Roland R-26 6-Channel Handheld Field Recorder
Superior detail, depth, and unparalleled flexibility-welcome to a new world of portable recording.
The R-26 captures audio with high-definition direct sound, as well as the rich natural ambience of the recording environment. With dual stereo mics, six channels of simultaneous recording, and much more, this portable recorder offers true professional quality and flexibility, opening the door to limitless creative possibilities. The R-26 is a part of their series of audio field recorders.
Hand-held field recorders have been hot commodities for musicians, recording engineers, and sound designers for years. This innovative recorder is portable yet loaded with first-class, professional features, the likes of which the industry has not seen to date in this class. There are two types of stereo microphones built into the R-26, plus a pair of XLR/TRS combo inputs for external mics, and an input for a stereo plug-in powered mic. Choose simultaneous combinations of the built-in mics (directional and omnidirectional), as well as the external inputs. Capture live performances with simultaneous line and ambient signal paths, record important speeches, lectures, and presentations, or take the R-26 into the inner city or deep forest for pristine field capture. The sky’s the limit with this powerful, portable, and incredibly flexible recorder.
With respect to sound quality, no stone was left unturned in developing the R-26’s new mic system.
At the top of the R-26 are OMNI (omnidirectional) and XY (directional) stereo mic pairs, which not only provide pro-level sound, but also contribute to the unit’s impressive styling. To maximize their sound-collecting characteristics, they thoroughly studied the optimum shapes, positions, and angles of the mics. The OMNI mics are entirely enclosed in a mesh and optimized to faithfully capture sounds down to super-low frequencies. The XY mics have been given ample space, maximizing their performance. Additionally, the mics are laid out in a 90° configuration to create a natural stereo image. This ensures that your recordings will be clear, expansive, and true to the recording environment.
The R-26 supports 24-bit/96 kHz linear PCM recording, and also simultaneous recording in WAV/BWF and MP3 formats.
High-resolution, 24-bit/96 kHz linear PCM recording is supported, and you can choose between WAV and BWF file types, with the latter providing time-stamping and other info. The R-26 also supports MP3, and you can record to WAV/BWF and MP3 formats simultaneously.
An onboard limiter and low-cut filter reduces distortion and noise.
The back end of the mic preamp is fitted with a limiter and low-cut filter. By activating the limiter, you can reduce distortion caused by excessive input levels. Activate the low-cut filter to reduce unwanted low-frequency content that often occurs with voice, wind noise, and various environmental vibrations. Three cut-off frequencies are selectable: 100, 200, or 400 Hz.
With Pre-recording, you’ll never miss a recording opportunity.
The R-26 is equipped with a multitude of convenient functions that help you achieve your recording objectives with ease. One such function is Pre-recording, where your recording actually begins two seconds before you initiate it. This ensures you won’t miss the very beginning of a recording, even when you’re late in pressing the Record button. This is a great feature for capturing environmental sounds as they occur, such as chirping birds.
Easy-to-use onboard editing allows you to split and merge projects, as well as delete unneeded portions.
The R-26’s editing capabilities allow you to edit your sound recordings on the spot. In addition to basic functions such as selecting, copying, moving, and deleting projects, you can also split, merge, and delete (trim) sections. This lets you to complete your editing work right on the R-26.
Integrated audio interface function allows you to send the audio input directly to your PC.
The R-26 functions as a USB audio interface for your PC (Windows or Mac), allowing you to send the sound you’ve captured on its built-in stereo mics or external mics/devices directly to your favorite DAW program. This functionality is also perfect for capturing high-quality audio for Internet streaming applications, such as music performance videos.
Features:
- Two types of built-in stereo microphones (omnidirectional and directional) that can be used in various combinations
- Two XLR/TRS combo inputs with 48 V phantom power, plus an input for a stereo plug-in powered mic
- Supports up to six channels (three stereo channels) of simultaneous recording
- Large LCD touchscreen display for intuitive navigation
- Large input-level knobs for fine adjustment
- Built-in Hi-Speed USB interface for use as an audio interface or external storage
- Loop-Back function; combine this with the built-in or external mics for the optimum live video streaming setup (only with Audio Interface function)
- Bundled with SONAR LE software (PC)
