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.

[cybergaloot]

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!

No offense. Sorry if I sounded that way. I just think that it a misconception to think of it as flimsy. I wont hold up to excessive abuse but then none of this equipment should be abused on that level. There is a lot to recommend about the H2, four mics, choice of three ways to use those mics, a wide range of formats (more than the DR-1), etc. I certainly wont claim it is the best out there, just that it is a good bang for the buck. Don't sell it short!

[digifish_music]

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.

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!

The H2 makes excellent recordings from the internal mics. Far better than the R-09 (IMO).

I don't see how you can go past the H2 if you are after a cheap, one-device field-recording solution. And you get surround-sound for free.

If the internal mics in the R-09HR turn out to be as good as the H2 (or better) then I would go with that.

I know nothing about the DR-1 BTW, so nothing against that.

digifish

[digifish_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

In that case the R-09 is simply unusable for atmospheric recording, too much hiss. It's OK for capturing loud natural sounds when you get to turn the mic gain down (or to low sensitivity), but that is about it.

H2, internal mics (from freesound)...

Ocean close miced

SFX dragging heavy stuff 1

SFX dragging heavy stuff 2

Hitting metal

Squeaky toilet-roll holder

Forrest & birds

etc...

digifish

[cybergaloot]

I've heard a recording from a Tascam DR-1 and it sounded ok. My friend that has it is happy with it but he's not deeply into field recording. He's just recording band practice, etc. Its more of audio notebook for him to capture ideas.

[exileded]

As the price is coming down the DR-1 could be a good option, the build quality and sound is great BUT it is bulkier than the R09 and the H2 (not by much but you wouldnt really want it in your shirt pocket!)
In terms of sound quality with the internal mic's it will always suffer abit compared to some of the great external options out there, for this reason again I would look at the R09 due to the fact that if you do end up progressing to external mic's it seems abit better than the H2.
The other thing you could look at going foward would be getting the Church Audio mod (check retail space) to upgrade the internal mic's on the R09. Although it would blow your budget at the moment, at least if you have the R09 you know there is a good option to improve it as time and budget allows.

[cybergaloot]

... DR-1 could be a good option, the build quality and sound is great BUT it is bulkier than the R09 and the H2 (not by much but you wouldnt really want it in your shirt pocket!)

The DR-1 is over 7oz, the H2 is 4oz. You can easily carry the H2 in a shirt pocket (it is a tad bulky for that). To carry the DR-1 in a shirt pocket you would be carrying almost half a pound.

I think that one big limiting factor for all of the small all-in-one units is mic placement. It will always be a compromise by their very nature. The DR-1 offers some flexibility and the H2 with its 4 mics offers a different type of flexibility but neither is going to be optimum. The H2 mics are set to X-Y configuration.  External mics obviously offer much better options in this area. I sometimes run Church-Audio mics and preamp into the line-in of my H2 with good results. I don't know how the line-in and A/D conversion compare between the different small recorders but I am willing to bet there isn't a whole lot of difference in quality in those areas.

BTW, according to Chris Church, the internal mics on the H2 are Primo brand (don't know the exact model). I don't know what is in the other small recorders.

[any slash]

Zoom H2 - OUT, too flimsy
Edirol R-09 - OUT, too flimsy
Edirol R-09 HR - OUT, too flimsy

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. If for some reason you accidentally run over it with your car then it only takes  $200 US to replace it. It works fine for what it is, all except for the external mic jack. The preamp for that sucks by all reports.

It is also very light weight and in a pinch you can record with it in your shirt pocket. Don't want it seen? Turn it on then put it in the black bag its shipped with. That works fine. There are better recorders but not for this price.

it seems like the edirol r09s are almost all discontinued, and the pricier ...HR would seem like the only other possible alternative, hence the H22 is becoming very tempting, especially with your "put it in th black bag" which could perhaps make up for the difference in its normal not very stealthy design (unlike the r09).... i was also tempted by the logic of having a cheaper recorder which you'd be less worried about damaging... therefore more likely that you'll take it out with you for any sounds you might stumble upon.

[cybergaloot]

All the recorders mentioned are good, the difference is in the details and what works for you. If you wanted the absolute best sound quality, then you really have to look at a different setup with external mics, but that's not what you were after. If you want the most rugged unit, then the H2 would be out. If you want the lightest most portable unit, I'd have to look at the Yamaha 2G. But if you want something that is a compromise that fits what you were after, the H2 is certainly a good option, as is the R-09. You may want to upgrade in the future but at least you will have gotten your feet wet and will have a better idea of what details you are concerned about. Some things don't come to mind until you've actually recorded a few times.

[any slash]

on my search through flickr for photos of the zoom h2 (i was looking for photos which gave me an idea of its size) i came across this:




with a few slices from a stanley knife for earphones hole and another one for the record button that could be a snug lil' stealthy cardigan for the zoom h2

[GrandMasterMark]

I was a camera salesman for about 8 years. i have heard the same question for 8 years in regards to the "BEST" camera. "I want to buy the best camera available..." blah blah blah...You get it.

My answer has been the same for ALL 8 years: The best one is the one that you are the most comfortable with! As with cameras, most people cannot tell the difference between the BEST and the 5th best. BUT, if it is just a little too big to sneak in, or the settings are a little too complicated to get just right, or it is too expensive to stuff into your unders and sneak through the gate, then you won't use it. End of story! If you aren't comfortable with it then it will end up at home on your dresser instead of with you at the show. Buy the one that works the best for you.

I have the R-09. I love it. Sounds great, it small, is easy to use. Levels are easy to see, check, and adjust. Problem is that, even though I babied it, it is in the shop for warranty repair after only 63 days. It has been there for over 3 weeks.

Now I have a iRiver h120 with a stereo "T" mic that i bought off eBay. Total price is around $270. ($150 for the h120 / $120 for the mic) Easy to use once the rockox is in place. Quality is as good or better than the R-09. Bullet proof. 20 gigs of mem. The only downside for me is that the screen is too small for me to read. (I am old and blind) The AGC in the rockbox mod compensates for the tiny screen and level meter.

My advise to you, young Grass hopper? Buy the one that you are the most comfortable with. The one that is easy to use. The one that is cheap enough to replace if it get confiscated by a mongoloid bouncer with a bad attitude. The one that you aren't affraid to take outside to record the sound of falling rain... Jeezus, now I sound like a fu*king poet!

Just buy one and go out and use it. I seriously doubt that you will be able to hear any difference. With your price restrictions, they all sound the same.

[any slash]

My advise to you, young Grass hopper? Buy the one that you are the most comfortable with. The one that is easy to use. The one that is cheap enough to replace if it get confiscated by a mongoloid bouncer with a bad attitude. The one that you aren't affraid to take outside to record the sound of falling rain... Jeezus, now I sound like a fu*king poet!

Just buy one and go out and use it. I seriously doubt that you will be able to hear any difference. With your price restrictions, they all sound the same.

 


i think you are right here..... i 've been thinking along these lines myself.... ie there'd be no point of getting a piece of technology i want to have out and about for spontaneous recordings... come rain or shine (OR WIND) and not be too frightened to use because of the price (which is not to say i won't take good care of whatever the hell i choose to buy) ....and sound quality-wise, i probably wouldnt be able to notice the difference

now this iriver + "t mic" sounds vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvery interesting......

just when i thought i'd setttled for the zoom h2 you have to go and add a further complication!!

could i get the name of a decent "t mic" please.... google is not proving too helpful when searching that

[powermonkey]

My limited experience with the R09 and the R09HR is that the R09 does indeed feel flimsy - although using one for a year I had no problems whatsoever, not with the battery door, or with the inputs. The only real concern I had was that the internal mics felt a little loose. That might have been because of me pocketing it the whole time.

The R09HR feels a lot more substantial. The mics are as solid as a rock, the battery door is way better. I don't know about any i/p problems, but I've read that Edirol have taken action to remedy the broken socket problems people round here have suffered from.

Hope that helps somewhat.

[dallman]

could i get the name of a decent "t mic" please.... google is not proving too helpful when searching that

Here are 3 from Sound Professionals. Different price points and samples for 2 of the 3. I have purchased from them and they are very helpful and will answer questions. Also there is a discount for TS.com. If you scan through the Retail Section, there is a code listed there somewhere. You can probably just call and get it too.

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-SPSM-13

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-SPSM-3

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-SPSM-1

[any slash]

okay, just as an update... not that i think you paaaaarticularly care too much 

 

just purchased an iriver h120... which i saw for a v. decent price, mostly because of the doubling up as an m3 player/ large storage device, stealth and the ability to add to it with battery boxes / pre-amps and all that jazz once i've figured out how ot use and what all that stuff is  !

just worried i may have made a wrnd decison considering my funds are low and i still need a mic

would a t-shaped mini mic be okay to use for field recordings whilst i sort my finances out (which could take a while)

are there any examples of a irver h120 with t-mic (no batter box/preamp...) to listen to?

as always any help is much appreciated


one day i'll be able to give some useful input in this forum, i swears

[rastasean]

okay, just as an update... not that i think you paaaaarticularly care too much 

 

just purchased an iriver h120... which i saw for a v. decent price, mostly because of the doubling up as an m3 player/ large storage device, stealth and the ability to add to it with battery boxes / pre-amps and all that jazz once i've figured out how ot use and what all that stuff is  !

just worried i may have made a wrnd decison considering my funds are low and i still need a mic

would a t-shaped mini mic be okay to use for field recordings whilst i sort my finances out (which could take a while)

are there any examples of a irver h120 with t-mic (no batter box/preamp...) to listen to?

as always any help is much appreciated


one day i'll be able to give some useful input in this forum, i swears

I don't think you will go wrong with the h120. I have had one for only a month now and love it!

I know from first hand experience that in order to use this recorder effectively, you have to turn the gain up quite a bit especially for very quiet situations. This only means that if you're trying to capture audio at a low setting, the pre amps in the recorder may introduce some noise. I have a cheap t mic that came with my minidisc recorder...I never thought to try it out on the h120, I think I will do that tonight. it is absolutely useless on the minidisc recorder since it records TOO well--you get a lot of the disc spinning up. I don't think this will be a problem with the h120, though.


If you don't know about the rockbox software for the h120, go check it out.






 

[John Willett]

For a small, affordable, high quality, portable - I am just about to go for the new Olympus LS-10.

The above links to the American site (which give a rotatable view) - the UK suite is HERE.

Very nice little beastie - and *metal* not plastic.

[any slash]

For a small, affordable, high quality, portable - I am just about to go for the new Olympus LS-10.

The above links to the American site (which give a rotatable view) - the UK suite is HERE.

Very nice little beastie - and *metal* not plastic.

i have seen that, and as handy as that is, it is well out of my price range at the mo'

for me it was always a toss up with second hand stuff or a zoom h2

okay, just as an update... not that i think you paaaaarticularly care too much 

 

just purchased an iriver h120... which i saw for a v. decent price, mostly because of the doubling up as an m3 player/ large storage device, stealth and the ability to add to it with battery boxes / pre-amps and all that jazz once i've figured out how ot use and what all that stuff is  !

just worried i may have made a wrnd decison considering my funds are low and i still need a mic

would a t-shaped mini mic be okay to use for field recordings whilst i sort my finances out (which could take a while)

are there any examples of a irver h120 with t-mic (no batter box/preamp...) to listen to?

as always any help is much appreciated


one day i'll be able to give some useful input in this forum, i swears

I don't think you will go wrong with the h120. I have had one for only a month now and love it!

I know from first hand experience that in order to use this recorder effectively, you have to turn the gain up quite a bit especially for very quiet situations. This only means that if you're trying to capture audio at a low setting, the pre amps in the recorder may introduce some noise. I have a cheap t mic that came with my minidisc recorder...I never thought to try it out on the h120, I think I will do that tonight. it is absolutely useless on the minidisc recorder since it records TOO well--you get a lot of the disc spinning up. I don't think this will be a problem with the h120, though.


If you don't know about the rockbox software for the h120, go check it out.






 

cheers, i do feel a bit more confident about my whimsical purchase now, and hopefully i will be able to upgrade my kit in the future

i am definitely reading up on the rockbox and have watched a handy video tutorial for installingit (on youtube) just preparing for when my shipment comes in

quite excited now, havent recorded something for ages

(i've been literally TAPING things on dictaphone and off the radio, which is still loads of fun)

[John Willett]

For a small, affordable, high quality, portable - I am just about to go for the new Olympus LS-10.

The above links to the American site (which give a rotatable view) - the UK suite is HERE.

Very nice little beastie - and *metal* not plastic.

i have seen that, and as handy as that is, it is well out of my price range at the mo'

Really?  I understood that it was a little over £200 street price (£270 retail) - I thought that pretty cheap.

[ambo]

Below is a quote from gutbucket here on gearslutz regarding Olympus LS-10. I'm not sure if he's referring to internal mics or not.

"Stay away from the Olympus if you intend to use it for music.  Very hissy and absolutely thin sounding. 

Plus its price of $399.00 is ridiculous.  If it was priced for $199.00, then it would be different.  Engineered  for doing interviews (ENG), capturing lectures, board meetings and such.  Capitalizing on their wildly popular cassette handheld recorders, Olympus is using its "name brand" recognition to draw in buyers.  So Buyer Beware.

The Olympus LS-10 is the weakest sounding in its market, IMO.  Makes the Zoom H2 sound like a baby SD 722 at twice the price.  Yikes!"

[spyder9]

The quote actually came from me, not gutbucket.  And I posted it on this website.  I stand by my opinion.  I was very disappointed with the Olympus sound quality and price.  Go to the wingfield audio website and check out the sound samples.  They have samples of all the handheld recorders.  Let your own ears be the judge.   

[any slash]

For a small, affordable, high quality, portable - I am just about to go for the new Olympus LS-10.

The above links to the American site (which give a rotatable view) - the UK suite is HERE.

Very nice little beastie - and *metal* not plastic.

i have seen that, and as handy as that is, it is well out of my price range at the mo'

Really?  I understood that it was a little over £200 street price (£270 retail) - I thought that pretty cheap.

unfortunately i have to ve very careful with my spending/saving at the moment and £270 is indeed out of my price range (god knows why i've decided to take uo such an expensive interest )

got my iriver for £90 including shipping, and hope to get some sort of cheap t-mic, or if failing that will use my Sony ECM MS907 which is around somewhere


tough budget i know, doesn't realy give me too many options

[seethreepo]

metal is not a stealthers friend. 

Plastic is better for some applications. 

just saying.

[melbourne83]

I've purchased my LS-10 via buy now on ebay.com for only $290 + $40 shipping to europe(fuck yes I saved 230 EUR by buying this baby from the states- they sell it here for 450eur...). I was thinking about buying the H120, but ebay only had used ones wich would sell for 150eur... as I wanted to buy a recorder for a long time, I decided to go for the LS-10, even though I only wanted to get the cheapest shit that records sound. the mics i bought were a bargain too. I havent tested the LS-10 on the filed but will have my chance for a test this weekend...

[sunjan]

just purchased an iriver h120... which i saw for a v. decent price, mostly because of the doubling up as an m3 player/ large storage device, stealth and the ability to add to it with battery boxes / pre-amps and all that jazz once i've figured out how ot use and what all that stuff is  !

just worried i may have made a wrnd decison considering my funds are low and i still need a mic

would a t-shaped mini mic be okay to use for field recordings whilst i sort my finances out (which could take a while)

are there any examples of a irver h120 with t-mic (no batter box/preamp...) to listen to?

I know from first hand experience that in order to use this recorder effectively, you have to turn the gain up quite a bit especially for very quiet situations. This only means that if you're trying to capture audio at a low setting, the pre amps in the recorder may introduce some noise. I have a cheap t mic that came with my minidisc recorder...I never thought to try it out on the h120, I think I will do that tonight. it is absolutely useless on the minidisc recorder since it records TOO well--you get a lot of the disc spinning up. I don't think this will be a problem with the h120, though.

If you don't know about the rockbox software for the h120, go check it out.

You won't get great results with a T-shaped mic on an Iriver! It will take up HDD noise. For half-decent results, you'd have to do the CF mod on the Iriver first. Even so, pretty much any handheld or tie-pin stereo mic would give you better results.

And of course Rockbox is a must. Welcome to Team Iriver!