Bob Dreebin
September 21, 2006

Rating: 10/10

Well after unpacking my new Fostex FR-2 recorder with the Time code option, my first impression was it was a nice small size, but not too small, and it was really light. It was made of plastic, but that has its advantages. It will probably run a bit cooler, and is a bit lighter than other materials, that’s a good thing. As far as sturdy, it should be fine.

I did order an optional Porta-Brace bag for this nifty little unit, it fits perfectly and is made extremely well.

Once nestled inside it’s new home (the bag) the recorder should be safe from anything a production can throw at it. Shock, vibration, dust dirt and some moisture should be no problem at all. I then went out and purchased a Pig-tail 4 pin to small DC plug to power the unit from any of my favorite 12-volt power sources…. I prefer a couple of 12-volt belt batteries, and a small pelican battery capable of running the FR-2 for 15 hours straight! I also bought a set of (8) 2600 nimh AA batteries and an 8 hour slow charger for those quick, run and gun situations. Those AAs should give me 2 to 2 ½ hours of use time. That’s plenty for any quick "run and gun" applications.

After the accessories were rounded up I decided on 2 Sandisk Ultra II 2GB Compact Flash Cards. Although these cards were on the official list of compatible cards for this FR-2, Others will work as well. I was told that the shear number of cards on the market makes it difficult for Fostex to test them all. I chose 2- 2GB cards rather than the 4GB card due to the amount of time I need to record on for my purposes.I figured that 2 2GB cards are better to have with an optional 4GB standing by.... I will probably buy one more as time goes on. I do recommend a proper aluminum cardholder case to keep the cards safe and clean.

I choose the CF cards rather than the 1.8 inch HD because of just plain wanting and liking the no moving part thing. I also liked the reduced heat from the CF cards and a quieter overall operation, although the drive makes very little noise.

Battery consumption was also reduced a bit with the CF cards from what I understand. The cost of the little HD was also an issue…

Now to the nitty gritty. I first read all the data, manuals and comments posted by all the users I could get my hands on before I ever took the unit out of the box, so I was well prepared to operate the unit. I was surprised though that that was probably not a necessity. The recorder is that easy to operate, right out of the box with only a little practice knowledge of file based recording. Easy, easy, easy. Everything that is pertinent to recording is right there in front of you clearly marked on all of the switches and dials. That I really like. Everything else is in menu form, which is really a pleasure to operate. The menu functions are quick and to the point. The Time code functions are also very quick to use with no wasted movements… Once set up, most of the functions will remain the same until you change them, making the whole system very fast to get going at a moments notice. The “home” button on the face of the deck is helpful to immediately get you right back to the main screen, I liked that. Changing the file name data was also a breeze.I have found, just to note, that naming the gig or show and then letting the takes increment from 1 to lets say 149. Reason being, Constantly re-naming a file in battle can be problematic, you might not get the scene and take untill after your rolling, then correcting the file name is a hassle, as with ANY file based machine. So, again, let the take number just go on one after another, make sure you note the take number next to the actual scene and take on your report and your sitting pretty, almost like on a DAT! Don't worry about Post, they use the Time code anyhow to sync the material. If they need to go back and get data, they can look at the report to see what scene and take....So easy..

I recorded some tracks, and was very happy with the overall sound of the mic preamps…. I used a Scheops CMC-6 mic. with a MK-41 capsule for my test recording and again, was very pleased with the warm sound. I really liked the option to quickly flip the small and very sturdy toggle switch to go from stereo 2 track, to mono left track only recording. The mono option allows twice the recording time given the same Compact flash card….When recording wild lines, or sound effects, sometimes that’s all you need… I prefer most of the time to reduce the input of one of the two channels and increase the headroom to record a poor mans safety track just in case something loud or unexpected happens. This way you have a back up.

The Trim pots on the top of the recorder are also a nice touch. Again, simple controls, simple use, quality tracks…

I then pushed the button, which unmounts the Compact flash card from the system, then released the card by pushing the release button on the right side of the unit. I then plugged it into a CF card reader hooked up to my Mac, and the files quickly showed up on my desktop. I then dragged the files to a folder marked simply “test” to copy them and store them. For a job, mark the folder with the job name and day# or date. I then opened the program Toast, clicked the DATA button (important, use data not audio) you want the data just as it was recorded… My next quick step was to drag the folder ” test “ to the Toast window and hit the record button. My computer said insert disc, which I did and the burn began…. Allow like 20- 25 minutes or so to burn 2 hours or so of BWF files, including the verification process. I do this when I am loading out and packing up. When the process was done, the disc loaded into my Mac, and everything was there and sounded great. I prefer to load the files first into a file or folder I can keep on my dedicated HD until the show clears post. Then I burn from there. That way, if there is ever a problem, I can use a FTP site the Post house has set up to send files directly to them or simply burn another disc.If you need to just send a file or two, you can simply e-mail it! By not keeping a copy for you, this option would not be possible.

In theory you could transfer the data to a folder on the computer of the Production Manager by way of a thumb drive and let them hold the back up. Then, if ever needed they could burn a back up themselves or send it FTP.


The only cons about this recorder were really pointless. I did have some reservations about the plastic construction until I thought about it a bit. Once inside it’s little bag all fears quickly disappeared. The only other gripes I could muster were one concerning the style of DC input plug used. My Pigtail, with a little help from some soft-sided Velcro, bulletproofed that little situation in a flash. I now never have to use anything but my 4 pin. I also loved the combo main input pot..... for mono recording. I did not however like it for stereo recording in a situation requiring a lot of constant input adjustment. You can’t have it both ways, once I got used to it, again, no problem.

After using the Fostex FR-2, I can say that for many reasons I again made the right choice by choosing the Fostex company and this product the FR-2. The product is well thought out, and it works great. It is un- complicated and actually fun to use. The price is more than fair when compared to other products available, that is a bonus, and one I like. Are there more expensive recorders out there? Yes. Are there fancier recorders out there with fancy flashing lights, yes? Are there recorders out there with more tracks and features…? Yes. BUT when all is said and done this FR-2 is EXACTLY what is needed in a format that is well laid out and one that works in a beautifully simple way. And in the end sounds awesome. I am keeping and loving my latest piece of gear. I like Fostex Equipment.