Solid State Portable

M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96

The MicroTrack is a rugged high-fidelity mobile 2-channel digital recorder that records WAV and MP3 files to CompactFlash or microdrives—perfect for everything from professional field recording to corporate meetings, training, education and worship. Record via balanced line inputs or built-in high-fidelity microphone preamps for studio-quality mics. Connect MicroTrack to a PC or Mac via USB and simply drag and drop recordings to your computer for immediate editing or Web posting. Power derives from a lithium-ion battery, and the unit can recharge via the computer’s USB connection or USB power adapter. The MicroTrack combines quality beyond that of DAT recording with the convenience and cost-effectiveness of personal digital recorders for the ultimate solution in mobile recording.

Like many of today’s digital cameras, the MicroTrack records to CompactFlash or microdrives. Recording capacity is based on the recording format selected and the size of the currently inserted media. An affordable upgrade to a 1GB CompactFlash card or microdrive, for example, will hold approximately 100 minutes of uncompressed CD-quality 16-bit stereo 44.1kHz WAV files. That same 1GB media will store 1500 minutes of stereo speech-quality MP3 audio at 96kbps. Of course, you can use and swap out whatever capacity media suits your needs.

You can record as many unique files as the capacity of your available storage allows. Then just connect MicroTrack to your PC or Mac via USB, and it appears as a USB mass storage device showing the unique identification number of each file. Just drag and drop the files to your computer’s hard drive and your audio is ready to edit and/or post to the Web. The included Audacity software even gives you the power to easily edit your files and convert between file formats.

MicroTrack is powered via long-life lithium-ion batteries. You can record for approximately four to five hours on a single charge (or about three hours with phantom power enabled). Recharge the battery by simply connecting MicroTrack to a PC or Mac via USB, or using an optional power supply.

At about the size and weight of a deck of cards, MicroTrack will go anywhere you need to record—but don’t let its small size fool you. Thanks to leaps in miniaturization, this rugged device is in the same class as our critically acclaimed audio interfaces.

MicroTrack's mobility and mic preamps also make it ideal for recording practice sessions and gigs, not to mention capturing film-quality sound effects in the field. Balanced ¼” TRS line outs also make it easy to take a feed directly from a studio or club mixer. S/PDIF input means that you can even record the output of digital mixers and do transfers from other digital recording/storage devices. And regardless of how you choose to record, you can monitor via the 1/8” stereo headphone jack or RCA line outs.

Features

• 2-channel WAV and MP3 recording and playback for pro recording, meetings, training, education and worship
• storage via convenient CompactFlash or microdrives
• immediate drag-and-drop file transfer to PC and Mac via USB 2.0 mini-connector
• powered via USB, rechargeable lithium-ion battery or power supply (both included)
• Battery life: 7 hours playback; 4-5 hours recording via line in or dynamic microphone; 3 hours recording with phantom power
• separate left and right input level controls with signal and peak indicators
• professional balanced 1/4” TRS inputs with mic/line switch
• dual microphone preamps
• 1/8” TRS input with 5V power for use with stereo electret microphone (microphone included)
• S/PDIF coaxial input for digital transfers
• monitoring via RCA line outputs or 1/8” stereo headphone output
• stereo output level control
• large LCD for navigation, statistics and level meters
• dedicated buttons for navigation, record, hold, pause, delete, menu, and power
• includes software for editing and file format conversion
• 64MB CompactFlash card included