Topic: "ranking" portable recorders

[fmaderjr]

H2 may be excellent for people who need to use the internal mics for "point and shoot" music captures. I know a musician in a band who is very happy with his.

However, a used iHP-120 is cheaper and makes excellent recordings with external mics. There has to be a reason a lot of people at taperssection use this machine to record concerts and virtually nobody here uses the H2. I think the iHP-120 is the best bang for the buck in recording.

[Kevin T]

WRT the iHP-120 popularity vs H2 in this forum you are correct. One reason is AFAIK the those units availability predated the H2. The other price and tha fact many here had substatial Mic & Pre amp investments into Dat & MD units so the excellent H2 internals were of little use. I come here to learn all I can about Live portable recording because There is nothing like it in the Musician or Audio recording group worlds. The "point & shoot" market is just starting to be tapped    

[fmaderjr]

The H2 has been around for over a year, I think, and almost nobody on tapersection is buying them. I don't think the fact that the iHP-120 predated it is relevant. See how quickly iHP-120's are snapped up in the yard sale even though the buyer now has the option of getting an H2.

The H2 is very inexpensive and may be good for point and shoot, but you have to spend more than an H2 costs to get consistent results taping live concerts. There are problems with clipping in high SPL situations and if you are stealthing, using built in mics can be much more inconvenient than using externals hidden in a hat for example.

The iHP-120 is a way better machine for recording live concerts, but admittedly you have to spend at least another $125 or so for good external mics (Church Audio would be a good choice). For very loud SPL's, (like right next to the stacks at a metal show) the iHP-120 could clip as well, but it reportedly doesn't happen very often if you use it correctly. And if you know your mics can handle the SPL and you can keep the iHP-120's record levels at -0.5 DB or above without the meters reaching 0 DB, you know your recording is not going to be clipped.

[Ozpeter]

A significant element in the requirement under discussion is "a good machine for recording lessons and coachings etc." - I would think the H2 qualifies well here, especially if placed between the student and teacher, getting one on the front pair and the other on the rear.  Turn it on, press the record button twice, then forget it.

[fmaderjr]

My mistake. Ozpeter is of course correct. I didn't pay enough attention to the start of the thread. Just don't buy an H2 if your main purpose is to record live rock concerts.

[John Willett]

A significant element in the requirement under discussion is "a good machine for recording lessons and coachings etc." - I would think the H2 qualifies well here, especially if placed between the student and teacher, getting one on the front pair and the other on the rear.  Turn it on, press the record button twice, then forget it.

I still prefer the Olympus LS-10 - Same "Turn it on, press the record button twice, then forget it." action (other than checking level).

But it "feels" perfect, is pocketable and is half the size of the H2.

[divamum]

Wow - been a few days since I've been in here, and I'm delighted to see such interesting discussion in this thread - thanks to all for input!

"Point and shoot" taping is EXACTLY the right way of describing what many singers are looking for - from now on, that's how I shall be using that.  To extend the analogy, a few decide they want to get the audio equivalent of an SLR and learn more, and a few of THOSE take the plunge to "go manual", but essentially... P&S is what most (nb MOST, not all) are looking for. 

And Ozpeter, you pretty much answered everything in my absence as I would have had I been reading this week - thanks! (Are you a singer yourself? Just curious

Btw, I recently got my hands on an LS10 for the first time, and WHAT a nice little machine. I didn't get a chance to hear files on good speakers (only the built in one) or a terribly microphone-taxing voice (ie, it wasn't that loud), but I was VERY impressed by the feel of the unit and the interface. Great little machine, by the look of it.

[John Willett]

Btw, I recently got my hands on an LS10 for the first time, and WHAT a nice little machine. I didn't get a chance to hear files on good speakers (only the built in one) or a terribly microphone-taxing voice (ie, it wasn't that loud), but I was VERY impressed by the feel of the unit and the interface. Great little machine, by the look of it.

That's why I bought it - and it sounds great on good headphones and on loudspeakers.

[Arni99]

Btw, I recently got my hands on an LS10 for the first time, and WHAT a nice little machine. I didn't get a chance to hear files on good speakers (only the built in one) or a terribly microphone-taxing voice (ie, it wasn't that loud), but I was VERY impressed by the feel of the unit and the interface. Great little machine, by the look of it.

That's why I bought it - and it sounds great on good headphones and on loudspeakers.

Here a great sounding SP-CMC-8/bbox/Olympus LS-10 recording on DIME with 2 samples attached.
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=212223&hit=1

[Ozpeter]

And Ozpeter, you pretty much answered everything in my absence as I would have had I been reading this week - thanks! (Are you a singer yourself? Just curious Smiley

I'm not a singer myself, but making a great many recordings of concerts and masterclasses at Wigmore Hall in years gone by taught me a thing or two!

[Kevin T]

Curious How many musicians/singers are on this forum? I'm a 30yr keyboardist /singer and MUSOs needs are different from most tapers.
I would also agree the more recent LS10 seems to have addressed most H2 "P&S" piont & shoot issues.

[divamum]

Curious How many musicians/singers are on this forum? I'm a 30yr keyboardist /singer and MUSOs needs are different from most tapers.
I would also agree the more recent LS10 seems to have addressed most H2 "P&S" piont & shoot issues.

I'm an opera singer, and our needs are a little  different yet again....

I agree that the LS10 is a great little machine from what I've seen, but it's a lot more expensive, too - I think the H2 DOES provide a viable "point and shoot" alternative for those who aren't able to  spend a lot.