Many years from now, when handheld digital recorders are commodities similar to digital cameras, will we look back to 2010 and remember it as the golden age of handheld recorders?
Every few weeks more feature-filled models come out, often at absurdly low prices. Increasingly one wonders if there is a physical limit to how small and lightweight they can be.
Roland certainly seems eager to contribute to the technological march. Witness the R-05, the latest in the Roland line of ever-shrinking recorders.
The battery-operated R-05 features two built-in mics in a stereo arrangement. It records to WAV and MP3 files to SD cards and tops out at 24-bit/96 kHz.
A USB 2.0 port facilitates offloading files for further use. Basic editing tools are available onboard. An LCD screen provides navigation. Other goodies include reverb, two-second record buffer, looping playback, pitch control, low-cut filter and limiter. Line in and mic in inputs are included for additional input.
Price: $299.
