Multimedia
Blogs
Forum
Affordable HD
Whitepapers
Newsletters
Events
Advertisers
DCP Directory
MillimeterShoot Review — Marantz Professional CDR300
Jan 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Tom Patrick McAuliffe
Professional CD recorder captures great audio.
 The front panel of the Marantz CDR300 CD recorder features both balanced and 1/4in. inputs with fairly noiseless mic pre-amps and separate volume controls. |
As times get tighter economically, small video businesses are looking for diverse income sources. For-hire audio services are helping to fill the gap for many smaller video businesses. Typical tasks of such services are capturing audio for training and sales and recording pristine audio during film or video shoots. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just hook up a good-quality microphone and a CD player — and then record a narration direct to CD?
For years film crews have used small, studio-quality cassette and reel recorders to record audio as a backup or original source and for ambient audio capture. Now video professionals can perform the same job, only with digital quality and the robustness of compact discs.
The Marantz CDR300 is the first portable audio recorder that easily records in realtime directly to blank CD-R and CD-RW disks. Not only is the audio quality better — for as little as a quarter apiece, CDs are now cheaper than cassettes. And let's face it, CDs are the de facto standard for most things audio.
I found the standalone CDR300 to be more than ready to go into the field, weighing about 7lbs. It is also the only professional-level CD recorder with an optional lead-acid battery (with recharger, $199), which allows the small unit to operate for about four hours of standard use. Popular bag maker PortaBrace makes a great case that fits the CDR300, too.
With the Marantz CDR300, it's as simple as hooking up a professional mic, setting levels, hitting record, and then “Finalizing” the CD. You'll wind up with a finished disc that plays in virtually any CD player. And if you want to play it back right away, this unit sounds great despite having only one small speaker.
At first I wondered about the usefulness of a CD recorder besides the standard CD-R recorder in my computer. But now I wonder how I got along without it. The advantages of separate solo audio capture and direct-to-CD recording cannot be overstated. Instead of using the mics of a DV camera — which invariably deliver so-so results — I used studio mics and the CD recorder for greater fidelity. The importance of a clapper (a visual/audio event designed to aid in synching the video to the audio) or a visible timecode number became evident when I married video footage to the “enhanced” audio from a CDR300-recorded CD in postproduction.
A CD recorder that works like a tape deck is very handy indeed. This product has lots of nice, unexpectedly useful features. For example, the built-in speaker with bass, midrange, and treble controls is very convenient for playing back CDs in the field. At about $600 street, the CDR300 carries a somewhat considerable cost. But considering what it does, it's relatively inexpensive. Pristine audio is crucial — and almost anything cassette tape can do, CDs can do better.
When it comes to audio mixers and recorders, one can never have enough ins and outs. Luckily the CDR300 provides just enough in a portable unit. The front panel features both balanced inputs (sometimes called a “cannon” or “three-prong” plug) and 1/4in. (high-impedance) inputs. These inputs also have good, fairly noiseless mic pre-amps. Each has volume control, and they can be handled individually or together. The rear of the unit has stereo RCA outputs. It would be nice to have balanced outs, too.
You can record the combination of the left and right signals as a mono feed or record each separately in stereo. You can send the Mix Out to another audio recorder and the Line Out to your mixer/P.A. Need to take those old albums and cassettes and convert them to CDs? There's also an Aux In so you can record from a cassette, turntable, or other A/V source. Recording levels can be adjusted manually or automatically. Perhaps most importantly there is a digital (SPDIF) in and out so you can keep your signal path as pure as possible.
I used the CDR300 evaluation unit for capturing audio on a recent video shoot and in the studio both for music and audio for video. I ran two Shure SM58 mics directly to the unit and will use this ambient audio when I mix in 5.1 surround sound. Additionally, in the edit suite I recorded original music beds from SmartSound's SonicFire Pro and also played back music from library CDs for background narration music. For recording your own music, it's a musician's dream.
One of the nice features of the CDR300 is the record-by-minute feature, with each track of the CD equal to one minute. This is very handy in recording long periods of dialog as well as meetings, seminars, etc. Another nice feature is that you can program the EQ desired for each of the inputs, and you also have a master three-band EQ to affect the overall sound.
There's no doubt that I loved the ease of use of the CDR300. Marantz Professional truly has made recording a CD as easy as recording a traditional cassette tape. Play, Pause, Stop, Record, Fast Forward and Rewind all work as expected. The control panel is conveniently located on top. Choose the record mode, turn on and off 48V phantom power, and store your various EQ settings. The included IR remote control has almost every function. You can use the Text feature to title songs as well as the CD itself.
A professional-level CD recorder might not be the first on your list of equipment to purchase, but once you've used it you'll wonder how you ever made do without. The Marantz CDR300 can certainly pay for itself eventually. Add billable audio services by taking on projects like tape-to-CD conversions, recording audio training seminars, creating CD demos for musicians or voiceover talent, or use it to back up audio and capture ambient audio on a shoot. The CDR300 offers many professional audio recording functions worthy of your consideration.
Tom Patrick McAuliffe spent way too much money on new toys this past Christmas. Reach him at reelcom1@comcast.net.
BOTTOM LINE
Company: Marantz Professional Itasca, Ill.; (630)
741-0330
www.marantzpro.com
Product: CDR300 CD Recorder
Assets: Portable (weighs about 7lbs.); built-in microphone and speaker; manual or automatic level control for recording; programmable mic/line EQ; balanced and 1/4in. inputs, stereo RCA outputs.
Caveats: EQ and Limiter a little weak; needs a carrying case.
Demographic: Video professionals looking to start field-recording direct to CD.
Price: $899.99
feedback
To comment on this article, email the Video Systems editorial staff at vsfeedback@primediabusiness.com.
