i am a laptop recording artist that currently owns a UR22. if i could, i’d love to downsize more of my gear because i travel a lot.
i am on the fence on if i should add on to my existing interface with a stereo mic (or, do away with the UR22 and buy a high end field recorder and then importing audio files into my latop for editing later).
i know the UR22 has nice preamps. however, if i use it with my laptop, i have a few problems:
first, my latop fan is loud so when i connect & use a stereo mic, i would need to void that noise (record away from the latop). also, there is the weight & bulk factor; my ADK 8600 latop is a beast to carry.
some of the new field recorders claim to be very high end (like Sony and Yamaha). having no noise (from a laptop) would be nice. also, not having to cart around a laptop (or rely on power) would be nice. reviews suggest that the mics on these things are getting better too. but could they be as good as external ones that are the same size?
but…something tells me that the pres on the UR22 are still better than any field recorder (even the Sony PCM50). and, perhaps a external large stereo condenser mic will still blow away even the best field recorder mics.
if i got rid of the UR22, i would still use the latop and cubase for importing, editing and producing. but, when actually recording, i would not need to set up & carry so much if i just used a field recorder.
but, i do not want to make a gear-change mistake here! this the combination of the UR22 pre’s and an external/large stereo condenser mic still going to blow away a high end field recorder with build in mics?
at first, i was convinced the UR22 set up would be ideal. but, the more reading i do, the more i am starting to wonder if the newest generation of field recorders and their mics) are as good as my entry-level UR22 w/way a Rode NT4.
as for the field recorder, i was looking at the Sony PCM50 (which supposedly has the best sound of them all and also more than twice the price).
what do you think? would i regret giving up my UR22 with a decent stereo condenser mic? seems like the capsules on these mics (like the Rode NT4) are the same size as what would be on the end of many of today’s field recorders. i am starting to think that maybe these field recorder mic’s just might be able to compete with many stereo external mics.
comments?
the UR22 is no doubt awesome though.