Are you looking to get a new portable recorder? If so, this is the article for you. The article will start with a look at the reasons why you should get a portable audio recorder. After that, we will take a look at the features you will need to look out for. Then we will finish with a look at the main portable audio recorder brands.

Benefits of a Portable Digital Audio Recorder

There are a number of situations where a portable recorder would come in extremely handy. One very obvious use is for musicians and songwriters. It is very useful, while out playing gigs, to be able to quickly and easily put down any ideas and musical parts as and when they come to you.

Another great use of a portable recorder is for students. Instead of writing notes in lectures or lessons, record what the teacher/lecturer says using your portable device, and listen back to it later in your own time. Journalists and broadcasters will also benefit from it, in the same way – being able to record what someone is saying instead of having to write it down. This could then be typed up in a written publication or used in a radio or TV show.

Basically, a device like this is a great tool for anyone who wants to capture sound while they are on the move. They are also great for electronic music producers who make use of samples in their music.

Features of a Decent Digital Audio Recorder

It goes without saying that the number 1 factor in a device like this is its size and weight, but also its sound quality. But let’s get a bit more technical for a second. When we say sound quality, what do we mean? 24-bit/44.1KHz digital audio recording is a minimum. Anything below that is not worth bothering with really. In addition to this, there is another factor to be considered: What about microphones? Of course, your new recorder will come with its own built-in microphone, but also check to make sure you can plug additional microphones in too You Also check to see which formats it will support. WAV and MP3 are the mains ones you must have In addition to this, you also need to consider the connectability of the device. Can it be easily plugged into a computer (e.g. using USB)?

Best Digital Audio Recorder Makes

Zoom are the most popular brand of portable recorder. Although they don’t have the largest number of products available, they do seem to be the brand that most people prefer, with a few very high quality products ranging from $100-$300. Next are Tascam, who are also a very popular brand, and have a larger number of products in their range, ranging from $80-$300 for their standard recorders, but with a few much higher priced products too.

Other brands worth having a look at are Olympus, Sony, Alesis, Marantz and Edirol. They all have a few good products, going from $85 for a low-priced Alesis audio recorder, all the way up to $1,700 for the dearest Sony product.

Still unsure which portable recorder to buy? Go to Portable Audio which has reviews of the number 1 portable audio recorders, such as the Edirol R-09HR

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Filed under: Portable Digital Recorders

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