Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder

Subject: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,Fyldeplayer
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 03:07 AM

My wife has tasked me with finding an easy to use recorder, to quickly grab song harmonies etc. she finds my Tascam DP004 track to long to set up, as do I these days. MP3 would be useful for sharing and the ability to monitor - perhaps a small inbuilt speaker. This a note book not final recording requirement. Thanks

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 03:30 AM

Smartphone app?

Android has "Voice Recorder" which is about as simple to use as it gets.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 04:10 AM

I bought a smart watch. It has a SIM slot to make calls! It has a video recorder, Still camera and sound recorder. and an mp3 player. The loudspeaker is not up to much but for catching the moment it is superb. Always to hand (if you see what I mean).

At the price of 8/9 cups of coffee it is cheap insurance on getting the sounds. Battery needs topping up daily for surety, but it lasts about 3 days.

Quality? you get what you pay for. I filmed Auvergne burees (in the Auvergne) at a workshop when the leader was requesting no video (it is for private use anyway - good enough to see the moves).

I have bought about 3 wrist recorders that are extremely convenient and did catch moments but they are prone to go wally and the batteries need topping-up because the OS is in RAM. Even so, they become unusable eventually, possibly because of static electricity. Discrete but no loudspeaker. Pen recorder uses the same chip, architecture and software.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,Peter Cripps
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 04:48 AM

Zoom H1?

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: Stanron
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 04:56 AM

Put 'digital dictation' into Ebay. I would prefer something that uses AA or AAA batteries that you can change rather than an inbuilt battery. If an inbuilt battery goes duff the whole machine is waste. I don't like the CR circular batteries either.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 06:13 AM

I use an old Olympus VN-5500PC. Tiny. Battery lasts a VERY long time. The weakness is finding where the heck it's filed your recordings, and it's unusable without a manual, but the quality is pretty good using the built-in microphone.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 06:16 AM

I still have the old Edirol but it's just another piece of stuff to carry around. Over the past two years I have been using apps on my phone for grabbing a quick tune. Decent enough quality, took home dozens of tunes over the summer and learned them at home.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 06:25 AM

Tascam DR05, superb qualty, built in mics, USB connector - £75!

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 07:35 AM

I own Zoom H1 and Zoom H2n..

But have since aquired Olympus LS-12 and LS-14...

These are specifically designed to provide High quality audio as easily as possible.
Designed specifically for musicians who are not too interested in technology..

In use, basically as easy as the buttons on an old casette recorder...

These are still available on the internet at end of line discount reduced prices..

eg.. the lowest prices for LS-12, on Amazon today £72.99 - £108.85.
Though a few sellers are clinging to the original retail price of approx £150 - £250...

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: Nick
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 09:09 AM

I have had a Zoom H2 since March 2008 and have found it invaluable. Have recorded practice/sessions/concerts/my guitar playing/even a meeting with HR when I was working (LOL)

It sits about two foot away from me most of the time and is so simple to turn on and capture an idea. And it is always there when I play and practice with people so we can see whether things work or not.

Can record as mp3 (or 4 channel WAV at the other extreme). It has a Phones/line out so you could play stuff straight out. I tend to dump it into Reaper and process it a bit if I want to keep it. Rechargeable batteries (or plug into mains) mean cheap to run

Example of output from practice - that would be sticking the Zoom on the floor somewhere in the middle of us and pushing 'record'

Second hand you'd pick one up on ebay between £30 and £50 judging from Sold listings. There are newer versions but I have never needed to change it. If it broke I would immediately buy another.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 05:20 PM

If an inbuilt battery goes duff the whole machine is waste

A good point but there is such a thing as a memory bank and recorders will record whilst charging.

Organising the charging of equipment is about as forget-making as carrying spare batteries which get used for many things and not replaced. Golden rule is have a check list before you set out.

I am not that organised (some of the time), which is why I have the smart watch. The other wrist recorders served well until they didn't.
And I have an Android phone which has the sound recorder - and it has got me out of a hole several times. I set my H2N going alongside the Android and leave the Android running longer incase people say "I just remembered........"

the OP is asking about convenience, So I would say go for a memo/note taker - size of a pack of cigarettes or less. Or a smart watch. H2N for quality and shotgun mic mode for cutting extraneous noise, but it is a bit big for quickly catching the moment, even if it can pre-record 10 seconds before you hit record.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 05:21 PM

power bank, it is me that needs a memory bank.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 09:54 PM

Here are a few threads from the past several years (and there are many others out there). If you don't need the newest release you may find devices mentioned you can find on eBay or that are still sold on Amazon but for lower prices now there are newer models around.

BS: Need digital recorder from Amazon

Tech: Importing Sound into Laptop

Tech: Field Recording

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: GUEST,Fyldeplayer
Date: 30 Aug 18 - 03:54 AM

Thanks all for input - pun to tended - the Tascam DR 05 looks simple to use, we have found voice recorder on Samsung phone which be sufficient for now although play back is very quiet but can use headphones. Cheers.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 09:40 AM

GAK [music gear store Brighton UK] has emailed announcing price cuts
across the ZOOM range of handy recorders..

Which means there are probably competing prices all over the internet..

Check them out and haggle...

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: treewind
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 11:35 AM

We bought a Sony ICDBX140 Digital Voice Recorder for this recently. Only £22 from Argos. It has a built in speaker and is easy to use. No USB but if all you want to do is play back through internal speaker (or earbuds) it's perfect.

Subject: RE: Tech: Simple, Digital Recorder
From: Mr Red
Date: 03 Sep 18 - 02:28 AM

I would advise the need for USB connection, because there may be occasions you want to share a tune/song. You won't know until the moment presents!