Zoom APH-1 Handy Recorder Accessory Package Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this pack along with my H1. I will go through them in order:
-Padded shell case: This is worth the pack alone. A nice, sturdy clamshell design helps keep the somewhat-delicate-feeling H1 (due to its feather-light weight) protected. A detachable strap is included and has an attached velcro strap on the back of the case. The case is only slightly larger than the H1 itself.
-Adjustable Tripod Stand: Made of mostly metal. It's not much bigger than the H1 itself. The pivot mount can be practically adjusted at any angle, including 90 degrees. The mount piece that attaches to the H1 is made of metal. If you're looking for more creative positioning in different environments, consider a Joby Gorillapod ([...]).
-USB Cable: Pretty standard mini-USB to USB cable. It's about 3 feet long so if you need longer, just buy a mini-USB to USB cable at any electronics store.
-AC Adapter: Somewhat superfluous, this adapter attaches to the USB cable to provide power to the H1 via an electrical wall socket. Considering the H1 lasts about 10 hours on one AA battery, it feels a little needless. Still, it's great to have if you don't happen to have any batteries.
-Mic Clip Adapter: Very handy for placing/positioning the H1 on a mic stand. Handle is made of dense plastic; mount piece is made of metal.
-Windscreen: A pretty standard foam windscreen that handles things such as plosives just fine but don't expect it to excel outside. Wind is a demon on the H1's sensitive mics. I would highly recommend springing for a RedHead windscreen (which are available now for $34.95 at [...]).
All in all, a nice, rounded package.


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Tascam DR2D Portable Digital Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)Update: V1.02 Firmware appears to have fixed the NiMH battery issue. No premature shutdown with full or partially discharged NiMH and unit shuts down gracefully on low battery condition. I'm very pleased.
Original Review:
I did my homework and narrowed the choice down to the Olympus LS-11, the Sony PCM-D50, PCM-M10, and the Zoom H4n.
My primary requirement was superb internal mics.
Secondary were a clean Line In (no preamp)if possible, 4-track capability, battery life, and construction quality.
The LS-11 has top end clarity but anemic bottom end (20 hrs.
The D50 is sonically neutral and a standard in this performance/feature category, but pricey.
The M10 has phenomenal battery life >40 hrs, but to my ear, the internal mics are in a class below the other candidates.
The Zoom H4n has much to recommend it and is a 4-track recorder (but not at 96kHZ sampling), but the build quality is not up to the other units and battery life is just passable.
And then this gem popped up when I visited the German Audiotranskription review site:
[...] (use Google translate to read their opinions/methods)
I suggest you listen carefully and compare the organ samples. I was blown away.
Audibly it is an extraordinary performer and exceeds my original narrowed field (even the D50 IMHO).
I have an SD-10 concert grand and the DR-2D reproduces it faithfully.
Plus its a 4 track recorder and at 96hHZ, 24-bit.
It has a clean Line In.
Is solidly constructed.
Menu access/navigation is easy too.
Cons:
Battery life is limited to ~4-5 hrs recording on an AA pair.
I also have had erratic battery low error messages on full eneloop NiMH batts. I just downloaded the latest firmware v1.02.
Hopefully that issue is now fixed. Will update this review if it is/isn't.
I doubt the problem is specific to mine as others have reported battery issues.
It is my only complaint/concern - in all other respects the unit is the overall best of the pack IMHO.
There are numerous other review sites out there with lots of audio samples -
Good luck,
Mark

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Akai MPC 5000 Music Production Center Review

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(More customer reviews)Imagine having a synthesizer added to your MPC (assuming you have used a MPC before). Same capabilities as the previous models, but my favorite addition is the arpeggio function. When a MIDI keyboard is hooked up you can play out chords and press the arpeggiator button instead of just holding down the note-repeat button. I actually ordered and installed different color pads to give my MPC that customized-look. The internal hard drive is loaded with more than enough soundsets. The ability to chop and edit samples has been simplified with a few auto options. It also has a built in multitrack recorder (which I have yet to mess with), but seems easily accessible at the click of a button. I save my sounds on the internal hard drive and back them up on computer via USB port built on the back of the unit. The option to save and/or load is available for both Compact Flash cards and internal hard drive. Optional DVD Drive can be installed, too...this made my beat CD creation a cinch. The internal ROM is loaded with basic drum sets and synth presets. Make sure you update the Operating System for I heard the original OS was "buggy" (unstable). Like I mentioned in my title...the MPC5000 is quite pricey, but the power of this machine is unrivaled.

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The Akai MPC5000 has a greatly expanded feature set and that legendary MPC feel! The MPC series set the standard for beat production. What would it take to make the ultimate MPC? Dozens of engineers, 20 years of experience and a new synth and drum sampling engine unlike any MPC ever. Introducing the MPC5000; the new standard for music production. Purchase the Akai MPC5000 today and get a FREE Download of the MC5000 OS 2.0 from www.akaipro.com! Check out the in-depth comparison chart for all the MPC's that Akai makes. Use it to find out exactly how much power you need! The MPC5000 is the first MPC ever to include 8-track streaming hard disk recording, a 20-voice, 3-oscillator analog synthesizer with arpeggiator, a new sequencing engine with 960 ppq resolution, pad and track muting and mixing, 64 continuous sample tracks. There's even a new FX engine with 4 FX buses and 2FX per bus. Akai MPC5000 Features 64-voice drum/phrase sampler with 64MB memory (Expandable to 192MB) Three-oscillator virtual analog synth engine with built-in arpeggiator Over 300 Virtual Analog synth presets included Eight tracks of Direct-to-Hard Disk recording Over 40 all new effects available within a modular 4-bus effects processor Master compressor and equalizer Built-in hard disk drive Optional CD-R/DVD drive USB 2.0 port for computer con

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Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)Straight to the point: If you're considering getting a digital recorder and your needs are simple, seriously consider this one.
The sound is quite phenomenal for a recorder this size and asking price. (Zoom claims the H1 has the same frequency and SPL handing as their popular H2.)
Button/switch placement is intuitive and couldn't be simpler. Need the lo-cut filter? Slide the switch in the back (and the LCD will tell you it's on). When you're ready to record, simply press the big red button on the front. When done recording, press it again. If you want to hear what you've just recorded (via the built-in speaker or the line out jack), simply push the play button on the side of the unit.
There are several functions that will prove useful including adjusting the input level manually (from 1 to 100; *really* useful for loud situations like a rock concert) and being able to actually monitor audio during recording via the line out jack.
The unit records in MP3 and Broadcast WAV formats, in many bit-depths and sample rates. (Max for WAV is 24-bit/96 kHz and 320 kbps for MP3.) Broadcast WAV functions just like any other WAV with the addition of having metadata (like time and date) stamped into the file, which is great for identifying WAVs in audio editors that support the format. The H1 allows you to place markers into WAVs during recording for easy transport/identification during playback in audio editors as well. (The H1 will also jump to these markers while in playback mode should you push the "" buttons during playback.)
File transfer to your computer is quite fast. (For comparison's sake, the H1 uses Hi-speed USB 2.0 versus the H2's Full-speed USB 2.0. In layman's terms, the H1 is quicker than the H2 file-transfer wise.) The unit is firmware-upgradable. (Mine came with version 1.02; there isn't a newer version as of this review at Zoom's Web site.)
I knew that the H1 was small but I wasn't exactly prepared for how small. If you were to lay your palm flat, the H1 would fit inside it with room to spare. (I have average-sized hands.)
The H1 is so light even with one AA battery that it feels delicate. I wouldn't suggest banging it around. There's a connector for a wrist strap at the bottom of the unit (near the speaker) so if you're concerned about dropping the H1, it might be worth your while to connect a strap.
The cover to the microSD card slot can come open with just a nudge which might annoy you while handing the H1. (I should also note the cover is made of a hard plastic but looks like it might come off and break with enough force; just be careful as you open it.) The tripod mounting joint is also made of plastic so you might not want to overtighten when mounting the H1. Like most recorders, the H1's sensitive mics are prone to handling noise.
There doesn't seem to be any way of recording in mono; it would have to be done post-production.
Get the H1 Accessory Pack as well but also get a RedHead windscreen (or similar) to boot; the included windscreen in the Accessory Pack is great for voice/plosives and all but horrible for wind noise (which is not surprising since it's a foam windscreen). One needs more to baffle the wind only a "dead cat" type windscreen can provide.
I know I forgot things but I wanted to make this as concise as possible, pros and cons. It's simply a great recorder and I was not disappointed.
UPDATED EDIT: Since my initial review, two months have passed by, so I thought I'd give my updated thoughts. There are some reports that the H1 is draining batteries faster than normal even while the H1 is off. This is obviously not in every unit as I do not have this issue. (I had mine since official release, which was August 20, 2010.) A quick way to find if you have a defective H1 is to simply check the battery within a day. If it's quite low or no battery power, contact Samson (in the U.S.) and let them know.
There are users who claim that the H1 is shoddily built. My challenge to that is, What were you expecting for $99 USD? Gold? As I said in my review, the H1 is so darned light with a battery in it it's hard to not think of it as delicate. Is it so shoddy that users who are careful with their electronics shouldn't pick it up? Oh, heck no. It's not like the H1's casing is made of plastic that's so pliable it's pathetic. It feels solid enough at least in my hand.
Obviously, if your needs put you in a situation where durability is a concern, the H1 might not be for you. I would think this was common sense all things considered.
Of course, a note on the sound: It is quite superb. I've done (far) more than a bunch of recordings already and there are times where I have to check to see if what I'm hearing is coming from my monitors or in the real world. (I thought someone was presently mowing their lawn off in the distance when, in fact, they were not.) It's that good.
One last thing: At the top of the H1 page here on Amazon, you'll see a "Frequently Bought Together" section, which includes a 16 GB SD card. ***DO NOT BUY THIS*** as the H1 takes microSD cards, not SD cards. (microSD cards are much smaller (about the size of your pinky nail) and usually come with a SD card adapter.) What you want is something like this: Transcend 4 GB microSDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS4GUSDHC6E. You can, of course, use the 2 GB microSD card that comes with the H1 if your needs don't require a huge amount of memory to record on.

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Brilliant Stereo Recording. Now in your pocket. Combining powerful recording capability with elegance and simplicity, the H1 Handy Recorder is Zoom's smallest, most affordable recorder ever. The H1 Handy Recorder features Zoom's renowned recording technology and studio-quality microphones in their easiest, most portable device ever. Now Zoom recording technology is available to everyone. And with an infinite variety of applications, you'll want to take your H1 everywhere. From musical performances, songwriting sessions and rehearsals to seminars, conferences, journalism or capturing audio for video, the H1 gives you clean, clear stereo sound effortlessly.

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Musician's Gear Pocket Record SD Digital Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)I agree completely with the other reviewer Siena. This device works very inconsistently and can not be relied on for any recording. I would have said cannot be relied on for "serious recording" but that should be assumed. This device simply can not be relied on for anything. You don't know when it is going to engage and work and when it is not going to engage. There's supposed to be a way to "pause" recordering but what it does is shut off the device. Because it is digital, this means you have to reboot which takes at least 12 or so seconds and by this time you have missed what you want to resume recordering. This is only one example of what's wrong with the device. It sometimes changes tracks on its own and you lose your place where you were recording. When you do get it to work, the play back volume is extremely low. You could not play it back to a group in a room because anyone more than five feet away wouldn't hear it, even if it you turn it all the way up to a setting on the device of "20." And after doing so, the device defaults to a lower volume setting of "16." You get higher volume with a handheld microcassete recorder. Unlike Siena, I found an 800 number in their instruction booklet labeled "customer support." This is anything but "support." When I said that I was having problems understanding the operation the person who answered kept on repeating to "read the instructions." I said I did, but it still seemingly did not always work. He said they were not there to teach how to operate the thing but only to "troubleshoot problems." He said they didn't have time to help with the operation, "only troubleshoot!" I said I was indeed having such problems but he kept repeating to "read the instructions we only troubleshoot." The instruction booklet is very poor. It is full of typos, is not paginated but in many places refers to other pages by page number and you don't know what the heck they are refering to. This is indeed junk. Do not buy it. It appears that this device is made in America. Figures! No wonder we're losing the trade wars.
UPDATE: I bought an Olympus VN-5200PC recorder. I recommend it. It does all of the things that the Muscians Gear recorder claims to do. And it does them easily and consistently. It has a pause button for both recordering and playback. The instructions are simple and only took me a few hours to understand and operate. The instruction booklet is easy to understand, has charts showing the menu options and explains what they do. There is a website that explains things even more fully. There's an 800 number for customer support, but I haven't had to use it. And all of this for one-third the price of the Muscians Gear recorder. The Olympus is made in China, the Muscians Gear in the U.S. As I said, no wonder we're losing the trade wars.
FURTURE UPDATE: February 27, 2010. I have to give another update. I put the American Audio recorder aside for a while since using my Olympus VN-5200PC. But then I thought, why not try it again. It's worse! The screen now reads on all folders and all files "FULL." I can't even record on it! I went thru all of the intructions to delete, but nothing works. Stay away from this product and anything else made by this company that calls itself, American Audio!

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Korg Sound on Sound Unlimited Track Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)I spent a few hours recording with this at home and then took it to the car, picked up some friends and let them hear it through the car stereo... they couldn't believe I did everything on this little black box!
It's a remarkable device that comes somewhere between a pocket mp3 recorder and full DAW setup...
CONSTRUCTION: Absolutely rock solid - top quality product. Made in Japan. Doesn't look or feel cheap.
SIZE: Nice size for it's purpose - not too big - not too small - just right for the desktop, couch or car! 5.25" x 2.75" x 1"
CONTROLS: Large, positive controls, all well laid out, easy and intuitive to use.
SCREEN: Adequate size (1.75" diagonal), clear and bright. It's actually a TOUCH screen - initially you probably won't use this feature much but I'm sure it'll become very useful once you are more familiar with the device.
BOOT UP: Not exactly spontaneous - It takes about 20 secs to boot-up - then it'll take a few more seconds for you to setup a "New" recording. You can either click through all the previous recordings till you get to the end of the list (takes too long) or you can simply hold down the STOP key and press RECORD. Now you've got a new empty "song" file ready to be recorded.
RECORDING: For recording freestyle, the built in mics are very, very good... they pickup everything crystal clear.
TEMPO: Set the tempo by just tapping the tempo key and the device responds by displaying and setting the BPM's accordingly.
DRUMS: Next, you can select a drum beat - there are 50 - but there's only one or two that I like (there's no way to program or create your own) - so I always use mainly the same drum sound as a metronome while I record bass guitar... Each drum preset can be varied a little during playback by touching the (Rhythm) screen giving 4 variations, fills, hi-hats, etc...
SOUND ON SOUND: Having chosen a drum beat, a good tempo and a bassline, I can now start adding additional sounds (overdubs) - even vocals - and move on with the creative process.
UNDO: Let's say the song is 5 minutes long and you are recording each track live... for the whole 5 minutes... there's times when you make a mistake so you STOP - press the UNDO button and delete the last take in it's entirety - then try again... This starts to take up a considerable amount of time... hours can disappear while you are playing with just ONE song.
EFFECTS: The effects are phenominal - you can use them on the input of the recording... and on the Master output. Each effect has several parameters - so again, you could be spending many hours messing around with different ideas for each part (overdub) that you record.
BATTERIES: Two AA Batteries seem to last a very long time. I see no need to buy a power adapter.
POCKETABLE? It's a little too big to carry around in your pocket 24/7 for spontaneous recordings... I found another recorder just right for that - the Olympus Digital Voice Recorder DM-420
DILEMMA: You will probably spend as much time recording with this device as you would sitting down and recording with a proper DAW... but the DAW results will obviously be far superior... so why not just sit down at your DAW and record? Why do it once on this SR1 - and then probably have do it all again on a proper DAW? (with better Mic Pre's, EQ's etc).
CONCLUSION: The SR1 is a poor man's recording studio - or a rich man's toy studio. No doubt some kid who couldn't afford anything else will make a hit record with the SR1.
I REALLY LOVE THE KORG SR1 - I JUST HAD TO HAVE IT!!!!!!!

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Tascam DR-08 Portable Digital Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a do-it-yourself singer/songwriter and recording artist. I bought the DR08 largely for capturing ambient sounds to include in my home recordings and for recording band rehearsals and gigs. Overall I'm happy with the DR08. The interface is simple and intuitive to use. It's done a good job capturing and representing band rehearsals and live music. Of course, it's not what a pro would use to mic a show, but for my purpose of providing fairly faithful feedback of what the music sounded like at a particular position in the room, it does the job well. The ambient stuff I've grabbed has been solid fidelity with minimal background noise/hiss--to my ears, definitely good enough to incorporate into DIY recordings. I've also recorded some interview-type conversation, which sounded great.
Key problems are two-fold: the device is highly sensitive to wind (even light breeze) noise and to noise from the hand holding it. Which leads to my biggest disappointment...the lack of practical tips-and-tricks TASCAM could have included in the Manual. The Owners Manual covers the technical stuff clearly, but it offers little practical guidance on how to get good recordings from the device for the non-super-techy/audiophile (who, I suspect, based on where this falls in the spectrum of products and prices, is TASCAM's market for the product!). I'm left wondering...
How to deal with wind noise? No mention at all of this as a potential problem (which it is for outdoor recordings) in the manual. Do they sell a windscreen for this product? Would pantyhose or some home-made contraption help?
The device is very sensitive to picking up noise from the hand holding it. Not a shocker, but it would be great to have some tips on dealing with this issue besides the obvious one of setting it on its back on its stand--a so-so solution that is (1) often not practical based on the recording situation and (2) can create the issue of picking up reflected noise from the surface it's on). Are any of the "Low-Cut" settings meant to help here?
When, specifically, might I want to apply the different "Low Cut" settings of 40/80/120? What do those settings even mean? What difference in result can I expect? Some examples/scenarios would be appreciated.
For the EQ boost feature, when, specifically, might I want to use the TREBLE/MID/BASS boost feature? Again, some common examples/scenarios would be great.
There are three different mic positions. For each position, where exactly is the field of sound capture? In other words, which direction do I want to point/orient the devices to best capture certain types of sounds? How close/far should I be to capture the most "real" sound?
I realize I can and will figure this stuff out with extensive experimentation, which, sure, is part of the fun. But who wouldn't want some practical tips for a head start? If you're like me (and I'm guessing you are if you're considering buying at this product level/price point), then I'd say just about everyone would benefit from a more instructive "Manual."
So overall, a good product at a good price for the hobbyist/semi-professional, but it comes with a frustrating lack of guidance on how/when/why to use the technical features and get the most out of the device.

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Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)A year ago, I wrote a lengthy comparison of the Edirol R-09 WAVE/MP3 Recorder, Black and the Zoom H4 Handy Recorder + 2GB Accessory Kit (pre-accessory kit). I wanted a high quality, easy to use recorder, so even though the H4 had all of the features of the Edirol and sold for considerably less, I kept the Edirol because it was so much easier to use.
Zoom has responded with the H2, a scaled down version of the H4 with all of the features of the R-09 and all of the controls right where you need them. The H2 even has additional features over the R-09, but they don't get in the way. For example, there's a choice of a 90 degree recording pattern, a 120 degree recording pattern, and even a surround sound option. Samsontech has some nice video demonstrations on its website.
One big complaint I've had with the Edirol is the cost of its add-on stand. Unlike the Edirol, the H2 comes with a simple stand. In addition, the H2 has a threaded hole so that it can be mounted on a standard digital camera tripod! On a separate note, it's much easier to replace batteries with the H2 than the Edirol.
Recently, I got together with friends and recorded the same live acoustic music on both the Edirol R-09 and the Zoom H2. I used Adobe Audition only to normalize both tracks (that is, equalize their loudness). The first time we played them back, I thought I detected a VERY slight preference for the Edirol, with the overall opinion of the group split between the two units. The second time we played them back, my preference was for the H2, with overall opinion continuing to be split. We all agreed that the differences were so small as to be negligible if there were any at all. The sound files can be found at [...] for those who'd like to hear for themselves. We were sitting in a circle with the recorders located next to each other on a mantle above and outside the group.
I do prefer the Edirol's control buttons to the H2's membrane and I'm not about to sell the Edirol, perhaps because I am more familiar with the Edirol and don't want to give it up just yet. Also, the Edirol R-09 is the darling of the moment. However, if I owned neither, I couldn't justify the huge bump in price of the Edirol over the H2 and would opt for the H2. When I went to a music party last weekend and knew I'd need only one recorder, I grabbed the H2.

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The Zoom H2 is a must-have for anybody doing podcasting to almost any type of mobile recording situation. An affordable 2-track recorder using a 4-mic capsule configuration and digital signal processing, the H2 allows a variety of polar patterns and even supports 5.1 surround sound. Record at 96kHz, 48kHz, 44.1kHz or MP3. Archive files to your computer using the USB port. Use as a USB mic to record your guitar or vocals directly to computer. A Time stamp feature facilitates production. The H2 has an approximate 4-hour running time on 2 AA alkaline batteries. It includes earbuds, stereo adapter cable, mic clip adapter, tripod stand, USB cable, AC adapter and a 512MB SD card. Now the Zoom H2 can accept up to a 16 GB SD cards with the latest firmware installed. Have an older version? Update easily and for free at Zoom's website, www.zoom.co.jp. Click here for listing of compatible SD cards! Who Needs the H2 Handy Recorder from Zoom? Everyone who craves brilliant stereo recordings. It's a simple idea: provide brilliant stereo recording in an easy-to-use, ultra-portable device. Now everyone can record pristine audio in an infinite variety of applications. From seminars and conferences, to electronic news gathering (ENG) and podcasting, to musical performances, songwriting sessions and rehearsals, the H2 provides amazing recording quality. And no matter what kind of music you perform or the instrument you play, the H2 can effortlessly record it in high-quality stereo. Zoom H2 Features W-XY mic patterns with 4 mic capsules and signal processing allows Front 90° cardioid, Rear 120° cardioid and 360° polar patterns Finally record 360° sound as 2ch data or 4ch data simultaneously Built-in USB 2.

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