Audio recording: let’s go hybrid!

By Thomas Gerbrands | Latest News

Jun 24
How to record music on stage?

Audio recording: let’s go hybrid!

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By Thomas Gerbrands
on June 24, 2019 in
Latest News

A special message for you from team Reclouder!

The amount of questions we've received in the last months about the retail price of Reclouder has been stunning. We sincerely thank you for all the interest you've shown so far. This is really exciting for us. As always we will cut right to the chase. Today we introduce the official retail price: US$199

We've launched a crowdfunding campaign with a special introduction price for you as a valued early adopter. Check out the link underneath to join!.  Currently we are working on finalising our dedicated cloud service and received our second prototypes of the  Reclouder hardware. This is becoming one amazing project. It is already changing our lives. We will contact you soon to get your feedback on our cloud service. Become part of the movement by interacting with us. We will keep you posted. 

Now that we've announced our official retail price, it is time to explain how we came to this point. Get some serious insights and detailled information about our innovative approach to recording audio. Are you ready? Let's go hybrid!

Beyond the traditional audio recorder

In our previous blog post you had the opportunity to meet our "decentralized wireless hybrid audio recorder”. That sounds great and adventurous, don’t you think? You might think it is just hollow phrases. It is only a bunch of marketing terms, right? Please allow us to change your mind on this.

We carefully considered our wording to position our invention. This blog is about explaining those terms and give them the value they deserve. You can follow, step by step, the breakdown of our product. Just read and investigate!

Let us start at the end. We all understand that recording audio is an essential part of your production process as a videographer, musician, sound engineer or DJ. There are multiple solutions on the market ranging from audio interfaces and mobile apps towards all-in-one multitrack recorders with integrated microphone capsules. We can imagine you think: “I am okay with my current solution, so why change?” or “What is so smart about your solution?” and “How does this benefit me?”

You skepticism is an important part of our motivation. We thrive on thinking differently. One needs to be honest and thorough to improve and grow. Reclouder is challenging your familiar ways of recording audio. It offers a new angle. A new approach. Try to think different. Along the way you might find that this approach offers you a totally new workflow to recording high-quality audio.

What is so smart about Reclouder?

We’ve received this question many times during our promotional campaigns and discussions with recording specialists. Reclouder is the easiest way to store, sync and share audio recordings. It combines today’s technologies and your traditional workflow to get you ready for the future of audio recording. With the current trends of 5G, cloud services and the internet of things, Reclouder offers you a different viewpoint, another perspective and a future-ready approach to recording audio. Thinking ahead is what we call smart.

Reclouder offers a standalone solution that connects with your preferred microphone(s). You can use one recording device with the removable SD card and power it with replaceable AAA batteries to record audio on any location. As we said before, we’d like to challenge you to think further. Reclouder is fully expandable. You can add a potentially endless amount of units along the way. This way you can build your own modular recording network. You can record in varying compositions. As every musician will own a Reclouder, you can link the units in a specific live recording and create a session that correspondents with the units that joined it.

Reclouder offers both an audio input for recording and a lossless audio thru functionality for stage mixing, making it the most versatile solution for recording live music. Reclouder will seamlessly integrate into your live setup and will honour the importance of your live sound.

The best things in life are driven by simplicity. We believe that Reclouder is easy to operate and simple to understand. It is a solution that gives access to high-quality audio recording for a wide range of creators. We carefully designed every component of Reclouder’s hardware and are constantly improving the firmware and cloud service to keep offering you the best.

Decentralized

You must have read this term quite often on our website, blog and social channels. We think you deserve a complete and full explanation from us.

If you investigate audio recording you will notice that every setup is build from a centralized way of thinking. Consider live mixing consoles, audio interfaces and portable multitrack recordings. They all have one thing in common. They are designed to direct your recording signals to one device: controlled, operated and owned by one person.

While designing Reclouder we took in account the final stage of your music business. It is the monetisation and collection of royalties generated by your songs. With Reclouder we considered that every member, every sound source, can have a different creator or audio input associated with it. This is not mandatory. That is how we keep Reclouder versatile. We think in solutions, but we do not force them upon you. You are free to choose whatever fits your workflow.

You can use Reclouder as a centralized solution and operate it as a sound engineer. No problem. On the other hand you can use it for recording live music as a band itself. Every band member then operates one Reclouder.

You can use Reclouder to enhance the audio in your video project and expand it to complex multi-camera setups with single or multiple sound sources. Working from a decentralized state of mind offers a new way of thinking. It allows you to set up your recording network differently without compromising on your traditional workflow.

Wireless

All audio signals run through wires. This offers the best quality. We are not here to offer you an audio over bluetooth solution. We use the term wireless differently. We offer a wireless solution to create a decentralized recording network. With our top grade Bluetooth technology - compliant with Bluetooth v4.2 BR/EDR and BLE specifications - you can create a potentially endless network of Reclouders, connected peer-2-peer,  easily controlled with your mobile device while using our simple yet effective mobile application.

You can record on the removable SD cards first and, when connected with wifi, our hybrid device automatically stores and syncs your recordings in the cloud. From the cloud you can instantly share the recorded files with your best sound engineer, producer or grant access to VIPs, co-workers and band members. Our cloud service is constantly evolving. You can expect more features and services to arrive in the future. 

As we like to keep your options open, you can control the recording process directly from the hardware device or with our mobile app. Both with one single touch. It is as easy as a breeze. Together with our cloud service you streamline your workflow and automate the  production processes. Believe us if we say: "the best is yet to come, we are just getting started".

Hybrid

Hybrid is indeed some kind of fancy word. Hybrid is used in cars that run on fossil fuel and electric power. Hybrid solutions are a way to adjust and transfer from one traditional form to a new innovative form. It is an in between solution. It stands for transition. What does that mean?

We offer you a traditional solution to recording audio. While we do that, we add several exciting technologies, ranging from bluetooth to wifi, to create a new approach to recording audio.

We strongly believe this is the future and while we are already streaming as a consumer, you are getting ready to stream as a creator. The internet of things and 5G mobile networks are just a small next step in that direction and Reclouder is just the beginning of your adjustment to this. With Reclouder you are ready for the IoT revolution in the recorded music industry.

Breaking down Reclouder hardware

To give you better insights in development decisions we’ve made, we compared Reclouder with another fairly new recording device. Please note that we do not want to bash this product. Actually, we think it is a clever product which we would recommend in particular cases. What we try to do is give you a better understanding of the choices we’ve made based on the features and specification of our hardware device.

Mixerface R4

MIXERFACE R4R

US$ 499

Centralized

Stereo/mono recording

2x combo XLR jacks Mic/Line inputs with gain controls

48v phantom power

N/A

Hi-Z inputs for guitar/bass

1x 3.5mm jack Aux input

N/A

2x 3.5mm jack (Un)balanced outputs

4x LEDs level monitoring

Rechargeable Li-Polymer battery

N/A

N/A

1x 3.5mm jack DSLR-ready audio output

1x 3.5mm jack Headphone output

USB audio interface

USB power supply

Aircraft-grade aluminum case

Reclouder wireless multitrack recorder

RECLOUDER

US$ 199

Decentralized

Stereo/mono recording

1x combo XLR jacks Mic/Line inputs with gain control

48v phantom power

1x combo XLR jacks Mic/Line thru

N/A

2x 3.5mm jack mic inputs

3.2v Plug-in Power

N/A

8x LEDs level monitoring

3x Replaceable AAA battery

Bluetooth wireless multitrack recording

WiFi + Cloud service

1x 3.5mm jack DSLR-ready audio output

1x 3.5mm jack Headphone output

N/A

USB power supply

Sturdy hard plastic case

Mixerface R4

MIXERFACE R4R

US$ 499

Centralized

Stereo/Mono Recording

2x Combo XLR Jacks Mic/Line Inputs With Gain Controls

48v Phantom Power

1x 3.5mm Jack Aux Input

2x 3.5mm Jack (Un)Balanced Outputs

4x LEDs Level Monitoring

Rechargeable Li-Polymer Battery

1x 3.5mm Jack DSLR-Ready Audio Output

1x 3.5mm Jack Headphone Output

USB Audio Interface

USB Power Supply

Aircraft-Grade Aluminum Case

Reclouder wireless multitrack recorder

RECLOUDER

US$ 199

Decentralized

Stereo/Mono Recording

1x Combo XLR Jacks Mic/Line Inputs With Gain Control

48v Phantom Power

1x Combo XLR Jacks Mic/Line Thru

2x 3.5mm Jack Mic Inputs

2.5v Plug-In Power

8x LEDs Level Monitoring

3x Replaceable AAA Battery

Bluetooth Wireless Multitrack Recording

WiFi + Cloud Service

1x 3.5mm Jack DSLR-Ready Audio Output

1x 3.5mm Jack Headphone Output

USB Power Supply

Sturdy Hard Plastic Case

The Mixerface R4R is a USB audio interface with independent inputs and monitor controllers. It can be used as a mini-mixer. Reclouder is different. It can record multiple channels in a wireless recording network. This network consists out of multiple hardware units and is scalable to a potentially endless number of channels, thus hardware units. Every Reclouder offers a flexible set of inputs creating an all-round solution with dedicated focus on hybrid recording of high quality audio.

Reclouder offers several pricing solutions for your multichannel recording project. The first one is a special price for early adopters. The other one is a bundle package when you purchase multiple units. We would like to inform you further on this subject, but you’d have to be a bit more patient.

To ensure the wireless and wifi capabilities of Reclouder we chose to build our device with a sturdy hard plastic casing. Any grade of metal or aluminium, as used in the Mixerface R4R, will interfere with the wireless signals.

Record your DJ sets

High Quality Audio Recording

Reclouder is designed for live music and video projects. For recording music related projects, you can connect your dynamic or phantom power (+48v) condenser microphone or line signal to a Reclouder unit and expand the number of units in your wireless recording network if you desire more channels.

Record Live Music

Record you band on stage

You have one dedicated combo input that can record mono (mic) and stereo (line). We’ve added a combo mic/line lossless audio thru option, especially useful for recording live music with a PA mixer. As you might have noticed there is no instrument input. We designed Reclouder as a microphone thru box. For guitar and bass players this means you either connect your pedalboard or your amp output on stage. This will keep your live recordings close to the original live sound your audience is experiencing.

Record Guitar On Stgae

High Quality Audio Recording

Reclouder is also suitable for single and multi-camera projects with one single or multiple sound sources. With plug-in power and two 3.5 mini-jack inputs you can connect two video microphones, or lavaliers and even a video condenser mic. This offers a wide range of applications for videographers.

Record Audio for Video

Get The Best Out Of You Video Mic

As you noticed there is no USB data connector and only a record button on the hardware unit. This is done deliberately. Reclouder is not an audio interface nor an audio player. Reclouder focuses on recording audio. You can monitor the results of your recording using a headphone or through our mobile app. We offer a dedicated gain control and an ultra precise 8 LED level monitor to do the job for you.

With bluetooth and wifi functionality we offer a complete and versatile solution to recording your audio projects. Consider our solution and think about what it can do for you.

If you have any smart ideas, projects or applications, feel free to let us know. We would like to hear more: drop us a comment below!

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(14) comments

Konstantin Jagoulis June 25, 2019

I really like this concept and I think this is a great solution for many.
Crowdfunding makes it possible and I am excited to see this manifest.
Keep going and improving after. We artists need robust devices for any situation.
It is a start and it is a good one.

Reply
    Thomas Gerbrands June 26, 2019

    Thank you so much for these promising words of confidence.

    Reply
Herman June 26, 2019

Please consider the option that the Tascam DR-10L gives: Recording 1 channel on 2 tracks, but the second track with a lower input gain as a safety track.
Also consider direct compression during recording to prevent hard clipping.

Reply
    Thomas Gerbrands June 27, 2019

    Many thanks for pointing this out to us. It is highly appreciated.

    I have forwarded your feedback to our development team. They immediately replied and I have good news for you.

    Both suggestions are part of our development and implemented in the firmware design as ‘backup recording’ and ‘auto gain control (AGC)’!

    Enjoy your day!!

    Reply
Evan July 1, 2019

Sounds interesting! Here’s some concerns and questions. It sounds like each unit records 4 channels but really most people will consider it a two Chanel recorder as two channels are XLR / 1/4 combo jacks and the other two 3.5 mini jacks won’t be used that often. So this works for bass players and guitars with vocals but not for a drummer who would need as many as seven of these. So you may need ten or more for a band. How do they sync up for timing is that Bluetooth? What if there is radio interference does the unit sync up later? Also does one unit act as the master ? I hope Bluetooth is used to transfer files inn a lossless way Andrew not Bluetooth audio standards that.removes some of the quality like an MP3. Lastly please specify your preamps used and the quality.

Thank you.

Reply
    Thomas Gerbrands July 3, 2019

    Hi Evan,

    Many thanks for taking the time to provide feedback and ask these important questions. It is highly appreciated. Please allow me to answer your questions one by one:

    1. Each Reclouder unit records 2 mono or 1 stereo channel, the 3.5 mini jacks will share the same channels with the XLR/TRS. Just like you mentioned, the mini jacks won’t be used that often by musicians. They are designed for videographers.

    2. The current Reclouder is our first model. Our intention is to cover multiple scenarios in the current design and as much as we can. If we successfully launch our first decentralized multitrack recording solution, we will further investigate more specific models. Future models will more closely connect to the needs of drummers and other players. Please note that we have to make development decisions based on the cost per unit. We have to ensure that the price per units stays as low is it currently is. Future models will always integrate in the same wireless network as the current model.

    3. All Reclouders will sync via Bluetooth technology. We developed our own protocol in a P2P network, and it is only for control (not audio), so it will be very stable.

    4. The lossless audio file transferring is when you connect your Reclouder (or network of Reclouders) with WiFi. It has much wider bandwidth than Bluetooth.

    5. We used our own customsized internal audio mixing and preamp design in Reclouder, our engineer had decades of experience in professional music hardware development.

    I hope this helps to get a better understanding about Reclouder, our current model, and future opportunities. Let me know if you have any further questions or feedback of any form.

    Enjoy your day!

    Reply
Kristian Lind July 9, 2019

Hi,
Could i use the Reclouder as a preamp as well(connect my mic, piezo and send one signal to my amp and one to the house)?
Can I connect my iPad and add eq and effects to my signal?
It would be great if the input is 10Mohm (for piezos).
If I could do all this things, then I could buy one for everyone in my trio and record all our gigs and also have control of our live sound!
Maybe I want to much…

Reply
    Thomas Gerbrands July 10, 2019

    Hi Kristian,

    Many thanks for your reply. It is highly appreciated. Interesting case you offer here.

    Concerning the piezo + mic. I am not 100% if the piezo impedance will match our 3.5mm mini-jack video mic input. I have forwarded this to our hardware development team and have to answer that later. If it does work, you will be able to connect the mix to the XLR and the piezo to the 3.5mm mini-jack input and record simultaneously.

    Reclouder functions as an audio-thru box with lossless audio. Therewith you can connect the audio thru can to any audio input including amp/powered speaker, etc.

    Currently our app is only to control the recording network using bluetooth. We do not add any audio processing functionality. I do think it is a good idea and forwarded it to our software development team. I will keep you posted on this matter and will get back to you on the piezo request.

    Thanks again for your questions and suggestions.

    Reply
Patrcick July 10, 2019

the concept sounds great ….

yet those AAA have such low energy capacity … that would really suck!

and 2 xls ins and out would have been the bomb and everyone would have bought them/

Reply
    Thomas Gerbrands July 10, 2019

    Hi Patrcick,

    Many thanks for taking the time to comment and provide us with useful feedback. Please allow me to reply in detail to your comment.

    There are many reasons why we chose AAA batteries:
    1) We have added AAA batteries as an add-on to USB power to ensure Reclouder can operate anytime, anywhere. Just like we add the SD card to our cloud storage. It is the hybrid solution.
    2) We have chosen AAA small size to keep the hardware device as small in measurements as possible and keep it portable.
    3) AAA batteries are cheap and affordable in both development costs and purchase of the batteries
    4) AAA batteries are also available in rechargeable format
    5) They are small but deliver sufficient power for Reclouder to operate, of course!

    We are currently testing the exact operating time on battery power and will communicate this when we have the final results. I hope this helps to get a better understanding of our development decisions concerning the battery power besides the USB power.

    Concerning the double XLR. Please note that Reclouder is not an audio interface. We can of course integrate more inputs and preamps. Maybe we will in future models. For now, we decided to develop a versatile solution for a wide range of users (videographers, musicians, sound engineers, DJs, etc.). If we successful launch this first type, more dedicated models will be developed, which all will fit in the same wireless recording network. This way we offer user specific models.

    Please note that if we would have added an extra XLR with preamp, this would have resulted in a larger unit in measurements and a more expensive unit. This would have made the current model less interesting for videographers and DJs. The main idea behind Reclouder is that you can link wirelessly multiple units using Bluetooth. You create a wireless network or Reclouders and therewith a wireless multitrack recording network with dedicated cloud service.

    I hope this helps to get a better understanding about our approach to the market and future directions.

    Reply
hatch sandwich bar July 23, 2019

This web site truly has all the information and facts I needed about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.

Reply
James Morris July 31, 2019

when will it be available

Reply
    Thomas Gerbrands August 1, 2019

    We are currently preparing a crowdfunding campaign which will run in sept/oct 2019. You can enjoy our introduction offer right away here: https://reclouder.com/pricing/

    Reply
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