EDIROL R1

[Chris Letts]

I've noted a lot of people are recommending this equipment.
We've had 2 for quite a while and would make the following observations:

1. The built-in microphones are pretty good, but the sensitivity way too
low for normal speech
2. The same is true of the microphone socket, if using a pretty standard
-50db microphone
3. Even high quality batteries last only a couple of hours max - we use
rechargeables which go for about 1.5 hours. 
4. Using the mains adapter solves the battery life, but gives poorer
recordings.

We still use them, but feed the external microphone (usually SONY MS907)
through a MB8 portable pre-amp into the line-in socket. That gives
excellent recordings, but we still have the battery life problem.

Chris Letts, 
Technical Site Manager, 
School of Education, Communication & Language Sciences, 
King George VI Building 
University of Newcastle, 
Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU,

U.K.