Sony PCM-M10/R Portable Linear PCM Recorder, 96 kHz/24-bit, 4GB Memory & USB High-Speed Port, Glossy Red Review

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(More customer reviews)Somebody finally got it right. This recorder sounds great, with very low self-noise and wide frequency range from the internal mics. It is easy to setup, and super-easy to use.
Other reviews cover general features. Here are some remarks about stereo recording in particular:
Stereo recording:
The two built-in omnidirectional condenser mics give you nice stereo separation when the recorder is in the midst of a sound field. I was a little surprised, as you wouldn't expect to get decent stereo imaging from omnis so close together, it's why stereo recorders/mics typically use two cardioid pattern mics. The downside of cardioids is less sensitivity for low frequencies, whereas an omni will capture those lows. Sony has a neat trick here: the omnis are set into the body of the recorder, shielded from each other, so each effectively sees its own half of the room (plus reflections of the other half). You get a nice stereo separation (though not the kind of imaging that lets you pinpoint sound sources). And you get the wide, flat frequency response of omni microphones. If anything, the bass can be a little boomy when you're too close to a sound source -- and the recorder has a low-frequency cutoff you can switch on if you want to lose some of that low-end rumble. They are nice-sounding mics.
Using your own mics:
If you want to use your own microphones, you will need a female XLR to mini stereo cable (Hosa 2' Right Angle Mini Stereo Male to 2 XLR Female Breakout Y-Cable) to plug them into the recorder. The recorder is advertised as having plug-in-power (eg, phantom power) for external mics. But that's the 2V variety of phantom power for little electret condensers, not the 48V you need for your nice condenser mics. You'll have to power them separately, either using a phantom power box like Rolls PB223 Dual Mic Phantom Power 48 Volt Power Supply or an external pre-amp. The recorder will accept both line-level and mic-level inputs.
A case!
The recorder does not come with any sort of protective case. It's an odd size, but I've found that a PSP Go Soft Carrying Case works beautifully, will also fit the official Sony windscreen, and has an extra pocket for the remote control.

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The Sony PCM-M10/R is a 96 kHz/24-bit capable recorder with electret condenser stereo microphones, 4 GB of internal flash memory and a microSD/Memory Stick Micro (M2) Slot for expanded memory.Key features of the PCM-M10 recorder include a built-in speaker, cross-memory recording, digital pitch and key control, digital limiter, low-cut filter, track mark functions, a 5-second pre-recording buffer and A-B repeat capabilityThe recorder includes a USB high-speed port for simple uploading and downloading of native.WAVor .MP3 format recorded files to and from Windows PC or Macintosh computers. The M10 offers durable construction and long battery life using conventional AA alkaline batteries.

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Zoom r16 Digital Stand-Alone Multitrack Recorder, with Tascam Vt1 Headphones; Microphone Cables and 10ft Instrument Cables Review

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(More customer reviews)I normally don't write gushing reviews, but I really love this little machine.
I got it last night and spent only a couple of hours to lay down a mix with 5 tracks. I have been looking for a digital means to do multitrack recording for our band, but it's always been too expensive. So the options were: either run a horribly bad live mix in a single stereo track to the laptop (mixed on the fly on one of my regular Behringer or Mackie mixers, but adjusted for the PA), or record one track at a time (which I could never get the band to do anyway).
I originally bought the recorder to work with DAW - I already have Live 8, and the recorder comes with Cubase as a bonus. But I found last night that mixing within the machine itself is pretty effortless too; bouncing tracks and layering a mix can all be done stand-alone. There's also a built-in insert and 2 built-in send/return FX loops (one for chorus/delay, one for reverb). There's a slew of built-in effects for these (i think several hundred) and room to edit custon effects. You can take the tracks and master that are the result right off the SD card, put it in the laptop for backups or MP3 creation (the recorder makes WAV files).
So it takes one major headache out of DAW recording that I've had before: the endless twiddling around with latency to get a fast enough USB I/O to overdub in real time. Now, even if there's some issue with the USB driver or with your laptop's speed etc, you can get the mix 90% ready on the recorder itself, then upload the master tracks in WAV format for post editing. It also means less cables, no waiting for PC bootup etc etc. The recorder runs on batteries, USB power or the included power adapter, so it's very flexible.
The machine is made of plastic, but feels pretty solid. In a trade-off of materials and convenience, it's a really good choice - my 16 track mackie is a real backbreaker, but this recorder can easily be lifted with one hand. The input connectors feel quite solid and 1/4" jacks click into place without any play - i actually had to pull quite hard to get them back out, so good connections.
Also very handy that it has 2 built-in condenser mics with stereo recording. They're decent enough to quickly record ideas on the fly, and it means you can carry the recorder anywhere without any wires, power supplies or cables, and record as inspiration strikes.
The only negatives I can find so far are:
- There's only one insert available. Not sure why this was done, since it should be possible to use a different one for every track, perhaps machine processor speed was the issue? In any case, you can always re-master on a laptop, and then use as many effects as you like. Plus, for live multi-tracking, chances are each player already has their effects of choice anyway, so you'll be getting those wet signals as inputs already. For studio recording, the good thing is you can run the insert to the headphones or output so you can listen with effect as you play, but you can actually record the track as a dry mix if you like, so you can change the settings later. You can also record wet.
- EQ is available per track but a little hard to access - while the faders are readily accessible, EQ has to be adjusted through the little keypad and display, and it's just not that intuitive, so you really can't adjust it well in a live setting (I think, haven't actually tried it live yet). It does have EQ gains on 3 or 4 frequency bands per track, with the frequency range adjustable per gain.
All in all, for the money this package costs, and the fact that it comes bundled with Cubase, 8 cables, an 8Gb memory card and a headset, it's pretty unbeatable!

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This Package Contains One Zoom R16 Digital Multitrack Recorder Interface NEW;One Transcend 8gb Class 2 SD Card;One Tascam HP-VT1 Stereo Headphones;Four 20 Foot XLR to XLR Microphone Cable;Four 10 Foot Instrument Cable.Zoom revolutionizes recording with the first digital recorder with 16-track playback and 8-track simultaneous recording that uses Secure Digital (SD) memory. The new R16 recorder is three production tools in one incredibly versatile device. It's a digital multi-track recorder, an audio interface and a control surface, providing you with all the tools necessary to create studio-quality recordings anywhere. The R16 combines a remarkable level of functionality with exceptionally intuitive design. For recording purposes, the unit supports up to 32GB SD cards, allowing over 100 track hours of recording. The flexibility of SD recording not only makes the R16 lighter and more portable, it also ensures increased reliability with no concern for a crashing hard drive. You can even have respective SD cards dedicated to specific recording sessions. Back up your project on a USB memory stick. With the ability to record up to 8 tracks simultaneously, it's easy to capture a live band or even a complete drum kit. The R16 features built-in stereo condenser microphones for field recording or quick, convenient "sketch-pad" capturing of ideas and rehearsals. It also provides 8 combination XLR-1/4-inch inputs along with one Hi-Z input for direct connection of guitar or bass. And the R16 also runs on 6 AA batteries for the ultimate in multi-track portability.USB operation means you can control each function of your favorite DAW software from the R16 for easy mixing with fine-tuned control. Incorporate any of the 100+ built-in studio effects to enhance your recording and use the pro-quality mastering effects to complete that studio sound. You can even connect two R16s via USB for synchronized operation and 16 tracks of simultaneous recording.

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Zoom H4n Handy Portable Digital Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)After having done a quick video test for the Kodak Zi8, I decided to do something which would focus more on its audio recording capabilities. I also wanted to test the Zoom H4n, a portable flash recorded I recently purchased... so, here I am, killing two birds with one stone.
I setup the Kodak Zi8 about 5 feet from the sound source, which is an upright piano... that's me noodling on it. The Zi8 is mounted on a tripod.
About 15 feet away from the piano, I've setup the Zoom H4n recorder. This unit has an XY stereo microphone built into it. It also has the ability to record two inputs, in the form of XLR or 1/4-inch. So, we'll be hearing the built in XY microphone on the unit as well as a pair of AKG 414s which I positioned above the piano, pointing into the open lid.
"Kodak Zi8 Internal Microphone"
Here we hear the internal microphone on the Zi8. Mono, a bit noisy and perhaps a little too close to the piano to capture a clean sound. In any case, this does the trick for capturing an idea, but definitely doesn't cut it if you're looking for high-quality audio.
"Zoom H4n XY Microphone"
Here the stereo image opens up suddenly. This XY microphone which is built into the unit is capturing a very natural, coincident stereo sound. It's a very reflective room, so you hear that, as the microphone is about 15 feet from the sound source.
"Zoom H4n Pair AKG 414s"
Here we're hearing the pair of AKG 414 microphones pointing into the piano. Because the microphones are very close to the sound source, there is significantly less "room" sound. This would be more suitable for a studio recording, while the XY sound would be more appropriate in perhaps a classical or field recording.
"Zoom H4n Mix of XY + 414s"
Here we have the best of both worlds. We have a blend of the direct signal from the 414s AND some of the room sound from the XY microphone. I believe this is the best overall option in most scenarios.
Finally we return to the Zi8 internal microphone to hear the major difference when using external audio equipment. At under $200, I believe the Zi8 does a great job capturing the visual and at under $300, the Zoom H4n does a remarkable job with the audio.
[...]

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Zoom H4n is the most sophisticated portable handheld recorder with new features and improved user experience at every level. Among its many new features, Zoom\'s H4n offers superior, built-in X/Y stereo condenser mics that allow variable recording patterns at either 90° or 120°. Higher quality audio capture through its new, digitally controlled, high-quality mic preamp, the ability to use internal and external mics simultaneously for 4 channel recording, a large LCD screen,more intuitive interface and onboard reference speaker will take the user\'s recording experience to the next level.The H4n\'s onboard X/Y stereo condenser mics are arranged with the right and left mics on the same axis. This design ensures that the mics are always equidistant from the sound source for perfect localization with no phase shifting. Frequency response remains uniform throughout your recording. The result is great stereo recording with natural depth and accurate imaging every time.The mics also adjust for variable recording patterns at either 90° or 120°. Our unique design lets you rotate each mic capsule from 90° (standard) to 120° (wide-angle) stereo for the ultimate versatility in any recording situation.Everyone knows that proper miking is essential to making a great recording. The H4n is the only handheld recorder that allows you to record on four channels simultaneously by using its onboard mics with either external mics or direct inputs. You can then use its built-in mixer to blend the channels for perfectly balanced recordings. Now your recordings can be richer than ever before. Or, to get a great recording of a live performance, use the H4n\'s onboard mics to get a room mix while simultaneously recording a stereo mix from the mixing board for a live recording that is easily one of the best you\'ve ever heard.

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