DP 01 Without sight

[mdlynn]

Hi,
I am a blind user looking for a means of recording band practices, gigs, and maybe drum lessons without the hassle of having to change out tapes on a regular basis. Obviously, I am no fan of complex menu driven interfaces which seems to be the norm with most of the digital recorders. From what I have read of the DP 01, it seems to be a bit more friendly in this regard touting one control, one function. My question for those of you who have used this unit is do you think you could operate it without sight? I don't think I would have trouble making a few selections from menus, as long as those were based on some unchanging default state. I would also welcome any other suggestions for alternative devices.

 

[diogo]

Mdlynn,

i dont know much about this unit, i hope the actual users can step in and help you out a little more, but having used the MR8 (one suitable option in the price range), i must say the Tascam feels a lot easier to use. Almost everything on the MR8 has a menu, or deep manual reading, cause most of the functions are activated by pressing several buttons at the time. I think this is a much better unit and a lot easier to use, just by looking at it. Not only the MR8 is harder to use, its also a very worthless piece of equipment. I'll be getting a DP-01 as soon as i can myself. My sugestion would be, try to write down the several steps in Braile, as i don't anticipate many steps, it should really be ok. Say, are you going to use the Yamaha mixer with this? Sounds like a good combo, those mixers are supposed to be a lot of machine for very little price! Let me know what you think of it ok?

good luck

diogo

 

[mdlynn]

Hey thanks for the response. yeah, I figured I could write out a braille map for those features I use regularly. And yes, I was planning on using this with the Yamaha mixer. Still trying to decide which way to go. I thought about getting the Superscope PSD300, and I think it would be a very cool tool, but there's still that issue of having limited media storeage space (CDR). This is one of those deals where I mostly want to just set it and forget it. Sounds like a damn commerical.

 

[diogo]

jesus, you can afford a superscope? lol thats great! i wish i could too. but you have to watch out for one thing, the signal coming out of the optical out and usb on this machine (the DP-01) is not coded as cda, wich is standard for cd writing and something that your computer does for you. most cd writers wont recognize the language of the signal coming out of the DP-01, i dont know about the superscope, but idd double check that if i were you.

do you really need the mixer? i think its a great choice and is raved everywhere for what it is, but if you find that you may not need that level of control, consider an M-audio DMP3 as your main pre. i have one and its a lot of pre for the price. its got two channels, and thats exactly the amount you can record at the same time on the Tascam unit.

40GB is a lot...you can do a lot before you have to dump the data anywhere...wouldnt you say? i hate the computer, but i dont mind dumping 20 made songs into it or whatever. in comparison with having to get up every 5 minutes when i was working with the MR8, the tascam is a dream.

 

[mdlynn]

The price on the PSD300 has dropped pretty drastically. It now shows on the Superscope site at $699. I live just a couple miles from the MF warehouse and can pick things up in person. Bout flipped when they said they would match that price. But yeah, it is still pricey.

The mixer would be used as much in live settings as anything else. What I would hope for with the Tascam unit is that with USB it could just be browsed as though another local device on the system. That way I can use the speech software to get its files over to PC for burning or whatever. The 8-tracks are over-kill. For this purpose, I really only need two. Cassette would be just fine if it weren't for the media change issues and the fact that type II tape is getting more and more difficult to find.

 

[diogo]

Mdlynn,

if you're going to export the data to a computer, its gonna be fine, but i dont think you can export directly to the PSD, cause external cd burners wont be able to read the information coming out of the tascam PD-01, wich is .wav, whereas a cd burner needs .cda to be able to write stuff into the cd. external burners cant do the necessary data conversion.

extra tracks are always handy

the mixer will be fine, again its a cool unit for nearly free! but if you want a really strong sound, go for the DMP3 its great.

i think the usb would work as you're saying. the tascam shall appear on the desktop with somesort of shortcut file. but i'dd double check that with the folks here, and with tascam. hopefully the users can chim in.

i hear you on the tape shortage, same problem here

 

[diogo]

if the folks here dont chim in, you can always try here:

http://tascamforums.com/index.php?showforum=33

 

[diogo]

i just read this on the tascam forums, hope it helps, sounds pretty positive to me

"I plugged it into my Powerbook, opened the USB, and boom, there it was on my desktop! And here is the best part (IMHO) - the wav file sounded EXACTLY as it did on the DP"

 

[mdlynn]

It's an either or situation. I'll either get the Tascam or the PSD300 (or some other unknown alternative) but not both--at least not at this point.

yeah, you can't get Type II at Best Buy any more, but I have seen them at Target stores. Haven't checked lately. I'd stick with tape if it were not for the time it takes to get them into the computer and then burned onto CD. Just too time consuming, and I am never very good at keeping track of tape time, so I always seem to be running out in the midst of something I wanted to catch.

 

[diogo]

it should be ok. at least now you know that the DP-01 will simply appear in your desktop, it should be ok right?

now i get why you were going for the PSD, cause you only need two tracks right? dumb me, sorry. i can understand that aproach, but i have a soft spot for tascam and really need the extra tracks...but you might wanna check the PSD if you're looking for higher quality..it should be a great unit! well, at that price, it has to..even 600 bucks, it has to

 

[mdlynn]

The PSD300 is more of a practice tool allowing you to speed up and slow down tracks as well as A-B looping. However, it is supposed to be a decent means of live recording as well.

It's true that I don't need the extra tracks, but I suppose some time they might come in handy. What I want is some device that is large media but is as easy to use as an analog tape deck. Not sure there is such an animal that meets these requirements. Certainy, my readings here on the forum tend to lead me to that conclusion.

Also looking for something that can dump to a computer for editing without doing it in real-time. The Tascam will meet that if I can use it like a large removable media drive, and it looks like this is the case. Afraid the grphics based wave edtiors are difficult for me to use, but I can blunder my way through them using preesets and the like. Sorry for the typos. For some damn reason, my screen reader will not read the contents of these edit boxes, making editing imopssible. for me.

 

[diogo]

Mdlynn,

forget the typos it seems the tascam unit is exactly what you need, at least by your description. it really acts like a portastudio, thats why they called it that even though its not. regarding its capacity as a meda storage unit, 40 GB is a lot, you can get a lot done with that before having to dump to a computer. and i would say (dont know for sure) that you might fit in a larger disk if ever necessary. but check that with tascam. if you ever feel you need a stronger, more dimensional sound to your recording but on the cheap, get an M-audio DMP3.

let me know how it works out for you. i dont have mine yet and all the input is very welcome!

 

[mdlynn]

what is the M-Audion DMP3?

 

[diogo]

Mdlyyn,

the M-audio DMP3 is the best external/outboard microphone preamp you can get for 150 bucks, and nothing will get better before you reach the 500 bucks margin with something like a FMR audio Really Nice Preamp, if!

this will add depth and dimension to the sound you get out of the DP-01, cause although it is a nice machine, i would bet the preamps in there are nothing to call home about. if you find them enough though for what you're doing, then its fine. but if you feel you would want a better, more dimensional, deep sound, you should get this unit, its very cheap and its the best.

one thing, wich mics will you use with the recorder?

 

[mdlynn]

Still researching the mic thing, but for now proably SM57s or possibly SM81s. I have 57s lying around, so they will likely get the call. Much cheaper than the 81s

 

[diogo]

what will you be recording?

if you want a rich sound for not much, look at the MXL line, i myself will be getting a MXL V67G (vocals) and a MXL 603 (acoustic guitar). they're both condensers, a step up in terms of sound spectrum, at least considering the 57/81. i have a 57 too and through the DMP3, it does a great job on the guitar amp, but thats what i'll use it for, period. i'll have better choices for the rest. if you need to negate the room and just capture the sound source, then by all means stick to dynamic mics. the DP-01 FX has phantom power if you ever wish to hook up a condenser to it, but still, i would recomend getting the DMP3, even with dynamics, not just condensers.

with that said, these condensers i just mentioned will set you back at more or less the price you're gonna be paying for the shure dynamics. both the condensers go for 85 bucks, street price. very good mics for the money.

 

[diogo]

oh, and if you have a 57, dont get an 81, its just not worth the extra money, they're both basically the same mic, but i'm sure you know that already.