Finally
Fostex is the first company to produce the recording device I’ve been waiting for - the MR8HD four-track digital recorder. It’s a highly portable (though not battery powered) unit that will enable me to make matrix recordings very easily.
(a matrix recording is when you combine a set of stereo mics - which pick up the ambient sound of the room or venue - with a stereo feed from the soundboard. This creates a simple four-track recording which usually turns out quite good).
Instead of having to lug around my iBook and Edirol FA-101 (which, together, create a very good, small recording setup), I can just pack up the Fostex unit and go. The iBook and FA-101 will still get plenty of use, however. I’ll still edit and master on the computer setup, once I get back home (the Fostex unit comes with a USB port to transfer WAV files to a computer).
I’m getting ready to head to church to test it for the first time - a little four-track drum recording is on tap. We’ll see how it turns out….