LPA94 « Almost ideal companion »
Published on 02/25/13 at 04:35
Best value:
Poor
I use the Nagra LB since 7 months in exterior and interior: it is a very good machine. Before her, I had a Fostex FR2 (not bad for the price) and even before a Zoom H2 (also very good quality / price ratio).
With the Nagra LB is clearly at the top-end: the device inspires confidence, it is robust (very few plastic parts), light, small and especially its preamps / converters are excellent. It does not jump to the ears as it is in full transparency, but we realize that every time the microphone is complied with surgical precision. Sound material obtained is perfectly usable 99% of the time, which was not always the case with my old equipment (I happened to be disappointed). In fact it is simple, it is now my microphones that limit me, not the recorder ...
What is also nice is the color screen and controls on the front panel, intuitive. We take pleasure to use, you do not get tired!
I had a few bugs with NT4 micro (small electronic chirping strange gain asymmetry between left and right) but I do not know if it comes from Nagra or microphone.
Cons:
_the headphone preamp is poor, it is likely to reduce the final price but it is impossible to properly monitor everything low, close signal noise because the preamp adds a layer of noise nuisance.
_If autonomy is correct with a standard rechargeable battery pack (rechargeable LR6 of) there is too little affordable solutions to gain a few hours (it is often too expensive).
_euh ... well it is. =)
I have not used the digital connections on the right side of the camera (USB, Ethernet, etc ...) so I do not know what they are worth.
To conclude, this is an expensive device but worth its price: it must be seen as an investment in the long run!
With the Nagra LB is clearly at the top-end: the device inspires confidence, it is robust (very few plastic parts), light, small and especially its preamps / converters are excellent. It does not jump to the ears as it is in full transparency, but we realize that every time the microphone is complied with surgical precision. Sound material obtained is perfectly usable 99% of the time, which was not always the case with my old equipment (I happened to be disappointed). In fact it is simple, it is now my microphones that limit me, not the recorder ...
What is also nice is the color screen and controls on the front panel, intuitive. We take pleasure to use, you do not get tired!
I had a few bugs with NT4 micro (small electronic chirping strange gain asymmetry between left and right) but I do not know if it comes from Nagra or microphone.
Cons:
_the headphone preamp is poor, it is likely to reduce the final price but it is impossible to properly monitor everything low, close signal noise because the preamp adds a layer of noise nuisance.
_If autonomy is correct with a standard rechargeable battery pack (rechargeable LR6 of) there is too little affordable solutions to gain a few hours (it is often too expensive).
_euh ... well it is. =)
I have not used the digital connections on the right side of the camera (USB, Ethernet, etc ...) so I do not know what they are worth.
To conclude, this is an expensive device but worth its price: it must be seen as an investment in the long run!