question for DJ's -- how to record live mixshows?

[Deleted]

I'm looking for a quick, easy, cheap solution to this problem -- I'd like to be able to record my 4 hour long setlist whenever I play out in a club (using regular CD players & a mixing board, not a computer). I don't want to spend more than $40-$50 or so. Anyone have a solution for me? I'm looking at www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=902&q=digital+audio+recorder&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq= and the only Digital Audio Recorders I see are either $200 or microphone types that you can't "export" what you've recorded into a computer. Help!

[🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾]

Have you looked at MP3 players with a line-in recording function? Some of those are really good for that purpose. Those are available at various price points. The really cheap ones in the $40 to $50 range have really low capacities, like 512 MB or 1 GB. And sometimes the cheap ends up being expensive if the one you bought breaks down unexpectedly.

CNet had a brief overview of some devices which do what you're looking for, but the price points are above. However, you may have better luck finding those ones on eBay, Craigslist, or in the bargain bin at your local electronics store.

reviews.cnet.com/4321-6490_7-6543950.html

I bought a device like that back in 2003 by Archos which had that. It would record in either 128 or 192 KBPS MP3 format or WAV. I didn't buy an iPod back then because my PC at the time couldn't support one, nor could iTunes be installed on it. I'm sort of glad I didn't.

[Deleted]

cool, thanks for the advice! no I haven't considered that but it's a good idea! All I'd need would be just 1GB to record my 4-hour setlist as a 320 kbps mp3 -- I actually found this awesome bitrate/filsize calculator: waxy.org/projects/mp3calc that told me that 1GB would translate to about 7.5 hours of music. Question: have you ever used one of these things (mp3 player with in-line recording) for your DJ sets? If so what brand and model # did you use? The only thing that's stopping me from buying a cheap 1GB model is the mixing board I'd be recording from. The only available outputs it has are "tape/out L&R" with NO volume control to adjust the loudness of the signal, and according to the specs www.behringer.com/EN/Products/DJX700.aspx it has a fixed output volume of "typ.0 dBu" whatever that means (any techies care to chime in? hehe) I want to buy something like this: www.amazon.com/Zoom-H1-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK -- but there's a review there www.amazon.com/review/R197GXWHKSLI4F which kinda scares me:

For those of you who plan on using the line input to record the output from a mixer or other line level device...be warned!!! The line input distorts when receiving a hot signal - even if the input level is all the way down. For example, when recording the output from a CD player, the input sounds very distorted, even though the input level is at 1 - and there are barely any levels on the meter. You MUST use an attenuator in front of the line input if you plan on recording anything with high levels. Or you can reduce the output out of the line device - but this is not always possible (recording the output of a mixer at a concert for example.)

.....so now I'm not sure what to do. Maybe something like this: www.amazon.com/Ikey-Audio-M3-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B002K8XYGW would be an idea? But I'm reading reviews on that CNET site some of which say these models don't have drag-n-click capabilities (in other words you have to install software to import the recorded mp3 files into your computer, or use WMP-10 or something, which totally sucks) and then some of them don't even record line-input source at anything above 128 kbps. If anyone's ever used any of these to record your live DJ mixshows please let me know how it went and which model # worked best for you! Thanks Disco Cowboy & anyone else who can help :)