PMD671 Portable Compact Flash (CF) Recorder

Marantz Professional's PMD671 for one-touch, non-stop, PC-compatible recording. Marantz Professional unveils a new, upgraded portable recorder, the PMD671. This solid state device can record audio files to affordable and widely available Microdrives or Compact Flash cards with just the flip of a switch. Designed for compatibility with MP3, MP2, BWF and WAV formats, the PMD671 boasts an impressive 40 assignable quality settings as well as a File Allocation Table (FAT32) for future multi-gigabyte file capability. Features include: non-stop recording with 6 hours of battery life; menu-driven remote operation; and an EDL marking system for creating new files on-the-fly during recordings for easy file selection during playback.

Highlights

 (Introduction)
No compromises. It’s a phrase that field professionals aren’t used to hearing. And it’s precisely what the new PMD671 delivers. The original PMD670 flash recorder created a new standard in features and reliability among field recorders, and the PMD671 continues that trend. Like its predecessor, the PMD671 records to CF meda cards, offers multiple recording modes, long record and battery times, balanced mic inputs with phantom power, and a long list of technical and design features for professional applications. But the PMD671 offers something new—and we’re not just talking bells and whistles.

Marantz has raised the bar—exponentially. The PMD671 can record 24-bit, 96 kHz audio for the highest sound quality available in the field—or even in the studio. The ability to read-after-write offers completely new levels of functionality never before available in a field recorder. Even the mic preamps have been dramatically improved. Then add programmable presets, and changing formats on the fly is as easy as pressing a button.

Serious professionals need serious tools. If your application requires uncompromising audio, unflinching reliability, and unprecedented functionality, you owe it to yourself to take a very serious look at the PMD671.

Key Features
• 24-bit, 96 kHz PCM capable for unrivaled fidelity
• “Virtual Third Head” for confidence monitoring
• Read-after-write capability for random access playback while recording.
• No moving parts—no maintenance
• Built-in USB 2.0 port for ultra-fast, easy file transfer to PC
• Records uncompressed 16 and 24 bit PCM .wav files at 44.1, 48, 88.2 or 96 kHz.
• Records mono .mp3 files at 64 kbps
• Records stereo .mp3 files at 128 kbps
• Uses inexpensive, widely available Compact Flash media (CF)
• A 1 GB CF card can hold almost 30 minutes of uncompressed stereo (24 bit, 96 kHz)
• A 1 GB CF card can hold almost 90 minutes of uncompressed stereo (16 bit, 44.1kHz)
• A 1 GB CF card can hold over 17 hours (stereo) or 36 hours (mono) .mp3
• 4 to 6 hour battery life with standard AA alkaline batteries.
• Two built-in condenser mics for easy, true stereo recordings
• Two XLR mic connections with +48v phantom power
• Dramatically upgraded microphone preamps
• RCA line I/O
• Built-in monitor speaker
• Optional RC600 wired remote control with peak indicator
• Future timecode upgrade planned.

Unparalleled 24/96 Audio
Recording PCM audio at 24-bit resolution and 96 kHz sampling frequency is the absolute state of the art for digital audio applications. It offers 256 times the amplitude resolution, and more than twice the frequency resolution of compact discs. The Marantz PMD671 is, simply put, is the most affordable, high resolution field recorder there is. New microphone preamps have even been designed to take advantage of this quantum leap in fidelity.

Virtual Third Head
Professional analog recorders had a dedicated “third head” to monitor recorded signals as they were being printed to tape. It was called, “confidence monitoring”, because it allowed engineers to be 100% confident about what they had recorded. The PMD671 is unique in offering the 21st century version of this same functionality, by playing back the recorded data, rather than simply monitoring the input source.

Read-After-Write
The same technology that allows the virtual third head also allows read-after-write capability. This means that as you continue to record an event, you can back up and listen to various parts, and then return to listening to the event in real-time. Court reporting and technical investigation may never be the same.

Professional I/O
Let’s face it: plugging professional-grade microphones into an 1/8” jack is asking for trouble. The PMD671 offers two balanced XLR mic inputs with +48v phantom power, and all new audiophile quality microphone preamps. Caught in a pinch? The PMD671 includes a stereo pair of condenser mics built right in. Of course, RCA stereo line I/O are also provided.

Long Battery Life
Tired of lugging around six extra D-Cells just so you can interrupt your recording to change batteries half-way through an event? The PMD671 will run for four to six hours on regular alkaline AA batteries.

Long Record Times
No more flipping tapes! A single 1 GB flash card can hold up to 36 hours of uninterrupted audio (monaural .mp3 at 64 kbps). For music recording, the same size card can hold more than 17 hours high-quality compressed stereo (.mp3 at 128 kbps).

Solid State Technology
By storing audio data on Compact Flash (CF) media cards, all of the mechanical hassles of tape recorders are gone forever—as are the costs of servicing and maintaining them. SolidStateTechnology makes the PMD671 less vulnerable to bumps, vibrations, and sonic deterioration over the long haul. Not only that, but CF storage allows you to choose from several recording formats, and makes transfer to computers a snap.

USB 2.0 and file transfer
In the end, you’ll probably want to transfer your audio to a PC for editing, and then burn it to CD for broadcast, evidence, documentation, or just for convenient playback. The PMD671’s USB 2.0 port allows you to directly connect to a computer for blazing fast transfers. Alternatively, you can remove the CF card and use any standard CF card reader.

Optional Wired Remote
It would be great if every recording situation had a field engineer running everything behind the scenes. Unfortunately, all too often it’s just you, wishing you had more hands. The RC600 wired remote control enables you to start and stop recording, and to mark new track-starts on the fly. It even has a peak meter right on the remote, so you can keep an eye on your recording, without taking your eye off the ball.

Future Timecode Option
Planned upgrade options include the ability to generate, chase, and display
SMPTE timecode. This will make the PMD671 an ideal recorder/player for show-control and sound-for-picture applications.

All specifications subject to change without notice