Review: M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96 Pocket Digital Recorder
Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4

The Dark Side of Paradise

One of my endearing qualities as a product reviewer is that I never fail to get a defective unit. So it didn't come as a huge surprise that one day the MicroTrack was deader than a week-old mango. While waiting for the replacement, I had time to contemplate what I don't like about the recorder. Here goes, in no particular order:

Phantom Power 1. Phantom power is a small voltage supplied via the mic cable to power a condenser microphone. The standard is 48 volts, though many mics are built to operate over a fairly wide range. That's a good thing, because the MicroTrack offers just 30V.

Yes, that does make the battery last longer. But according to a representative from Neumann, a leading microphone manufacturer, out-of-spec voltages can damage some mics. M-Audio itself warns: In very rare cases, damage to your equipment may occur as a result of using a level of phantom power that is different from the manufacturer's specified requirement. Please verify operating requirements with your microphone's manufacturer. M-Audio is not responsible for any damage to your MicroTrack 24/96, microphone, or other equipment which may be caused by a phantom power mismatch. So stick with M-Audio's list of approved mics to be safe. These include a number of popular models from AKG, Audio-Technica, Crown, Sennheiser, and Shure.

The AKG 1000S mics, shown here in an X-Y pattern, are compatible with the MicroTrack's 30V phantom power.

Phantom Power 2. The mic inputs use TRS jacks instead of the standard XLR in order to save weight and real estate. That's fine as long as you have the proper adaptors. But some mics, notably the AT 822, use 1/4-inch TS (Tip/Sleeve) connectors. Send phantom to this mic, and you'll fry it. Even worse, inserting a TS or TRS plug while phantom power is on could cause a short that could destroy your recorder. I wish the MicroTrack's phantom-power switch were a little harder to engage.

Setting Levels. Even though the latest firmware (v 1.2) allows you to monitor and set levels while paused, you can't simultaneously hit Pause and Record to enter a standby mode like you can on most recorders. That means all of your recordings will start with a second or two of junk recorded before you can hit Pause. Also, there's not much headroom, so it's easy to clip the waveform (see screenshot). Some field recorders, including the comparable Edirol R-1, have an analog limiter on the inputs to help prevent clipping.

Clipped waveforms sound horrible. Make sure your recordings never light up the peak LEDs.

Battery. I already mentioned my disappointment that you cannot replace the battery. This one's another potential deal breaker — there's nothing worse than running out of juice in the middle of a session. I'd love to see M-Audio offer a custom portable battery pack, but until then, you can Velcro a USB battery pack to the unit.

File Numbering. For some reason, the MicroTrack remembers every file it's ever written, even if you delete it. File identifiers consist of four numbers, as in 0002, 0049, etc. The only way to start numbering back at 0001 — say, when you pop in a new card — is to select Reset to Factory Defaults in the System menu. Incidentally, it is possible to type in file names while the recorder is connected to your computer. That's handy if you use the MicroTrack as a portable playback device, say, between songs at a gig.

Reliability. Though I cannot fault M-Audio for the defective unit — heck, I've trashed much more expensive gear from Roland, Tascam, Yamaha, and many, many more — I still have some doubts. The MicroTrack doesn't feel solid. Still, I'm encouraged that M-Audio got the new firmware out as fast as they did; it shows they are committed to making this thing work.

All's Well That Ends Well

The terrible working conditions I endured to bring you this review.

After a week's wait, I had a new unit and was back up and running. Good thing, because I had one more recording to do (see photo at right).

So, how does it stack up? In spite of the flaws I've mentioned, the MicroTrack 24/96 is a solid choice for someone looking for a lightweight field recorder for documenting rehearsals, capturing live performances at festivals and workshops, recording podcast interviews, etc. Because it's so small, you could keep it handy to capture song ideas or band riffs whenever inspiration strikes. Get something good? Upload the file to your computer and start adding parts.

The ability to record both MP3 and WAV files on the same card is a definite plus, as is the extremely easy-to-use interface. Though the 1/8-inch mic input is noticeably noisier than the TRS inputs, the included mini microphone is quite good. Using better mics, I was struck with how good the MicroTrack sounded at 24-bit resolution, at both the 44.1 and 48kHz sampling rates. To be honest, I don't think the slight improvement at higher sample rates is worth the memory hit.

The MicroTrack's nearest competitors are the Edirol R-1 and Marantz PMD660 flash recorders, and Sony's MZ-M100 HD MiniDisc recorder. The Edirol lacks balanced 1/4-inch inputs and phantom power; the Marantz is limited to 16-bit, 48kHz resolution. And both sell for about $100 more than the MicroTrack; you could put that money towards a high-quality mic. The Sony only records to 16-bit, 44.1 WAV and Sony's proprietary ATRAC compression format, not MP3; HD MiniDiscs are limited to 1GB; and there is some question about the future of the MiniDisc format.

No, the MicroTrack is not in the same league as the professional units from Tascam, Sony, and others — but those cost two to ten times as much. You want fully professional features? Then start saving. But if you want an easy-to-use, versatile recorder that fits in your pocket and won't break the bank, give the MicroTrack a close look.

Mahalos to Kevin Brown, Duke Walls, Bob, Pekelo, Maile, and the hospitable people of heavenly Hana for help with this review.

M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96 Specifications

Audio Examples

(All links open in a new window.)

• Rehearsal, Hana Maui (1MB MP3). MP3 recorded with AT 822.
• Hula Chant, Hana, Maui (1.4MB MP3). 44.1kHz WAV recorded with AT822, then converted to MP3.
• Kevin Brown and Pekelo Cosma, Lahaina, Maui (884KB MP3). 44.1kHz WAV recorded with M-Audio mini mic, then converted to MP3.
• Studio Acoustic Guitar (596KB MP3). 44.1kHz WAV recorded with AKG 1000S pair, then converted to MP3.
• Studio Acoustic Guitar (5.7MB WAV). 44.1kHz WAV recorded with AKG 1000S pair.

Which One's for You?

See how this recorder stacks up in our
portable recorder comparison chart.