The DR44WL is a Wi–Fi-enabled, handheld digital recorder, which can be remotely controlled from an iPhone, iPad or Android device using an app. It records up to four tracks simultaneously, allows individual track overdubbing and has a basic mixer.
Recordings are stored on SD, SDHC and SDXC cards of up to 128GBs in capacity. Standard and broadcast WAVs can be recorded at sample frequencies of 44.1, 48 and 96 kHz, and bit rates of 16 and 24, and it’s also possible to go straight to MP3 using 44.1 and 48 kHz settings and bit rates of up to 320kbps. Embedded in the bottom edge of the recorder are two Neutrik XLR/quarter–inch jack Combo sockets, which supply the user’s choice of 24V or 48V of phantom power. When the recorder is used in four–channel mode, the onboard mics provide inputs to channels 1 and 2, while the combos serve numbers 3 and 4. There’s also a mode called MTR, which allows overdubbing on any of the tracks. The advantage of using Wi–Fi is that an app can be employed as the controller, reducing the hardware cost and potentially offering a more flexible interface. The free app, called DR–Control, is available for iPad and iPhone at the Apple Store and for Android devices from Google Play. It gives the user full command of the recorder’s transport, levels and record/play functions, as well as access to record and input settings, and has a 20-meter range. One advantage of Wi–Fi as a remote control system is that the recorder and controller need only be within range, and not necessarily in line of sight.