JuicedLink (Finally) Release their Little DARling Audio Recorders

This week has been packed with big news on the audio side of things in video production. First we had some awesome new video microphones from Azden, and now Robert Rozak, CEO of JuicedLink just announced their highly anticipated Little DARling audio recorders are finally available for purchase! Originally announced at NAB 2014 and in development ever since, these little audio recorders are a top notch alternative to using wireless lavalier systems for event work and other types of video production. Billed as an effective alternative to traditional wireless systems, who depend on signal strength and have to frequently battle signal dropouts, the Little DARlings counteract such potential issues by offering an independent recording solution per each lavalier microphone.

The Little DAR’s (the DAR stands for Distributed Audio Recorder) currently feature 2 models – the DAR123 base model for $199, and the more advanced DAR124RX01 for $265, which adds a DARlink wireless receiver, remote control for Start/Stop, and also Slate (super cool for syncing with camera scratch sound).

Features

• Audio Bracketing (aka Dual-Mono) 2-track recording from a single lav mic (not included)
• Records onto microSD card (not included)
• Second safety track ~16dB lower
• 16b/48KHz per track
• Locking mic jack (3.5mm threaded)
• Plug-in power for typical lav mics, including high-quality low-noise professional lavs (such as the Sanken COS-11D)
• juicedLink low-noise preamp
• Audio Output
  • Locking stereo minijack (3.5mm threaded)
  • Headphone signal on one channel
    • For mic setup with your talent
    • Mutes during record
      • Can be temporarily un-muted to make gain adjustments, before force mute takes over again
• User Interface
  • Two 7-segment LED displays for menu settings and level meter
  • Navigate menu settings with 2 front panel buttons
  • Recessed button for Power / Stop
  • Text file loaded on card to control advanced DAR settings
  • Power by Single AA battery (not included)
• • Lifetime
    • Alkaline: ~ 12hrs
    • NiMH rechargeable:  ~ 12hrs
    • Lithium:  ~ 20hrs
    • NiCD rechargeable:  ~ 6hrs
  • Aluminum enclosure:  durable … not plastic
• • 2 ounces (without battery)
  • Enclosure box: 2.8 x 1.9 x 0.93 inches
  • Made in the good ol’ USA

The DAR124RX01 features the above and also adds the following features:

• DARlink wireless receiver RX01
  • A transmitter can initiate a signal to do the following:
    • Start/Stop a recording
    • Initiate a slate tone that gets recorded, and also sent to the output jack
  • A production flow using the slate helps align multiple recordings from multiple DARs, as well as the video from multiple cameras
    • Wireless range is not a factor in this production flow
    • See DARlink Multi-Recorder and Multi-Camera Production Flow section in the User Manual for more details
  • Transmitter sold separately

The DAR-CMD-HHLR-433-MD Transmitter is priced at $28 and is manufactured by Linx Technologies. It is designed to work with the DAR124 RX01 and can do the following:

• Start/Stop a recording
• Initiate a slate tone that gets recorded, and also sent to the output jack
• A production flow using the slate helps align multiple recordings from multiple DARs, as well as the video from multiple cameras
• Wireless range is not a factor in this production flow
• Range: Not important for DARlink production flow
• Included – Label to affix over standard buttons for REC, STOP, Slate-1, Slate-2, Slate-3, Slate-4, Slate-5, Slate-6

I’ve personally been waiting for these to be released ever since NAB 2014 and try and get my hands on at least the base model. I really like what JuicedLink do, they are a small outfit, but do make some awesome pre-amps – I used to own the Riggy Assist RA222 and the now discontinued DT454, which served me well for quite some time. These units produce high quality professional sound that rivals much more expensive pre-amps and can take a beating in the field due to their rugged build.

I think the new Little DARlings will benefit quite a few event and wedding shooters as well as those shooting documentaries. JuicedLink are also offering volume discounts on the DAR124RX01 model with the following breakdown:

• Discounts available for purchase of multiple units, per following the table:
  • 5% for 2 units
  • 10% for 3 units
  • 15% for 4 units
  • 20% for 6 units
  • 25% for 8+ units
  • Discount is applied to the DAR124RX01 line item only

To pick those up and for more information head over to JuicedLink here.

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