PORTABLE VOICE RECORDER PORTABLE
PORTABLE VOICE RECORDER PROFESSIONAL

Some people might be scratching their heads wondering why they would even buy a portable recorder to begin with. So, consider whether you need the extra features, and if not, a more affordable unit should still serve you well. In most cases, youвЂ™re either spending $100 or $400 and up. Unfortunately, there arenвЂ™t a lot of вЂњin betweenвЂќ options here, although there are some. That can be a lot to spend in one sitting. But you could end up spending $400 or more depending on which unit you end up going with. Now, a portable recorder shouldnвЂ™t break the bank. No matter what gear youвЂ™re buying, budget always ends up being an important consideration and thatвЂ™s just as true here as anywhere else. But itвЂ™s still worth considering if youвЂ™re planning to bring your recorder with you everywhere you go. So, in my experience durability is not the most important consideration and there are other criteria that should come before it (see above).

But you donвЂ™t want to be constantly replacing your digital recorder either. You might not be too sad about dropping a $100 recorder and breaking it, especially if you got some good use out of it already. TheyвЂ™re meant to sit atop desks or cameras while recording and arenвЂ™t exactly built for rugged use. вЂњSomeвЂќ being the keyword here, as many of these devices do not have a solid outer shell. If you do, then itвЂ™s worth investing in a better-quality product. So, bottom line, if you donвЂ™t care about a noisy mix, you donвЂ™t need good sound isolation. Either that, or you happen to have access to a quiet, acoustically-treated room. But this is where you would value sound isolation a great deal more. If youвЂ™re planning to record demos or even tracks you intend to release into the world, you could use a portable recorder. For the most part, it just doesnвЂ™t make sense for a portable recorder, though for home and studio use dynamic mics are awesome. And, I have yet to see a portable recorder that comes with a dynamic mic, though there might be one out there. An amateur would be quite cross about a dynamic mic not picking up the sound at a satisfactory level. If youвЂ™re okay with a little bit of background noise bleeding in, thereвЂ™s nothing wrong with picking a $100 unit.ДЄlso, keep in mind that the mics on these devices are designed to be sensitive so they can capture whatever sound is in its proximity. Now, it should be noted that sound isolation isnвЂ™t essential. Sound isolation is most important when recording music, though it can be helpful when recording speech and interviews too. I donвЂ™t think there are too many portable recorders out there that are outright terrible, especially if youвЂ™re willing to spend at least $100, but if youвЂ™re gong to be paying for it anyway, it may as well produce good quality sound. The mics will probably pick up a bit of background noise, but even then, you want the primary source(s) to come through loud and clear. Still, you donвЂ™t want to end up with a device that doesnвЂ™t record quality audio. ItвЂ™s in these situations that they prove the most useful. I would suggest using your portable recorder for podcasting, capturing audio for your videos, taking audio notes, and maybe the occasional live recording.

PORTABLE VOICE RECORDER PROFESSIONAL

Sure, you can capture some decent sound with these devices, but thereвЂ™s no way to get a better-quality recording than with a proper multitrack setup, professional mics and a treated room. If youвЂ™re thinking about replacing your home studio with a portable recorder, youвЂ™re probably missing the point. You should be starting to get a sense of what audio recorder is right for you already.Д«ut in case youвЂ™re still struggling to come to a decision, here are a few things I would review before purchasing one: Good Sound Quality Tascam DR05 Stereo Portable Digital Recorder Now, if youвЂ™re asking yourself whether itвЂ™s worth looking at the latest model, the H1n, or other Zoom recorders, such as the H4n or H6, the answer is вЂњabsolutelyвЂќ. This doesnвЂ™t just apply to this portable recorder, mind you. In an instance where you canвЂ™t do that, inevitably one voice or instrument will sound quieter and further away than the others.

When recording with this unit, ideally the device should be placed about equal distance from the performers and/or speakers. In addition to the basic black color, H1 comes in gray, blue, red, silver, white and rose gold. It comes with stereo X/Y mics, records broadcast WAV at 96kHz/48kHz/44.1kHz at 16- or 24-bit, and records MP3 from 48 to 320kbps. IвЂ™ve used a few Zoom products in my time and I find you always get more than your moneyвЂ™s worth. Simultaneously, you canвЂ™t underestimate the power of a Zoom H1. It doesnвЂ™t get much simpler or more affordable than this.

Portable voice recorder