Topic: I have a budget of $200~$300 - what recorder should I buy?

[baysap]

Hi,

I have been reading a lot in the forums lately, but i still couldn't make a decision about the gear i should get.
I can afford a device up to $300 but would be happy to pay much less.

I will be recording mainly live session of Kirtan/bhajan music, we usually have around 2-3 guitar players, Djembe and a flute.

Most of the recordings will be indoor.

I thought about getting the M10 with the headphone mic, but i think that wearing them while singing will ruin the recordings.

The best solution for me will be a recorder with a good internal mic that i can place on the floor.

Would love to get your advice.

Thanks,
Ron.

[Phil Zone]

Sony PCM m10 is the best! I love it and its the best way to go in my opinion.

[yltfan]

Most folks on this board will encourage you to use external mics because they usually sound much better, and you get a lot more flexibility with your setup.

Along those lines, I would suggest a pair of Nakamichi CM300's with card and omni caps, and whichever recorder you can find for under $150: Edirol r05, Tascam dr2d (added bonus of 4 channels), or other Tascam. With the Nak's, you need to find these weird batteries, but they are around. And it's worth it to have external mics, and with your setup, the omni caps might be the way to go.

There's a pair Tascam mics (which are the same as the Nak's) here, but there is only one omni cap. You could probably find another somewhere easily. Heck, I might even sell you one if I can find it. http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=162584.msg2051610#msg2051610

[F.O.Bean]

Sony PCM m10 is the best! I love it and its the best way to go in my opinion.

[baysap]

Most folks on this board will encourage you to use external mics because they usually sound much better, and you get a lot more flexibility with your setup.

Along those lines, I would suggest a pair of Nakamichi CM300's with card and omni caps, and whichever recorder you can find for under $150: Edirol r05, Tascam dr2d (added bonus of 4 channels), or other Tascam. With the Nak's, you need to find these weird batteries, but they are around. And it's worth it to have external mics, and with your setup, the omni caps might be the way to go.

There's a pair Tascam mics (which are the same as the Nak's) here, but there is only one omni cap. You could probably find another somewhere easily. Heck, I might even sell you one if I can find it. http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=162584.msg2051610#msg2051610

Forgot to mention i will be travelling to India with the recording device.
Do you think there is a way to avoid having the external mic, or maybe have one that is portable ?
I realize it will hurt the quality, but im willing to pay that price.

Thanks a lot for your help,
Ron.

[yltfan]

You can use one with internal mics for sure. There are lots of options there. I'm sure other folks will chime in, but I have no experience on that front.

Maybe the Tascam DR-40? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821259-REG/Tascam_DR_40_DR_40_4_Track_Handheld_Digital.html

[2manyrocks]

Sony pcm m10 and just use the internal mics.  If outdoors, you may want to either buy or make a windsock.  It has excellent battery life, is extremely portable and compact, and the internal omni mics are decent. 

[F.O.Bean]

Sony pcm m10 and just use the internal mics.  If outdoors, you may want to either buy or make a windsock.  It has excellent battery life, is extremely portable and compact, and the internal omni mics are decent. 

Good advice! And I second the windscreen for the Sony M10 Look on Amazon and Ebay and B+H. They all have the windscreen/fur that is actually made exactly for the Sony M10

[chinariderstl]

I'll jump on the PCM-M10 bandwagon, a great recorder. 

[LikeASong]

The TEAC VR10 or Tascam DR08 is the best recorder you can find for under $80, it has excellent internal mics too (there's a thread in this forum with abundant samples if you're interested). Only downside is that they're cheaply built, but if you take good care of them it won't be a problem anyway.

I also have to vouch for Zoom internal mics (I personally have extensively used Zoom Q3HD's and H4Ns) - although the devices themselves aren't at the top of the game, their internal mics are great and can stand and faithfully record basically anything you throw at them (including acoustic stuff, loud music, whatever).


Just throwing some cheap, non-PCM-M10 options out there

[earmonger]

I am also in the PCM-M10 camp but have no experience with other recorders. Its internal mics are good and it has a screw mount if you want to just put it on a tripod in the middle of the group, or wherever the blend is best--its mics are omnis.

It does have little rubber feet but if you are going to put it on the floor, put it on something soft to dampen vibrations from the floor.

A very portable, good-sounding and pretty inexpensive pair of external mics is the Sound Professional BMC-2.  They are the size of pencil erasers and with the clips you can put them in all sorts of places--including your shirt collar, though if you are the one singing that would make you much louder than the rest of the group. (Same problem with the headphone mics.)

They are $59 by themselves, $69 with clips, and if they are going to be getting a lot of use it's worth it to get the 3-year warranty for another $6.

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-BMC-2

Ideally, though, if the music is going to be loud you should also get one of the little battery boxes with them, and that would add another $59. With the battery box you'd go mics--battery box--Line-in.

The quality of the mics and where they are placed is by far the most important factor in how the recording will sound. If you can experiment a little before the session gets started, you should try various options.

Oh, and djembe, not tablas or pakawaj?

[baysap]

Thanks,

i will go and order the sony m10.

About the mics, this 2 small mics are great, but i will have to put them on me.

Is there a small mic that can be attached to the m10 or with a small tripod ?

Thanks,
Ron.

[yltfan]

Just throwing some cheap, non-PCM-M10 options out there

Yeah, I can appreciate the support for the m-10, but it seems like other options are getting squeezed out...

[2manyrocks]

Thanks,

i will go and order the sony m10.

About the mics, this 2 small mics are great, but i will have to put them on me.

Is there a small mic that can be attached to the m10 or with a small tripod ?

Thanks,
Ron.

Although there are some direct plug in mics intended for use with dictation type recorders, I can't think of any small mics that just directly plug in that would be better than the M10's internal mics. 

The M10 has a standard 1/4 camera tripod screw mount on the back.  No problem to attach it to a camera tripod, and that should be better than putting it on the floor.

There are an infinite number of ways from that point to attach mics to a camera tripod-even coat hanger wire. 

Having spent probably $220 of your budget on the m10, that leaves $80 or so for mics?   Do you already have a tripod or would you have to buy that, too, within your budget?

[baysap]

Thanks,

i will go and order the sony m10.

About the mics, this 2 small mics are great, but i will have to put them on me.

Is there a small mic that can be attached to the m10 or with a small tripod ?

Thanks,
Ron.

Although there are some direct plug in mics intended for use with dictation type recorders, I can't think of any small mics that just directly plug in that would be better than the M10's internal mics. 

The M10 has a standard 1/4 camera tripod screw mount on the back.  No problem to attach it to a camera tripod, and that should be better than putting it on the floor.

There are an infinite number of ways from that point to attach mics to a camera tripod-even coat hanger wire. 

Having spent probably $220 of your budget on the m10, that leaves $80 or so for mics?   Do you already have a tripod or would you have to buy that, too, within your budget?

I do have a small gorilla tripod, im ok with spending another ~$100