Portable digital recorders (2 Viewers)

[sparse]

Anyone use one? Any good?

 

[ernesto]

myself and some others on here use this
pretty great. apart from the plasticy feel.

 

[the departed]

the H4 is amazing but even more amazing is the updated version.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/zoom_h4_n.htm

 

[theoootini]

don't go for the cheapo swisssonc one. it's a hunk of shite. the h2 is pretty good too.http://www.thomann.de/ie/swissonic_mdr2.htm?sid=bb82b785de17f51e9b871816f73cdb54

 

[Gambra]

The Edirol R-09 is pretty decent too

 

[sparse]

So what do you lot use them for? Should I be spending that much on something I'm going to record practices on?

 

[sparse]

Also do they compress sound quality?

 

[fk47]

You have options on the sound quality but don't be fooled by the 24bit 96khz wav sampling specs. The preamps on all these units are quite noisey (imo) and 24bit with a shite mic preamp is still crappy.

 

[t_i_m]

hi

i use the Zoom H4 and it does achieve reasonable results. it is great for capturing sounds out and about, particularly if you are going to be treating them after. not amazing for 'pure' field recordings, in my opinion.
be warned though - there is an audible whine incorporated within the circuitry which peaks around 787Hz,(the H2 doesn't) it is a design flaw which rarely gets mentioned. of course if recording high decibels it wont really matter, but the nice quiet sounds get heavily 'colored'. a notch filter can help a little here at the expense of spectrum continuity. the onboard mic's are positioned in a XY pattern which, in my experience, creates a great stereo image, but the pre-amps could be drastically improved, the noise floor is rather high...