I am a user of this device for the past two years. I would like to comment on the device and the previous review.
I agree with the statements in the previous review, but I have more of a problem with the sound quality of this device.
It is true that for a beginner this is a good device for recording sounds. I have had no hardware or software problems during standalone recording. The only problem I have ever had with it is when it is in "USB Mode" for uploading data from the MR-8HD to my computer via USB cable. The problem is that, sometimes, after the data has been transferred to the computer, the MR-8HD will not exit USB Mode or respond to any other user input. At these times, I have to simply unplug the MR-8HD and turn it back on. It always works fine when re-booted. This has never caused a failure to transfer the data, or any data loss, or any other system diffculties. It's just something to note.
I agree that the effects on the unit are not of much value. The analog distortion available on Input 1 is actually quite good, but the digital reverb and delay effects are not good; they are very harsh and trebly.
The A-D converters are made by the company Cirrus Logic (model number CS5351-KZZ). They are of very high quality. If you are OK with recording to 16-bit (which most home recordists should be), they are more than good enough for any purpose.
The preamps and trim pots on the inputs are another story. Unlike the previous reviewer, I have run into the sonic quality limitations of its preamps. Any line-level instruments like guitars or synthesizers that are recorded directly into the MR-8HD sound great because the internal preamps are not turned up. However, as the previous reviewer stated, they are, "...touchy for recording mics; there's only a very small range of useful gain adjustment when using a condenser." I would actually go one step further and say that these preamps are not actually usable for recording. They are reasonably noiseless for dynamic mics up to about the halfway point, but at that point they really still are not providing enough gain to get a strong signal.
More than halfway and they are truly just too noisy to get anything more than a "low-fi" "bedroom recording" sound quality. I would like to say at this point that it is good that digital recorders are so cheap and easy to use now. The convenience of this unit is very high. However, I think it is safe to say that the sound quality of the preamps means that the sound recording quality is probably no higher than that which could be achieved with a home-recording 4-track cassette recorder.
When using the +48v phantom power with electret or condenser mics, there is even more noise added to the signal. It is not just more white noise like before, but actually a chirping, clicking, rough sound mixed in with rising and falling very-high-frequency tones. It is downright weird. This noise intrudes on the signal when the trim pots are turned up even a little bit, which renders any recording made with condenser mics useless.
If you are planning to use this unit to record microphone signals, please by all means plan to buy external stand-alone mic preamps. Anything from the M-Audio DMP3, to the Rane MS1S, to the FMR RNP8380 or something like that will make the MR-8HD usable. The trim pot on the MR-8HD can then remain all the way down, and the phantom power will not ruin the signal.
I also agree that auxiliary outputs for a post-processing loop would be a massive improvement on this design. I believe the MR-16HD now has an auxiliary output which can be used for this purpose. The added price may be worth it for that feature alone.
All in all, this is a successful offering from Fostex. Once you begin to grow into your recording life, it will become necessary to take measures to improve on the sound quality available from this unit. However, for the price, I think there is (and probably never will be, because of the move to PC-based recording) no competitor to the MR-8HD.
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