Portable Digital Recorder Suggestions?

[Marvino]

I would like to get a digital recorder to bring to a weekly jam I am going to start going to.
Nothing super expensive. I know nothing about digital recorders, never had one. But would like to hear suggestions of what works for forum members.

[RobP]

I have had very good luck with a Zoom H2. I use it for recording practices, as a scratchpad for recording bits of tunes I am writing, and I have used it to record several mandolin workshops at festivals. It's a great all-around recorder with great mics. It records in .wav format on an SD card. I usually convert to MP3 using audacity to reduce the file sizes for sharing. (A side benefit of the H2 is that it can also be used as a USB microphone, a nice feature that I have been making use of latetly.)

The new, updated version is the H2n. It has many upgrades, like a backlit display and a speaker (the H2 requires headphones for playback). I'd love to have one, but the H2 still works so well I haven't been able to come up with a good reason to upgrade (yet). Heres an amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-H2N-H2n-H...words=zoom+H2n

I am sure you will get many other opinions as well. Good Luck!

[John Flynn]

+1 on the H2. I use it as both a field recorder and as a USB microphone and it works great in all kinds of settings. The only thing I don't like about it is the display, which they seem to have solved with the new H2n model.

[J Mangio]

The Zoom H1 works for me.

[Mark Marino]

I have a Tascam DR-05 and really like the mics on it. Although I have heard good things about the Zoom as well.

[Pete Martin]

If you have a smart phone, look into recording apps on it. My iPhone records as good sounding files as my mp3 recorders. If you want .WAV files, then look into something better quality.

[Sid Simpson]

I started with the Zoom H2, which does a great job recording. The display screen is a bit small for my aging eyes, and I missed the lack of a speaker and didn't like the short battery life. I think most of these are corrected in the newer versions. It has multiple choices of mike setup, including omnidirectional and front only.

I bought a Tascam DR-05 and find it more user friendly. It has a very small speaker, but I can read the screen more easily. I've been very happy with it, but miss the directionality feature of the H2.

Both are pretty simple to use and make good quality recordings.

[liestman]

Another endorsement for the Zoom H2.

[UsuallyPickin]

I still have my Tascam DR-1 with the original battery giving me good service. The Zoom and Tascam are by far the most recommended recorders when this question comes up on the Cafe. R/

[G. Fisher]

I have a Tascam DR-07 MK II and it's easy to use and sounds great.

[Jim]

Been using a Tascam DR 07 for about 4 months. Very user friendly , great mics, fast to set up.

[Lord of the Badgers]

if you can stretch to the Zoom H4n, I can't recommend that one highly enough, but the lower priced one in the range is great too.

with the H4 you can use it as a rudimentary multitrack, you can put up to two external mics in and record in four channel stereo (imagine recording the ambience of a gig & also the desk output at the same time)... it has a tuner, effects, dynamics eg compressor limiter low cut filter.

It's always on, ready for my ideas at home and sounds superb. Also I can plug it into my mac and use those nice little mics as an audio input. That and the usb will also power it, which is a bonus

There's also a stamina mode for the batteries, and it'll tripod/mic stand mount (as does the H2). Brilliant thing. I wondered why I'd need it, now I can't imagine my musical life without.

[thekidjohn]

Our band had a Zoom H2 for a few years and it was very good in terms of giving us quality sound recording in a package that we all knew how to use pretty easily. When it fell off a table and broke we got the H2N and it's even better in terms of sound quality, display, and the speaker means we can play it back without plugging it into a speaker. I love it.

[David Rambo]

I don't know what size you are willing to use, but I just moved up to a TASCAM DIGITAL PORTASTUDIO DP-24. It allows 8 inputs, line and/or mike, at a time, and they can be bounced to tracks 9-24. I'm a little behind in my technology, but I don't have to drag a computer along when I use this one.

[herbsandspices]

I have a Zoom H1, Zoom H4n, an older Sony, and an iPhone (I like the Rode Rec app to record), and use and love all of them. The H1 is a little cheap feeling, and the H4n is really solidly built. I imagine the H2 is right in between in both features and build, which might be the sweet spot. You really can't go wrong if you stick with Zoom or Tascam.

[Spencer]

if you can stretch to the Zoom H4n, I can't recommend that one highly enough, but the lower priced one in the range is great too.

with the H4 you can use it as a rudimentary multitrack, you can put up to two external mics in and record in four channel stereo (imagine recording the ambience of a gig & also the desk output at the same time)... it has a tuner, effects, dynamics eg compressor limiter low cut filter.

It's always on, ready for my ideas at home and sounds superb. Also I can plug it into my mac and use those nice little mics as an audio input. That and the usb will also power it, which is a bonus

There's also a stamina mode for the batteries, and it'll tripod/mic stand mount (as does the H2). Brilliant thing. I wondered why I'd need it, now I can't imagine my musical life without.

I second the motion on this one. We use it a lot for recording band practices, and remembering arrangements. With the internal mikes, it picks up all the instruments and vocals clearly, without having to be hysterical about placement. Lot of nice features, and what I find to be a pretty good users manual. I do find the 4track recoding difficult to figure out, but still really like this recorder.

I got a little tripod for it, which screws into the back, which really helps. There is also an adapter which you can use to mount in a standard mike stand.

Spencer

[Denman John]

Has anyone used the Apogee One mic/interface? It connects to your iPad and is a pre-amp for a line in and also has an internal mic that looks very nice.i. It also allows for a 2nd mic hookup, or instrument input.

Would love to hear in anyone has used this to record acoustic instruments, and or connected an electric guitar to it.

[barney 59]

On a side note then --being as I have just entered the ranks of iphone dweebs -what is the best iphone recording app? + What is the best free app, I hate parting with $1.99

[Marvino]

Thank you all. This really helped. Narrowed the field down to Zoom and Tascam. Makes decision a lot easier now.

[Lord of the Badgers]

true about the iphone - really not bad at all. I'll look for that rode app.

Oh looky here ... they do a mic pair too! Now that's an interesting twist....

Wish I had some audio from my H4n to post that I'm happy to put up to show you

[Lord of the Badgers]

Mr Rambo makes a point about Multitrackers - there are some great ones on the market now with bags of stuff on them and internal mics. Have heard good things.

I just didn't need anything else - and btw I rarely use the multitrack on the H4n but it's "ok" for what it is and not a main reason to have the unit.

[bigskygirl]

On a side note then --being as I have just entered the ranks of iphone dweebs -what is the best iphone recording app? + What is the best free app, I hate parting with $1.99

I use the audio memos feature that's already on the iPhone and I bought a Tascam IM2 microphone which provides better sound. I like the iPhone BC I can just record and email the file easily.

I may branch out to video at some point and I have seen some real good videos from the iPhone using a zoom or rascal for sound.

[mmcraig]

What is the main purpose you want the recorder for? If you are just wanting to record yourself playing in your living room, then the zoomies & tascam units will be fine. If you want to record your gigs, I would go with a Sony PCM-M10 or Sony PCM-D50. The Sony's have a lower noise floor, which is better for acoustic music. Check out taperssection.com. It will have info on all of these units.