Please recommend a great audio recorder for the field...

[stanart]

Zoom F6 is a pretty cool device. This is straight from the Website, but I will tell you I am not associated with Zoom but LOVE this device for this feature...

32-BIT FLOAT RECORDING -In the field, fluctuating dynamics can prove challenging. Loud sounds can cause clipping and quiet sounds can get lost in the noise. The F6 uses 32-bit float recording with dual A/D converters to capture both explosive and subtle sounds at full audio quality – without ever needing to adjust gain!

[monkey man]

I know there's very little of it in these things, but I heard years ago that the quality of the noise in the Zooms isn't as easy-on-the-ear as, say, the Tascams.

Someone cranked tracks of the two side-by-side and it was a no-brainer.

People care about such things but of course IMHO it's irrelevant in the real world.

[mikehalloran]

Because of my handicap, I am very much into small, light and portable. 25 years ago, my “portable” rig barely fit onto a card table and I was happy that I got it down that small. That was then…

I bought a CENtrance MixerFace 3 in 2020 and got a pair of X/Y mics with it at a good introductory price.
https://centrance.com/mixerface/

It’s ok and sounds pretty good but the tiny little buttons and 4-level metering are less than satisfactory, especially being the one-armed guy. Nevertheless, I have a portable stand rig that has good acoustic isolation and it can take my iPhone 13 to record video if I want.

I’m looking at selling it and getting the Zoom F3 but wish that Zoom had plug-in mic modules for it like their lesser field recorders. Pre-pandemic, I did a lot of acoustic recording—choirs, chamber orchestras and the like. A good M+S mic would seal the deal for me and bring out my credit card. Unfortunately, this is not available. Yes, I can put a rig on top but it’s yet another thing that I must set up.


If I need multiple inputs, my M-Audio AIR gives me 6 into a laptop or iPad (or even my iPod Touch 7 if I wanted). I have a Zoom R24 for 8 Ins but that is rare. My old band is trying to muster the enthusiasm for a final album. If we do it, I’ll set up the R24 in one of the churches where I work and use that room. The mic pres aren’t great but I’ve got that covered. I could use mic pres with my 828mkII but the R24 records to SDHC cards—I don’t need to set up a laptop in addition.