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

In a world where consumer products sport interchangeable names — quick, who makes the X50? — Yamaha's new Pocketrak 2G stands out. As the name implies, it's a pocket-size, two-track recorder with two gigabytes of internal memory. Truth in advertising at last.

(In case you were curious, a partial list of companies making products called the X50 includes Korg, Konica, Passport, and Boeing. Makes me wonder if anyone ever ordered a radar detector and received a jet instead.)

Hip Pocket Rocket

Just half an inch thick, the Yamaha Pocketrak puts CD-resolution WAV recording in your fingertips. (Click to enlarge.)

Measuring just 1-1/4 x 4-5/8 x 1/2 inches and weighing in at 1.7 ounces, the Pocketrak ($399 list) truly lives up to its name. It's so small I "lost" it more than once in my gig bag. But small does not necessarily mean wimpy — it records uncompressed 44.1kHz, 16-bit stereo WAV files as well as several MP3 flavors to a hefty 2GB internal memory chip. (More specs.) On the downside, the highest MP3 recording resolution is just 128kbps.

[Update, 2008-10-13: Version 2.01 firmware boosts that to 160kbps.]

The Pocketrak has connections for external mic/line sources, headphones, and your computer, via a pop-out USB plug. Its built-in mics tilt up, which is handy if you need to place the unit on a table, because that reduces acoustic reflections. There is even a tiny built-in speaker so you can confirm that you did indeed record something. Unlike some onboard speakers I've heard, this one is loud enough to cut through a noisy room.

Power comes from a Sanyo "Eneloop" rechargeable battery, which is designed to hold its charge much longer than normal rechargeables. In a pinch you can swap it for a standard AAA battery so you won't miss that critical recording while your unit is recharging. Nice indeed.

Yamaha claims battery life of up to 19 hours, depending on the type of recording; WAV format consumes much more juice than MP3. I didn't get anywhere near that much, but I never lost a recording due to a dead battery, either. Unlike some devices, the Pocketrak does not automatically recharge when it's connected to a computer via USB. Instead, you initiate charging by holding the Fast Forward button. I thought that might be to avoid the memory effect, but Sanyo expressly states its Eneloop batteries do not have this issue, so I don't understand the need for the extra step.

By the way, Eneloop batteries are readily available, so replacing one that has come to the end of its life is no big deal.

The Pocketrak comes with everything you need to start recording, including a well-designed faux leather case that protects the unit without hindering access to any essential controls. A 1/4" camera tripod socket is hidden under the belt loop; there is even a 3/8" adapter for some, but not all, mic stands.

First Test

The day the Yamaha arrived, I dropped it in my pocket and headed to a local Old Time jam. Nothing better than field-testing before reading the manual! Recording looked easy, thanks to a large red button on the top of the unit. A single press put it into record-ready mode, displaying a screen with the type of file — WAV is the default — and level meters. Ah, but how to adjust the levels? I needed my glasses to make out the legends on the various buttons and switches mounted along the side and back; nothing read "Rec Level."

This is where my experience as a reviewer paid off. I assumed that something would let me set levels. The "Vol +" and "Vol –" buttons didn't (they handle playback volume), so I kept trying. As it turns out, Fast Forward and Rewind double for level setting. Intuitive? No, though it is spelled out in the manual. However, the point is that I was able to make decent recordings without cracking the manual. Score a big one for ease of use. The following file is literally the first thing I recorded on the Pocketrak. I captured it as a 44.1kHz WAV, and then compressed it to MP3 on my computer for faster web playback.

• Old Time Jam (1.1MB MP3)

Tiny Baubles

Given the Pocketrak's dimensions, it is obvious that its controls are tiny. The good news is that everything is well laid out. In addition to the FF, Play, Rewind, and volume buttons, the Pocketrak sports buttons to access the file management screens, a Delete button, and one that doubles as Stop and Menu. On the rear panel you will find the on/off slider and a three-way playback speed control: normal, or 25% faster or slower.

I have to admit that I found the itty-bitty controls difficult to use, forcing me to use my nail rather than my thumb.

Which gets me to the display. Let me put it bluntly: we are talking about a screen that could hide behind a postage stamp. Heck, even with my reading glasses I had to put the dang thing right up to my nose sometimes.

That said, the backlit display is bright and crisp. However, the level meters are only visible in standby mode; when recording, you have to rely on the clipping LED, which lights up when the input gets too loud. I don't get that. Yamaha certainly has experience making recorders. Don't they know that we engineer types like to watch the levels?

USB and You

One of the Pocketrak's more interesting design elements is a built-in USB plug that slides out of the bottom like a switchblade. I was curious if it would make a solid connection — light as it is, the Pocketrak weighs significantly more than the average flash drive.

I plugged it directly into my desktop computer, where the USB port left the Pocketrak hanging several inches in the air, and an ancient iBook. In both cases, the connection was tenuous at best. I was able to transfer data, but I had to make sure I did not touch the computer lest the whole thing wiggle loose. You're better off using the supplied USB extension cable. Still, it's reassuring to know you can upload files and charge the battery even if you forget the cord.

No funky adapter cables needed here — the Pocketrak sports a full-size, pop-out USB plug. Also note the Play Speed switch, which speeds or slows playback by 25% without affecting pitch.