducing that it is important to set the recording volume properly in order to get a final mix of adequate volume? Since I don't have any processing software on the computer, I have to get the volume correct on mix down in order that the play volume will be good once the tune is transferred onto the PC?

I don't an MR8 yet, but am seriously considerging one.

DC

[junplugged]

Originally posted by dyuob
Me again. I just connectedthe MR 8 to my computer, and downloaded the .wav files, put them into club tracks and kept increasing the the volume by 3db. The recordings are very clean, no artifacts at all from what I heard in the headphones. I am recording an acoustic ukulele, so any problems like what I was hearing would be quite evident.
Needless to say, I am thrilled.

your software is club tracks?
what is it and how much?
what else is there for processing on PC?

I also heard big time distortion thru the phones, but not the stereo outs or the .wav files.

I'm on 98 se so i'm using a card reader to xfer files. i copied the .wav and used CDEX shareware to convert to mp3. i have no way yet to boost level so i have to make sure i have high levels to start with....

[dyuob]

I think I paid something like us$40.00 for it at Best Buy a year or so ago. It takes active X plug ins, and it can handle 8 tracks!
I am considering getting the entire Cakewalk program, but for now, I'm really happy just with club tracks.
As for setting the volume, yes, that is extremely important, it seems even more so in digital recording, as opposed to cassette 4 track.
And I love the built in mic, I can just sit down and start working on writing a song without setting up the mic and mic stand, and I don't have to worry about the cables getting in the way.
Then, when I'm ready to make a decent demo, I can then set up the mic's, etc., it really does simplify the whole process.

[bdbdbuck]

After reading these messages, I am really stoked to be getting a MR-8 for X-mas! Currently working on H-P PC w/CUBASIS a/v looking to add a little more versatility.

[junplugged]

Originally posted by dyuob
...Thats right, folks, Fostex e-mailed me, and here is the reply!...

what's that address?

Can you apply the mic simulation buttons to the internal mic?
I can't.

[dyuob]

I don't think I can get it either.
heres the link, once you ask a question that isn't answered in the faqs, you get the option to email them.

http://66.12.44.170/km/custom/index.jsp

[peacepiper]

"After reading these messages, I am really stoked to be getting a MR-8 for X-mas!"

ME TOO! It's 500$ in Canada though, ouch.

[mrx]

I don't know if this is related, but last night I was getting an awfull distortion on one side of my headphones during record and playback. I restarted the MR-8 and it went away - is this what you were getting? (Tried two sets of phones - definitely in the recorder). Also, the amp sims and distortion sound like crap - I mean like trying to use a 1 inch speaker from an AM radio with a Les Paul. Wonder if I have a bad unit...

[dyuob]

Oh how weird, I was getting the exact same thing, always in my right earphone. This is different from the background noise i was getting, that is more like flickering distortion, kinda digital sounding (i know this is bad explanation, but how do you define "noise"?). Anyway, I am getting the exact same distortion every once in a while, and like you, have found that if I turn it off and then back on, it usually goes away. HMMMM, kinda wonder about this, I have 45 days to return the unit, but if they are all like this,,,

[digitcallous]

I have my MR-8 for a few days and have used it for about 10 hours. I have experienced some quirkiness with it.

One time I was recording a track and all of a sudden I get this hiss from my headphones even when I'm replaying the tracks and have my amp turned off and input jack unplugged. A couple of minutes later, after punching some buttons and such, the noise disappeared. And the track I just recorded appears to be normal.

Another time, I had just recorded a track. The pan was set all the way left, but on playback the sound came in my right headphone. When I pan the opposite way the sound changed sides: TO THE WRONG SIDE. When I turned the machine off and then on again, everything was back to normal.

I have to say, though, that in spite of these quirks, the worst I have to do is shut if off and turn it back on again. The sound quality I get is very good. The effects are somewhat cheesy. My overall verdict is a thumbs up, it certainly beat the hell out of my old cassette 4-track.

DC

[mrx]

Exactly! It's like every snare hit sounded like an aluminium pie plate, but only on the right side. Combine this with the other "noise" that Fostex acknowledged and it sounds like there's an issue with the headphone cicuit. I don't know what to do if this is a problem they can't (or won't fix). I've been through the competition, and after hearing this unit, I couldn't go back to those compressed toys like the Tascam.

I'll write to Fostex and see what they say.

[bdbdbuck]

I don't know if this will solve the problem, but if you suspect the headphone circuitry to be quirky, try running through your mixer and plug the phones into the mixer....just a thought.

[dyuob]

I agree, when the thing is working, it works very well. I brought a 30 second sample of a song i was writing that had ukulele, guitar and 2 vocal tracks to work, everyone was amazed at how good it sounded, I even had to assure them it was me, and almost everyone thought it had been professionally recorded. Ok, so far there are some "quirks", but I do agree, it does beat the Tascam 244 I had for ease of use and sound quality. And, need I add, there is the ability to edit very easily in another program, something that wa unheard of in cassette based 4 tracks.

[mrx]

Even beyond 4 track cassette, I was refering to the new Tascam digital Pocket Studio - the Fostex sounds so much better there is simply no comparison.

I need to try running the MR-8 through a mixer, since I'm sure that's what Fostex will suggest, but that is really no solution since the whole point of this unit is to be portable.

Let's just hope Fostex has a solution - I really want this thing to work out.

(I though some people were having trouble getting hot enough levels, but mine sounds huge, even with just headphones.)

[dyuob]

As far as portable, I will say that the batteries go pretty fast, and when they start to get weak, you get a lot more noise, so I've almost resigned myself to using batteries only in a "must" situation.
Please let me know what Fostex says. I wonder if they've noticed this before.
Also, my model number is 1.01 (at least that is whats on the box, so I'm assuming that is what it is), I'm wondering if anyone has a different number.
I'm also wondering if they are planning software upgrades, as it seems that should pose no problems, just download onto the card and insert it.

[mrx]

Interesting that the noise got worse as your batteries went down (if I'm undertanding you correctly). I have an old Korg Pandora that is very picky about power (or broken...) that was plugged into the same extension cord last night - I wonder if the MR-8 is just REALLY sensitive to its power supply.

You see the 512MB card (plus free reader) online for $169? Someone on the Fostex BBS said it works.

[bdbdbuck]

I suggest not using extension cords...Period, if you can at all avoid it. Also, I don't know if you have COSTCO nearby but they have 128 cards for $49.95. Do you find that the 128 limits your tracks?

[mrx]

I was using a nice power strip/surge protector and had no problems - I wonder if it was coincidence or if the extension cord was part of the problem. I still wonder why restarting the machine fixes the problem, though. I'm tracking my vocalist tonight and will be using both headphone jacks (great feature!), so we'll see what happens. Still no answer from Masaki at Fostex.

I find the 128 card to be very limiting, although deleting the "undo" file helps free up space. Have you found acceptable cards at Costco? The only thing I ever see there is SanDisk and they are on "not supported" list from Fostex.

[Ambiguous]

So have you guys e-mailed fostex about these problems? Is it possible for them to patch it to fix those problems?

I'm looking to possibly buy the mr-8, but I'm curious about these problems.

Thanks,


-Curtis

[digitcallous]

So far I have used a 128M card made by PNY (bought at BestBuy) and a 256M Viking card from Amazon.com successfully with my MR-8. I don't think either brand was on their approved list.

I have a digital camera that uses Compact Flash, these two cards were ones I have used with the camera. One problem with the Viking card was that at first the MR-8 was not able to open it: it shows a track with --:--:-- for time, and I can't open up the menu to format it. But after I formated the card with my camera, the MR-8 was able to read it. I reformated it on the MR-8 and was able to start recording on it. I have recorded a 3:45 minute song on this card. It held 6 recorded tracks and the mixed down track on 7/8, and I was then able to generate a WAV file also. All this was done at "NORMAL" mode (high fidelity). I did clean up all unused tracks before I attempted to convert of WAV.

Hope this helps.

DC

[mrx]

That's good news about the PNY, since they are actually available at places like Best Buy.

I'still haven't gotten an answer from Fostex, although I emailed the tech directly instead of using their support form. I'll try that.