In some ways, my search for a podcast recorder is like my search for a briefcast or backpack–everything I see would be just perfect if only this one little thing were a bit different. i’ve used several different recorders, starting with a Tascam PocketStudio 5 digital recorder that seemed super when I bought it–which turned out to be about three months before they discontinued it. It has limited memory and is (by today’s standard) large, but it is a decent recorder and I’ve recorded some very nice podcasts using the box and a Samson dynamic mic. Most of the time, though, I’ve recorded straight to my computer using Propaganda or Audacity software. On the whole, the setup has worked well, though I’m interested in doing more audio tours and remote work in the near future, so…

I’m looking at new recorders. Right now, my number one choice is the Zoom H4. It has most of what I’m looking for, though I’ve heard some complaints about the user interface complexity and a “light” feeling to the construction. Since I may do some music recording in addition to the basic podcast work, it seems like it would be a good choice. I’m also big on the phantom power capabilities and the ability to use it as an A/D interface when I do want to record directly to the computer.

Now, if money were no object I might consider the Sony Professional Portable 24-bit Linear Recorder, though I have serious reservations about the DRM Sony tends to stick on any of their recording equipment. Between that and the $1,600 price tag, the Zoom looks pretty good.

The other recorder that seems to be serious competition for the Zoom is the Edirol R-09. I’ve used Edirol recorders in the past, and found them to be quite adequate machines. The word from users is that the user interface is considerably simpler than that of the Zoom, and the physical dimensions a bit smaller. I suspect that, if speaking-voice recording is your only task, the Edirol would do a fine job. Since the feature set is smaller and the street price a bit higher, I suspect I’ll stick with the Zoom, though I’m open to suggestion.

I’d be interested in hearing your suggestions–what recorder are you using for podcasting? Comments are open…

Categories: Media, Consumer Technology