Product Description

The redesigned MicroTrack II brings even more professional features to the original high-fidelity mobile digital recorder that's been embraced by audio and film professionals worldwide. With an extended input gain range, analog input limiter, 48V phantom power, faster file transfer rate, seamless recording of files beyond 2GB in size and other enhancements, MicroTrack II delivers the highest quality mobile recording experience available today. Simply record WAV (BWF) and MP3 files to CompactFlash or Microdrives through balanced line inputs or built-in microphone preamps - then drag and drop recordings to your computer via high-speed USB 2.0 for immediate editing or Web posting. MicroTrack II is perfect for a wide variety of applications including field recording, capturing live shows, songwriting, education and more.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5706 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: M-Audio
• Model: 9900-52278-00
• Platform: No Operating System
• Dimensions: 4.00 pounds

Features

• -channel WAV (BWF) and MP3 recording and playback for pro recording, capturing live shows, songwriting, training, education, worship - any occasion
• Extended input gain range
• Analog input limiter with bypass
• 48V phantom power
• Faster data transfer rate via USB 2.0

Customer Reviews

I don't dare open my new MII, after reading all reviews!
Holy cow!! I can't believe, that after all I had just gone through, with M-Audio, that I'm STILL, right back to where I had started! I will try to synopsize, as much as possible here.

First, I'd like to thank all those, who posted their reviews, on this device. If I hadn't taken the time to read, I would've been setting myself up, for another HUGE disappointment.

To begin...I had purchased the MT 24/96, last year, with the intent of capturing, home-recorded tracks from my acoustic guitar sessions, for self-improvement. I had purchased the AT2041 mic bundle pack, after being assured from Guitar Center, that these condensers would work with the 48v, phantom power, onboard the MT 24/96. NOT!! There was absolutely NO signal! All other known glitches aside, this "glitch" was enough for me, to get really ticked off, since this unit was marketed, by M-Audio, as being compatible with condensers.

I sent a diplomatic, but obviously heated, email, to M-Audio. To my surprise, I received responses, the very same day, from both the General Manager, and the Sales Manager. They openly confessed, that there was a known issue, with the phantom power, only having enough "juice", to power a short-list of condensers. My AT2020 and 2021, was NOT on that "list", and to my surprise, they offered to ship to me, as a swap out for my MT 24/96, their new MTII, at no cost to me, ASAP. Now, I have to say, that in my case, of seeking a resolution, M-Audio, far surpassed my expectations, regarding customer care. Not only, did they respond with such unexpected speed, and shipped out the new MII, immediately, via FedEx, 2-day delivery, but they have yet to send out the call-tag, to pick up and return to them, my MT 24/96, also offered at their expense.

So, I received my new MTII, but in the back of my mind, something prevented me, from ripping that celophane, off the box, during my sheer excitement. For now, after reading all reviews, and comparing all, already known performance failures, dissatisfactions, and problem carry-overs, to the "redesigned" and "enhanced" MTII, I DON'T DARE OPEN THE DARN BOX!!

Although, for the sake of trying to provide a "Reader's Digest" version, of this statement, and leaving out many extra steps taken, to get this recorder to function properly, AS IT WAS MARKETED, I have decided to sacrifice convenience and portability, for reliability.

As I had clearly, and bluntly, stated to M-Audio...I could have invested, in a high-end, RELIABLE, audio interface, for LESS!

At this point, I'm saying...to heck with portability! I'm now, more than willing, to take any extra steps, and spend the extra time required, to utilize an AI, for my recording needs.

I truly understand, the big, beautiful concept, of wanting/being able to record spontaneous, exciting new tracks, and "drive-by" inspired 'thoughts'. This very concept, is what drove me to bank too much faith, on this recorder's ability, to deliver this need, "today".

The Microtrack II, and I concur, is an outstanding concept, if and when, M-Audio can work out all kinks...just not yet.

For some uses, the ONLY digital recorder
I am a professional storyteller. As such, I have long been looking for a digital recorder that meets these requirements:

1. Is small enough to fit into my pocket when I perform.
2. Is easy to use in a performance (or practice) situation.
3. Is reliable enough for recording can't-be-repeated performances and workshops.
4. Has low enough hiss that I can make a saleable professional recording from it.
5. Makes it easy to transfer files to my computer.
6. Works well with pro mics.
7. Is affordable ($400 or below).

Until the Microtrack II came along, there were no digital recorders that met all those requirements. I know; I tried several of them and researched the rest. All failed in one way or another, most noticably in ease of use (requiring digging into menus to set the record levels, for example), in low hiss (this model's predecessor, for example, was just too noisy for pro recording), and in compatibility with pro mics, which requires true phantom power.

In fact, there is, as of this writing, no other small digital recorder that provides true phantom power for under $500. Period. Excellent performance recordings require a pro headworn or earset mic that is close enough to my mouth to screen out most room noises. No recording can be better than the sound of the mic used to record it! For people like me, therefore, phantom power is a must-have feature.

So you can imagine that I was excited when I read the specs and early reviews of the Microtrack II.

Initially, I was cruelly disappointed: the first units shipped with a bug in the firmware that caused most recordings to be lost. Major problem!

Fortunately, the 1.0.3 firmware update solved that major problem, completely. Now the Microtrack II is blessedly reliable.

At least one other review faulted the Microtrack II for having the record level controls on the top surface where they could be accidentally hit during a recording. This WOULD be a problem except for the excellent and convenient hold switch. And, for my purposes, the accessible record-level buttons on the Microtrack II are more than okay; they're a part of fulfilling my criterion number 2 (above). When I'm trying to perform and record myself, I need record-level buttons that I can adjust easily. I can't manage digging in a menu to adjust the levels, for example; I have enough on my mind and too little time, as it is.

By the way, the defeatable limiter on the Microtrack II seems to work great. It keeps loud sounds from being clipped, as it should. And it does that without creating distortion of any kind that I can hear. This is essential to my use, since I don't watch the record levels while performing (just while setting up). A good limiter means that, if I talk louder than expected during a recording, the recording won't be ruined, even if I have set the levels a tad too high.

The background hiss on the Microtrack II is not as low as I'd ideally like it. But it is low enough that I can easily edit it out. (The Noise Removal on the free Audacity editor, versions 1.3.5 and higher, for example, removes this level of hiss completely and without introducing artifacts.)

The biggest drawback in the Microtrack II's design is its lack of a removeable battery. Other recorders manage to work on removeable AA's. I wish this one did, too. But the workaround isn't too hard to find: use an external USB charger when you want more than about 3 hours of recording before charging. (I like to be able to record an all-day workshop, for example.) Two good choices are the APC UPB10 Mobile Power Pack for charging mobile devices, which will run the Microtrack II for 11 hours or more on a single charge, if the Microtrack II is fully charged at the start, or the MobilePower USB Power Bank, which uses 4 AA batteries; to keep recording, just change out those batteries during a break after about 3 hours.

Other minor issues are the lack of a storage card (you have to provide your own), the use of Compact Flash cards instead of the cheaper SD cards, the absence of a belt-clip case, and the absence of XLR inputs.

To be fair, XLR jacks are so large that I can't imagine where they could be put on a machine this small. And the included 1/4" TRS balanced jacks are much more reliable than the usual 1/8" jacks. So this seems like a reasonable trade-off for small size, even though you'll have to search the web for a short adapter cable (to go from the XLR output of your pro mic to the 1/4" TRS input). A 3-foot adapter cable adds too much bulk for my pocket! Fortunately, I found a 1-foot adapter by Rapco.

For my requirements, all the drawbacks to the Microtrack II are minor or can be worked around easily enough. I use my Microtrack II to record many of my performances and workshops, since it's inconspicuous enough not to be distracting to my audience, even in small spaces and results in great recordings.

All in all, then, this is the first recorder to meet all of my requirements. I have been using my Microtrack II for over 6 months and can say that I love it. I have even taught a course in using it, for non-techie storytellers. If they can learn to love it and I (a high-techie storyteller) love it, you can love it, too. If you need a pocket recorder that works with pro mics, this is really your only choice on the market.

Unfortunately a flawed product
This unit is a reasonably capable recorder seriously hampered by an unreliable battery system. Mine held a decent charge for the first half dozen uses and then quickly tapered down to about a 15 or 20 minute max. Unfortunately I held mine a few months befor putting it into regular use. When the time then quickly came that I realized I should be looking at the warranty, I found that M-audio's regular warranty doesn't apply to battery issues. Think they know there's a problem here? And then its 75 dollars to replace the battery which, of course, I'm concerned will be another worthless unit. Expect to have to run this unit on AC if you're expecting to do any length of recording, and even then it occasionally shuts off as if its out of power. I'll be buying a Tascam product on the next round.