Specifications

M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96 Review
file:///D|/Sonicweb%20Dreamweaver%20Edition_Recent/mt2496rv.htm[4/3/2010 1:08:52 PM]
operate. Mostly a very nice
design.
Impressively designed-in
tactile feel (molded bumps,
dimples) before, and during
finger actuation with a solid felt
click gives ability to work this
deck blindfolded(wearing
monitor headphones).
Menu-selected 'Stereo' mode
locks REC level buttons together
for automatically precision
channel balance at all
adjustment settings.
sound; clever design to actually 'hear a
button push.'
I supposed clearly hearing a button
click helps to assure that just enough
finger pressure is applied; seems a good
feature, and maybe extends button service life
with less misapplied hard pressing. The loud
clicking sound definitely helps when when
wearing thick gloves.
However reassuring hearing a control
button click sound, the MT24/96 deck is a
PORTABLE RECORDER, often used with directly
connected microphone(s). The button clicks are
loud, and easily heard (and recorded) at a 3
meter distances in a quiet ambient.
sounds' into the recording!
Pushing the right-side silent
panel located 'navigation' button
pauses the recording so button
(and other) sounds are not
recorded, however, in pause
mode, VU indication also
stops.
The delete (DEL) button usually
needs two pushes to actually delete a
file, but is too easy to accidentally
actuate when handling the
(unlocked) deck. Addition of a
permanent molded-in button guard is
suggested; same problem with REC
button.
Recording Level adjustment
buttons have nearby green and
red LED indication of minimum
signal activity and overload clip.
Green LEDs indicate (very low)
REC signal activity. These LEDs
show the presence of most any
REC signals not (yet) showing
VU indications.
Red CLIP LEDs are responsive
to indicate REC overloads.
TIP: Best to place some sticky-
side Velcro (as shown at left),
makes DEL actuation less easy.
(Next tip
)
Record button starts and ends the
recording process. Recording button
functions immediately to start the
recording from any non-recording
state, even if in the menu display
mode.
Pressing the Navigation Toggle
switch (not shown in view at left)
while in REC mode will
PAUSE/RESUME the recording
REC LEVEL adjust buttons
and NAV switch now work
consistently with latest
firmware. Giving stable one-
jump adjustment steps with each
'click' regardless of press-release
method.
Holding down the REC LEVEL adjust
button(s) activates a 'fast repeat' mode for
multiple adjustment steps in a short time. 'Fast
repeat' mode is activated with little delay, so
maybe practice getting single steps.
Volume up-down control
simultaneously adjust both
headphones and (surprisingly) LINE
level outputs. Usually LINE level is
NOT so adjustable
Noise spectrums of minijack (MJ) and 1/4 inch (TRS) analog inputs
(All inputs 1000 ohms 1% metal film resistor loaded to ground unless noted; 24bit/88.2K sample rate data)
Linear View
(at minimum recording adjust level)
Minijack input
LOG