Microphone for DR-05X?

[LeDave]

My Tascam DR-05X is arriving soon and I already have a decent speaker, the AOMAIS Life of which I will plug as line/out. Should I also invest in a microphone for my voice? If so, then what do you recommend? If not, then is the Tascam's built-in microphone that good? I mean for $89, I guess so.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by LeDave

My Tascam DR-05X is arriving soon and I already have a decent speaker, the AOMAIS Life of which I will plug as line/out. Should I also invest in a microphone for my voice? If so, then what do you recommend? If not, then is the Tascam's built-in microphone that good? I mean for $89, I guess so.

It looks like your external speaker will be a great match for your DR-05.

The DR-05 built-in mics are quite good and you should not need anything else. The capsules are omni-directional, not cardioid pick-up pattern, so read up a bit on omni pattern mics so you'll be aware of how to use them best.

If you want to use external mics you can use the microphone input with a break out cable to separate the inputs to their constituent left and right sides. If you chose to use external condenser mics then you'll have to use either self-powered (battery) condensers or provide a separate external phantom power supply for them.

There are condenser mics specifically designed for this type of recorder or other device that use the unit's built-in power source. In that case you can turn on the microphone power in the Tascam Dr-05's menu selection.

I do occasionally use mine with a headset lavalier microphone which does use the Tascam's internal microphone power.

If all of this is a bit overwhelming to you as a new user, don't worry about an external microphone at this time. Use the unit as it comes for a while and you may never want to add an external microphone.

[LeDave]

Thanks Rudy!

[LeDave]

OK, had it for a bit now. All I can say is WOW this device is great for eavesdropping... I can hear everything, even myself breathing.