Field recorders?

[Lurka]

Can anyone recommend me a good field recorder for around £300-400? i really don't know where to start with them and would like some advice! preferably one that has its own rechargeable battery as well!

big up!

[drokkr]

Have a look at this...

field-recording-t92913.html?hilit=field%20recorders

[Lurka]

hahaha im a twat! thanks a lot man!

[safeandsound]

Fostex FR2LE, used professionally for 3 years, never over recorded a file
never corrupted data, used with SANDISK Ultra cards it's bombproof.

Mic preamps quiet and clean.

No rechargeable battery though.

For it's own rechargeable battery you would be looking at the Tascam flash machines and they are much bulkier
and several hundred pounds more costly.

cheers

[Lurka]

Fostex FR2LE, used professionally for 3 years, never over recorded a file
never corrupted data, used with SANDISK Ultra cards it's bombproof.

Mic preamps quiet and clean.

No rechargeable battery though.

For it's own rechargeable battery you would be looking at the Tascam flash machines and they are much bulkier
and several hundred pounds more costly.

cheers

thank you very much man! this is very helpful!

[polygonfiction]

I've been using a Zoom H4n this last year, I like it. Takes AAs but you could get rechargeable ones.

[fiziks]

I have a Tascam DR-07 and I paid $199.99 for it. They're at $149.99 now though. It records 24 bit wav's and it crystal fucking clear. I was blown away by the clarity of this thing. Seriously. Don't feel like you gotta drop a load of cash to get high quality recordings. It uses AA's but you could just get some rechargeables.

[ketamine]

I have a Tascam DR-07 and I paid $199.99 for it. They're at $149.99 now though. It records 24 bit wav's and it crystal fucking clear. I was blown away by the clarity of this thing. Seriously. Don't feel like you gotta drop a load of cash to get high quality recordings. It uses AA's but you could just get some rechargeables.

I'm so amazed at this thread. Been thinking about field recording last couple months but thought I needed kit like this:

[daft cunt]

I've no experience in field recording but heard only good things about the Zoom H4n.

[alphacat]

It's not always the quietest thing but I still love my 90's Mini-Disc recorder, and they're cheaper than ever now. The ATRAC compression makes things nice and loud and for some reason sound better than many of the new handhelds I've heard. You could use all the cash you save on more & better mics too.

But I have to admit that some of the new generation of solid state digital recorders look too sexy to ignore forever...

[limbo]

I pretty much just use the Voice Recording app on my iPhone. It really sux when you are in a windy environment though, but if you are cheap like me for instance, it does the trick.

[polygonfiction]

I have a Tascam DR-07 and I paid $199.99 for it. They're at $149.99 now though. It records 24 bit wav's and it crystal fucking clear. I was blown away by the clarity of this thing. Seriously. Don't feel like you gotta drop a load of cash to get high quality recordings. It uses AA's but you could just get some rechargeables.

I'm so amazed at this thread. Been thinking about field recording last couple months but thought I needed kit like this:

You can do, the advantage with a decent shotgun mic is how directional the polar pattern is. Held out of a window you'd be able to pick up (more or less) just the sound of the plastic bag rustling in the wind if you pointed at it, then just the can rolling around if you pointed at that. Potentially really useful for field recordings, but lugging the gear around is a pain. It depends what you're after really.

[Mad_EP]

Field recording is such a strange beast - basically, depending on your goals and needs... you can either spend close to nothing or spend thousands & thousands... and get great results from either.

The more expensive side of things would be to get proper Boom mics, and maybe a Nagra recorder, etc...and that would help you get super clean, detailed recordings of outside sources.

Of course, you can also recreate some of those outside sources, INSIDE... a la Foley-style techniques. In which case a decent mic and handful of creativity to recreate sounds will suffice.

I've been using my late 90's Mini-disc recorder with pretty good results, but wind can really mess things up...plus it tends to pick up all sound indiscriminately, however that isn't always a bad thing. I have this recording of me walking around Brooklyn one morning... and I didn't realize till I got home that the mic was picking up the headphone cord bouncing back and forth. I was annoyed at first, but later grew to love it...

Those Zoom's look pretty good... and some day I'll look into upgrading my field recording set up... however, in the meantime I have had some fun playing around with a cheap mini cassette dictaphone I found. It is warbly and dirty as hell.. absolutely wonderful.

[deadly_habit]

dr07 if budget

[kwami]

I use a Senheiser Me66 shotgun it's very good with a Rycote softie, but to be honest wind protectors don't do much, an umbrella is more affective.

and I'd highly recommend listening to Chris Watson he's the daddy when it comes to recording outside.

[deadly_habit]

tjhis thread is overkill tbh when it comes to what op is asking for
inbuilt mics will work op

[flippo]

very very happy with my Zoom h2 for the price! Not had an enormous amount of experience using other equipment to compare but it's definitely doing a good job for me. It's nearly always in my backpack just in case some cool sounds start happening.

[Lurka]

thanks for all of your help! i have decided to go with the zoom h4n as i have heard nothing but good things about this! cant wait till Christmas now! once again large up to everyone for suggestions! ure big!