Cheap two-channel audio recorder?

[MajorFubar69]

Need a bit of help here guys...
My sister plays keyboard and she wants to record herself. She also wants to show her recordings to my elderly dad who's housebound.

She really does not 'do' computers, so forget telling her to hook up a laptop to her keyboard and record herself using Audacity etc. You may as well ask her to read Swaheli.
Not too long ago, I would have tought her how to hook-up her keyboard to her HiFi and record herself to cassette, but my dad no longer has a cassette player, he has a Windows XP media centre with USB and SD slots.

So, ideally I need something digital, stereo, which offers 16/44 or at least 16/32 recording, and which can save recordings to a USB stick or SD card. Oh and I don't really have more than £100.00 to spend ($150ish). Is that asking too much for too little? Cassette could have done it for that price with change to spare (millions of used cassette recorders available for £100 or less).

Thanks!

 

[Steenamaroo]

Hi there,

The zoom h1 is at the right price and has two built in mics in XY configuration.
It stores to SD card, and also has line inputs, incase you want to record the keyboard directly.

Take a google and see what you think.

A cassette deck could have done the job, but you'd have to buy other hardware to get the sound into your PC.
That or take a gamble with the onboard line inputs.

Welcome to HR. Sisi ni furaha ya kusaidia.

 

[MajorFubar69]

Thanks Since asking the question I also stumbled upon the Alesis TwoTrack, which seems very similar to the Zoom H1 but with a little shopping-around it can be bought for half the price. I wonder what the main differences are. Oh and yes, direct input is vital, as her keyboard recorded from its speakers by two mikes is going to sound a bit rubbish. Biggest difference seems to be the H1 offers HD recording, which she really doesn't need.

 

[Steenamaroo]

I don't see line inputs on the alesis.
If I've just missed it though, go for it.

 

[airbagtester]

You might be able to find a used Tascam DP004 for less than $150 on Amazon. In fact, it looks like Amazon "Warehouse Deals" has them for $111 with free super saver shipping:
Amazon.com: Buying Choices: TASCAM DP-004 Digital 4-track Recorder

The Tascam DP004 is a 4 track with 2 1/4 inch inputs. Saves to an SD card but you have to transfer the .wav tracks to a computer using a USB cable.

 

[airbagtester]

Sorry, should have checked Amazon.co.uk. They have it too, but not as cheap (about £130). Still, if you can buy a used one and have it shipped it might still come in under your budget.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tascam-DP-0...DCNO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352223618&sr=8-1

 

[JJ33]

You might have already made your decision, but another option would be the Roland R-05. I just sold mine on eBay for less than $150. You can do everything with it, lots of sample rates, good sound.