Portable Digital Recorders

[Hoopy Frood]

Hi folks,

I'm interested in grabbing a portable recorder, with the intention of using it to record sounds which will later be buggered about with in Reason to do sound design (drums out of me hitting things, pads out of ambient background noises, etc.). I may also use it for recording me playing the guitar, although that's not the primary purpose.

This very much not a core part of my music making, and as such I'm not looking to spend a fortune... the links below are the ones I'm currently looking at, but other ideas are very welcome.

Something that the spec sheets tend not to make clear is whether these things are easily mountable - can you fix them to mic stands or camera tripods or such?

I don't need a lot of bells and whistles - the idea is I'll bring the recordings into Reason, so I don't need onboard multi tracking or effects. I'm not sure that I'll need to plug external mics in.

All opinions and thoughts welcome!

http://www.thomann.de/gb/olympus_ls_12_b_stock.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gb/zoom_h2n.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gb/tascam_dr07_mk2.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gb/zoom_h1_v2.htm

Cheers,

Rich

[G-Doubleyou]

I have a H1, does a decent job for the price if you don't use auto level, and adjust your input levels.

When connected to a computer by USB, you can treat it like an external drive, drag and drop the audio files on your desktop.

[ConcertinaChap]

I have always thought well of my Olympus LS-10 as being easy to use and giving good results. Hopefully the LS-12 as a later model is an improvement.

CC

[Hugh Robjohns]

I use the Olympus LS11 and find it excellent for the kind of application you describe.

I can't remember what the specific differences are between the LS10/11/12 models, but I think the 11 has more internal memory and is fractionally smaller. Both accept SDHC cards up to 32GB. Regardless, the overall concept is a good one, they are all very straightforward to use, and can deliver decent quality results if used with care.

H

[Bob Bickerton]

A consideration for you at this stage is whether at some future point a recorder with 48v phantom power XLR inputs would be useful. It's certainly a feature I'd look for.

Bob

[wireman]

Looking at the 3D images and the manual in one case it looks like all of them have a camera tripod screw socket. The only problem I see is that if your ambient sounds are very quiet then you might have to deal with some noise with the cheaper products.

[Goddard]

Hi Rich, if you haven't already, you might look though the reviews of various portable recorders here.

There's also a practical "tips" guide here-- think of it as a mic(s) with a recorder attached.

[Hoopy Frood]

Hi folks,

Thanks for all the tips... Plenty of food for thought there.

Cheers,

Rich

[John Willett]

Of the ones you listed I would go for the Olymuus LS-12.

If you can get hold of an LS-11 or LS-5, I think you will find them better and easier on the hand. The LS-14 is also nice (and affordable)

The NAGRA LINO is also easy to use, but I'm not sure of the price.

[Bruce Watson]

I'm interested in grabbing a portable recorder, with the intention of using it to record sounds which will later be buggered about with in Reason to do sound design (drums out of me hitting things, pads out of ambient background noises, etc.). I may also use it for recording me playing the guitar, although that's not the primary purpose.

You may want to look at the Tascam DR40, or the DR100. Both of these will do the hand-held field recorder function, but they will also accept balanced line level signals via XLR, by-passing the recorder's built-in preamps which are just adequate. IOW, they can take line in from a separate and hopefully much better mic pre-amp, say a Sound Devices MixPre-D. This might make these recorders more applicable to you if you want to record your own guitar playing -- you can use a good mic, a good pre-amp, and record to the DR40 and have quite a good recording. Certainly not state=of-the-art, but considerably better than the DR40 can do on its own.

Just a thought, do with it what you will.

[ConcertinaChap]

A consideration for you at this stage is whether at some future point a recorder with 48v phantom power XLR inputs would be useful. It's certainly a feature I'd look for.

For me the instant nature of machines like the Olympus recorders outweigh XLRs. There are times when I do want them, though, and earlier today a Tascam DR-680 arrived here - when I want pro mics on live recording I usually want four and this does that for me.

CC

[Bob Bickerton]

A consideration for you at this stage is whether at some future point a recorder with 48v phantom power XLR inputs would be useful. It's certainly a feature I'd look for.

For me the instant nature of machines like the Olympus recorders outweigh XLRs. There are times when I do want them, though, and earlier today a Tascam DR-680 arrived here - when I want pro mics on live recording I usually want four and this does that for me.

CC

Yep. I have the Zoom H6 which I find very useful. Good on board mic options (X/Y & M/S), four phantom powered XLRS, plus the option of an extra two XLRs, unfortunately unpowered. Built solidly and gain can be adjusted easily. The new Zoom H5 would be a nice 4 channel option Here

Never much liked the onboard mics on the Tascams I've used. Prefered Olympus, but the H6 is also good. The M/S option is nicely open if you're careful with positioning, though in truth I nearly always use outboard mics.

Bob

[Hoopy Frood]

Thanks for all the comments.

I'm leaning towards the Olympus LS-12 or Tascam DR40.

[Jorge]

Error in editing, reposted below.

[Jorge]

I have been using the Olympus LS-11 several times a week for several years for live on site recordings. It has served very well, sounds good, is reliable and well built, and has 8GB internal memory with pretty rapid USB2 transfer. The one downside is that the record level is very hard to set and I have had several recordings that clipped. I put the recorder in the back of the club and can't get to it while I am playing onstage, so it really has to be "set and forget". I record at lower record level using 24 bits to help avoid clipping but the range of record levels between 1 and 2 on the dial (out of 10 max) translates into a range from very very soft barely visible waveform at 1 to clipped recordings at 2. I have never needed a record level over 2, even on low range, so I think the useful zone is too squashed into the lower end of the record level pot.
For that reason I am looking at the new Sony PCM-D100 which has a backup record level up to 12 dB below the set level that kicks in when the main record level clips. Reviews suggest the built in mics are even better than the LS-11 mics as well. Has anyone here tried the PCM-D100?

[John Willett]

I have been using the Olympus LS-11 several times a week for several years for live on site recordings. It has served very well, sounds good, is reliable and well built, and has 8GB internal memory with pretty rapid USB2 transfer. The one downside is that the record level is very hard to set and I have had several recordings that clipped. I put the recorder in the back of the club and can't get to it while I am playing onstage, so it really has to be "set and forget". I record at lower record level using 24 bits to help avoid clipping but the range of record levels between 1 and 2 on the dial (out of 10 max) translates into a range from very very soft barely visible waveform at 1 to clipped recordings at 2. I have never needed a record level over 2, even on low range, so I think the useful zone is too squashed into the lower end of the record level pot.
For that reason I am looking at the new Sony PCM-D100 which has a backup record level up to 12 dB below the set level that kicks in when the main record level clips. Reviews suggest the built in mics are even better than the LS-11 mics as well. Has anyone here tried the PCM-D100?

The PCM-D100 is an excellent recorder (as the PCM-D50 before it was) - but it's a lot more costly than the list that was posted at the start, which is why it was not mentioned.

If you can afford the PCM-D100 I would go for it.

[Jeraldo]

Thanks for all the comments.

I'm leaning towards the Olympus LS-12 or Tascam DR40.

If you can handle it, the DR-100 has a better and quieter preamp, and that unit needs no help with anything, including an SD product. (I have used the DR-100 and the USBPre2 side by side.) That will do "no compromise" recordings and will hold up in any company. Just so you know, the on board directional mic's of the DR-100 are pointed at 45 degree angles, even though the cosmetics make it appear they are pointed straight on - and those mic's are not great.

I do like the DR-40, though, in that it's controls are set up differently and seem like they might be less delicate. The DR-40 is decent though, I'm sure you'd be happy with it. Or many of the other options already mentioned.

[DC-Choppah]

I use this: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DR07mk2/

Sounds amazingly great.

[Herman Grimme]

I've been happily using an Olympus LS-10 for years now, so I expect the LS-11/12 will be perfectly suitable. The LS models have a tripod socket on the back for mounting the recorder to tripods or stands, but bear in mind that the screw thread of the socket is compatible with camera tripods and not with conventional mic stands, presumably because Olympus' main business is still cameras rather than audio...

[John Willett]

I've been happily using an Olympus LS-10 for years now, so I expect the LS-11/12 will be perfectly suitable. The LS models have a tripod socket on the back for mounting the recorder to tripods or stands, but bear in mind that the screw thread of the socket is compatible with camera tripods and not with conventional mic stands, presumably because Olympus' main business is still cameras rather than audio...

The LS-11 is like the LS-10 but a bit better all round.

The LS-12 and LS-14 are a bit larger - very good, but don't "feel" as nice as the LS10/11.

Remember that Olympus also make hand-held dictation recorders for company executives - which is why the LS range of recorders are so excellent ergonomically, as they draw on that expertise.

[Goddard]

The LS-12 and LS-14 are a bit larger - very good, but don't "feel" as nice as the LS10/11.

Remember that Olympus also make hand-held dictation recorders for company executives - which is why the LS range of recorders are so excellent ergonomically, as they draw on that expertise.

Yeah, well Olympus also make a colonoscope and ureteroscopes, so let's hope they're not drawing on that expertise for their recorder ergonomics!

[ConcertinaChap]

Adapters to enable cameras to be put on mic stands are widely available and they work with the Olympus jobbies fine.

CC

[Richard Graham]

The LS-12 and LS-14 are a bit larger - very good, but don't "feel" as nice as the LS10/11.

Remember that Olympus also make hand-held dictation recorders for company executives - which is why the LS range of recorders are so excellent ergonomically, as they draw on that expertise.

Yeah, well Olympus also make a colonoscope and ureteroscopes, so let's hope they're not drawing on that expertise for their recorder ergonomics!

You know what you can do with comments like this Goddard!

[ConcertinaChap]

Hm, yes, well having had a close encounter with one of those (I'll leave you to decide which) I tend to agree with that sentiment.

CC

[Goddard]

The LS-12 and LS-14 are a bit larger - very good, but don't "feel" as nice as the LS10/11.

Remember that Olympus also make hand-held dictation recorders for company executives - which is why the LS range of recorders are so excellent ergonomically, as they draw on that expertise.

Yeah, well Olympus also make a colonoscope and ureteroscopes, so let's hope they're not drawing on that expertise for their recorder ergonomics!

You know what you can do with comments like this Goddard!

Hey Richard, speaking of hand-held dictation recorders... howzabout a Dictafone beer stein!