Sounder recorder left overnight (1 Viewer)

I'd like to get a recorder to memorialize sounds of the night when I backpack. I've heard barred owls, fox screams, coyote, and the like, and would like to record them. The recorder would be placed in the forest, away from me, and left to record overnight.

I suspect the night sounds would be minimal but there wold always be various animals (deer, coyote, fox, etc) walking about which hopefully this would pickup. Although, there could be frogs that croak at night and I usually set my tent up near a pond.

I've looked at the M10 and a friend has a Zoom H2 which he loves. I think the H2n is the updated version. Would either of these work or would you suggest something else?

I use my M10 like that, but with an external microphone, so the recorder itself is in a cliplock box, which is inside a cooler bag to protect it from moisture and temperature extremes. I often hear possums, owls, deer, kangaroos, etc, moving around on the recordings. I don't know about the Zoom, but the M10 works well for this.

During the day, if there's no chance of rain, I've often left it recording with just its internal mics while I go birding elsewhere.

Thanks pshute. What is the least expensive external microphone you would recommend?

Not sure about commercial ones. I made my own from Primo EM-172 capsules, which are apparently the same type as the internal microphones. I think they cost about $10 each, and I got them from http://www.frogloggers.com/bt-em172, but I wouldn't go down that path unless you're ok with soldering on the leads, etc.

Might be worth contacting them to see if they sell them already made up. I would advise not ordering anything from that site without contacting them first to make sure they're still in business. Good people, but with health problems.

But I'm sure someone else can recommend something more mainstream.

There are some Olympus ME-51S Stereo Microphones still around - I see one $32 advertised in the US on Amazon.com.

Nice little unit, but obviously not waterproof so it will need some sort of shelter, if left out in all weathers.

This has a 3.5 mm stereo jack and uses plug in power from the recorder (its on the menus) as far as I remember, either way it works on M10, LS11,LS12 etc. with a 3.5mm stereo socket.

(Most other even cheaper lavalier style mics are mono)

Obviously it is not ideal for something like my Tascam DR40 which doesn't have a 3.5mm stereo mic input and you would ideally use something else with that. I am not a Zoom fan so can't comment on whether it is an easy match for the Zoom recorders you mention.

What recorder will provide the least amount of background noise for <$300. There is the Sony m10 and I;ve also been looking at the Zoom H5. From what I've read, it seems as though the H5 is better suited for studio music than for wildlife scenarios.

Any other recorder with less background noise than the H10 in the $300 price range?