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Portable Digital Recorders:

Other references and articles comparing.     |     iPod® solutions

This information is provided as a general reference. Prices in particular change without notice. Your experience may be different.
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When reading reviews that offer comments, additional info may be found by reading all the comments.


Model $ List / Street Notes and comments from various sources.

Alesis PROTRACK
$200 street Recording "dock" for iPods | XLR/1/4 combo input [48v phantom] | 16-bit 44.1kHz (high); 22.05kHz (low) | 1/8" headphone output | 4 AAA |
ProTrack records to iPod Classic 7th and 6th generation, 5th-generation iPod, 3rd and 2nd-generation iPod nano, 2nd-generation iPod Touch, and iPod nano-chromatic. Sleds are not included for nano-chromatic and nano 2G. iPod is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPod not included. iProRecorder™ is a trademark of BIAS, Inc. | Linder Review

American Pocket Recorder
$200 44 KHz wav and MP3 recording formats | Built-in 128Mb flash memory | expanded memory slot for an SD card (reads SD cards up to 4GB each / Does not accept SDHC cards) -USB port for computer connection and DC power in - two AA batteries or a DC 5V - (LxWxH): 6.” x 3.5” x 1” / 155 x 84 x 28mm - Weight: .5 lbs. / 200 grams

Belkin GoStudio for i-Pod
$100+ Record directly to your iPod in 16-bit, 22 or 44kHz digital | built-in speaker | Two combo microphone inputs (XLR and ¼")-NO Phantom | 3.5mm mini-jack microphone input | 2 built-in omnidirectional microphones | 2 AAA Batteries | Tripod mount
Crunch Gear Review | CNET Review



Edirol R-1
$550 / 429

Edirol R-4
$1,895 / 1595 Record up to four channels at 24-bit 96KHz - 80GB hard drive -

Edirol R-09

$450 / 399 battery and memory card compartment is incredibly badly designed and fragile.
One report - noise floor is really noticeable, omni mic
boot up 6 seconds
mini inputs, outboard mic gain is hi/lo switchable, and "plug-in power" is toggled w/ software |
nice studio cans seem to require more energy than the R-09 provides

O'Reilly Review | Transom Review


Edirol R-09HR
24 bits, 44.1/48/88.2/96 kHz |Stereo only |WAVE: 44.1/48/88.2/96 kHz, 16/24 bits MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3): 44.1/48 kHz, 64/96/128/160/192/224/320 kbps | Isolated Adaptive Recording Circuit (I.A.R.C.) |Records to SD or SDHC memory card |file transfer USB 2.0| Cakewalk "pyro Audio Creator LE" | Mic input (Stereo miniature phone type, plug-in powered mic)| Full 48v Phantom on 1/4 TRS [read note 2] | LR6 (AA) type x 2, or Nickel Hydrogen battery (HR15/51) x 2

cnet review | O'Riley Review | Record Ready is only on LCD screen | Heard several reports of unit shutting down for no apparent reason.



Fostex FR-2
$1,499 / 1,299 32Khz to 192Khz. 16 or 24 bit
AA Batts, Good Mic Pres

Review | Review


Fostex FR-2LE
$749/ $600 BWF (stereo) or MP3 recording to Type II Compact Flash cards| FAT32 file system & BWF Stereo file format |16/24bit, 44.1/48/88.4/96kHz | XLR In | phantom | USB 2.0 for high speed file transfer to PC | Pre Rec buffer | Auto file closing maximizes available recording time |ALC (OFF/ALC/LIMITER) and HPF| XLR | (4) "AA" batteries or a 12V DC input

Review


Fostex DV-40
Mono, stereo or 4-track recording modes | Up to 192kHz/24-bit performance. (44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 kHz also available) | standard DVD-RAM media | Optional 2.5” internal 40GB HD (model 9055) for disk/file copy between disks | 20Hz - up to 80kHz frequency range | Rack Mount

Fostex PD-6
6 track DVD Ram and hard disk.



HHB PORTADRIVE

iKey- HDR7
$170 street MP3 or AAC from 64kbps to 320kbps as well as a WAV or AIFF up to 96khz/24-bit. AC adaptor, USB cable, 1GB SD memory card, cloth carrying case, and 4 AA batteries are included with this unit. mini phone plug input, line out, headphone out

iKEY
$179 / $60 and up .Wav or MP3 files to 256kbs, 4AA Batteries Line Inputs only

iKEY Plus
$289.95/ $138 .Wav or MP3 files to 320kbs, 4AA Batteries, 1/8" mic input. Phono preamp, 6-bar VU meter



Korg PXR4
$500 / 299 Uses Smart Memory 16 bit MPEG 1 Layer 2 @ 32bits

Korg MR-1
$899 20 GB Hard drive 1 bit audio DSD, DSF, DSDIFF, WSD + converts to 16 and 24 bit BWF up to 192 kHz
mini trs, AC power of installed lithium polymer battery.

Korg MR-1000
$1499 40 GB Hard Drive 1 bit audio DSD, DSF, DSDIFF, WSD + converts to 16 and 24 bit BWF up to 192 kHz
XLR/TRS AC or AA batteries



Marantz PMD 620
$400 SD card, MP3 (32 - 192 KBPS) and wav (44.1 + 48K @ 16 or 24 bit) 2 AA Batts for about 5 hrs of record. Fast boot. Will record a mono file. Mini plug input, built in mics ok. Headphone jack located between the two internal mics. Output is confidence monitor which means a short delay. [ Reports say the delay is fixed with updated software.]
Review at Transom | Brad Linder Review
Possible File Format Problems reported here if converting to .BWF.

Marantz PMD 660
$649 / 499 to 16 bit 44.1 & 48 kHz .wav + MP3 formats. Mic pres may be noisy for low-level dynamic mics. XLR mic input.
Transom Review

Marantz 661
$600 Upgraded version of the 660 but 30% smaller.| 32Gb SD | 4 AA Batteries | 44.1/48/96kHz 16 / 24 bit | USB 2 |48v Phantom | Transcription playback functions, including pitch control and user-definable skip back |
YouTube Marantz Intro | Podcast Academy Review and sample audio files.| Brad Linder First Look |Transom review Be Certain that you have the latest upgrade software on your 661

Marantz 670
$899 / 699 16 bit 44.1 & 48 kHz .wav + MP3 formats. XLR mic inputs, OK mic pres.

Marantz 671
$1,199 / 999 16 or 24 bit 44.1 to 96 kHz + MP3 formats. XLR mic inputs, OK mic pres.



M-Audio Microtrack II
$499.95 / $279 - 299. MP3 recording: 96 to 320kbps at 44.1 or 48kHz | PCM recording: 16 or 24-bit at 44.1, 48, 88.2 or 96kHz | new features and enhancements including: * extended input gain range * analog input limiter with bypass * 48V phantom power * USB 2.0 * easily add markers to BWF files * monitor S/PDIF input via headphones while recording * seamless recording of files greater than 2GB * backlight dimmer * hibernation mode | CF or microdrive | built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery or included power supply | separate left and right input level controls professional balanced ¼” TRS inputs capable of mic or line-level signals | dual microphone preamps with 48V phantom power for studio microphones | 1/8” TRS input with 5V power for use with stereo electret microphone (microphone included) S/PDIF coaxial input | monitoring via RCA line outputs or 1/8” stereo headphone output | output level control | dedicated buttons for navigation, record, hold, pause, delete, menu, and power
Read the comment sections on all reviews Linder review | Inside Home Recording review | Wing Field Audio review | Core - Sound

M-Audio Microtrack 24-96
$499 / 399 Mini TRS input. Non replaceable recharge battery. External power by USB plug.
The USB port and one of the 1/4" jacks are so close together that it was impossible to use both at the same time
The battery begins discharge when disconnected from AC even if not turned on.

PC Mag | O'Reilly Review | Transom Review



Nagra Aries M
$850 and up -Only 1GB of fixed internal memory - 32, 44.1 and 48kHz @ 16 bit | Mini plug in and out
no P48 on external mic-in -internal mic is mono
runs 10 hours from 2 AA-cells (but records only 1hour26minutes at 48k linear PCM 16bit) | S/N 85dB, A-Weighted see low noise comparison

ARES-PII+
$2495 5 “AA” (LR6) batteries, CF Media,
16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 kHz- 64, 128, 192, 256, 384 kb/s
Mic. Inputs 12 poles DIN connector | 48v Phantom


P;ympus LS-10
Olympus LS-10
/$399 The 2GB built-in flash memory and SD slot (up to 8 gigabytes). Long battery life allows to 12 hours with two AA batteries.
.wav 44.1, 48, (24 bit/96 kHz) - .mp3 and .wma. Line and 3.5mm stereo MIC jack (PinP power)- usb file transfer. With one mic, mono plug, records left channel only. Record and stop buttons very easy to find and use. Input level set on side.
Transom | Mix Magazine | Brad Linder Review read comments also. | Discussion on Naturerecordist | Linder - want to know what it sounds like? | O'Reily | sample file



Roland CD2
$799 / 695 CD and CF Recorder

Roland CD2E Portable CD/SD Recorder
$600 44.1 16 bit stereo to CD-R, CD-RW or SD (64 GB). | 6 AA |Internal Mic, external mic or line in | Internal spkrs, phone and line out (mini phone)



Sonosax SONOSAX SX-R4
Shipping May 08 @ $4500? 44,1 up to 192kHz @ 24bits and 16 bits ( dithering )|Up to 8 tracks on the HD plus 2 tracks on the CF Card # 4x electronically balanced 1/4 inch Mic/ RCA Line Input, XLR connectors | 2x unbalanced adjustable Line input on TA3 connector | 48V Phantom for Mic power | Pre LF Cut for rough wind conditions - PAD - Phase reversal | 2 Gain range and trim Gain control on the front



Sony PCM-M10
$399 / 290 96 kHz/24bit PCM .wav or .mp3Mini phone plugs, 2-AA batteries, M2 memory stick micro, micro SD up to 16GB + 4GB internal (auto file split at 2GB), wired remove, usb, speaker monitor, Sony Audio Studio LE .
Brad Linder review, Wingfield Audio Review

Sony PCM-D-1
$1995 / 1849 to 24 bit 96 kHz
4GB internal memory   built in mic.

Sony PCM-D50
$599.95 / 499.95 - 457.00 16 bit STEREO recordings ONLY at 22.05 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz and 96 kHz NO mp3| Mic and Line in- mini |DC IN 6V, Four AA (LR6) alkaline batteries (supplied), Four nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries NH-AA (not supplied)| 4 GB Internal + Sony Memory Stick(Pro Duo and Pro-HG Duo only)| 5 sec pre-record | Windscreen and remote extra. Mic in stereo mini plug.
Transom Review | Radio World Review | Brad Linder Review   Production Sound group. Review



Sound Devices 702
$2,175 / 1,850 to 24 bit 192 kHz
CF Media
Transom Review

Sound Devices 722
$2,375 (B&H) to 24 bit 192 kHz CF AND HD
A major recorder in the film/sound industry. High quality and reliability.
Sound Devices 744 $3,950 to 24 bit 192 kHz   4 Track
A major recorder in the film/sound industry. High quality and reliability. see low noise comparison

Sound Devices 788T
/$6k The 788T is a powerful eight input, eight-track digital audio recorder designed for production sound. Microphone or line-level signals, provide 48 V phantom power for condenser microphones, offer peak limiters for microphone inputs, and fully adjustable high-pass filters. Internal 160 GB SATA hard drive, CompactFlash media with UDMA support, or an external FireWire hard drive or DVD-RAM (with bus powering).



Soundman DR2
Mic in (PinP)| MP3, 96, 128, 196 and 320 kbps | .wav | manual level adjustment with -10 and -20 pads |2GB internal memory | AAA/LR03 1.5V battery | Due May 08?
Tapers Review | Freesound Review


TASCAM   DR series
Review of All Tascam DR recorders - Transom

Tascam DR-1
$299 1GB SD | MP3 or 48 or 44.1kHz 16 or 24-bit Recording WAV formats| auto gain control and analog limiting | low-frequency cutoff |Rechargable Lithium-Ion Battery (can purchase additional bat) recharge via USB or AC | USB 2.0 | Built-in Tuner and Vocal Cancel Features |Overdub Feature|Mechanical reset button | Mic and Line in - mini + 1/4 inch mic in. (No level adjust for line in or mono mic in)
WAV at 16-bit (factory setting) or 24-bit, or MP3 at 32 kbps, 64 kbps, 96 kbps, 128 kbps, 192 kbps, 256 kbps, or 320 kbps.
Brad Linder Review | Home Recording review | Gear Wire | Eugene Sonn Review

Tascam DR-2d
$299 street up to 96kHz/24-bit WAV or MP3 recording to SD cards | 1/8" in and outs | USB 2.0 transfer | 2-AA | dual recording feature records a copy of your audio at a lower leve | varible playback speed

Tascam DR-07
$200 2 GB SD | USB 2.0 | 3.5mm Stereo Mic and Line Inputs and Output | 44.1 and 48kHz / 16 or 24 bit | MP3 File Recording from 32kbps to 320 kbps Variable Speed audition with Pitch Shift | 22 AA |
Sound on Sound Review | Brand Linder Review | Wingfield Audio Review | Station Stop Review

Tascam DR100
$450 4 Built in mics (2 uni for stereo 2 omni for meetings) | 2-XLR mic in + phantom | 3.5 mini line in and out | Li-Ion or AA Batts
| Brand Linder Review |
Transom Tools Jeff Towne compares the Tascam DR 1, 07 and 100.

Tascam HDP2
$1,249 / 999 to 24 bit 192 kHz Time Code 8 AA batteries, good mic pres, XLR input
DV Review | EQ Review | Transom Review see low noise comparison



Yamaha Pocketrak
$499 2 GB (type not specified) | USB 2 | Rechargeable Battery (USB) or 1 AAA| DRM10 |Variable playback speed | Manual rec adj or ALC | 44.1 kHz, 16 bits .wav or mp3 | mic/line input stereo



Zaxcom ZFR100
Audio Recorder
miniSD media, single mic level unbalanced input, recorded 48kHz 24 bit convertible to:
.WAV or .ZTF - 16 or 24 bits selectable - 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 48.048 kHz -Time Code Type: SMPTE



Zoom PS04
$259 / 199 format? will convert to .wav or .aiff on transfer
128 Mb media

Zoom H4N
24bit/96kHz on SD/SDHC media of up to 32GB and is USB 2.0. .BFW - onboard reference speaker | vari speed playback | remote control (RC4) | (BWF) compatible time stamp and track marker | XLR inputs with phantom power | 1/8 inch plug in power mic input | normalizing and file splitting |

Brad Linder Review    cnet Review

Zoom H4
/$299.05 AA Batteries,: SD memory card (16MB - 2GB), SDHC memory card (4GB - 32GB) | It has been reported that with some media cards as battery voltage drops you can hear a clicking type noise as the data is written to the SD card.
Onboard studio effects such as compression, limiting and mic modeling
TRS/XLR Input connectors-phantom
44.1, 48, 96, and MP3 - omni mic

O'Reilly Review | Transom Review


Zoom H2
$349 / $199.97 up to 4GB in SD Card storage, up to 24-bit/96kHz, up to 320kbps VBR MP3
1/8" inputs for both mic and line inputs | W-XY mic patterns with 4 mic capsules and signal processing allows Front 90° cardioid, Rear 120° cardioid and 360° polar patterns | 2 AA bats = 4hrs |
For a wind screen, the "dead kitten" from Rode fits the H2.

Review at Transom | EM Review | O'Reilly review | Podcasting News

Zoom R-16
$400 While not really a candidate for this list, the R-16 will operate on batteries, it has two built in mics (left and right bottom of front panel). Aimed at the musician or small band market, the R-16 has 8 mic inputs (only 2 with 48v phantom). The gain of the mic pres is very stingy so that you would not want to use dynamic mics for an interview situation. The R-16 can be used as a nice 8 track recorder to an SD card. When fed a line level from a mixer or external mic pre it has possibilities. Other features are included for producing music.


Other Readings

Transom Portable Digital Recorder Comparison
Fall 2009 : Tascam DR-07 | Olympus LS10 | Sony PCM-D50 | Marantz PMD 661 | Zoom H2 | Sound Devices 702/722

EQ - Portable Recorder Showdown

Multiple Reviews at O"Reily

O"Reilly Compare chart

Comparing the Sony PCM-D50, Fostex FR2-LE, Zoom H4 and Sound Devices 702 - Linder

Electronic Musician compares

Audio Samples from SD702, Sony D50, Fostex FR2-LE

Recorder Noise Floor compare Raimund Specht, Avisoft Bioacoustics, (PDF)

Microphone Input Noise Comparision Avisoft Bioacoustics

B&H Intro to portable recorders.


Comparison Chart by BSW (PDF)

Beware of Fake Sandisk CF Cards

New York Times Review Requires registration


Rycote -mini windjammers

 

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