Solid State recorder

[Post, Mark]

Stephen, I bought a Zoom H4n in Bangkok at Music Collection in Siam Centre or Paragon or whatever it is now back in 2009. Unless things have changed, this is the only place you'll be able to buy it since they're the official Zoom distributor in BKK. They've got other branches too and don't stock everything everywhere, so call ahead (I had to have mine delivered to the branch I was at, and it took all day). Here's their website: http://www.music.co.th/music13shop.php. No idea whether the Sony is there or not.

I second several comments made subsequent to Randy's; I've never had a problem with a Zoom H4n breaking down after using it almost daily (and having consultants use it) for three years now, and as far as flash cards go, I've been using a SanDisk 16Gb recently, which gives you an awful lot of room even at 48/24 ($40 at Panthip), and transfer .wav files just by swapping the flash card around. And it doesn't matter that it doesn't switch folders by itself; all 16Gb can go right into Folder 1. I did have problems with the H2s, which are much more cheaply made, and I've had an H1 as an emergency recorder for about a year; it's really, really great for what it is, but I wouldn't use it as a primary recorder. The internal mics are really cheap and noisy, and the slightest breeze sounds like a hurricane. In terms of battery life, the Zooms are all awful with Alkalines (no more than 2 hours with Duracells), but if you're using good-quality 2500 mah rechargeables you get about 6-8 hours.

As Nick (I think it was?) said, the Zoom does something weird to the .wav which some programs, including Transcriber, don't like, but if you run it through Audacity once everything becomes normal. Annoying, but it doesn't take all that long.

If you can find both the Sony and the Zoom in BKK, and if you're (a) planning to use Alkaline batteries and/or (b) the internal mics, I'd say go for the Sony. If (a) good rechargeables and (b) an external mic, go for the Zoom.

Hope that helps,
Mark

From: r-n-l-d at unimelb.edu.au [mailto:r-n-l-d at unimelb.edu.au] On Behalf Of Stephen Morey
Sent: Wednesday, 1 June 2011 10:19 PM
To: r-n-l-d at unimelb.edu.au
Subject: Solid State recorder


Dear RNLD list,



I need some advice as to what would be the best most up-to-date solid state recorder to buy for around $200-$300 , that would run on batteries. I want to buy one for use in Myanmar by someone who is right now in Bangkok and who needs to buy it in the next one or two days. I don't think there will be access to a laptop download when our colleague is in the field, so we'll need a machine that uses flash cards or some other kind of memory card - preferably something that we can buy several of without spending too much money.



Many thanks to all



Stephen Morey

Research Centre for Linguistic Typology

La Trobe University
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