Topic: stealth field recorder......?

[any slash]

i've been looking around the internet reading reviews and whatnot and having considered my budget i have reached a point of indecision about purchasing either the edirol r09, r09hr, or the zoom h2.....

i was wondering if anyone here could help me out with this indecision... my main problem is that my priority would be for a small, discreet recorder which would not be obtrusive or attract attention in public places

i am certain all three machines are more than good enough sound quality-wise

my concerns are with price... the zoom h2 is the most tempting at approx. £150, but looks exactly like what it is - a portable recorder, although it is quite hard to tell from the photos online just how compact it is.. ....it is also the only recorder out of the three with a windshield

the edirols cost more than i would like to pay ideally, but i have been informed that they are "built better" than the zoom h2, which makes me slightly worried that the zoom is rather flimsy a thing for me... the edirols are also rather discreet little machines (especially the black r-09hr) which could pass as a mp3 player so score well in discretion, they do not however come with a windshield..... and are approx. £70-100 more expensive than the zoom

the only edirol r09s which seem to be available for purchase seem only to be available in red, which isn't very stealth-friendly, also the deals i've spotted with both edirols would probably see me splashing out even more money on silcone cases for protection...

i think a key criteria which would sway me is the robustness of the machine, i have heard and read some worrying reviews of the r09s flimsy battery/usb flap.....



any help is very very welcome



my head is all tense with indecision

[jonohull]

There are many threads about this, please read those first.

[Belexes]

Let search be your friend.

[any slash]

oooooooooooooopsy 

[any slash]

done some reading, watched a video and now i'm even more confused than ever!! grrrr

 



if only the zoom h2 didnt look so much like what it is, this decision would be so much easier........... nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh

[digifish_music]

done some reading, watched a video and now i'm even more confused than ever!! grrrr

 



if only the zoom h2 didnt look so much like what it is, this decision would be so much easier........... nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh

From what I have heard the H2 makes better recordings from its internal mikes than the R-09. The H2 does surround out of the box, nice.
Again from what I have heard the R-09HR is probably equal or better than the H2 for internal (stereo) mic recording.

If you are making recordings using the internal mic-pres, the H2 < R-09 < or = R-09HR.

Once you plug line-level sources (i.e using exernal mic preamps) into these things they all make great recordings.

I have an R09 and will soon have a HR, simply because the internal mics sound better and I need to use them occasionally.

Don't be put off by the H2 packaging, if you pulled the boards out of these things and laid them on a bench you would not know from whence they came. Sometimes it's better to be using cheap gear in the field, you are more daring with it and so likely to make better recordings. Like leaving it under a jumper on the edge of a stage

digifish

[flintstone]

A few stealthy recorders to consider.
Flintstone

less than $200
------------------------
Zoom H2

less than $300
------------------------
Tascam DR-1
Zoom H4
M-Audio Microtrack 2
Edirol R-09

less than $400
------------------------
Sony MZ-M200 (HiMD)
Olympus LS-10
Edirol R-09 HR
Yamaha Pocketrak 2G  (coming in May)
...also known as Xacti ICR-PS285RM
Marantz PMD620

less than $500
------------------------
Sony PCM-D50

more than $500
------------------------
Korg MR-1
Nagra ARES-M II

[Sunday Driver]

If you are handy with copying files and following instructions, I can highly recommend an iRiver iHP 120 with Rockbox firmware. Excellent metering, "it's an mp3 player", and you get 20 gb for storing plenty of recordings.

one just popped up in the yard sale:

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,103162.0.html

[any slash]

thanks for your replies!!

If you are handy with copying files and following instructions, I can highly recommend an iRiver iHP 120 with Rockbox firmware. Excellent metering, "it's an mp3 player", and you get 20 gb for storing plenty of recordings.

one just popped up in the yard sale:

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,103162.0.html

does this iriver have internal mics?

i live in the uk so shipping would be a problem...?

[GrandMasterMark]

It has an internal mic that isn't good for much more than recording your shopping list. You will def need externals to get the quality that you are talking about.

The H120's are available on ebay, buy it now for $159 us and can be shipped worldwide. Of course you will then need to install rockbox yourself. Not too hard.

Good luck!

[Sunday Driver]

thanks for your replies!!

If you are handy with copying files and following instructions, I can highly recommend an iRiver iHP 120 with Rockbox firmware. Excellent metering, "it's an mp3 player", and you get 20 gb for storing plenty of recordings.

one just popped up in the yard sale:

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,103162.0.html

does this iriver have internal mics?

i live in the uk so shipping would be a problem...?

I would strongly suggest not using the iRiver's internal mic. It's mono and sounds terrible. Someone attempted to tape a Tool show with one and it sounded like fingernails on a chalk board. Get an external mic / battery box at least.

Or...if you really just want to use an internal mic, the Zoom H2 is definitely worth a look. Personally, if you want to use the internal mic, I would avoid the Edirol R-09. They are very bassy for recording loud rock music.

[any slash]

thanks for your replies!!

If you are handy with copying files and following instructions, I can highly recommend an iRiver iHP 120 with Rockbox firmware. Excellent metering, "it's an mp3 player", and you get 20 gb for storing plenty of recordings.

one just popped up in the yard sale:

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,103162.0.html

does this iriver have internal mics?

i live in the uk so shipping would be a problem...?

I would strongly suggest not using the iRiver's internal mic. It's mono and sounds terrible. Someone attempted to tape a Tool show with one and it sounded like fingernails on a chalk board. Get an external mic / battery box at least.

Or...if you really just want to use an internal mic, the Zoom H2 is definitely worth a look. Personally, if you want to use the internal mic, I would avoid the Edirol R-09. They are very bassy for recording loud rock music.

i dont think i will be recording too many amplified sounds, the odd pub bands here and there.... but mostly field recordings/soundscape city /public noise type-whatnots

[sunjan]

i was wondering if anyone here could help me out with this indecision... my main problem is that my priority would be for a small, discreet recorder which would not be obtrusive or attract attention in public places

...the only recorder out of the three with a windshield

slightly worried that the zoom is rather flimsy a thing for me...

the only edirol r09s which seem to be available for purchase seem only to be available in red, which isn't very stealth-friendly

i think a key criteria which would sway me is the robustness of the machine

OK, let's see:
1. You want something with decent built-in mics
2. You want something robust
3. Your main usage is ambient sounds outdoors (windshield!), and the occasional pub band, which do not require super-stealth. Handling high SPL is not crucial.
4. You want something that won't be spotted in broad daylight, but avoiding pat-downs is not crucial?
5. Your budget is $300-something.

I wouldn't be too worried about getting a windshield, there are plenty of after-market solutions, and folks here offering custom windshields at the YS.

Going by Flintstone's list, here's my verdict:

Tascam DR-1 - sturdy, good choice
Marantz PMD620 - sturdy, good choice. Above your budget?

Zoom H4 - plasticky, but still better build than H2

Olympus LS-10 - possible, but above your budget
Yamaha Pocketrak 2G aka Xacti ICR-PS285RM - possible, but above your budget

Zoom H2 - OUT, too flimsy
Edirol R-09 - OUT, too flimsy
Edirol R-09 HR - OUT, too flimsy
M-Audio Microtrack 2 - OUT, no built-in mics
Sony MZ-M200 (HiMD) - OUT, no built-in mics

[sunjan]

Flimsy? Yes, the H2 is plastic. Yes, if you boot stomp it, it will break. Treat it with a modicum of respect then it will hold up just fine.

Sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone, and I have no first-hand experience of the H2.

But for someone that has $300 to burn, and has robustness as a key criteria, I'd much rather recommend the DR-1 than the H2!

[Sunday Driver]

One thing that I don't like about the Tascam DR-1 though: if "any_slash" decides to upgrade to a preamp or mics / battery box, he gets no line level gain control.