Review: Edirol R-09HR

Nov 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Michael Cooper

           
 

JAM-PACKED WITH FEATURES FOR HI-RES STEREO ON THE GO

BONUS MATERIAL
Extra Goodies for the Edirol R-09HR
Download the Spec Sheet as a PDF

FIG. 1: The R-09HR’s front panel sports a large OLED display and controls for adjusting playback speed, enabling reverb, and splitting files on the fly. Transport controls also execute menu and file-navigation functions.

Pocket-size digital recorders have been around for a couple of years now, but the latest offerings deliver bigger bang for the buck. Memory capacities and feature sets are expanding, while interfaces have taken a cue from computer-based GUIs to become increasingly user friendly. What's more, prices for portable digital recorders are generally headed south.

The Edirol R-09HR stereo recorder is a shining example of this trend toward mega feature sets at modest prices. This new model replaces the earlier R-09 (see the February 2007 and June 2008 issues of EM, available at emusician.com). One of only a handful of similar products that feature a built-in speaker, the R-09HR provides an integral stereo (omnidirectional) condenser mic, external mic and line inputs, signal processing, a large OLED display, and a well-designed file directory (see Fig. 1). It's also the only product in its price class to offer a wireless remote control.

The Going Rate

The R-09HR can record 16- and 24-bit WAV files at standard sampling rates from 44.1 to 96 kHz, and MP3 files from 64 to 320 Kbps bit rates (see more product specs on the EM Web site). Playback capabilities are the same as those for recording, but in addition to 32-bit WAV files, it can also play 32 Kbps and VBR (variable bit rate) MP3s. The included 512 MB Secure Digital (SD) memory card allows between 13 and 980 minutes of stereo recording time, depending on the file format chosen. The audio file format has a write-protect feature that prevents accidental erasure of important files. Higher-capacity memory cards — up to 32 GB — allow proportionally greater record times.

The R-09HR can be powered by two standard AA alkaline or rechargeable AA nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries (neither type is supplied). Edirol says a fresh pair of NiMH batteries will allow 8 hours or more of continuous recording time using the R-09HR's internal microphone. An AC adapter is also included (see the online bonus material “Extra Goodies” for more about the R-09HR's included and optional accessories).

The internal mic sports two capsules that point outward in opposite directions on the head of the R-09HR's chassis. On the unit's front panel, transport buttons also serve as controls for navigating the recorder's user-friendly Finder file directory (see the online bonus material “Show and Tell”). In addition to the transport buttons, hardware-based controls include those for setting input and output levels, activating a low-cut filter (set in software to a 100, 200, or 400 Hz corner frequency), and enabling either a limiter or AGC (automatic gain control) function (see Fig. 2). The limiter prevents accidental overload while recording, whereas the AGC function prevents levels from getting either too high or too low.

FIG. 2: On its rear panel, the R-09HR provides a built-in speaker, a mic sensitivity switch, a battery compartment, and controls that activate a low-cut filter, 5V plug-in power, a hold function, and a user-selectable limiter or AGC.

When activated during recording, a Hold switch locks out most recorder functions to prevent you from accidentally changing levels or stopping. With the push of a button, you can split audio files on the fly while recording, creating two or more files. This is a great feature for, say, recording a concert and creating a separate file for each song without having to start and stop. You can also loop a section of a file and increase or decrease playback speed without changing pitch, to facilitate learning a recorded guitar solo or transcribe dictated notes, for instance.

Another switch activates 5V plug-in power for the optional CS-15 external miniature condenser mic ($109). The R-09HR has three 3.5 mm minijacks for mic and line input and headphone output. A somewhat flimsy plastic hatch opens to allow access to a memory card slot and a USB port (for transferring files to and from a computer). A USB cable is supplied with the R-09HR.

Four types of reverb (one room, one plate, and two hall programs) are singularly available during playback at supported sampling rates below 88.2 kHz. You can't record the reverb or hear it while monitoring your recording, and depth is the only reverb parameter you can adjust.

In the Pocket

It takes about 11 seconds to put the R-09HR into record mode from a powered-down state. In all the recordings I made with it, the sound quality was surprisingly detailed and spectrally balanced, especially considering the microphone design limitations that must have gone into a product with such a low price point. On acoustic guitar, aiming the head of the recorder so that the omni capsules were near the 12th fret yielded a detailed and full-bodied sound.