Audio Recorders for Filmmaking 2019: Choosing a Sound Recorder for Your Video Projects

Anyone else be watching a video like this all the way thru only to find out it's four years old?? Hahahahaha

I just randomly clicked on this video. But I feel like it was meant to be since I’m gearing up to start my podcast I want to watch your video right now that NT1 Microphone 🎤

I KNOW THIS QUESTION IS RATHER COMING LATE SINCE THE RECORDING OF THIS JOB. BUT I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE TO THE ZOOM F8N PRO

Love my Tascam DR60 mkII. It's a war horse. BUT the cables sticking in the XLR input jacks are a real issue. I even took it into their service for repair... which they charged me $160 and didn't fix. It ain't the cables. So I'd recommend the DR60 but with the caveat that it's disposable and when it fails you just buy another (or something else).

Rick

Hello, which one of these will be better for boom mics? Ideally the rode ntg2 ??

Hi Curtis, I'm looking for high cinematic sound for independent run and gun films, needs xlr input and mirrorless camera 3.5mm compatibility most likely paired with seinhesser mkh416 but i also want the best ambient sound with the native mics. Can you recommend which to invest in when prioritizing audio quality, portability, then battery life (price <$1500)?

Hello, what's the better one for recording music? im a dj. Which one is the better one record music right from my cellphone android phone

Great video, i wanna do short films, i got a rode videomic ntg, what recorder you recommend me to buy? i have in mind to buy a rode wireless go2 and make a boompole wireless. you suggest i need a recorder audio for tis setup?

Good overview of options

sir can we connect our 3.5 mm aux speaker to it so that we can hear our recording from speaker ?? and where to connect it? i am asking for zoom h8

🤎🖤💚💚❤️💛💜

I have a Boss micro BR-80 I’m thinking about trying it. I’m a newbie but I record music videos and tutorials.

I've been thinking about replacing my (getting somewhat road-worn) DR-70D with something having more channels and hopefully a bit better quality. This was very helpful, so thank you!

Both Zoom H5 & H6 I have owned allow the mic capsule to pop off the recorder, once when I had my H6 (Replacing my H5, dead cat, 32GB Lexar 32GB 1066X (Sandisk Extreme Pro FAILS Zoom's internal SD Test on both H5 & H6), & Eveready Ultimate Lithium (rechardeables have not been good to me in the past, especially on devices with no 1.2V vs. 1.5V battery choice in Setup, that I had inadvertently left behind in a shopping bag with about $400 in medication I had just picked up at my mailbox, and my most-prized-of-all possession at the time, my box of fresh chocolate-covered donuts and Smartees Gummy Sours.

all gone

Planning head, I chose H6 so Ican add a Tetrahedral microphone array for Ambisonics source material as my H3-VR could do for me up until some jackass walks by, shrieking, "YOU CAN'T RECORD ME! YOU CAN'T RECORD ME!" THE BLAMMO HIT WHAPS THE H3-VR OFF THE SMALL TRIPOD, severing the head from the body, which Zoom said it would ship a replacement gratis after they heard my sob story, but the shipping note showed H3-VR, but the PodTrak P4 arrived instead, which Imay or may not figure a way to include in my BudgeRecordistPerson's miniscule arsenal.

One thing on my ToDo, test a bunch of these $5 to $20 'Condenser Microphones like BM800, which I found the whole kit with it, stand, USBinterface usually sole for $35-$50 or$60 for $18 as it was their Last One, be on the look-out for these.

Do NOT Fall For ANY Wish dot CON 'deals' at all. You most likely (80% fake or fraud & 20% useable goods. eBay appears to be 5-10% FRAUDULENT sellers.

Thanks for your fine expertise. I had the same dream 50ish years ago, then had to wait 30 years for affordable portable digital gear. Although much of my music from back then was on 1/4" tape, I could never afford post to rid it all from hiss, which I adored, but is not marketable.

Be Safe Out There.

wish i could give 1000 likes on this video. God bless you.

Hello, I'm sorry I'm totally lost and need advice or direction.

Ok, so I need something for live streaming.
I need to connect between 2 to 4 xlr mics directly to the camera (no recording needed) and no battery-powered ( some Livestream go up to 5 hours), something simple but still good sound quality with control over all different mics.
Also, the country where I now have very limited choices in brands so I can find only the most mainstream devices.


Honestly, I don't even know what kind of device I need for that. So if someone knows what I need, or can point me in a good direction to find what I need, I will appreciate.
Thank you.

Been using the Zoom F4 & F8 Recorders for years now at my uni/film school, and just found out they don't make them anymore xDDD

Awesome video, thanks!

Can I connect zoom h6 to android smartphone usb C?

Do you think modern cinema cameras have preamps that measure up to preamps in the f8n pro or sound device products?

excellent! then you for your work

Please remake update this

This was amazing. Worth every minute of watching.

You forgot the Nagra :) I have the de device but I am very interested in Centrance products. What is the best for musicians the Mixerface or the other with the limiter ? I appreciate your help because I trust you for 100 ! Your videos are so HELPFUL! I'm also looking for a small but powerful mixer to use with my IPad Pro (with usb c) and iPhone for when I'm on the go. Can you advise me which is the best make and model for me? It is intended to be recorded for piano and sometimes some other soloists in chamber music as well

Thanks so much for all this information in such a compact format ;)

Any update for mid 2022?

I have learnt a lot from this presentation.

@curtisJudd - For any or all of these recorders, would it be beneficial to add an Audio mixer such as the sound devices 302 or 552?

I used the Tascam DR-70d for years before finally upgrading to a zoom f8n. The Tascam seemed cheaply made with plastic buttons, headphone volume control that stopped working, and power issues. If I plugged it in via the USB port to external power, all system settings were reset, and if unplugged (or breathed heavily on the usb cable) even with batteries in it, it would turn off. Just running battery powered did not last long. The zoom is soooo much more professional and now I run it off a v-mount most of the time so can record for days straight if I wanted to.

Info so solid, you can mine diamonds 💎 from it.

Curtis .......Excellent !!!, You lay out all the features and pro's and con's , so everyone can make an intelligent choice on gear.... My question for you , is about Audio drift, when I have one of these units pulled directly into a DSLR camera.... I would like to have control of the Audio, and have the audio, and extra files on an outside recorder, though my main purpose in getting one is to feed controlled audio into my camera, and I've heard about the dreaded Audio Drift after twenty minutes of filming.... What unit has no Drift to your Knowledge ....

Thanks for the great audio info

Thanks Curtis for another generally objective and comprehensive review vid. You are now one of my. 'go to' sources for gear review and insight into sound devices, so I subscribed some months ago. Talking of devices it's because of your perspectives that I first heard about "Sound Devices" and did a lot more research then bought a MixPre-6.

I'm still learning and trying to get the best out of my MP6, but I feel it's a good example where I chose not to buy the 'reference' brand I knew (Tascam) but kept an open mind, waited, researched, paid more short term to hopefully pay less long term.

Did the same with mikes, recently buying a Sennheiser MKH 416. Much more than I would have initially spent on a mike a year ago. Then in my ignorance. I would have attempted to buy cheap. But then again, having made and learnt from past mistakes, I really understand the saying 'buy cheap, buy twice'. Also, as a photographer I can understand why I will pay £2k+ for a great lens, so I understand that a really good mike logically will likely cost more than £300. Albeit diminishing returns is also a real world thing, so I don't over reach or ever 'splurge' beyond my financial means.

Quick question.. my understanding is that 24bit has an absolutely massive range. Something like pin drop to jet engine (maybe not quite like that) anyway, I've got an h1n, how the heck do I set it up in a way that this range is usable? Say, in a scene that has dialogue and like a car door slams? If I set the dialogue to be in a good range the car door clips. If I set the car door to a good range I get background noise when I bring up the dialogue in post. 😩 I'm a noob, I've been trying to find these answers myself but I just can't seem to find a source. Is the answer really to record both instances separately and combing them in post?

do all of these have an hdmi input to sync recording when the recording on the camera is started?
otherwise i dont get it why the video part comes in

Aumbience or ahbience or maybe ambience as in I am aaammmbience jk jk lol Thanks for the video! I went with the H8. I'm just now starting to get into field recording! Im excited! I learned a lot from your video that will help me make decisions in the future in terms of upgrading recorders! Thank you!

I like SONOSAX.

Yea man, my right angle XLR cable never came out sadly. Stay away from those right angle wires

Love this channel. Thank you!

Is the MixPre's headphone volume louder than the Zoom R8n's? (I wish manufacturers would make a really LOUD headphone output so that you can kind of hear what's being recorded overtop of any 'in the room' sounds such as guitar amps and drums that are bleeding past your headphone earcups.)

I have a zoom h1n and honestly it's terrible. preamps are thin and tinny and produce a noise floor that's embarrassing. back in the box.

I had the infamous "stuck XLR cable" problem with the DR-60D. Ugh. I literally had to disassemble it and use a Dremel to extricate the cable. Not fun. On the plus side (I guess), it still works fine and provides a reasonable friction fit in (I had to remove the locking tab) the surgically modified XLR jack. Hopefully Tascam have since fixed this tragic flaw in an otherwise really nice, versatile recorder.

QUESTION:
Is there a huge difference in sound quality between using a "dedicated recorder" vs your phone (I have a PIXEL 3XL).
I will use one lavalier for voice interview. (and I don't need any option or control).

Hello Curtis. You said that the taskcam dr-60DmkII could not be used as an audio interface to your computer. That only the Zoom H5 & H6 can do that. Can the taskcam be used as an audio interface to a Dslr camera? Thank you for your time.

Great video. For me, the zoom mic weighs as much as a fountain pen, and takes up as much room, and picks up a pin dropping. Never be without one.

Very informative video Curtis. I must say, my interest is in the zoom H1n & H4n range but I must compliment on your incredible lighting, it's terrific.

With many interfaces being USB bus powered these days, I was thinking of getting an interface instead of a field recorder.

But alot of these recorders are also USB interfaces. I don't mind bringing my laptop to record on location, but a dedicated field recorder has a lot more use cases I think.

I do location shooting every week, but mostly in doors.

What do you think?