Broadcasters, musicians and serious audiophiles have long been consumers of high-end portable audio gear, but podcasting has created an expanded market for this equipment.
While it is possible to create a podcast with nothing more than a computer, a microphone and some audio-editing software, there are times when it’s nice to be able to conduct interviews, gather sound or record programs when away from a PC. For that you’ll need some type of portable recording equipment.
Until a few years ago that would probably have been a portable analog cassette tape recorder. More recently, it might have been a MiniDisc recorder or digital audio tape recorder. But today, the hottest recorders do not use tape or discs but record to the same type of nonvolatile flash memory used in digital cameras.
Flash has no moving parts to make noise while you record, and it is compact. An SD flash card, not much bigger than a postage stamp, can hold as much as four gigabytes or up to 130 hours of compressed monaural audio (some recorders, however, do not work with SD cards that store more than two gigabytes). Compact Flash cards can store up to eight gigabytes.
Also, data on a memory card can be easily transferred to a PC or a Mac with a U.S.B. cable or by removing the card from the device and putting it in a PC card reader. Once on a PC, the file can be edited, e-mailed or posted to a server. Because these audio files start out as digital, there is no need to convert them for use on a computer. That saves time and avoids the loss of quality inherent in “dubbing” from one device to another.
There is one drawback. Although flash memory has come down in price substantially over the last couple of years, it remains more expensive per minute of audio than tape or MiniDiscs. That is usually not a problem if you copy the files to a PC, but it can be if you are away from a computer for an extended period or need to deliver a copy of the file in a physical format. Still, with 256-megabyte SD cards selling for as little as $12, it is not all that expensive to carry around extra cards.
Sound quality depends, in part, on the format you use to record. For maximum quality, the higher-end devices can record uncompressed files in the WAV format, but such files take up as much as 10 megabytes a minute for stereo sound. If you are recording speech or music that you are likely to listen to on a portable player like an iPod, you can save a great deal of space by recording as a compressed MP3 file. MP3 is a “lossy” compression, which means some degradation of quality.
There are basically three types of digital flash recorders on the market. There are digital voice recorders like the Olympus VN-3100PC ($69) that are mostly used for dictation and other voice-recording tasks. Also, some digital music players, like the iRiver T30 ($40 for the 512-megabyte model), have recording abilities, and there are accessories for the iPod like the TuneTalk Stereo for iPod ($69) from Belkin.
While those can be used for podcasts, the sound quality and versatility will not be as good as the higher-end dedicated systems like the Marantz PMD 660 ($499), the Edirol by Roland R-09 ($399) and the M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96 ($350).
I tested each of the three recorders and found the sound quality more than adequate for podcasts and professional voice broadcasting like the radio reports I do. I also used them to record music, which sounded very good to my ears, though audiophiles often debate the nuances of sound quality. All are able to record as either uncompressed WAV files or compressed MP3 audio.
Marantz PMD 660
Measuring 7.2 by 4.5 by 1.9 inches and weighing 21 ounces with batteries, the Marantz PMD 660 is not only the biggest and most expensive unit tested, but also has the most professional feel and features. To begin with, it uses XLR microphone inputs — just like studio mixers. The others use the same 1/8-inch minijacks as most consumer audio equipment, though that does not preclude using professional microphones, because it is easy to get microphone cables with 1/8-inch jacks.
The recorder has a stereo microphone embedded in the case, which, in my tests, picked up a bit too much ambient room noise for regular use. An external microphone is a must for any serious recording.
Setting it aside from the competition is a built-in monaural speaker, which can be important for radio reporters who might have to resort to holding the speaker up to a phone to get their reports on the air immediately. Also, the speakers do make it more convenient to review and edit your work if you do not have earphones handy.
Sound files are stored on Compact Flash cards. It comes with a 64-megabyte card — enough for two hours of pretty good quality monaural sound but only five minutes of highest-quality uncompressed stereo music. You can purchase a higher-capacity CF card from SanDisk, Lexar and other vendors.
The device uses four AA batteries and, like all units I tested, comes with an external power supply.
M-Audio MicroTrack
The MicroTrack is compact, measuring 4.3 by 2.4 by 1.1 inches and weighing 5.4 ounces. It has an 1/8-inch input for a stereo microphone and two _-inch monaural microphone or line-in jacks as well as RCA line-out jacks and S/PDIF digital audio input for connecting to some CD players and other audio sources.
A well-thought-out user interface makes it exceptionally easy to use. Unlike the others, the MicroTrack does not have an internal microphone. Instead it comes with a small T-shaped stereo microphone that plugs into the 1/8-inch adapter on the top of the unit. The microphone quality is surprisingly good. Like the Marantz, it records onto Compact Flash cards.
There is one drawback. Unlike the other products, the MicroTrack does not use AA batteries. Instead, there is a fixed internal lithium-ion battery that is recharged by plugging its external power supply into an electrical outlet or by plugging the device into the U.S.B. port of a PC or Mac. The battery is not removable, so there is no way to carry spares — a potential problem if you are away from an AC outlet for an extended period.
Roland Edirol R-09
The pocket-sized Edirol R-09 has the same dimensions as the MicroTrack and weighs 5.4 ounces with batteries. It uses two AA batteries and comes with pretty good quality built-in stereo microphones on the left and right top-side of the unit.
These microphones are better than those on the Marantz and acceptable for field interviews, but for music and highest-quality voice recording, you will want to connect an external microphone. It should work with all nonpowered dynamic microphones and has plug-in power that works with low-power electret microphones but does not provide enough power for some microphones.
There is also a line-in jack for a mixer or other sound source. The unit has handy switches on the back for stereo or mono, automatic gain control, microphone gain and a low-cut filter to remove low frequencies like wind noise. Files are stored on an SD card. It comes with a 64-megabyte card.
While any of these devices will provide quality audio, the Edirol’s compact size and use of AA batteries give it a competitive edge.
