Roland R-05 Studio WAV/MP3 Recorder (old model)

I've had this product for 24 hours now and used it at a live Karaoke session last night. I was sitting closest to the speakers and the recording was amazing. I know the first thing anyone is going to think about this is.. But it is $200.00.. As I told others, you get what you pay for. At first, I bought a different unit for 1/2 the price and it had major problems for live band and Mixer recording. The split feature works well so I can split the recording without having to hit stop and record again... It is so small, It fits in my shirt pocket.. Pro's for me: Amazing Sound: nuf said.. The recordings seems true and clear. No detectable hormonic distortion, compression noise or anything that I've heard from cheaper recorders. Battery Life: 16 hours recording, confirmed with power saving turned on. (peak and red recording lights turn off) Immediate Recording (Setup and Start): The cheaper units go through an "Initialization phase" when you hit the record button. The R-05 is immediate. When you press the REC button, it automatically pauses for level adjustments and start of song queueing. Options: Too many to list; Very well done and well thought out for recording live instruments / voice / etc. Sensitivity and Direction I noticed pattern that I could use to dampen back group (audience) sounds. This is useful when your primary interest is the music. Power Saving Features: Lights can be turned off automatically when you want to conserve power. Ease of Use: Very simple and easy to use.. Well thought out interface. Cons: V1.03 is required to use NI-MH batteries.. If you have V1.02, it will show the battery is dead within an hour of use. After the update, I have tested it so far for 3 hours recording with 1 bar drop.. The aluminum case is only a shell, it is mostly plastic with what amounts to a phone case around it. If it is dropped, it will respond like plastic so don't drop it. While corners were cut to bring a very good recorder to be affordable at this price point, I would highly recommend the R-05 to anyone who wants a recorder that works exactly as advertised.

Perfect size. I wanted a recorder that was smaller than the newer mammoth portable recorders that seem to pervade the marketplace nowadays. I don't need XLR inputs, and I don't need multi-track recording. I just need a recorder that I can fit in my suit-coat pocket, or at least that doesn't require a large case, yet has 24/96 capability for recording everything from speeches to live music. This one fits the bill. It also gives the best sound for its price range--I listened to many, many YouTube samples comparing this recorder to others, and this recorder gives extremely clean (noise-free) sound with just the right balance between treble and bass. (Some more expensive recorders give way too much bass.) I am extremely pleased with the sound quality and low S-N ratio. Caveats: -- The rocker switch (L, R, up, down) is extremely sensitive. If you press down too hard, the recorder will lose its mind. For example, if you want to FF a recording, just press very, very lightly on the FF button (right edge of the rocker switch). If you press down too hard, it won't FF at all. I thought this was a bad rocker switch and was going to send it in for repair, but then I found that it's just way too sensitive. -- I nearly always have to set the mics on High, because I nearly always record at a distance and in that situation the mics just won't pick up anything without that setting. -- The SD card is difficult to access, because the flap that covers the slot is not easily opened. (It is floppy, and positioned under a metal ridge, so that you have to use your fingernail to open it and you may be afraid to rip it off.) This is a problem because if you want to transfer the files from the recorder to your computer, you need to remove the SD card and plug the SD card directly into your computer (via a USB adapter, etc.)--or else you will spend 20 times as long getting the information transferred. That is, transferring data through the recorder to your computer is extremely slow, taking over 45 minutes to transfer a 1-hour, 2-GB recording; if you remove the SD card and use a USB adapter to your computer, it takes only a couple of minutes.

I bought this product in March of 2016 and did not to get to use it much as my wife took ill. When I got a chance to use it it seemed to record great but the usb function of the device did not work correctly as it will not connect. I tried a different sd card and still nothing. I contacted the company which is in Britian and could not get a live person to talk to and cannot email them since I don't have the right postal code that they use in England. If your's is defective you can't get ahold of the company easily so beware. If you get it at Aamazon you have about three weeks of waranty to return product. I have lost 200 dollars worth of product as I can't use it to upload to my computer to make cd's or editing wiht 3rd party software. Buyer beware.

This machine would be great if it worked like the manual says it should. First off, the controls are not, NOT intuitive, the labels notwithstanding. After owning it for a few months, I just got past the "Basic Playback" after fiddling and experimenting with the controls. This was necessary because the manual is wrong. Here is EXACTLY what it says: Basic Playback Operation: 1. Access the main screen. 2. Use Left/right double arrow to select the file you want to play 3. Press [play/pause] to play the file. This procedure does NOT work. After a lot of fiddling with the buttons, I finally figured out what does work, just to play a song: 1. Access main screen 2. Press Finder 3. Press Page up/down to find folder 4. Press Confirm [Red button] 5. Press Stop 6. Press Finder [again] 7. Press Page up/down to find song 8. Press Select [Confirm] 9. Press Play/pause to play file If you can remember all this, you are better than I am. Buyers should also be aware that the R-05 Update Readme.pdf states: "* Be sure to power the unit using the AC adaptor. Executing the update while running on only battery power may cause the update to fail and result in incorrect operation if the batteries go dead before the update finishes." The AC adapter is a $22 optional extra.

Arrived Amazon fast...gotta love Prime!!. The recorder is a very capable yet simple device. Extremely easy to use. Many user adjustable features. Play back clarity in all formats is exceptional. Deducted one star because it is impossible to read all six face buttons, i.e., finder, Menu, Rehearsal, Speed, Reverb and AB Split in dim/low light light. A black background with very light gray button lettering without backlight is not a real good design feature. VERY lacking in this area. Deducted one star because the display lacks contrast even though it has a limited adjustable user setting for it. So...if you want an exceptional, easy to use, professional recording device this is for you. If you intend to use this device in dim or low light settings you will be VERY disappointed.

I chose the R-05 after months of on and off research. I was searching for something affordable, convenient, and with great quality/features. I have used this recorder for a few months now, collecting sound samples from nature, the city, my room, and beyond. I have mixed some samples from it. I have experimented with some ways to capture sound with it. Using the device is oftentimes an enriching experience. The R-05 is one of the best purchases I've made in awhile. It has brought me and other people I have shown it to closer to sounds and appreciating sounds. The R-05 has made for some rewarding experiences. It will make you want to get out of your house and be around "busy" places, whether it be nature or a city market. Shall we talk about the mics? There isn't much I can tell you beyond what everyone else will tell you. It is the first thing that will truly make you smile when you plug your headphones into the device for the first time. The input on these mics are crystalline clear and can be turned up to an impressively high level. With earbuds in, input level at 80, you may hear audible and UNDERSTANDABLE conversations several yards from across a lake, people talking casually (this happened to me while I was hiking). Another thing I would like to note is the recorder's perfect size. It's not too small, not too big, not too bulky, not too flimsy. The interface is pretty straight-forward and easy to understand. It offers some interesting features for editing and also a unique reverb effect that can be tweaked in settings. The Roland R-05 opens up an exciting avenue in the search for epic found sounds. The R-05 is my first real introduction to portable recording, so I don't have much else to compare it to. I still consider it to be one of the best additions I've made to my studio in some time.

Almost 5 stars. Pros: Very well made and substantial feeling. All the file formats and recording quality choices you could ever want in a non professional or studio device. Good battery life and built in mics. Accepts memory card with more than ample capacity. Great for recording practice sessions or the occasional live performance with surprisingly good fidelity. Marries to other devices easily. Cons: The amber display is not very large and can be confusing and difficult to read. The interface has a steep learning curve and not immediately intuitive for me, but after playing around with it for awhile I could get the results I wanted. Bottom line: Could not find a better recorder at any reasonable price. Highly recommend except for display which is perfectly usable if not perfect.

I am not much for an audio technical genius so, I will keep this simple. This is a great little recording unit. My wife and I use it to record our weekly podcast. We put it on the table, hit the center button once, check the levels and hit record. The unit can record in both WAV and MP3 formats at multiple levels of quality. The on-board condenser microphones pick up more than you might imagine and are great for on-site recordings in order to pick up the ambiance of the recording location. The unit is also great as a recorder for productions with an audio mixer. Simply connect the line-in to the main out of a mixer and adjust the recording level. It is great for that because, unlike a hard drive, there are no moving parts to "crash". You might need to replace a SD card after extensive use but, other than that, the solid-state recording almost never fails except due to user error. There are 2 minor gripes that I have. The windscreen that came with the unit is a bit small and flimsy. I don't use it anyway but, it was disappointing to see. The other issue is that the AC adapter for this unit is only available in a few places and is pricey. The fact is, I use this mostly at home and would prefer not to waste the AA batteries. Speaking of which, the battery life in this unit is outstanding. Depending on your frequency of use, one set of AAs will last you a LONG time, especially if they are the lithium ones, designed for digital devices. This a great recorder at a great price and I highly recommend it.

Dopo aver provato il tascam DR-2d, il Tascam DR-22WL e l'Olympus LS-14 si è rivelato il migliore. Io cercavo un registratore portatile che all'occorrenza potesse essere usato comodamente come lettore MP3. Questo è piccolo, con case in alluminio, e con una durata di oltre 30 ore con 2 batterie stile. Inoltre ha un buon ingresso linea che io uso per registrare i miei vinili. Acquisto consigliato quindi. Se volete completarlo io gli ho comprato Case-Logic TBC-402 Custodia in Nylon per Fotocamera Compatta, Nero che lo protegge quando lo trasporto in giro.

Una grabadora de sonido profesional. Recomendada tanto para grabar sonido ambiente como grabar reuniones y entrevistas. Se ve robusta. Fácil de manejar. El único pero es que las pilas que incluye no son recargables, por lo demás un buen elemento para grabar sonido, tanto ambiental, como conversacional o música.

ギターとウクレレの練習とレッスン時の録音用に購入しました。 タスカムとズームの一万円ちょいのも検討しましたが、もう一つというところ。 決め手は大きさと音質のよさ、丈夫さです。 派手な機能はないが基本性能が充実しているので長く使えそうです。 最初は星4つでしたが満点に変更しました。 いかにも録音機材というゴツいのはちょっと恥ずかしいけど、手のひらに収まるスマートなデザインで女性が持っても違和感がない。 肝心のレベル調整も、リハーサル機能というお任せ機能があって、失敗がない。 ファイルの整理がしやすいところが、地味にありがたい。本機のみでフォルダを階層構造にし、ファイルも自由に名前をつけられるのがいい。これまでZOOM iQ5をiPhoneの専用のアプリで使ったり、OlympusのICレコーダーを使っていましたが、どちらもファイルの管理が不便に感じていました。本機は録音時に自動で名前がついたものを、後で変更することができます。ローマ字の大文字小文字とコンマ、ダッシュ、括弧などの記号が使えます。一文字ごとにスクロールして選択するので多少時間がかかりますが、短い名前をつけとくだけでも後の管理が楽になります。限られたボタンでこれだけのことができるのって感動もの。作った人は頭いい。 USB接続の転送は時間がかかるのでSDカードを直接抜き差してパソコンに保存しています。 欲を言えばオーバーダビングが出来たらよかったなー。 イヤホンで再生時の音質がとてもよくて嬉しい。音楽プレーヤーとしても使える。iTunesに入れてあったJazzの曲をコピーしてみたらiPhoneで聴いていたのよりずっと迫力があって丸みもあってびっくりしました。

Je connaissais le produit avant de l'acheter, donc pas de surprises (usage facile, son parfait, très bonne autonomie). Très bon rapport qualité prix.

Good quality for normal home records. It is very easy to use and the palette of opportunities can only make you glad about it.