A field recorder is an audio recorder that produces high quality results, t=
hat is compact enough to be carried easily, and that has enough battery cap=
acity for use in the field for a day.
Below is my list of field recorders currently for sale in USA, or just rece=
ntly discontinued. The list is in rough order by size and weight, with sma=
llest first. The measurements come from manufacturers' web pages, and from =
my observations.
What about prices? Use a web search program like Google Shopping to find u=
p-to-date prices for the models that interest you.
Did I miss any field recorders? Please let me know!
If you wish to use this information elsewhere, please include a link to the=
naturerecordists group on Yahoo. Thanks.
--oryoki
------------------------
POCKET SIZE RECORDERS
------------------------
Yamaha Pocketrak 2G
34 x 120 x 13 mm
49 g including one AAA battery
Yamaha Pocketrak CX
47 x 130 x 18 mm
92 g including microSD card and one AA battery
Sony MZ-RH1 and MZ-M200
84 x 84 x 15 mm
123 g
=3D recorder (96 g) + Hi-MD disc (17g) + removable LIP-4WM Li-ion battery (=
10g)
Marantz PMD620
62 x 102 x 25 mm
166 g
=3D recorder + 2 AA cells (46 g) + SD card (10g)
M-Audio Microtrack 2496 / Microtrack II
61 x 110 x 29 mm
139 g
=3D recorder w/ non-removable Li-Ion battery (124g) + CF card (15g)
Edirol R-09
63 x 102 x 29 mm
156 g
=3D recorder (100 g) + 2 AA cells (46 g) + SD card (10g)
Zoom H2
64 x 110 x 32 mm
166 g
=3D recorder (110 g ) + 2 AA cells (46 g) + SD card (10 g)
Olympus LS-10
48 x 132 x 22 mm
165 g
=3D recorder with 2GB built-in flash memory and 2 AA batteries
Edirol R-09HR
62 x 113 x 27 mm
174 g
=3D recorder with memory card and 2 AA batteries
Tascam DR-07
137 x 55 x 27
204 cc
186 g
=3D recorder (130 g) + 2 AA cells (46 g) + SDHC card (10 g)
Korg MR-1
64 x 120 x 24 mm
200 g
=3D recorder w/ 20GB hard disc and non-removable Li-Ion battery
Tascam DR-1
135 x 70 x 27 mm
220 g
including rechargeable Li-Ion battery and SDHC card.
Nagra ARES-M
125 x 52 x 20 mm
246 g
=3D recorder w/ 1GB internal flash memory (200 g)
+ 2 AA cells (46 g)
Zoom H4
35 x 70 x 153 mm
251 g
=3D recorder (190 g) + 2 AA cells (46 g) + CF card (15g)
Galaxy Audio HDR2
152 x 84 x 25 mm
254 g
=3D recorder (198 g) + 2 AA cells (46 g) + SD card (10 g)
Zoom H4n (March 2009)
156 x 73 x 35 mm
336 g
=3D recorder (280g) + 2 AA cells (46 g) + SDHC card (10 g)
Tascam DR-100 (March 2009)
153 x 80.5 x 35 mm
350 g
=3D recorder (290 g) + BP-L2 Li-Ion battery (50 g) + SDHC card (10 g)
Sony PCM-D50
155 x 72 x 33 mm
365 g
=3D recorder + 4GB built in memory + 4 AA cells
Sonosax MiniR82
120 x 80 x 28 mm
522 g
=3D recorder with internal hard disc (430 g) + 4 AA cells (92 g)
Nagra ARES-PII+
188 x 80 x 28 mm
590 g
=3D recorder (450 g) + 5 AA cells (115 g) + PCMCIA adapter (10g) and CF car=
d (15g)
--------------------------
BIGGER THAN POCKET SIZE
--------------------------
Sony PMD-D1
193 x 72 x 33 mm
617 g =3D recorder with 4GB internal flash memory (525 g) + 4 AA cells (92 =
g)
Marantz PMD661
165 x 93 x 36 mm
530 g
=3D recorder (410 g) + 4 AA cells 110 g ) + SDHC card 10 g
Marantz PMD660
184 x 113 x 47 mm
607 g
=3D recorder (500 g) + 4 AA cells (92 g) + CF card (15g)
Fostex FR-2LE
206 x 132 x 57 mm
907 g
=3D recorder (800 g) + 4 AA (92 g) + CF card (15g)
Nagra ARES-BB+
56 x 168 x 160 mm
1063 g
=3D recorder (900 g) + 6 AA (138 g) + PCMCIA adapter (10g) and CF card (15g=
)
Sound Devices 702
209 mm x 125 mm x 45 mm
1215 g =3D recorder (1000 g) + 4400 mah battery (200 g) + CF card (15 g)
Sound Devices 722
45 mm x 209 mm x 125 mm
1400 g =3D recorder (1200 g) w/ 40GB hard disc + 4400 mah battery (200 g)
Edirol R-44
157 x 183 x 61 mm
1300 g
=3D recorder w/ 4 AA cells and SDHC card
Korg MR-1000
192 x 170 x 56 mm
1184 g
=3D recorder w/ 40GB hard disc (1000 g) + 8 AA cells (184 g)
Tascam HD-P2
61 x 196 x 246 mm
1400 g
=3D recorder (1200 g) + 8 AA cells (184 g) + CF card (15g)
Marantz PMD671
55 x 185 x 264 mm
1500 g
=3D recorder (1300 g) + 8 AA cells (184 g) + CF card (15g)
Fostex FR-2
77 x 220 x 250 mm
1600 g
=3D recorder (1500 g) + 8 AA cells (184 g) + CF card (15g)
Edirol R-4
77 x 217 x 240 mm
1884 g
=3D recorder with hard disc (1700 g) + 8 AA cells (184 g)
--------------------------
ALSO WORTH CONSIDERING
--------------------------
The gear listed above contains both pre-amp and recording mechanism in one =
package. It's also worth considering a small, very high quality preamp suc=
h as the Sound Devices MixPre or Aerco MP-2, which can be connected to an i=
nexpensive recorder's line input. The resulting package is larger and more=
complicated, but it produces results equal to the best field recorders.
--------------------------
TOO LARGE, TOO HEAVY
--------------------------
Gear like the multichannel recorders by Nagra, HHB, Zaxcom, Aaton, Tascam a=
nd others are, by my definintion, too big for all day use in the field. If=
you can carry one of these behemoths all day, more power to you!
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