What's the best MP3/Portable Audio Recorder (with Mic?)

energy69 · 17-10-2006 12:43pm #1

Perhaps one of you might be able to help me. I am currently teaching Radio Production as part of an inner city project and am wondering can you recommend the most suitable portable audio recorder on the market. We up till now have being using MD Recorders although the real time transfer of audio is time consuming and out-of-date at this point.

I have come across a number of options ranging from MP3 to solid state players such as the Marantz PMD 660. I am wondering do any of you have direct experience of what is the best option and some cost. We are limited by budget and I feel the marantz option is far to high for our budget
. We can have up to 20 students at a time. All suggestions welcome

Bard · 17-10-2006 2:58pm

iAudio X5L 30GB.

chicken_food · 18-10-2006 7:56pm

Iv got an old creative zen micro and am about to get a nano. My mom wants something to use for work to record minutes of meetings.
Iv looked around and cant find too many external mics for the nano. If anyone has any experience with them then let me know. Dont want to have to give her the old minidisc to use!!

Bard · 19-10-2006 9:54am

You can't find "too many" external mics for the nano?... or you can't find any?

I don't know of any MP3 players that take an external microphone. (* Of course, I could be wrong... *)

The built-in mics on most of them are usually quite adequate. The one in the Zen Nano would be more than good enough for recording meetings.

energy69 · 24-10-2006 5:00pm

Thanks for that Bard. Does anyone else have other recommendations. These will need to be fairly robust and user friendly with a MIC input for students of varying ages to 70+

maxitwist · 24-10-2006 6:38pm

what excactly do you want? just something to record via microphone?

energy69 · 24-10-2006 9:55pm

Some form solid state recorder or MP3 recorder that can be used for recording interviews and items for use in radio. Below €300 and not minidisc. Need MIC or Line In (that can be changed to mic)

hopeful · 25-10-2006 12:36am

2nd vote for Iaudio X5L

Will do all you want...and more.

hopeful · 25-10-2006 12:42am

Bard wrote:

I don't know of any MP3 players that take an external microphone. (* Of course, I could be wrong... *)

The Iaudio X5 has a built in mic and can use an external one via the 'line in' on the subpack

Bard · 25-10-2006 8:16am

Do you have an iAudio X5?

I used to have one and AFAIK, the Line-In port is not sufficient for an external microphone. Mind you, it's internal mic is more than good enough for most jobs.

hopeful · 25-10-2006 4:57pm

I do have an X5 and according to forum posts on IAudiophile it is very possible to use an external mic. But as you say, the internal one is amazingly effective.

Goodshape · 25-10-2006 5:15pm

They don't make them anymore, but if you can find yourself an iRiver ihp140 it'll do what you're after.

Fantastic player too. Has built in mic, line-in, line-out, 40GB, radio tuner, plug-and-play external hard-drive (no PC/Mac software needed). And I've recorded plenty with the line-in; works fine.

Got mine for €220 second hand. Highly recommend you have a look around ebay or similar for it.

Dyr · 25-10-2006 5:30pm

I asked a similar question on the recording forum and this little gizmoid came up

http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp?sku=ZH4XXXXXX

looks like it costs the same as an X5 but its a dedicated recorder. looks neat

Ive used my X5 a couple of times to record bits n bobs and had mixed results

What's the best MP3/Portable Audio Recorder (with Mic?)

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