Portable, Cheap Audio workstation

[alexsk8ca]

I need some help. The radio station I work for (internet radio) is getting a grant and they are using it to make a few portable audio workstations so we can do some shows all over the place. They have picked me to go shopping. At first I am thinking laptops, but I need them to be as cheap as possible. We will only be using audacity mainly on these machines so it's not that big of a deal. I need some help to find some good cheap laptops, as well as some mics (preferably headset). We have 2 of the Plantronics .510 and they are great, but usb so we can only use one at a time. I need a way around that also.
Any ideas?

Also I am in Canada so I prefer if the place I am ordering from is also, or at least has a Canadian website.

Thanks.

[tokenuser]

I need some help. The radio station I work for (internet radio) is getting a grant and they are using it to make a few portable audio workstations so we can do some shows all over the place. They have picked me to go shopping. At first I am thinking laptops, but I need them to be as cheap as possible. We will only be using audacity mainly on these machines so it's not that big of a deal. I need some help to find some good cheap laptops, as well as some mics (preferably headset). We have 2 of the Plantronics .510 and they are great, but usb so we can only use one at a time. I need a way around that also.
Any ideas?

Also I am in Canada so I prefer if the place I am ordering from is also, or at least has a Canadian website.

Thanks.You might be better off just getting some audio recorder so you can record in the field and do "post production" later.

The iRiver MP3 players are pretty good, and recommended for "field recording" - built in (stereo) mics (and external mic jacks on some models), and the ability to record at higher bitrates than even good quality dictaphones - which means better sound at the post production end.

Cheap laptops are a good idea, but not ideal. Unless you are doing post production on the road, you need to set up the laptop to do the recording. A voice recorder is a much better device. Put the money into a better "studio" for post production - or a mixing board, and decent studion mics.

[alexsk8ca]

I have decdeid on the iKey plus (http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2727683&CatId=2407).
Looks really cool, and since we already have an external hard drive and some thumb drives its cool.

[tokenuser]

I have decdeid on the iKey plus (http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2727683&CatId=2407).
Looks really cool, and since we already have an external hard drive and some thumb drives its cool.That is a really nice find.

[ArmpitOfDeath]

A Sony MZ-RH1 Hi-MD would be a great machine if you're strapped for cash IMO. It makes the best recordings out of any consumer player (you need a mic though), you can edit on the fly, upload to PC, etc.

http://www.minidisc-canada.com/shopexd.asp?id=734

I wouldn't recommend toys like the iRiver.

There are also semi-pro portable flash recorders available (look on the same site) but they're more expensive.

[alexsk8ca]

Yeah, I think I have settled on the iKey. It's pretty cheap and looks like it will be perfect for what we want.

[ArmpitOfDeath]

Bear in mind it doesn't supply power over USB.

[JohnS]

I would avoid shopping at minidisc-canada. They only have positive feedback on their website, but don't be fooled. I bought headphones from them a month ago and they still haven't showed up. Each week I emailed them and they delayed it another week.

[titaniumlizzard]

I would avoid shopping at minidisc-canada. They only have positive feedback on their website, but don't be fooled. I bought headphones from them a month ago and they still haven't showed up. Each week I emailed them and they delayed it another week.

I wouldn't listen to this guy. He has 1 whole post and is flaming an online retailer. Competitor perhaps?

And for the love of god stay away from the MZ-RH1. Replacement batteries are ungodly expensive and the future of MiniDisc is shaky at best, so you might be buying into a dead format.

[ArmpitOfDeath]

Yeah - got a point there. Super easy to get excellent results and upload'em tho.

I guess it's something like the Microtrack really in that case.
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/MicroTrack2496-main.html

[titaniumlizzard]

Check out Marantz brand solid state recorders. Mic preamps unlike some of the other devices mentioned and I think it might take advantage of USB mass storage in addition to Compact Flash.

[ArmpitOfDeath]

All of the current semi/pro solid state recorders have preamps and all of them are UMS.