Tascam dr-1 solid state recorder (1 Viewer)

Any users here? Somebody qualified enough (more than me ) to comment on quality and compare with Edirol, Marantz and the likes for bird sound recording?

I am in the market for a recorder, and the Tascam seems to be of better quality, far more user friendly (big jog wheel) and more solid built than the Edirol. It's cheaper, too.

I am looking for something to record, playback, play pre-recorded mp3 to attract birds so has to have high sensitivity, low freq. filtering, low input impedance and high enough gain on the OUT (will connect with a radioshack box, and Sennheisser ME66-K6 microphone). It has to be sturdy, light, versatile and long-life on the batteries is a +
Tascam has a good reputation, but can this recorder compete with the Edirol 09HR or the Marantz PMD620? So far, I can only find reviews from the music-minded people, but not from nature sound recordists

http://solidstatesound.co.uk/tascam_dr-1.htm

Thanks.

temmie said:

Any users here? Somebody qualified enough (more than me ) to comment on quality and compare with Edirol, Marantz and the likes for bird sound recording?

I am in the market for a recorder, and the Tascam seems to be of better quality, far more user friendly (big jog wheel) and more solid built than the Edirol. It's cheaper, too.

I am looking for something to record, playback, play pre-recorded mp3 to attract birds so has to have high sensitivity, low freq. filtering, low input impedance and high enough gain on the OUT (will connect with a radioshack box, and Sennheisser ME66-K6 microphone). It has to be sturdy, light, versatile and long-life on the batteries is a +
Tascam has a good reputation, but can this recorder compete with the Edirol 09HR or the Marantz PMD620? So far, I can only find reviews from the music-minded people, but not from nature sound recordists

http://solidstatesound.co.uk/tascam_dr-1.htm

Thanks.

Click to expand...

You’ve got me going now! I have been recording birdsong this year on MiniDisc. Though excellent quality, I fancy going over to a ‘flash memory’ recorder.
More robust I expect. Anyway I found these bits and bobs that you might like to check out.
As for me, I think I’ll go for the Edirol 09HR. Nice features and extras. That remote controller is a big plus too, and I know the sound quality will be top notch too being from Roland.


http://www.bradlinder.net/2008/05/o-reviews-marantz-pmd620.html

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:nKDetlO3G-wJ:www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/reviews/index/product_id/36261+birdsong,+Tascam+dr-1&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=uk&ie=UTF-8

http://www.edirol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=332&Itemid=390



.javva

temmie said:

So far, I can only find reviews from the music-minded people, but not from nature sound recordists

Click to expand...

Hi Temmie !

There may be a reason for that ! These things are basically 'posh' voice recorders. Good for bootlegging a gig or recording a business meeting, possibly okay using inbuilt mics for a nearby passerine.

As to using a ME66 I doubt the preamps will have enough lift to provide a decent level - your radioshack 'box' may help ??? I find the ME67 ( more directional that ME66) a bit lacking in punch even of a Fostex FR2 and FR2LE. With the Mini disc it is more responsive.

Therefore I would try a mini disc recorder though no playback facility.


Lindsay

temmie said:

I am looking for something to record, playback, play pre-recorded mp3 to attract birds

Click to expand...

Hi Temmie,
Can I just say, without wishing to cause offence, that the subject of playback in the field is a very contentious one. Discussion is banned on Naturerecordists group because it upsets a lot of people. I am aware that no such ban exists on this forum, but have to say that I for one am completely against it.
The way birds use and understand song, and the way they react to it is very complex, and not by any means understood yet. I feel that any use of playback in the field is interfering with the very thing we are supposed to love and support, and is tantamount to vandalism.
Please think again.
Timedrifter

Timedrifter said:

Hi Temmie,
Can I just say, without wishing to cause offence, that the subject of playback in the field is a very contentious one. Discussion is banned on Naturerecordists group because it upsets a lot of people. I am aware that no such ban exists on this forum, but have to say that I for one am completely against it.
The way birds use and understand song, and the way they react to it is very complex, and not by any means understood yet. I feel that any use of playback in the field is interfering with the very thing we are supposed to love and support, and is tantamount to vandalism.
Please think again.
Timedrifter

Click to expand...

Vandalism is a hefty word. You should consider phising, whistling and imitating also as vandalism? You should, first of all, before attacking me, do something about all those tour groups and trip reports where the holy grail is seeing as much as possible species, and they tape out all the rarities untill they don't respond anymore?

I am not an addictive tape-playing guy, so yes I feel offended.

Two weeks ago, I walked in a river delta at the Black Sea coast, full of hunters. I didn't tape, but with some phishing sounds , I got a Moustached Warbler and Great Reed Warbler curious. The Moustached was showing nice for a picture (incredibly lot of luck, the bird really came in), and so did the GRW. Oh hell, would I be a vandalist taping those beauties out.
In the mean time, dozens of hunters were shooting every single bird on the wing. I found a great bittern shot dead (I discovered it alive and kicking the previous morning). In the hills, every eagle or raptor flying too low was shot, too. I would call that vandalism.

I don't want to put my energy in a debate defending my futile (futile as it is futile the way I use play-back, i.e. allmost never) attempts to tape a bird in order to have a ID observation, when habitat is lost and people shoot and capture birds, when (some!) bird photographers tape untill the bitter end (i.e. the best shot they can have), and when high-paid 'well known' bird guides tape all out of the amazon and the islands in the South-East of Asia.

I am not really afraid of hurting the reputation of nature recordists nor birdwatchers, as I find myself old and wise enough to interfere with natural bird behaviour as little as possible, and I try to search a balance in every possible aspect between the birds' behaviour, it's rarity, sensitivity towards disturbance, time of year and breeding period, and my wish to have a good observation. (I consider, for example, flushing birds as more disturbing than taping birds). Nevertheless, I consider taping as harassing a bird, so I don't want to defend it, but neither do I want to hear black-white fundamentalist opinions about it when there are far bigger 'vandalist' activities out there than me is supposing to do!

To give another example: yesterday I saw 2 Jack Snipes on a ploughed field nearby. I walked on the field and the Snipes tried to hide themselves (in vain ofcourse) by staying low on the ground. I could approach them untill they would fly at my feet, but at 15mtrs, I stopped, watched through my binoculars (sun in the back and crazy good views), took a decent but not perfect picture and walked back. They were still there 30 minutes after I was gone, and standing up again and feeding.

I have a sound library of about 2500 species, and if I am really concerned taping birds, I would buy an I-pod and give it a go.

My aim is to buy a decent recorder, with as many features as possible. I like to play some birdsounds in the evening or in the field for myself knowing which bird I heard, and I don't mind a little music from time to time. I fear I have to figure out myself what to buy.

Hi Temmie,
I don't want to be drawn into an argument about this; you've proved my point about this being a contentious issue. What I will say is, that my post was in no way intended to be an 'attack'. If you took it this way I'm sorry. It was intended to be food for thought for anyone thinking about following this course of action.

The Edirol R 09HR (not the R 09) is fairly well thought of, as is the Olympus LS-10. The Zoom H4 is another 'point and shoot' that's well thought of.
See this address for some reviews from a nature recordists point of view

http://www.wildlife-sound.org/equipment/index.html

Timedrifter