Testing used field/portable recorders

[Scruffy90]

After relying on people to lend me audio gear for so many of my shoots, I decide it was time to invest in some audio gear. Namely a field/portable recorder. I could get a good deal on a used Zoom h4n or Tascam equivalent, but I have no clue how to test them or what to look for.

 

What should I be looking out for when buying used recorders?

[ALwin]

Zoom H4n, Tascam DR100mkII, Tascam DR-60DmkII, Tascam DR-70D and other recorders within the same price range will perform similarly to each other.

 

They (at least the ones I just mentioned now) support multi-channel recording, has at least 2 XLR inputs, supports phantom power, audio quality is good.  They are definitely much better than anything that comes inside a DSLR/MILC.  Of course if you pair these recorders with a cheap bad performance external microphone the audio quality will not be as great as it should be.

 

Compare the specifications, because (at least the ones I mentioned) are all very good.

 

 

What other models are you considering?

[ShadowCaptain]

What should I be looking out for when buying used recorders?

 

 

Honestly most of those are the same, I have been looking myself and have settled on the Zoom H5, mostly because it can also function as a PC interface for XLR (so can the H4n) which is a really awesome features as it means you dont have to buy a secondary interface for your PC

 

If that isnt of any use, the Tascam DR40 is probably one of the cheapest with XLR and 3.5mm - and it provides a pretty clean signal for most use

But really, the features you should be looking for, are specific to you

What mics are you using.. do you need a safety track..multi track recording...what interface do you need...does it need to work with the PC...

 

Bear in mind generally the more you spend, the better the sound, BUT sometimes that money is better off spent on more expensive microphone equipitment

 

No point recording a £20 microphone with a £200 recorder

 

In terms of them being used... well theres not much to say, usual used rules apply

[Scruffy90]

Zoom H4n, Tascam DR100mkII, Tascam DR-60DmkII, Tascam DR-70D and other recorders within the same price range will perform similarly to each other.

 

They (at least the ones I just mentioned now) support multi-channel recording, has at least 2 XLR inputs, supports phantom power, audio quality is good.  They are definitely much better than anything that comes inside a DSLR/MILC.  Of course if you pair these recorders with a cheap bad performance external microphone the audio quality will not be as great as it should be.

 

Compare the specifications, because (at least the ones I mentioned) are all very good.

 

 

What other models are you considering?

I know about them. I've used the h4n and the tascam dr-40. I honestly like what they offer in a small package.

 

My question has more to do with how to check the physical device and what to look out for when buying used, such as a loose xlr port, capsules that dont work, etc. I rarely, if ever, bought audio gear.

 

Honestly most of those are the same, I have been looking myself and have settled on the Zoom H5, mostly because it can also function as a PC interface for XLR (so can the H4n) which is a really awesome features as it means you dont have to buy a secondary interface for your PC

 

If that isnt of any use, the Tascam DR40 is probably one of the cheapest with XLR and 3.5mm - and it provides a pretty clean signal for most use

But really, the features you should be looking for, are specific to you

What mics are you using.. do you need a safety track..multi track recording...what interface do you need...does it need to work with the PC...

 

Bear in mind generally the more you spend, the better the sound, BUT sometimes that money is better off spent on more expensive microphone equipitment

 

No point recording a £20 microphone with a £200 recorder

 

In terms of them being used... well theres not much to say, usual used rules apply

 

I'm going to be pairing it with a r0de ntg 2 for the time being since I have access to that microphone. I know that recorders with the r0de xlr mics aren't the greatest combo, but they have worked well for me in the past.

 

Like I mentioned to ALwin, I have used the devices, but have never bought the devices myself. I honestly don't know what I should be checking other than physical damage and faulty/loose XLR ports.

[ShadowCaptain]

I'm going to be pairing it with a r0de ntg 2 for the time being since I have access to that microphone. I know that recorders with the r0de xlr mics aren't the greatest combo, but they have worked well for me in the past.

 

What? There is nothing wrong with using rode XLR mics with the recorders, Curtis Judd uses the rode NTG mics with tascam and zoom recorders all the time and they sound fantastic

 

i mean sure might not be perfect, but its like 99% as good

[Scruffy90]

What? There is nothing wrong with using rode XLR mics with the recorders, Curtis Judd uses the rode NTG mics with tascam and zoom recorders all the time and they sound fantastic

 

i mean sure might not be perfect, but its like 99% as good

I've never experienced the problem, but i've heard many people complaining about having to bump up db during recording for the NTG mics and end up with a track that has some sort of hissing.

[ShadowCaptain]

I've never experienced the problem, but i've heard many people complaining about having to bump up db during recording for the NTG mics and end up with a track that has some sort of hissing.

 

not seen that from videos i Have watched about the mics / recorders, im ordering an NTG at some point soon

[ALwin]

I have a few RODE mics, including the NTG2, and they work just fine.  Sure, it's not one of the very high end shotgun mics that can pick up audio from a source several meters away, but use it right and it's perfect.

 

But pairing a NTG2 with a low quality preamp is a formula for bad audio quality.  Same thing using the NTG2 outdoors without a dead cat style windscreen.  The foam wind screen that comes with the NTG2 is only suitable for indoor use.

 

Another cause for people complaining about the NTG2 or other mics will be the cable they use.  For short distances (like an XLR cable just long enough if the mic is mounted on camera and the recorder is below) an unbalanced cable is good enough, but longer lengths and it is better to use balanced cables.