Topic: Low end shootout: DR-05, PR-10, H1, Palmtrack, Jammin Pro HR-5, American Audio

[sunjan]

http://filmflap.blogspot.com/2011/06/sub-100-portable-digital-recorder.html
Basically confirms what we already know, that it's worth spending more than $100 for a recorder 

The Jammin Pro HR-5 seems to be a new contender on the low end market:
http://www.jamminpro.net/products/recorder/hr5_black/index.html

[the_artist]

http://filmflap.blogspot.com/2011/06/sub-100-portable-digital-recorder.html
Basically confirms what we already know, that it's worth spending more than $100 for a recorder 

The article is referring to the limited sphere of add on sound for cheap digital video recording and may well be a conclusion unless you are talking about the actual article which concludes

The best choice is really dependent on your needs. If you need a solid field recorder that’s sturdy, versatile and easy to operate, get the Tascam DR-05. If you need to mount a body mic on talent, I recommend the Zoom H1 (which can also act as a field recorder). Either way, your audio is going to sound really good for $99, which is the ultimate endgame with a purchase like this.

The Jammin Pro HR-5 seems to be a new contender on the low end market:
http://www.jamminpro.net/products/recorder/hr5_black/index.html

unless you are basing that on the actual article which concludes

Of the no-names, the Jammin Pro is the best model, but the $5 you save is not worth the noise and lack of power you get. 

hardly a ringing endorsement especially when he also says

Build quality: Cheap and plasticky, buttons are small and close together. Rattles when shaken .... and ... Worst thing: Hissy sound.

Were we even reading the same article?

[andromedanwarmachine]

I think sunjan is giving the benefit of his wider experience.

Knowing more than is ultimately discussed by the article...

JimP

[the_artist]

perhaps.  my point was that article doesn't confirm what he suggests at all. just the opposite in fact.

[sunjan]

Well, if you read the reviews with a critical eye, you'll find that all recorders have flaws that make them less-than-ideal for serious live taping.

"If you need a solid field recorder that’s sturdy, versatile and easy to operate" those of us whe have held a low-end Tascam in one hand and something like a PMD-661 in the other know that DR-05 is not the answer. 

DR-05 might be the best recorder you can get for $99, but that in itself doesn't make it worth all those superlatives.

[F.O.Bean]

With the M10 still around, why does ANYONE buy anything but an M10 Folks, its proven reliable and has great battery runtimes. 'Nuf said

[Ozpeter]

With the M10 still around, why does ANYONE buy anything but an M10 Folks, its proven reliable and has great battery runtimes. 'Nuf said

Well, it kind of depends on what you want.  If you want reliability and great battery runtimes, it's fine.  If you want to record from the internal mics, it's got some serious problems with stereo imaging, and you might actually do better with one of the cheap recorders mentioned in the review under discussion.  I've not been able to compare side-by-side, but I suspect that I'd prefer a Zoom H1 built-in-mic recording of acoustic music to the M-10 version, judging by unrelated samples online.

I know I've mentioned that shortcoming of the M-10 a few (!) times before, but when discussing this kind of gear it does seem to me to be essential not to praise a device without first describing the context/end-user requirement.

[sunjan]

Just a note that the HR-5 surfaced in another OEM version called PylePro PPR80:
http://www.pyleaudio.com/sku/PPR80/Linear-PCM-Recorder