ZOOM vs. Tascam

[ButterBean]

I'm in the market for a handheld recorder. I've done some research and found these two brads in particular are ahead of the competition as far as sound quality and mic sensitivity go. Any advice on which to choose. I don't have any specific model in mind I just want something I can record my songs onto that sounds decent and has plenty of memory.

[M19]

I have a Zoom H4n that I use a lot, both with it's own mics for "field" recording (like concerts) and with two mics input like for recording guitar. It has an SD card that allows about 10 hours of recorded music, three different modes, 10 folders to organize your files, and a rugged body. I highly recommend it.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by ButterBean

I'm in the market for a handheld recorder. I've done some research and found these two brads in particular are ahead of the competition as far as sound quality and mic sensitivity go. Any advice on which to choose. I don't have any specific model in mind I just want something I can record my songs onto that sounds decent and has plenty of memory.

Considering that Gibson now owns controlling interest in Tascam and the crappy history of what happens to companies they buy, I would not recommend any Tascam product.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by ButterBean

I'm in the market for a handheld recorder. I've done some research and found these two brads in particular are ahead of the competition as far as sound quality and mic sensitivity go. Any advice on which to choose. I don't have any specific model in mind I just want something I can record my songs onto that sounds decent and has plenty of memory.

Hi BB...

I've had students with different recorders. The Zooms are by far most prominent and win in my list of features below…it's rarely the quality of the recording that is at issue, but the usability and transportability of the unit itself.

The differences I've seen between models are:

• Manufacturer support
• Manufacturer updates
• Easy access to common features
• Adjustability of presets
• Tripod socket to mount on a camera tripod as opposed to a mic stand
• Size and ease of starting a recording with one hand upside down (when it's mounted on a tripod in front of you)

These make the difference between recorders which are used and recorders which are owned (more owned than used). If they are not easy to use, they don't get used as often.

[RoosterX]

I have a Tascam DR-05 I keep around for recording practice sessions and shows. I don't know how it stacks up to the Zoom, but I like it and think works well. I will say it's rugged as heck because I drop it all the time and it still works fine.

[Doug Young]

I don't know that you can look at specs and decide that things like mic sensitivity matter. I'd worry most about features and whether it fits how you plan to use it. These things are cheap enough now that you can probably afford to treat one as a throw-away, but you can also plan to have one that will last a long time. I have no experience with the Tascam's, but I'm sure they're fine. I've had the Zoom H4n and now the Zoom H6, which is a significant step up in all kinds of ways. One thing I like about the Zoom's is that they support external mics, so you can "upgrade" simply by adding mics. This tends to be a pretty significant upgrade if for no other reason than you aren't limited to the fixed mic placement of the recorders. But the built in mics will get you started and more. I'm not sure which Tascam you're looking at and whether it supports external mics.

The H6's benefits are a total of 6 inputs, a *much* better screen and VU meters, easier access to gain controls, and one feature that to me trumps almost everything else - it starts up, scans or reformats the SD card in seconds (the H4 was agonizingly slow on that front). The only possible downside to the H6 is that it's slightly larger.

[islandguitar]

I have an H4n and have done what Doug has indicated and have "grown into" this model over the years. Now, I use two condensers and a Rane mic preamp with the H4n and it serves me very well for my purposes which have included two home brewed CD's. The H4n definitely allows you to grow further, as Doug suggests.

[Rudy4]

I have a bit of info and review of a few of the Zoom products on my "Simple Homestyle Recording" page:

http://www.bluestemstrings.com/pageRecording1.html

[brad4d8]

I have a Zoom H4 and a Tascam DP-4, and both record pretty well for a portable unit. The only advantage I see of one over the other is that the Tascam was easier to use out of the box because its interface is more like traditional recorder/mixers. I probably use the Zoom a little more now that I'm familiar with it because it fastens to a tripod more easily.
Brad

[BoneDigger]

I have both and like both. It's a tossup for the most part.

Todd

[RiversRubin]

Personally, I prefer TASCAM as a company. The only ZOOM product I've ever owned was a little H1, which worked great, but every TASCAM product I've owned has always been reliable and built very nicely.

I utilize regularly my TASCAM Us-800 and my TASCAM 106M. There's a forty year gap between them! Both sound great and have held up well.

[buzzardwhiskey]

I've been using a Zoom H2 coupled to the RCA outputs of my mixer. Works great and couldn't be simpler. The built-in mics are pretty good and you can even use them as the audio source for a video camera.