![]() Why does Field Recording mode use only 2 channels? Why is podcast mode non-supported and how come I’m still in this mode once I tap OK under close? More importantly, why is ASMR! Sound ![]() They might be helpful for beginners but they only managed to confuse me. As far as I can tell these are of no use for field recording as you will always want to be in manual mode. There are several recording modes you can select from the launcher menu. This can become confusing, and having to record an extra stereo mix track drains the battery faster. The X8 records several mono or stereo tracks depending on how you set it up, but not multichannel files as I would expect. Speaking of which, you can’t record only individual tracks. If you aren’t aware of this, you might think the gain only goes up to 35, as there are Low and High input gain modes for some reason and the default is Low.Įvery time you turn the Portacapture X8 off and on again, all channels are armed even if you had previously disarmed some of them. For example, controlling limiters, phantom power and other features in Manual mode is done by tapping on a greyed-out microphone icon in the mixer screen. Some functions can be reached in multiple ways, while others are buried so deep within menus that I spent considerable time trying to find them. Many things are not explained at all and there’s no way to find out what they mean in the manual they include with the recorder. There’s an Exec button for some functions that just sounds weird. The way to move through menus varies, with the back button doing different things depending on circumstance. The User Interface and User Experience on this recorder are poor at best. This is not helped by long loading times when switching between modes or the fact that it takes more than 12 seconds to boot up the unit. I agree this is not the central feature of an audio recorder, but it’s a letdown nevertheless. Nowadays it’s difficult to use poor quality screens when everyone has a great touch screen in their pocket at all times. Adding to the low refresh rate and slow response, the sliding animations make it feel like one of those first generation in-car navigation systems that took ages to move through menus. Sadly the screen is too reflective, has heavy backlight bleed in one corner and it’s not really that responsive. But there’s a nice large touch screen that makes physical buttons redundant, right? ![]() There are so many things that could be controlled with it, and I would have liked to see it work as a joystick too. The big rotary knob at the bottom looks great but gets very limited use. There are only a handful of buttons but that’s not a huge issue as most functions can be controlled through the touchscreen. The position of the 4 XLR inputs on the sides of the recorder isn’t my favourite for this form factor, but it’s a good compromise and makes sense. Unlike on the Sony PCM D100, there are no protective bars around them so you can easily smash or break them if you aren’t careful. They’re difficult to protect from wind or bumps because they protrude so much outwards. It seems like they were designed by a different team and only as an afterthought with limited budget. The way they screw into the slots at the top is in stark contrast to the elegant design of the rest of the unit. They’re made of very light plastic and they just feel cheap. The detachable microphones are a different story. The dark grey looks good and isn’t too reflective even in strong daylight. ![]() It’s made of solid plastic and there are no rattles when it’s shaken or handheld. The X8 seems built well and feels good in the hand.
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