Fostex vs Marantz

[boove]

Im looking to buy a small portable solid state recorder.

I have used in the past the Marantz PMD660 and so I am after something similar to that (or maybe that).

I have been looking at the FR2-LE Portable CF Field Recorder as another option. Both are similar in price (this is my sort of budget range) but which is actually the better recorder?

I dont really know anything about Type II CompactFlash™ card or any type of flash cards for that matter. are they expensive/easy to get hold of/upgrade? are the ones provided any good?

Obviously the sound quality is the most important so which has the best pre-amps?

Are there any sites that compare the two? I cant find anything.

Usage - is one easier to use than the other?

Basically, any additional information you can give me would be great. Most sites just seem to list the factory settings rather than review how they work.

cheers!

[John Willett]

I reviewed the FR-2LE and found it an excellent machine for the price and I recommended it.

CF cards are cheap and affordable nowadays - an 8GB card is under £50 nowadays (it was £200 18 months ago and £800 two years ago) - they are coming down fast.

[Darclinc]

I reviewed the FR-2LE and found it an excellent machine for the price and I recommended it.

I've had this recorder for a while now and use it mostly for weird sound fx / field recording.

Although I can't say anything about the Marantz or similar, I can say that the Fostex FR2-LE is extremely easy to use, well priced and sounds very good. I don't have to reach for the manual, ever, it's cleverly laid out and easy to understand. The only thing that lets it down a bit is the fiddly battery pack adapter, but that should be the least of your worries, really. It also doesn't feel very solidly built, it's a bit plasticky, but if you use it with care, like I do with mine, this shouldn't be a problem.

I also recommend it.

Rgds,

D.

[Resonatrix]

I have the FR-2LE, and also recommend it. I have found it straightforward to use - the display is a decent size, the menus are easy to navigate, the metering is handy, and the buttons are clearly labelled. The gain and headphone level knobs are a bit too small in my opinion, but the nice chunky record button compensates for that!

Re the memory card - it does come with one, but it only has a small capacity (128 Mb, I think). It's enough for you to do some test recordings with, though, until you get another. I'd never used a memory card for audio before getting the FR-2LE, and now really like the speed and convenience of transferring the recordings to the computer. It's just a USB cable, three button presses, drag and drop, and the job's a good 'un. (Or you can use a card reader.) There's no hanging around waiting for real-time transfer like I used to have to do using minidisc.

The manual is very clear as well; instructions are step-by-step, so even I haven't gone wrong yet...

[Jez Corbett]

I have a FR-2 (the non-LE version) and a Marantz PMD670.

Whilst I have some bugbears with some of the design decisions of the FR-2, it is a vastly superior unit to the Marantz. I must say I have never encountered a more fiddly and counter-intuitive interface as I have in the Marantz PMD670, well except perhaps Yamaha's Motif synths.