Edirol R-09HR price and reviews

- Compact - not much bigger than an ipod/Treo.
- Very easy and intuitive user interface makes navigation a snap. Recording, pause and playback are very fast and intuitive.
- Takes cheap and readily available SD/SDHC cards. A 2 GB card holds a 2 hour recording at 44.1khz in .wav format. It can use cards up to 32GB.
- Uses readily available 2 x AA batteries. Some competitors use built-in recharageable batteries - if you run out of juice in the middle of a concert you are SOL.
- The built-in microphones make superb recordings. This feature alone is worth it for me. Its very easy to make recordings of practices and jam sessions. Because there is very little setup and effort, the spontinaity of the moment can be captured.
- The R-09HR can use external mics and the R-09HR will supply "plug-in power".
- The R09-HR will accept a line input from a mixer/soundboard.
- No more realtime transfers!! With DAT and minidisc I had to transfer the recording in realtime to a computer to convert it to .wav format so that I could burn a CD. The R-09HR will record to 44.1khz .wav format (or various mp3 formats) so that the file can be copied to a PC for editting and burning to CD.

In my opinion this recorder is a MUST HAVE for any musician because of how easy it to use and how easily the recordings can be used and distributed. I typically record practices to mp3 format and then email them to other musicians.