Clippies aside, as I plan to have a set of those as well, what would be the main advantages of one vs the other here? I know people love the 4025 but for that price would it be better to have a matched pair for more flexibility? Would the only differences be stereo width? Thanks for any input or which pair of mics would compare to the 4025 sound for the price range. Thanks much

hi, everybody i search an option for a mic in G3, do you know something mic for this different of ME or MKE(gold)

I had (have but don't use) the H6 and have noted the P4 and R4, but I don't understand why the didn't make the 4 tracks stereo each one. Then, you could plug in up to 4 tracks of stereo instruments (synths, stereo effected guitars). With these currently, you can only do 2 stereo instruments, which makes it not really worth buying one if you use stereo equipment. The Zoon H1N one track (but you can dub over it to create a new track) has a stereo in, and I still use this, partially because it has a good size, but of course you can't track in a different points of a song, and can't record 2 sources separately at once. If the Zoom H1n had 2 stereo tracks, it would also be greatly improved. A small 2 stereo track handheld, like a H2s or something.

I really need some recommendations for good recording devices that can be used for a large group (about 35 people), indoors and outdoors, and pick up everyone’s voice. I know I will likely need to buy windscreens for wind when outdoors.

I have been looking at the Zoom H4n, H1, and H2n, but after reading I don’t know if any of these will work at all. I’m also willing to go with something completely different. Please help

I have a Mixpre3 ii and I have a field recording opportunity come up last minute which is something I have never done before. The opportunity is to leave a recorder out on a ranch in rural Texas overnight. I'm flying down Thursday for other things but was excited to try this. I have no experience in powering for long durations. I have an Anker PowerCore slim 10000 battery (36Wh) and tried using that as a test. I plugged it in to the USB-C port and it worked, per the documentation, I was getting a green bar the entire time. The result is that I got a file that is 4 GB (4 hours) then the next file would be corrupted at around 2.8 GB when the battery died.

I over-nighted via Amazon Prime a larger Anker 26800 that is 98Wh hours. While that was coming, I tried to run my Anker 10000 again, this time in low power mode. I got similar results. When I got the new battery, I charged it up overnight, then re-ran the test today and got the same results. I've tried various internet searches on this topic but haven't come up with anything concrete other than using the hirose-sled and smart batteries which I don't have time to order and since this is a one-time deal, I don't want to spend that kind of money. Is it possible to power the device via USB-C for that long or does the recorder shut down itself? It seems strange that a more powerful battery would get almost exactly the same results. I have an Anton Bauer battery for my camera that I could use if I had a d-tap to USB-c cable but it's only 68Wh. The other option would be to return the Anker, and get a Small Rig 99Wh battery.

TL;DR I need to power a Mixpre3 via USB-C battery for 12 hours. Thanks.

My tascam dr40 saves every 10 mins or so just incase it were to die and I didn't know or something, I'd have a lot of audio saved. Does the F3 do this too?

Hello,

Can people share their best solution for the Tascam x6?

There seems to be a few solutions for the x8 but reading up on it they don’t seem to fit the x6 necessarily well (eg Bumblebee)

I’m interested in both foam caps and dead cat for both configurations

I'm looking to do a field recording in my garden. I live near the sea on top of a hill so we get a a lot of drizzle (aka low loud) and damp conditions. I saw this archived comment which was super helpful.

https://www.reddit.com/r/fieldrecording/comments/17gilg1/looking_to_do_my_first_overnight_unattended/

I saw this picture which Halbert4287 suggested for matholio and I will try to copy it.

https://imgur.com/a/l2ChKsP

What type of microphone plugged into the recorder? Or even what make an model is it? What is the windshield? I wondered if someone could recommend something (hopefully cheap!).

Thanks (and apologies I am new to this).

So I bought some clippys and I have a question: how do I use them? The clips themselves are on a separate little wire thing. The mics don't seem to fit into the loops on those. Any help?

https://youtu.be/u-uYC7cIbR4

The link includes a test audio sample and is from a non-monetized channel. I bought the device with my own money and I have no connection to the Zoom company.

If anyone has questions about this device I will try to answer them. So far I am very impressed, especially at the price point. I have only used it for test purposes so far, concentrating on self noise (under any sensible circumstances, I can't hear any) but it seems very usable so long as you have good eyesight - it's tiny! However, once you have set it up the first time, about the only other thing you will ever do is to press the record button, and you won't have any particular need to check the display.

My first portable recorder (about 60 years ago) was made by EMI, had valves, and the 7" reel of tape lasted about 8 minutes at 15ips. Wow, we have come a long way!

Hi everybody, I've had a Zoom H4n Pro for a while now and recently I bought an F3.

I'm not an engineer, I'm not a professional, I'm not an expert, I just enjoy recording ambiences and noises as a hobby.

Everywhere I see the clear praises for the F3 preamps compared to the H4n Pro ones, but I have a hard time discerning the difference. To do a comparison between the two I used a pair of Lom Usi Pro, pointed the two recorders to an hifi, where I played the audio from a video at the same volume and then stopped it to have a silent part. Then using Audacity I normalized the two recordings to the same level and listened to the "silent" part. In my ears they sound basically the same...

Is the difference so small that could go unnoticed by an untrained ear? Is there a simple way to test the preamps in a better, more controlled way? Am I doing something wrong in the recording phase?

Thank you for your patience!

I've bought two Line CM4 mics because they got great reviews. I have hooked them up to my Zoom H5 via XLR but none of them give any sign of working. I've turned on Phantom recording in the settings and also set voltage to 48V. I've tried factory resetting and updating the firmware on the H5. But still not working. Is there a setting I've missed?

Hi all! I'm a newbie video photographer, and a friend of mine enlisted my help to take vids at an auto-cross event next year. I have some time to research, and since this is technically a work project the budget is higher than it would be if I were paying for it all myself. I need to find a field recorder that can store files in the device, as well as a compatible shotgun/directional mic that can record at high decibels to get as much car noise as possible. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated, and if you can think of any other equipment not yet mentioned please don't hesitate to let me know!

There is a very good comparison video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w433J-C97Ec

My take is that for those who are thinking about the F3, the Tascam may be a good option. The video shows that in one specific test, the Tascam preamps are quieter.

The Tascam unit also has timecode in/out, 3.5mm line/plugin power port, and combo XLR/TRS, plus Bluetooth monitoring with an optional adapter (with latency, of course). The screen is nice, though for me it is not necessarily an incentive to buy. Also, it would be nice to get a good bumper case because it is all plastic. The F3 looks/feels more rugged.

For now the price on the Tascam is about $100 more than the F3, but it may come down eventually, if the X8 and X6 releases are indicator of a trend.

Anyone else considering upgrading, or holding off with an F3 purchase?

Or if one does not need timecode, do the very similar XLR/TRS and EIN specs on the X8 with more channels and built-in mics make it a better value, especially at a lower price? It looks like it may have worse DR, but has better THD. Maybe the specs are close enough that unless you need timecode, the X8 is still a better buy.

I am a family photographer and have been approached about doing a very special photoshoot for my clients elderly Grandfather and they have asked if I can also do a video recording of him talking about his life story. I said I could give it a go as long as there are no expectations but I am also super excited about this and I want to make this a sort of package for all my clients, in home photo session with video interview. I am needing to get a audio recording device but I dont know a lot about it. I want to keep the audio separate from my camera and I want it to be good quality but also on the cheaper side as I am just starting in this area. Do I need clip on mics or just a recorder placed on a nearby table? I have seen the Sony PX470 which I like the price of but don't have a clue if it is what I need. I have heard phones can be pretty good but I want to look abit more professional and also keep work off my phone. Also any tips 😅 I have a bit of time before the project so am doing a lot of youtube learning but real tips and advice is super helpful. Thanks

Hello everyone!

I would like to do some recordings of bubbling ferments, sounds related ferments such as steaming rice, humidifiers etc, their environments, and likely interviews. For the ferments, I am thinking of getting a probe microphone like this: https://jezrileyfrench.co.uk/ecoutic-microphone.php or a hydrophone like this one: https://jezrileyfrench.co.uk/hydrophones.php.

Of course, I will need to plug that in somewhere... For the recording device, I'm pretty new. I have an iphone 13 pro, and I am wondering if there's just a mic or way I could use this? Or should I get a portable recorder? I am looking at zoom f3 and tascam x6, but honestly I don't really know what I need and if I need something like that. I would love input any input or suggestions.

Hello, I'd like to know what's the best recorder in terms of microphone quality. I'd like to have something handy to record without taking my mixpre and pluging microphones. I don't need more than one exta input actually so the only thing that is important for me is good pream and good built in microphone.

Any advice? any experience?

Thanks you!

On my local FBmarketplace, my spouse found a nearly new omnidirectional boundary microphone for $50. It looks like this particular model retails for $300-400 new and I thought it might be a nice piece of equipment to pickup to have as part of my collection. I understand that they are designed for recording conversations or conferences at a roundtable. I don't see myself doing that anytime soon, but I do enjoy going outside and grabbing sounds by my local waterways, branches creaking, wind pushing landscape, etc. I could always try to resell it for more, but I'd like to start playing around with it.

Greetings! I have a question on the zoom H6 essential, whether is it possible to use the Deity TC 1 via mic line in or the xlr input via the 3.5mm for a timecode function then the line out will be connected the camera.

The Deity TC 1 will sync with multiple PR 2. Also other xlr output will be connected to a shotgun mic.

Hello, I'm very new to field recording and I'm looking to get my first handheld recorder.
I'm majoring in Audio Tech and Sound Production and for the first few weeks of my Location Recording class we were using the Zoom H4n Pro to record dialogue. I started researching handheld recorders for myself and I found the Zoom H4 Essential which seems like a newer version of the one I was using in class, but it also records in 32 bit which means no clipping or setting levels which sounds nice. I researched the Essential and most people said it was good, but that Zoom cheaped out on the preamps which from my understanding means there might be some hiss or other noise on quieter recordings which I obviously don't want. So, I looked at the Zoom F3 which I was told sounds better and has better preamps, but it doesn't come with built in mics which I would need to start out since I don't have a high quality XLR mic, and it's $100 more expensive. Now I've looked at the Tascam X6 (also 32 bit) which seems to be a slightly nicer version of the H4 Essential and presumably better preamps (no one has complained about it in the videos I've watched). The only downsides I can see of the X6 is that it's XLR inputs are only XLR and not XLR and 1/4" but this doesn't seem like a problem for my use of it. It's also $70 more expensive but I don't mind paying that extra price if it's worth it and comes with mics.

I plan on using the field recorder to capture foley, creatures/animals, and ambience mainly for video game sound design. Mostly usual foley like footsteps, impacts, glass breaking, and animal sounds, but also possibly gunshots, explosions, and jets which I assume the 32-bit recording will be necessary for.
While I'll just be using it to learn right now, I also want it to be great for that use in the future. I also plan on buying a decent shotgun mic within the next few years once I think I need it.
Right now, I seem to be leaning towards the Tascam X6.

My questions are: Which one do you think is best for my use case? Are there any other products I should consider? Is there anything else I should know about these products or just in general?
Any help is greatly appreciated. If you read all that, thanks.

I've spent the last week or two researching this sub and various recorders but I hardly see the Olympus LS-100 mentioned and can't find any specific posts or questions about it, especially compared to other devices.

It seems like a fairly decent device with lots of features that's not too pricey with room to upgrade down the road later. It shows up on the low noise recorder list but it says (XLR) underneath it so I'm not sure if that means the internal mics aren't nearly as good or even close to on par with those figures. Some of the reviews seemed to say it had pretty okay mics that could go up to 130db, I believe the loudest at the time, but maybe they aren't all that great anymore.

Can anybody speak to how well they perform and what they liked or disliked? Would they make an okay beginner device? I've seen the other Olympus LS-devices brought up here quite a bit and how they work fairly well and have a low noise floor, is the LS-100 similar or different to those in that regard? How well does it record in nature type settings?

I have 2 sets of Rode Wireless Pro (2 receivers, 4 transmitters) and a Zoom H6 Essential.

I’m connecting the 2 rode receivers via the XLR adapter, to record 4 people onto 2 channels.

My question is, do I set the levels on the Rode transmitters or do I set them on the Zoom H6 Essential?

Also, what format should I be setting the Zoom to for the best quality audio where I have 4 people sitting around a room having a conversation? They will all be wearing the lapel mics that come with the Rode Wireless Pro kit.

I’m really unsure how to monitor the audio because I tried adjusting the db levels on the Rode, and I’ve also tried adjusting on the Zoom. But when I transfer the files to the computer, they all sound the same.

https://youtu.be/cq0tyvL5Kzg?si=ZCQUkzR2pFt_CYHV

I trialed a few hydromoths in a lake to try and capture boat sounds passing over, however the range I was able to actually hear boats was very minimal. It seemed like it was at most within ~30-50 m from the hydrophone. I am hoping to be able to capture boat noise within optimally 500 m or a kilometer would be excellent. Does anyone have any thoughts on equipment or experience that they would be willing to share?

Hey

So I need a digital recorder for recording mostly natural sounds for videos and exhibition spaces (sounds being city, nature, voice in a regular room not studio and etc) So I'm looking for a digital recorder that I could whip out and start recording at any time. My budget is around 200-300€

I have scrolled in reddit and googled and youtube'd but nothing helps.

Basically that's the info I have gathered so far: -The best one is Sony PCM D100 but it is impossible to get, especially in Europe and also it's way over my budget (those in ebay are 1000$) -Next one is Sony PCM M10 but that is also kind of hard to find and idk if it's worth shipping from the US, paying customs and taxes and hoping it will work and some ppl said it's too old and nothing special anyways

So right now I'm between Sony PCM A10 (265€) and Zoom H4 or H5 (200-300€). But I have read such bad things about the Zoom and whenever I try to google the A10 the M10 just pops up and reviews about it so I can't find much info about the A10. The A10 also has to be somehow ordered through Sonys' physical store because they don't sell these in my country but I would be willing to do that if that's worth it/better than the zoom.

So I'm totally confused and desperate..don't want to waste money for something useless. Can somebody help?

New to field recording and unsure of optimal settings. Got the H4 for recording lectures/presentations (recorder will be located directly next to speaker).

A 55 minute lecture is 1.27GB and the audio is extremely quiet.

How high can I turn up the gain? How can I get the file size to be smaller?

Using the built-in XY mics.

Hello, I have a suspicion about whats wrong with my Zoom H8 but I wanted to ask here for confirmation.

When peaking, the recording pauses and hangs on the time of stopping. I assume this has to do with the Auto Record feature, the settings where I experience the issue is with On/Off being set to Start and the Start & Stop Level having both set to the end of the levels.

Once I turn On/Off Start to Off and the Stop Level slider to -48db the issue appears to go away but I still don’t understand it and because of that I don’t trust it.

Can anyone confirm that this fixes my issue? I Don’t want to be surprised again like I did when I encountered this issue on the gig it came up on. Not fun.

Anything helps, thanks!

Hello,

I would like to have multiple programmable recorders to leave in the field to record soundscapes. Waterproofing is the least concern as I am happy to somehow work around it and use what I can, the main problem is the hardware and its costs.

I currently have a Tascam DR-40X plus an external microphone, but obviously that is for direct recording, not to be left in the field.

I know that AudioMoth (and its twin HydroMoth) are supposed to be currently one of the least expensive solutions, however its cost can still be not-so-insignificant especially compared to the SNR/sensitivity, while I am more on the page of this kind of solutions: (open access article: The Development of a Low-Cost Hydrophone for Passive Acoustic Monitoring of Dolphin’s Vocalizations).

Does anybody use Raspberry Pi and/or similar solutions to achieve even lower costs, maybe by compromising with a bit of tinkering?

I am after something that is battery powered, records to SD/microSD and can have either an external microphone and preamplifier or just an external microphone.

Thanks for your suggestions