|
|
Failed to execute CGI : Win32 Error Code = 3 |
| Free from a music retailer near you. |
 |
ZOOM PS-02 PALMTOP STUDIO |
Australian Musician - Autumn 2001
It's amazing to see where technology is taking us. Everything is more accessible than before. Gadgets, Gismo's and thingumabobs are cropping up everywhere to tempt and tantalise the most discerning buyer. Gone are the days when recording was reserved for those with a recording contract or had a considerable budget to splurge on their next project. The Digital era has brought a lot of good ideas with it to the point where musicians have a wide palette of products at their disposal. Home Studios are establishing and with it the ability to really produce world-class products means that we as musicians are no longer restricted. Tools of the trade are wide and varied in the music business and there are certain things that we must have if we are going to progress. If you happen to write songs, you'll know that ideas can come at any time, at the most strangest of places and having some sort of recording medium like a portable tape deck can be very handy. Before 'digital' was in the picture, portable cassette-style multi-tracks were all the rage especially if you wanted to record more parts but proved to be a bit cumbersome if you were on the move all the time. One company that has been at the forefront of new technology not only for guitarists but also musicians in general is the Zoom Corporation based in Japan. If you've been reading Australian Musician for a while now, you'd know that we've done a number of product reviews ranging from guitar & bass processors to samplers and drum machines and found them to be packed with features and extremely well priced. This issue is no exception with the release of the PS-02 Palmtop Studio which Zoom claim to be the smallest recording studio in the world, it fits into the palm of your hand, hence the name.
Zoom PS-02 Palmtop features...
I remember getting a 9002 all years ago and remember being blown away by the sounds I was getting from such a tiny box and wondering how a company like Zoom could cram so much into such a little space. Over a decade later, Zoom has kept in the tradition by providing a very useful device in the PS-02 for those requiring a fully functional ultra-portable multi track recorder. The PS-02 is the first of its kind by offering three handy functions housed in a very compact portable unit. The Palmtop studio combines a drum/bass machine and a digital 3-track recorder as well as a multi-effects device in a well-laid out easy to operate unit that Zoom are famous for. The PS-02 has the ability to tailor the sound of your guitar utilising the VAMS technology found in their guitar Modeling processors. Most of the preset patches are very good and a great starting point to pull a good sound. You simply then record, add a preset bass & drum track (over 200 preset patterns available), chuck on a vocal via the internal condenser microphone and mix it all down using the internal Zoom effects of which there are about 50 to choose from. What's great is that all this and more can be done on the Zoom PS-02 Palmtop studio. The built-in 3-track recorder will allow up to 10 virtual takes per track. The recorded data is stored on a smart media card that slots into the side of the unit with the front and rear panels nicely laid out. An 8MB card is supplied with the unit with 16, 32, 64 and 128MB cards available as aftermarket options if you wish to expand your recording time capabilities. You can power up the unit by using the 9V adaptor or it will happily run on 4 X AAA batteries for up to 4 hours of constant use, which is handy if no power is available. The overall operation is not much different to using a normal processor and if you're used to operating multi-function parameter controls type devices, then you'll take to this unit easily. It runs quite happily considering the multi tasks that the unit has to handle. The Global operation of the effects is all controlled via the sliders on the front panel and you'll find the sliders incorporate much of the PS-02 functions rather than knobs allowing for fine adjustments to happen easier.
Conclusion...
Having a sensible control layout with the ability to store media via removable cards, the PS-02's greatest strength is the quality and transparent operation. The functions within the unit are very user friendly and as a recorder and multi effects device, impressive to say the least. While the internal drum & bass sounds are adequate, it's good to know that you have the ability to bounce tracks and record your own bass track using some of the bass effects within the unit. The drums can be further improved by purchasing the RT-323 which is the new drum machine from Zoom that offers 128 kits, 55 bass programs and 500 patterns and utilises the smart media card technology. This will allow patterns to be stored from the RT-323 and dumped across to the Palmtop via the card allowing expandable options. Overall, I must say that at $795.00 rrp, it has to be worth checking out. If you write and present your ideas to your band or simply want to demo up a song, then you may find the PS-02 invaluable. Aftermarket options for the PS-02 like a media storing device and expandable media cards have to be considered if you plan to use it a lot but it's not a lot to pay considering the return.
For further information you can visit your nearest Zoom dealer or give Dynamic Music a call on 02 9939 1299 and they'll be happy to put you onto one.