Review: Yamaha Pocketrak 2G Handheld WAV Recorder
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Folder Name Game

Fig. 1: The Pocketrak organizes files into task-oriented folders. The "S" folder is even password-protected.

You can learn a lot about a device's intended use from its file management scheme (see Figure 1). Notice the folders marked Voice, Music, Line, Alarm, and Data? Reading between the lines, it looks to me like Yamaha envisions the Pocketrak as a voice recorder — there are five "Voice" folders and only one each for "Music" and "Line." A number of additional clues point to the same conclusion, as I will cover later.

It turns out recordings made with the internal mics go into one of the Voice folders, labeled A–D and S (more about that "S" in a minute). Select a line source and the files show up in the Line folder. Each folder accepts up to 99 files (the Line folder holds 199). Voice folders let you easily organize your recordings, but beware: although you can move files between folders or rename them when connected to a computer, the Pocketrak will only recognize files that follow strict naming conventions.

So, what's with the Music folder? That's for files you download — both MP3 and WMA files are supported, even WMA with DRM. To arrange songs in a playlist, simply add a subfolder.

Data folders are included so you can use the unit as a normal flash drive. There is even a password-protected secure area — the "S" folders — so you can be sure no one will discover your amazing new song.

Save for the secure area, accessing folders is as simple as a single button push. Other than that, file management is pretty limited. You cannot move, edit, or rename files on the recorder itself. You can easily delete the entire contents of a folder, though.

The Manual folder, which does not appear on the screenshot above, contains a PDF file with the manual — a barebones start-up guide is in the box. If that PDF is missing, as it was on my review unit, find it online. I suggest prospective buyers download the manual before shelling out those hard-earned shekels.

Alarming Features

Yamaha's entry in the "what else can we think of?" category turns the Pocketrak into an alarm clock. Drag an MP3 or WMA file to the Alarm folder, set the timer, and you'll never have to worry about missing another episode of "Heroes."

Even cooler, use the timer to commence recording at a set time — just the thing to grab that lecture while you are out hitting the beach. You can set recording length to 30, 60, or 120 minutes, or let it fill all the available memory. Too bad there's no way to set the date as well; then you'd never have to attend another Monday morning staff meeting.

I Hear Voices

Flip-up mics help reduce the boundary effect (unwanted resonance caused by laying a mic directly on a flat surface like a table).

The Pocketrak supports voice-activated recording — VAS (for Voice Activated System) in Yamaha-speak. VAS starts recording when the level exceeds one of five user-defined settings. Below that threshold, it slips back into pause and inserts a short gap into the audio file. When the level again exceeds the threshold, the Pocketrak resumes recording. That is a very good thing; some recorders stop recording at that point, potentially missing something important. Among other things, VAS is useful for condensing long-winded monologues or secretly recording the mating calls of the elusive Fargone Meadow Twit.

VAS recording requires activating Auto Level Control (ALC), which can be heavy handed — listen to the weird artifacts in the following clip. To be fair, at a lower mic sensitivity setting, ALC worked like a charm. In the example below, I actually stopped talking for 15 to 30 seconds between phrases.

• Voice-Activated Recording (616 KB MP3)

Incidentally, with ALC engaged, the Pocketrak becomes a one-touch recorder — handy for interviews, podcasts, and other spoken-word work.

The Pocketrak also boasts a feature called Clear Voice. According to the manual, this "makes audio playback less noisy." I purposely recorded in a noisy environment to test it. To my ears, Clear Voice sounded like a fairly heavy handed high- and low-cut EQ — which would help filter out wind noise but didn't do much for my noisy air conditioner. The Clear Voice effect works only during playback.

The recording timer and VAS are both great features for capturing spoken material like lectures, business meetings, and secret arms deals. In fact, given the size of the recorder, I can see Yamaha selling a pile to spy wannabes.

Music to My Ears

In spite of its voice recorder pedigree, the Pocketrak is capable of making decent music recordings. Check out this clip from a jam session I attended in Colorado:

• Colorado Circle Jam (1.2MB MP3)

All I did was turn it on, tilt up the mics up so they would be off the floor, and slide the recorder into the middle of the circle. I was sitting behind the mics, so my vocal sounds distant, but the fiddle, steel guitar, and bass sound just fine. I was particularly impressed with the sound of the bass — not an easy instrument to capture.

Voice of Reason

The Pocketrak is clearly intended as a voice recorder. The auto-Level Control is fine for voice, but there is no limiter or EQ. In fact, the product website compares it not to recorders in its price range, but to a basic voice recorder. (See Figure 2.)

Fig. 2: Typical recorders this size are much noisier, according to this analysis by the manufacturer.

That prompts the question: you can pick up a decent voice recorder for well under $100, so why spend several times as much for the Pocketrak 2G?

Leaving aside the issue of price, I'll admit that I grew quite fond of the little guy — it crams an impressive number of features into a minuscule package. It is so small that I never thought of leaving it behind for want of room in my gig bag or briefcase. Even with the tiny display and itty-bitty controls, it is extremely easy to use.

I really like the innovative flip-up mics as well as the nifty case and tripod stand. The whopping 2 gigs of internal memory (enough to hold over 3 hours of WAV audio or 35 hours of 128kbps MP3) and low-drain rechargeable battery are very cool, indeed. I don't know of any inexpensive voice recorder that can match the features, resolution, or capacity of the Pocketrak.

It really is pocket size. (Click to enlarge.)

The frequency response is fine for voice work but leaves something be desired for music. When I did record music, I thought the highs sounded a little splashed. However, as you heard, it does just fine in a pinch.

If music is your thing, there are quite a few choices at or below this price point that record at higher resolutions, have better mics, and sport other features better suited to capturing music. In fact, Yamaha makes a sibling recorder, the Pocketrak CX, aimed at the music crowd.

The bottom line is that the Pocketrak 2G is a solid — albeit pricey — choice for interviewers, students, and business types who need a tiny, large-capacity voice recorder that handles both MP3 and WAV files. In fact, with a built-in USB terminal and swappable battery, it is the ideal recorder for the backpacking ethnographer.

If that's your bag, Yamaha's got your recorder.

Thanks to the old time music crowd in Ashland, OR — Dave, Swampy, Tom, and Jewels. Thanks as well to the gang in Longmont, CO — Gene, Carl, Dave, and Chris. Good friends, cold beer, and music; who could ask for anything more?

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