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Handy MP3 Audio Recorder
For years, I've been baffled by the dearth of portable MP3 audio records -- the audio equivalent of the point-and-shoot video camera.
I pretty much gave up looking a year ago or so.
Mindy McAdams now introduces me to the H2 Zoom.
Sure looks like it fits the bill.
I pretty much gave up looking a year ago or so.
Mindy McAdams now introduces me to the H2 Zoom.
Sure looks like it fits the bill.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Robb Montgomery on -
I have never heard any of Mindy's podcasts ,but I can tell you that I been using the Zoom H4 for about 18 months and it has held up as rugged piece of kit for field work. Whether I am gathering ambient and natural sounds in Kuala Lumpur or interviewing a source in hostile audio situations like the back of a taxi cab in South Africa. What is really nice is the XLR jack on the back. It also runs on AA batteries and writes to the same type of memory chip I use in my camera.
Why are XLR jacks important? The answer is microphones, baby. I carry a couple of small lav mics with me too that can take advantage of this and that makes a HUGE difference in sound quality and noise rejection. It is quite simply one of the techniques that makes pro audio so demonstrably more enjoyable than amateur audio.
The H2 is a newer stripped down version and is likely a great basic level recorder but for anyone doing field work on a regular basis - upgrade to the H4 - you won't regret it.
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Permalink Reply by Mindy McAdams on -
I have never created any podcasts, Robb. But I can offer up a Soundslides (see it, hear it) for which I interviewed six journalists in a noisy room, using an Olympus WS-200S (very similar to the WS-300 and the WS-100 models) and an Electro-Voice 635ND/B microphone. I'm very comfortable with that kit. (The audio -- six tracks -- was edited entirely in Audacity.)
I also own an Edirol R-09, which I like very much, but for some reason I often take the Olympus and the EV mic instead. I have found that kit to be very dependable.
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Permalink Reply by Rob Heller on -
I've been having problems with handling noise with the Zoom H4. I love the quality of sound but wonder how to keep the handling noise to a minimum.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Hamilton on -
A couple of times when gathering nat sound at events, I've used the cradle and velcro that comes with the H4 and attached it to the strap on my shoulder bag, which has worked quite well. I find when I'm hand holding it, if I keep it cradled in my palm and maintain a relaxed but firm grip, I don't get handling noise.
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Permalink Reply by Matt Paolelli on -
I work at Medill and we tell our students to buy the omni-directional Belkin Tunetalk Stereo microphone for iPods. The microphone plugs directly into the bottom of the (classic, video and second-generation nano) iPod and delivers CD-quality stereo WAV files. Students edit the audio in Audacity and the results are fantastic. If you listen through earbuds and the audio was collected properly, it sounds like the speaker is inside your brain. The Belkin also has a built-in adaptor for external mics, if that thrills ya.
Many students already come to Medill with iPods that work with the Belkin, so it's less of a financial burden. It's also nice to have an audio recorder with potentially 80+ GB of disk space. The only down side is the lack of audio meters when you're recording, but you can always preview your recordings immediately by plugging in earbuds. All in all, the Belkin + iPod has served our students well. You can see all of our equipment recommendations here.
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On a somewhat related tangent, the Google-powered Grand Central service has a nifty little feature for recording phone conversations on the fly, from any phone. Create an account and you will receive a phone number that can be used to ring any/all of your phones at the same time--office, cell, work, whatever. When you answer a call to your Grand Central phone number, press the number 4 and the call will be recorded (don't worry, callers are alerted when recording starts!). The recorded call is delivered as an MP3 file to your Grand Central inbox so you can download it. After a slight amplification in Audacity (my test call sounded a little quiet), you will have decent-quality audio from your phone interview.
I haven't tested too many phone recorders, so I'm not sure how the quality compares, but the ease and convenience of using Grand Central to record a call on any phone makes this service worth checking out. Even if you don't end up using the audio for a multimedia project, it's an easy way to get an audio transcript of the interview for reference.
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Permalink Reply by Mindy McAdams on
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Grand Central sounds very handy! Unfortunately it is still in beta, so open sign-ups are not being offered yet.
For recording phone interviews, I use a version of the Radio Shack “Smart” Phone Recorder Control
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Permalink Reply by Robb Montgomery on
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If you are in the field and all you have is a mobile phone with you - you can make instant MP3 Vox pops using utterz.com. (Every Northwestern University kid has a mobile, no?)
Here's an impromptu podcast that was produced in the Medill classroom during my lecture on writing for the Web recently.
Using just my iPhone a freshman journalism student interviewed me and it was posted to my blog instantly.
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Permalink Reply by Matt Paolelli on
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I must have boarded the Grand Central train before Google bought it and locked up registration. With Google's track record for leaving things in beta, it might be a while...
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Permalink Reply by Yannay Yoram on -
With the Belkin mentioned:
is it possible to adjust levels at al , before or during recording? is AGC available?
With the supplied stand the mic seems to be very close to the table, is it picking up 'table audio'?
If you tried it with the ipod video 80 GB which is using a spinning HD, is it picking up the spin or write sounds from the drive?
Have you tried it with an external mic connected to the 3.5 input on the belkin?
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Sholin on -
Wow, I've never seen a discussion like this without a mention of the Edirol R09.
Given its price, at just under $400, maybe that makes sense. But it certainly gets the job done in a big way, lightweight, lots of recording options to control file size and cut down on conversion time.
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Permalink Reply by Mindy McAdams on
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I have an Edirol R-09, like it very much. I'm sure I mentioned it here somewhere ...
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Permalink Reply by Robb Montgomery on
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Oh we love gadgets!
My concern with that one is that it costs $400 and doesn't support pro audio mic connections. The zoom H4 is also a 24-bit recorder with built-in stereo mics - and costs $100-$130 less. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/H4/
When evaluating pieces of audio kit, it's more important to consider the quality of the entire signal chain than merely the technical specs of bit rate and file formats.
e.g. Support for balanced line mics, phantom power (for lav and other common condensor mics), a quality pre-amp and limiter (Signal processing in post is also is uber-important in but really good field recorders sound GREAT because they don't skimp on the critical mic/preamp/limiter components in the first part of that signal chain)
I have owned many multi-track recorders over the past 25 years (Teac reel-to-reel, Portastudio, Roland VS-1680, Tascam FW-1884) I can recommend the Zoom H4 because it was engineered to give a pro audio recording experience at a consumer price point. The stereo mics are even configured in the classic X-Y polar pattern for heaven's sake. That's just unheard of in consumer gear.
It's a pocket miracle really. It's a poor man's Nagra ARES-M
Surprises me that professional journalists think that their audience is best served by serving up under-engineered audio - because it it "just for a podcast" or "the web.
Producing audio is one of the most intimate media experiences you can have with someone. (Consider that is usually one-to one event and your listeners are likely wearing earbuds.)
It deserves more attention and the best signal processing you can afford.
Heres a handy comparison chart that lines up the latest low-cost, hand-held vox boxes.
- Boss Micro BR
- Zoom H4
- Edirol R-09
- M-Audio MicroTrack
- Korg MR-1
- Sony PCM-D1
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