What Are Some of the best portable recorders??

[ddeez]

I'm looking for a recorder that i can take around with me to record sounds outside the studio...whether its in the car ..on the street....at a gym...etc.


Ideally i would like to take advantage of the u87 i have, so hopefully this recorder has phantom power.

But... maybe thats not the way to go for the best quality portable sound? Maybe i should look for a portable recorder that has a built in mic...? I don't really know so everyone please, suggest away.


I would like 1 suggestion that is 600 dollars or under and 1 suggestion where price is no object.

Thanks

[deethe]

for small CF recording the Maudio-Microtrack 24/96 might have what ur looking, for $399 alone.

add a big fluffy windscreen

looks like:
u87/XLR to TRS/M-audio CF

hope my lingo's understood...

[deethe]

then you might want to add a field engineer mic pre/HD like Sound Devices MM-1. and HQ cables;
overall better power consumption by feeding phantom seperately from recorder, placing a seperate ADC after the mic pre to off load recorder cpu would also help but might tie you to the grid.

oh yeah theres two!

[ddeez]

deethe:

have you had good experiences with the m audio piece?

[ddeez]

hey thanks a lot for the quick responses!


what do you mean when you say

"placing a seperate ADC after the mic pre to off load recorder cpu would also help but might tie you to the grid."

i assume you mean analog digital converter....but "off load recorder cpu"....huh?

[peritus]

On the expensive side:

Basically any portable Nagra... check out the Nagra V and ARES-BB+

http://www.nagraaudio.com/pro/index.php

[ddeez]

thanks for the heads up peritus

[dropblacksky]

You may want to check out the Zoom H4...cheaper than the microtrack with more features and equal, if not better, sound quality IME. Has built in mic capsues in an xy stereo config, can be switched into a 4 track, has two built in mic pres with phantom power, AND can be used as a direct audio interface...it's a very useful tool. Nagra is the way to go for highest pro quality converters and pres, but if you're gonna go pro-sumer, I don't know why anyone would choose the microtrack over the zoom..especially at $299 for the Zoom vs $399 for the microtrack...

It just so happens that there's a field recorder buyers guide at sweetwater.com at the moment....could be a good place to check several options out....

[MattiMattMatt]

Originally Posted by ddeez

I'm looking for a recorder that i can take around with me to record sounds outside the studio...whether its in the car ..on the street....at a gym...etc.


Ideally i would like to take advantage of the u87 i have, so hopefully this recorder has phantom power.

But... maybe thats not the way to go for the best quality portable sound? Maybe i should look for a portable recorder that has a built in mic...? I don't really know so everyone please, suggest away.

The Sony PCM-D1 is a fantastic portable recorder with built in mics that are unusually good for "built-in" (which usually means bad). For recording sounds around town, it's just a great solution. Forget the u87 for that and lugging around heavy kit. The PCM-D1 is not cheap at $1700 or so, but considering the quality and convenience, it's well worth it.

[ddeez]

why should i ditch the u87?

let me know

[peritus]

Originally Posted by ddeez

why should i ditch the u87?

let me know

I can think of one reason...

Moisture can damage condensers pretty easily... And I'm pretty sure lugging it around can't be good for the element..

[deethe]

Originally Posted by ddeez

hey thanks a lot for the quick responses!


what do you mean when you say

"placing a seperate ADC after the mic pre to off load recorder cpu would also help but might tie you to the grid."

i assume you mean analog digital converter....but "off load recorder cpu"....huh?

yea, a converter was the implication for better quality converters not cpu load, my bad. i'm considering using one with a mytek ad2021 to capture some live stereo soundboard recordings but might find a marantz more palatable; with xlr inputs.

[Stitch333]

Originally Posted by peritus

On the expensive side:

Basically any portable Nagra... check out the Nagra V and ARES-BB+

http://www.nagraaudio.com/pro/index.php

Nagra is worldclass

[ddeez]

peritus how sensitive is the u87 to travel.....any specific things i should advoid?

[MattiMattMatt]

Originally Posted by ddeez

why should i ditch the u87?

let me know

Sure, if you want to use it with a Nagra or other high end rig you can make a great recording, but the Sony unit is so good, that if all you're doing is collecting samples (or even recording music here and there), it's a fantastic "portable" solution. No external mics to lug or damage, no cables, no muss, no fuss. Shockingly good sound for a totally self-contained unit.

So, to answer your question, ditch the u87 when you're in the field because life is too short.

[ddeez]

yeah its just thats out of my price range

[niteflite]

Originally Posted by MattiMattMatt

the Sony unit is so good, that if all you're doing is collecting samples (or even recording music here and there), it's a fantastic "portable" solution.

[peritus]

http://cgi.ebay.com/NAGRA-III-PROFES...QQcmdZViewItem

[synthetic]

Tascam HD-P2 looks really solid. I've used it a little, it sounds great.

[bcgood]

Originally Posted by synthetic

Tascam HD-P2 looks really solid. I've used it a little, it sounds great.

+1

One of the really cool features of this unit is that it will automatically switch power sources for you. For instance if you have it plugged in to an outlet and the outlet looses power for some reason it automatically starts drawing power from the batteries inside the unit and will continue recording without interruption. I think Tascam makes some really cool products!

bcgood

[neil33]

Take a look at the Edirol R-9.

[Coyoteous]

"I don't know why anyone would choose the microtrack over the zoom."

- because the MT has a digital input and the Zoom doesn't? Please correct me if I'm wrong. Now, if only the MT had digital out - I'd probably have one already! I may get one anyway, as they can be had for about $250 now.

Don't get me wrong, the Zoom looks great for the money - 4 track, built-in mics, etc., but I need a cheap silent recorder for indoor sampling/recording and to use as a saftey roll for location.

Originally Posted by dropblacksky

You may want to check out the Zoom H4...cheaper than the microtrack with more features and equal, if not better, sound quality IME. Has built in mic capsues in an xy stereo config, can be switched into a 4 track, has two built in mic pres with phantom power, AND can be used as a direct audio interface...it's a very useful tool. Nagra is the way to go for highest pro quality converters and pres, but if you're gonna go pro-sumer, I don't know why anyone would choose the microtrack over the zoom..especially at $299 for the Zoom vs $399 for the microtrack...

It just so happens that there's a field recorder buyers guide at sweetwater.com at the moment....could be a good place to check several options out....

[Robert Sands]

I've been checking this out. PMD660(link below). It has a speaker which most if not all of the others don't have (along with built in mics) Just so convenient - you don't even have to lug headphones.. I was thinking of it as a songwriting companion instead of the small Sony cassette recorder I now use. Somewhere on the web I heard demo files of it and it sounded pretty good. Marantz has been making small field recorders for quite a while so maybe they're good at it. They have 2 more expensive units above this one. Worth a look see perhaps.

http://www.american-digital.com/prod...eFlashRecorder

[MonoBrow]

Maybe a bit expensive..but totally amazing.

Cantar

[sonidista]

Originally Posted by Fluxpod

Maybe a bit expensive..but totally amazing.

Cantar

it doesn't get any better than that one. Anything you could ever dream of, this unit has it. Costs a fortune though...

[jpoprock]

Hey guys. I'm looking to buy a field recorder to capture my band's performances. I'd probl set it up on a tripod and find a good spot in the center of the room we're playing and just let it rip.

I've done research on different types, but in all of the reviews and forums I've read, they all seem to always use quiet sources like nature, orchestras, acoustic stuff, etc.

I want to know which unit would best handle a loud rock band. And I'd like to know if the internal mic's would be ok, or if I'd have to invest in some external ones. And if so, which kind? A matched set of mic's (i.e. two of them spread out about a foot or so), or the single stereo kind.

If I just knew the answers to these questions, I could do some research on my own and make decision. But I just don't know how well these things handle loud music.

P.S. I'm talking your average weekend classic hits rock band type loud. Nothing punishing, but loud enuff to where audience members can still talk, they just have to talk loud if sitting real close to the stage.

Thanks!

Jason