Brad Linder's blog

Sony PCM-M10 handheld audio recorder reviewed

2009-11-17T14:56:00.000-05:00

I got my first chance to see the Sony PCM-M10 in person last week at a store in New York. The handheld recorder is significantly smaller than its more expensive siblings, the PCM-D50 and PCM-D1. But it has the same large buttons, vivid backlit display, and the ability to record in 96kHz/24-bit stereo audio.

The PCM-M10 has been available since this summer with a list price of $399, but you can now get it for as little as $290 from Amazon.

The folks at Wingfield Audio have posted one of the first reviews of this digital audio recorder that I've seen.The recorder is clearly not quite as full featured as the larger, more expensive models in the series. For instance, the Divide button has been replaced with a T-Mark button.

But Wingfield reports that the new model is just as easy to use as its predecessor, and includes a couple of features missing from earlier models including the ability to record in MP3 format and a built-in speaker for monitoring recordings.

The PCM-M10 also reportedly runs for more than 40 hours on a pair of AA batteries and Wingfield says the audio recording quality is almost as good as what you would expect from the Sony PCM-D50 even though the updated model has smaller, cheaper microphones. You can hear audio recordings and judge for yourself at WingField's recorder noise test page.

Another major update is support for microSD flash media cards. The Sony PCM-D50 only took Sony Memory Stick media. The PCM-M10 also has 4GB of built in storage space though, so you might never need to use removable storage.

Like other Sony recorders though, the PCM-M10 lacks XLR inputs and phantom power. You can only plug in an external mic using the 1/8th inch jack. Still, for $290, if I was in the market for a digital audio recorder today I would seriously consider this one.

Blue's latest USB mic is Yeti, looks more like R2D2

2009-11-11T08:50:00.003-05:00

I mean seriously... if you were going to name this thing, would you have gone with Yeti, or would you have picked everyone's favorite droid? You know... up until recently. On the other hand, I suppose R2D2 didn't talk, which would make it a strange name for a microphone...

Anyway, the Blue Microphones Yeti is apparently the first ever THX certified USB mic, if that matters to you. It has a triple capsule array of condenser mics, and offers four pickup patterns including omni-directional, cardiod, stereo, and bidirectional. It has a headphonejack for zero-latency monitoring, and a hardware dial for adjusting the gain.

The Yeti will run about $150 when it's released in December.

via SlashGear

On the Media covers the music biz

2009-10-29T15:50:00.003-04:00

Just got around to listening to the podcast of this week's On The Media, and wow... what a great example of public radio reporting. This week's entire show is devoted to an examination of the music business during the 10 year anniversary of the launch of Napster.

NPR reporter Rick Carr guests hosts and gets some amazing quotes, including one from former RIAA head Hilary Rosen who admits that the heads of the music labels may have sued Napster into oblivion... but they also thought it was kind of cool and she laments that 10 years later nobody has come up with a music distribution system that works as well as Napster did.

If you care about the impact of digital media on music (or video, books, news, or any of the other areas its impacting these days), or if you just appreciate a good story, you should give this week's show a listen.

New Digital Audio Editing software

2009-09-16T14:57:00.003-04:00

Aviary just launched a web-based audio editing application called Myna, and it's honestly the first one I've tried that I would actually consider using. It's free, works from any web browser, and lets you upload, record, edit, and mix audio in multitrack sessions. I've written up a more detailed overview for Download Squad.

In other news, Avid came out with a consumer oriented version of Pro Tools this month called Pro Tools M-Powered Essential. Like other Pro Tools software, you need to purchase hardware in order to use the application. But Pro Tools M-Powered Essential will only set you back between $99 and $129, because the company offers it with relatively inexpensive hardware including a USB microphone, a guitar input, or a 49-note keyboard.

Avid sent me a copy of Pro Tools Vocal Studio, the version that comes with a mic. I'm pretty impressed with the microphone so far. It's almost like paying $99 for a decent quality USB mic and getting Pro Tools thrown in for free. I'll be writing up a more detailed overview of my experiences with the software soon at Download Squad, but in the meantime here's a brief unboxing video:

New audio recording tools and reviews

2009-09-12T11:55:00.000-04:00

When I first set up my home studio a few years ago I looked at using a USB microphone in order to voice tracks for radio news reports and podcasts. But I wasn't happy with the latency on the first USB mic I purchased, so I decided to go all out and pick up a USB mixer and a condenser microphone so I could monitor my audio levels using the mixer. A mixer also lets you input multiple audio signals simultaneously, but to be perfectly honest, 99% of the time the only thing plugged into my mixer is a microphone.

My mic of choice is an AKG Perception 100 studio-style condenser mic. The microphone costs about $100 and sounds as good to my ear as many mics that cost twice the price.

Now AKG is launching a USB version of the AKG Perception 120, a similar studio-style condenser microphone. In other words, you'll be able to plug the mic directly into a computer without a mixer. You won't be able to plug in 4 instruments at a time this way, but if you're just recording voice tracks or looking for a high quality mic for making Skype calls, this could be the way to go.

The Perception 120 USB is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 as well as OS X. The mic has an integrated 24-bit analog to digital converter. It also has a switchable bass-cut filter, a Blue LED to indicate operationg, and an integrated pop filter.

It comes with a tripod table stand, swivel mount, and USB cable. The one thing the mic doesn't seem to have is an integrated heaphone jack, which means you'll probably have to rely on your computer's sound card for audio feedback. And depending on your computer, that could mean you'll have a latency issue (which would cause you to hear your own voice a split second after you speak). At least, that's the problem I had with early USB condenser mics.

In other audio production news, Transom's Jeff Towne has posted extensive reviews of 3 new handheld digital audio recorders from Tascam. He looked at the Tascam DR-1, DR-7, and DR-100.

The good news is that all three are compact and relatively easy to us. The bad news is that you'll need a high output mic like a battery powered condenser mic if you want to use an external microphone with any of these recorders, since the noise to signal ration is a bit high (and hiss-inducing) when you use a dynamic microphone like the ElectroVoice RE-50 on any of the models, including the DR-100 which has XLR inputs.

You can find more details and a good number of audio clips over at Transom.

M-Audio MicroTrack II price cut: $163.99

2009-07-25T10:49:00.000-04:00

The M-Audio MicroTrack isn't necessarily the highest quality portable digital audio recorder around. It lacks built in mics, and the built-in battery isn't removable. But the MicroTrack II does have a few things going for it. It provides 48V phantom power for powered mics.

It may not have XLR inputs, but it does have quarter inch inputs which are sturdier than the 1/8th inch jacks found on many recorders. And now the recorder is one of the cheapest WAV/MP3 recorders around, with prices as low as $1 63.99 on Amazon. That makes it a pretty good value for reporters, musicians, and others on a budget.

The recorder has a list price of $299, but now that it's selling for under $200, it's cheaper than pretty much every comparable recorder with the exception of the Samson Zoom H2, which you can pick up for $157.25.

Olympus launches LS11 digital audio recorder

2009-07-21T14:51:00.000-04:00

Sony ain't the only company updating its digital audio recorder lineup. Olympus is introducing the new LS-11, which looks like a slightly updated version of the Olympus LS-10. The new model looks an awful lot like its predecessor, but it does have a few nice perks like 8GB of built-in storage space instead of 2GB, stereo speakers, and up to 23 hours of battery life.

Here's a bit more of what the Olympus LS-11 has to offer:

Can record in qualities up to 24-bit/96kHz in stereo or mono
WAV, MP3, and WMA recording formats
Built in stereo mics
8GB of flash storage plus an SDHC card slot that can take up to 32GB of additional storage
Stereo woo mW speakers
3.5mm stereo mic jack
3.5mm stereo headphone jack
Runs on 2 AA batteries
Dimensions: 131.5mm x 48mm x 22.4mm
Weight: 165mm w/alkaline batteries

The Olympus LS-11 also adds track marking and file editing functions. The recorder will run about $399, which is the same as the list price for the LS-10. But you can often find the Olympus LS-10 going for as little as $241.

thanks dxace1!

Sony introduces PCM-M10 handheld pro audio recorder

2009-07-19T12:35:00.004-04:00

Sony is expanding its line of professional quality digital audio recorders with the addition of the PCM-M10. This little guy will sell for about $399 and go head to head with similarly sized and priced recorders including the Marantz PMD620, Tascam DR-1, and Zoom H4n.

The Sony PCM-M10 will be the cheapest flash-based recorder from Sony capable of recording 96kHz/24-bit stereo audio using either the internal electret condenser mics or an external mic or line input. The recorder has 4GB of built in memory and a MicroSD/Memory Stick Micro slot. This is the first time I'm aware of that any Sony recorder has accepted any form of flash media other than Sony's proprietary Memory Stick format.

The PCM-M10 is the first member of the PCM-xx family to feature a built-in speaker for playing back recordings. It also has a low-cut filter, digital limiter, and a 5-second pre-recording buffer. In other words, is has almost all of the software features found on the Sony PCM-D50 which is larger and has a list price of $599 (although it typically sells for $450 or more). In addition, the PCM-M10 is the first Sony flash recorder that lets you record in MP3 format. The PCM-D50 and PCM-D1 only record in WAV.

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume the primary difference between the PCM-M10 and PCM-D50 is that the new model features cheaper mics, preamps, and other components, although it is still made of metal, which makes this recorder more durable than some of the others on the market. The plastic mic jack doesn't look nearly as sturdy on this model as the metal one on the PCM-D50 though.

The Sony PCM-M10 is due out in October and will ship with a copy of Sound Forge Audio Studio Recorder Edition.The folks at Sound on Sound shot some video, which you can see below.

via Live2Play

Samson introduces Zoom Q3 audio/video recorder

2009-07-18T09:32:00.001-04:00

Samson has made a name for itself by releasing a series of low price, decent performance digital audio recorders including the Samson Zoom H2, H4, and H4n. These machines range in price from around $200 to $350 and they're great for podcasters, good for musicians, usable, if not exactly perfect for pro audio users including radio journalists.

Now Samson is dipping its toe into the portable video recorder space with the Samson Zoom Q3. This $250 video recorder has a built in mic that'll put the microphones in other handheld video cameras to shame. The recorder can record in WAV or MP3 formats. In audio-only mode you can record in 96kHz/24-bit quality. If you're recoding audio and video at the same time it tops out at 44.1/48kHz 16/24-bit WAV or MP4.The Q3 has a the same mic capsules used in the Zoom H4n.

As for video, it can do 640 x 480 pixel video in MPEG-4 format. The recorder ships with a 2GB SD card which should be enough to store up to an hour of recordings. You should be able to fit 16 hours of video on a 32GB SDHC card. It's not exactly HD video, but it should be good enough for those little home movies you upload to YouTube.

The Q3 has a 2.4 inch, 320 x 240 pixel display for monitoring recordings, and a USB port for connecting the camera to a computer for transferring files. The recorder runs on 2 AA batteries and includes software for editing videos and an application for uploading movies to YouTube. It should be available in September.

[via Create Digital Music]

Quick links: How radio's made, audio recording comparison,pubcasting in social media

2009-07-10T14:47:00.007-04:00

I realized I haven't updated the blog in a while, and that's largely because I've moved to posting links like the ones you're about to see to Twitter. But today I figured I'd do something out of the ordinary and highlight some excellent content from around the web here:

Mediate's Power Grid: This site ranks broadcasting personalities based on their reach in old and new media including their broadcast audience, Google buzz, and overall web buzz. A number of NPR folks made the list including Steve Inskeep, Michele Norris, Melissa Block, and Renee Montagne. For some reason there's no category for radio reporters (although TV reporters do have a space). via Current
Video comparison of Zoom H2, Marantz PMD620, and Sony PCM-D50: Gearwire put together this video overview of these three devices nearly a year ago. But this is the first time I've seen it, thanks to Happy Orange.
How Radio is Made: Someone recently asked independent radio producer and blogger Cyrus Farivar how he put together a story. So he took the time to write a long, detailed explanation of how the public radio system works and what it takes to put together a story for a national radio program.

The new office... so far

2009-05-30T13:14:00.005-04:00

We've been living in the new house for about a week now, and things are coming along. Every day or two we find some new little disaster that needs dealing with. It turns out that the dishwasher is leaking, and the central air conditioning unit either needs fixing or replacing. But the washer and dryer work, our new sink is awesome, and most of our kitchen cabinets are in place.

And my new office is still filled with boxes and junk because I've been too busy to set things up properly, but that's on my to do list for this weekend. I decided that I've outgrown a single desk setup, so we picked up a second desk from Ikea a few weeks ago. Right now it's covered with odds and ends, but eventually I hope to use it to give myself a little extra workspace.

We also picked up an office chair for $30 from a secondhand store. It's far more comfortable than the desk chair I had been using, and it's at least $100 cheaper than anything I would have picked up from an office supply store.

Sharp eyed viewers will also notice that the windowsills have been ripped off. We have a guy fashioning replacements which should be in place in the next week or two. Did I mention this room is still a work in progress?

But all told, there's plenty of room for me, my computers, boxes of files, and some recording equipment. There's even a closet which I'm going to use for storage and as an occasional voice booth when I need to do radio work from home. That's the nice thing about converting a spare bedroom into a home office. They tend to come with closets, which are excellent at damping sounds if you throw a few shirts and a pair of pants or two in there.

The new house

2009-05-04T10:42:00.002-04:00

As if my life hadn't been busy enough, Farrah and I decided to buy a house recently. So on top of blogging for managing the fast-growing Liliputing, blogging for Download Squad, and anchoring newscasts a few days a week at WHYY-FM, we've been doing all sorts of housy stuff.

First there was the house hunting, mortgage applying, offer putting-in, negotiatin' and so forth. About a month ago we closed the deal and we've been working to make the house habitable ever since.

We move in a few weeks from now. But the house was a bit more of a fixer upper than we'd expected. We knew we wanted to remodel the incredibly tiny kitchen and make it bigger. But we also had to have a leaky roof fixed, deal with some faulty plumbing in the house, and there's still a fair amount of work to do. For instance, the laundry is on the third floor instead of the basement, which is nice. But the people who rehabbed the house a few years ago forgot to vent the dryer, so if you don't want lint rolling around the third floor of the house (which happens to be the floor my home office will be on), we need to knock a hole in the wall to vent the dryer.

A few weeks ago we signed up for DSL service with Verizon. Since we only need internet service and not cable TV or land line telephone service, DSL was by far the cheapest option. And every major room in the house has multiple phone jacks. Unfortunally, they were all wired wrong.

So when the modem showed up, I plugged it in to each room with the same results: nothing. I went out and purchased a cheap telephone handset to test the lines. Again, nothing. But if you climbed a ladder and plugged the handset into the Verizon box outside the house, you could hear a busy signal. So we could either run a line out a window and into that box as a permanent solution or call Verizon for help.

We chose the latter option, and the story gets long and sordid. But the short version is that I waited at the house from 8:00am until 7:00pm last Tuesday and nobody from Verizon ever showed up. Over the span of two days I spent about two hours on the phone until I found a Verizon supervisor that was actually quite helpful, and today two friendly Verizon techs came to the house and fixed our wiring. It was all very exciting and I'm writing this blog post using our brand new internet connection.

You can find more updates about the progress of our new home at Farrah's blog: Creative Neurosis.

Liliputing turns 1

2009-04-19T11:37:00.003-04:00

About a year ago I launched Liliputing , a news and information site covering netbooks and low cost ultraportable computers. I'd been interested in tiny computing devices for ages, ever since I picked up my first PDA back in 2000: A Phillips Nino 300 running an early version of Windows CE. And in 2007, I was one of the first people in the US to pick up an Asus Eee PC 701 netbook. You can still find the unboxing video I posted to this blog.

After a short while, I realized there was a lot to say about this new generation of little computers that people were starting to call netbooks, and I launched Eee Site. But by April of 2008, it was clear that this wasn't just about the Asus Eee PC anymore. HP, Dell, Acer, and a number of other computer makers were getting in on the action, and rather than try to squeeze all of that information into a web page named for a single computer, I decided to launch a site with a broader focus. And Liliputing was born.

It turns out the low power, low priced computing trend was even bigger than I had anticipated. In 2008, practically every major computer maker (with the exception of Apple and Sony) launched a netbook. And a ton of companies I'd never heard of joined their ranks, including some companies that had never even released computers before. In 2009 we're starting to see a few new trends in the netbook space including:

Mini-laptops with touchscreen interfaces
Mobile carriers subsidizing netbooks the same way they do with cellphones for customers who sign up for long term data plans
A number of companies are starting to talk about releasing netbooks based on low power ARM processors which could run Windows CE or Linux and get battery life that blows away today's Intel Atom/Windows powered machines

As the netbook industry has taken shape, I'm proud to say that Liliputing has become one of the top destinations for news, information, and discussion about this new frontier in mobile computing. As of this month, the site has received over 6 million page views from 4 million unique visitors. Compete.com recently found that Liliputing is one of the top 10 sites people click on after searching for netbook related terms on major search engines. And through a number of advertising partnerships, Liliputing has begun to bring in enough money that I now consider it my primary source of income, although I still continue to do freelance work for Download Squad, WHYY-FM, NPR, and other organizations.

Last time I posted an update on Liliputing's progress here, I mentioned the launch of the Liliputing Forums, implementation of the Disqus commenting system, and a few other features that have helped make the site more of a community than simply a blog. I think those features are still helping the site grow, but I'm also proud of the fact that I've started building out a review section for the site where users can find detailed information about computers and products that I've had a chance to test. The Liliputing Product Database , maintained in partnership with UMPC Portal and several other sites, has also become one of the top resources for information about netbooks.

This month I'm running a series of contests on Liliputing to celebrate the one year anniversary. We've already given away a USB slim DVD burner from Asus, a universal laptop battery and a universal case from Ultimate Netbook, and we have a FidoHub netbook touchscreen kit contest currently underway . I've got at least one more contest scheduled to begin before the end of the month, and I've been saving one of the best prizes for last.

All told, it's been a pretty good year. I can't wait to see what the next year brings.

$100 off the Marantz PMD620 if you order by March 31st

2009-03-24T12:36:00.002-04:00

It looks like Marantz is offering a $100 rebate on the PMD620 handheld digital audio recorder. BSW and Sweetwater are both showing the rebate on their product pages, which brings the price of the recorder down to $299 after rebate.

But some sites, like DJDeals are selling the recorder for as low as $322 before rebate, which means you can pick up a PMD620 for just $222 after rebate.

The rebate form says you have to purchase the recorder from an authorized dealer, but it's not entirely clear which dealers are unauthorized. It looks like you should be OK as long as you buy a new recorder from a store and not a refurbished or secondhand unit from a reseller. But I'm not making any promises.

via AudioGearDeals

Zoom H4n review

2009-03-23T19:22:00.002-04:00

The Zoom H4n digital audio recorder is Zoom's third handheld flash memory recorder. It's the most expensive of the bunch, but it also features the best build quality of the three and is much easier to use than its predecessors. The sound quality is also pretty good, although you can achieve higher quality recordings with more expensive equipment. Still, for about $350, the H4n might appeal to a wide group of audio recordists, ranging from people who are looking for a cheap recorder that can power condenser mics that require phantom power to those who just don't want to shell out $450 or more for a recorder that offers only marginally better sounding recordings.

In addition to sturdier build quality with a rubberized grip, the H4n has larger, easier to manipulate buttons on the front of the unit. And the menus are much easier to navigate using the menu button and jog dial on the side of the unit than on the original Zoom H4. You can also rotate the internal mics to change the audio pickup pattern.

I do wish Zoom would start using a separate button for making track marks. Right now in order to create a new track while recording, you hit the record button again, which can be confusing -- especially because you need to hit the record button twice to start a recording in the first place (the first press puts you into record/pause mode).

The Zoom H4n also has a speaker built into the back of the unit. It's not going to replace your book box anytime soon, but it comes in handy if you want to check your audio or play a clip for someone on the go. You can certainly use the speaker to play music as well - it's just not going to sound very good.

But there is one major problem. It's far too easy to eject the SD card from the slot by pressing on the door that protects the compartment. And if you accidentally eject the SD card while making a recording, your data will be lost. I'm not saying that it's likely you'll eject the SD card, but it's possible. And that concerns me.

Here's a little video that should explain what I'm talking about. It shows both the new menu navigation and the problem with the SD card slot:

Like the original Zoom H4, the Zoom H4n has a number of features that really set it apart from competing recorders from Sony, Marantz, Tascam, and Edirol. For one thing, you can use the Zoom H4n either to record straightforward stereo tracks or as a 4-track digital recording studio. You can record up to 4 channels simultaneously using the built in stereo condenser mic for 2 tracks and the XLR inputs for to more channels.

You can also plug the Zoom H4n into a computer via a USB cable and use it as an audio interface. In other words, when it's plugged into your computer you can connect a microphone, musical instruments, or other audio devices up to your computer. You can also use the built in mics. It's sort of like having an external sound card that doubles as a microphone and headphone jack. This feature can come in handy if you need to make a Skype call or record a few voice or music tracks on the go with a laptop.

The recorder also has a number of digital effects that can be used while recording or playing back audio. There's a metronome feature, a guitar tuner, and even a karaoke effect.

Zoom has added a new "stamina mode" as well, which the company claims will nearly double your battery life by providing up to 11 hours of record time using 2 AA alkaline batteries. It's not entirely clear what stamina mode does, but the only recording option in stamina mode is 44.1kHz/16-bit WAV audio.

The Zoom H4n can handle WAV audio sample rates from 44.1kHz/16bit to 96kHz/24bit. You can also record MP3 files with bit rates ranging from 48kbps to 320kbps.

While the recorder is larger than the original Zoom H4 or Zoom H2, it's still reasonably small and fits easily in your palm, unlike larger recorders such as the Marantz PMD661, Fostex FR2-LE, or Tascam HD-P2. Here are some close-up photos of the Zoom H4n (Click any image in the slideshow to see a larger version):

Over the last few days I've posted a number of audio samples (made using the built in mics and external mics) to give you an idea of how the Zoom H4n sounds when recording my voice, ambient room sounds, and a bit of music. These tests are not by any means exhaustive. I wish I had 10 different microphones to try out with the H4n and other recorders, but I do not. Your results may vary.

To my ear, the Zoom H4n sounds better than the Zoom H4 in most of the tests. It records a fuller range of sounds and less hiss, especially when using the 1/8th inch input instead of the XLR inputs. With a high powered condenser microphone or the internal mics, the H4n sounds quite good. But when using a dynamic mic like the ElectroVoice RE-50, I feel that the Sony PCM-D50 sounds a little better and records less hiss.

That said, the Zoom H4n is at least $100 cheaper than the Sony PCM-D50, and while this recorder costs more than the Zoom H4 or Zoom H2, I think it's money well spent.

It's worth pointing out that, like most recorders with built in mics, the Zoom H4n is susceptible to handling noise. If you move your hand around too much while making a recording, you're likely to hear the sound of your fingers scuttling about the case. But thanks to the rubberized grip on the sides of the unit, it's a bit easier to keep your hands steady with the H4n than with earlier models.

The H4n also has a spot on the back of the unit that you can use to screw in a camera tripod. This allows you to set up the recorder and forget about it in some situations, while avoiding handling noise. The Sony PCM-D50 has this feature as well, while the original Zoom H4 came with a plastic attachment that you could use to attach a tripod - but you then had to strap the recorder into the plastic attachment with Velcro. Having a slot in the back of the recorder for the tripod is much more useful.

Overall, the Zoom H4n is a solid little recorder for podcasters, musicians, or radio producers on a budget. There are a ton of features packed into this little device, and the recording quality represents a significant improvement over earlier models. But if what you're looking for is crystal clear recordings, you'll probably have to pay more than $350 and buy a more expensive recorder.

The Zoom H4n is available through Amazon for $346.

Previous Zoom H4n coverage:

Zoom H4n external mic tests

2009-03-22T19:48:00.003-04:00

The other day I posted audio recordings comparing the built in microphones on the Zoom H4n, Zoom H4, and Sony PCM-D50 digital audio recorders. Today I have some recordings made using two different external mics: an ElectroVoice RE50 dynamic mic and an AKG Perception 100 studio-style condensor.

I didn't have enough mics to make simultaneous recordings as I did with the previous tests. But each recording includes a bit of my voice, some ambient room sounds, and a short section of guitar. I can't promise that the mic placement was perfect for the guitar - as a radio journalist I'm better versed in micing people than musical instruments.

Zoom H4n with RE50 dynamic mic using the XLR input

Zoom H4n with RE50 dynamic mic using mini input

Zoom H4n with AKG Perception mic using 48v phantom power and XLR input

Zoom H4 with RE50 dynamic mic using XLR input

Zoom H4 with AKG Perception mic using 48v phantom power and XLR input

Sony PCM-D50 with RE50 dynamic mic and mini input

To my ear, the XLR inputs on both the original Zoom H4 and the Zoom H4n have far too much hiss to be used with a dynamic microphone like the RE50. On both devices, the original recording was very quiet (although the Zoom H4n recording was a bit louder), and when I boosted the volume using CoolEdit, the hiss become quite noticable.

But the Zoom H4n also has a 1/8th inch input. When using this input with the RE50 microphone, the recording level was much higher, and the hiss much less noticable. In my opinion, the Sony PCM-D50 still works better with the RE50. But it also costs $100 to $150 more. If you're on a tight budget, the Zoom H4n might be all you need. Plus it offers added features like XLR inputs and phantom power for condenser mics.

The AKG Perception microphone sounded reasonably good with both of the Zoom recorders. You'd need a preamp to use that mic with the Sony PCM-D50.

What it comes down to is that all three are decent recorders. But you'll have to pick the right one for your needs and your budget. The Zoom H4 is available from Amazon for as little as $227, while the Zoom H4n costs $346. The Sony PCM-D50 goes for about $469.

In the next few days I'll share my thoughts on the Zoom H4n hardware to roundup this review.

Farewell to NPR's Day to Day

2009-03-20T12:54:00.000-04:00

NPR's Day to Day airs its final broadcast today. The program has been an NPR staple for the last 6 years, and while it was never carried by as many member stations as flagship programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered, the program was always one of my favorite NPR shows.

Day to Day was a bit lighter, more conversational, and quirkier than its elder siblings. They were willing to experiment with new ideas and take a few more risks, and they were an amazing outlet for freelance radio journalists. Many of the stories I've filed for NR over the last 6 years have run on Day to Day.

This is actually the third radio program I've worked for that's gone off the air in the last year or so. NPR's Justice Talking and APM's Weekend America also had their funding pulled. The recession is taking its toll on everyone, and public radio programs like these rely on a combination of member donations, underwiting, charitable contributions, and endowment money to keep broadcasting. And a lot of those things are hard to come by these days. NPR is also eliminating News & Notes tonight, and last year pulled the plug on the moderately successful Bryant Park Project which was aimed at younger listeners.

It's likely that many of the people who have been associated with these programs will find their way into other radio, podcasting, or audio production jobs. But as a freelancer it always hurts a bit when one of these outlets for journalism goes off the air - both because it deprives the public of some excellent reporting and because it makes it a bit harder for people like me to make a living by selling stories.

Fortunately, I've been making a decent living by blogging for a number of technology web sites including Download Squad and Liliputing, and by filing stories for radio programs as well as helping out at WHYY in Philadelphia when necessary. So I'll be fine. But I'm still sad to see Day to Day go, and I certainly hope that by the time we come out of this recession there's still a place for innovative radio programming. If not, I suppose there'll always be podcasts, internet radio, and other online multimedia journalism. If radio doesn't survive (and I certainly hope it does, because there's something so engaging about turning on a box and having voices come into your home, car, or workplace to tell you a story), I'm sure there'll still be work for audio journalists.

Testing the Zoom H4, H4n, and Sony PCM-D50 internal mics

2009-03-19T19:42:00.003-04:00

I'll have a detailed review of the Samson Zoom H4n recorder in the next week or so. But I can already tell you there are some things that Samson hit out of the park on their latest recorder, while there are a few things I wish were better thought out. For instance, the menu system and button layout is much better than on the original Zoom H4. But the SD card slot on the side of the unit is way too easy to open by accident.

But the most important thing is audio quality. I'll have more audio samples to share over the next few days, but I wanted to post a little shoot-out I did between the Sony PCM-D50, Zoom H4n, and Zoom H4 today. As you can hear, all three of these recorders have excellent built in microphones. All three are also subject to a fair amount of handling noise if you jostle them around while using those built in mics, but the rubberized grip on the Zoom H4n makes it easier to hold than the original Zoom H4, which means less jostling.

Zoom H4n audio sample:

Zoom H4 audio sample:

Sony PCM-D50 audio sample:

All three clips were recorded simultaneously and start out with me talking, followed by a little room tone. The clips end with me playing guitar. I seriously hope nobody listens all the way to the end all three times, because the guitar part - not so good. But I wanted to give you a sense of what music would sound like -- if it sounded better.

I should point out that the three recorders were laid out left to right. The Zoom H4 was on the left side of the table, and the Sony PCM-D50 was on the right. The Zoom H4n was in the middle and I was speaking directly into it, while the other two recorders were at an angle.

Of course, the real question is how the H4n performs with external mics. I'll have details on that soon.

Update: I've uploaded some audio samples recorded using 2 external mics, the ElectroVoice RE50 dynamic mic and AKG Perception 100 studio-style condenser mic.

Update 2: As has been pointed out in the comments, I accidentally used the wrong audio sample for the Sony PCM-D50 internal mic test. I've updated the post with the correct audio.

Zoom H4n unboxing

2009-03-18T13:59:00.001-04:00

Good news, everyone! I finally got my hands on a Zoom H4n demo unit. I'll be putting it through the paces over the next few days and I hope to determine how it stacks up against similar machines like the original Samson Zoom H4 and the somewhat more costly Sony PCM-D50.

Keep in mind, my background is as a radio producer. I'm not a nature recordist, a bootlegger, or a musician (at least not a very good one). So my primary interest is in finding a computer that does a good job of recording vocals and ambient sound in a variety of settings using a variety of inputs including dynamic and condenser microphones and the built in mics. So my review's not going to be definitive, but hopefully I'll be able to tell you within a few days whether I can recommend this recorder over others that I've tried.

In the meantime, you can check out this unboxing video I shot this afternoon.

Zoom H4n audio take 2 - second time not so charming

2009-03-08T11:44:00.004-04:00

The Samson Zoom H4n is probably one of the more exciting digital audio recorders to come along in a while. Samson has taken the original Zoom H4 and completely retooled it with a better button layout, a new rubberized grip, a new mic layout and better preamps. But while reader Jon Skitch sent us some fantastic sounding recordings he made using the recorder, Neil Ewers of Blind Cool Tech has sent in some evidence that the H4n might not as close to the Sony PCM-D50 and other slightly more expensive digital audio recorders as Samson would have us believe.

Here are a series of audio samples Ewers recorded using both the Zoom H4n and Sony PCM-D50, followed by a recording made on the original Zoom H4. The original Zoom recorder actually had quite decent built in mics, but sounded awful with an external mic plugged in, especially if it was a dynamic mic. To my ear it sounds like the Zoom H4n isn't much better. What do you think?

Sony PCM-D50 internal mics:

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Same audio source with Zoom H4n internal mics:

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Sony PCM-D50 with an Audio Technica mic:

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Zoom H4n with an Audio Technica mic:

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Sony PCM-D50 with a dynamic mic:

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Zoom H4n with a dynamic mic:

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Final recording with Zoom H4n:

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Original Zoom H4 reference recording:

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Update: Now you can hear audio samples I recorded myself using the internal mics and several external mics.

Homelessness Marathon on the web and radio tonight

2009-02-23T10:26:00.003-05:00

A little while back I learned about a radio project called the Homelessness Marathon. The idea is to broadcast a series of stories from around the US to highlight issus concerning homelessness. The 14 hour broadcast begins tonight at 7:00PM EST and will broadcast on a number of non-commercial radio stations.

You can find out whether your local station is participating by visiting the project page. If not, you can listen online. A story on affordable housing I reported for NPR's Justice Talking in 2007 will be part of the broadcast. I believe it's scheduled to run at around 10:00PM tonight.

Zoom H4n audio sample

2009-01-25T11:54:00.004-05:00

I'm still waiting to get my hands on a Samson Zoom H4n digital audio recorder, but the folks at Samson tell me one of the biggest improvements over the original Zoom H4 is that the new recorder has better preamps, which means you should get less hiss when using an external dynamic or condenser microphone.

I hope to get a demo unit soon and post a complete review. But in the meantime, reader Jon Skitch managed to snag an H4n and he sent me the following audio sample made using the recorder and a Rode NT1A microphone.

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The noise floor appears to be much lower than on the Zoom H4, which means you get cleaner sounding recordings, at least with a high quality mic like the NT1A. While it's not an apples to apples comparison, you can check out a few recordings I've made with the Zoom H4 and an EV RE50b dynamic mic in my original Zoom H4 review and my Sony PCM-D50 review.

Update: Jon just sent in another recording. This time it's a musical performance and it sounds fantastic.

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Shure introduces line of USB mics

2009-01-19T15:24:00.000-05:00

Shure launched a new line of pro quality USB microphones at CES this month. I got a chance to stop by the company's booth and snap a few photos of the new Shure PG27USB and PG42USB mics as well as the X2u XLR to USB signal adaptor.

If you've already got a good mic that you want to use with your computer, sans mixing board, the X2u is probably the way to go. It sells for about $129 and includes an integrated preamp with a mic gain control and headphone jack for zero latency monitoring. It also supplies phantom power for condenser mics.

The PG27USB and PG42USB mics plug straight into your computer's USB port, no adapter or mixer required. Each has a headphone jack for zero latency monitoring. The PG27USB sells for around $199 and is designed for recording instruments or vocals with a flat frequency response. It comes with a stand mount and a carrying pouch, while the PG42USB comes with a shock mount and is designed for vocal and spoken word recordings. It has a tailored frequency response for vocals and costs about $249.

Samson announces Q2U USB microphone with XLR connection

2009-01-19T14:14:00.002-05:00

The Zoom H4n wasn't the only product Samson launched at CES. The company was also showing off the new Samson Q2U USB dynamic microphone, which works as a multi-purpose mic.

You can plug it into your computer via a USB cable to record voice tracks straight to your hard drive or make VoIP calls. Or you can use an XLR cable to connect the mic to a portable audio recorder, PA system, or just about anything else that takes an XLR input..

You can even use the XLR and USB outputs simultaneously, which means you can plug the mic into a PA system and your computer at the same time and make a recording of your performance in real time. The mic also has a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack so you can monitor your recordings or performance without any latency. The mic has an A/D converter with a 16-bit, 48KHz sampling rate.

I've embedded the official press release and spec sheet below.

Zoom H4n audio recorder: Official specs and high res images

2009-01-16T12:47:00.002-05:00

I just tracked down some higher resolution images for the upcoming Samson Zoom H4n digital audio recorder that I got a chance to check out at CES last week. I've embedded the product sheet, press release, and another image showing the recorder from the top below.