Professional Recorders

Higher-quality audio necessary for broadcasting

Those hoping to broadcast or share recordings with a wide audience need a digital recorder capable of both capturing a wider range of audio frequencies and reproducing voices and music faithfully. While podcasting doesn't require recording-studio quality, it does require something better than a basic recorder, and without the heavy compression and dictation features of standard voice recorders. In this class, we found the best reviews for the Samson Zoom H4n (*Est. $300) and the Roland Edirol R-09HR (*Est. $325), though the Zoom H4n comes out slightly ahead.

CNET's Donald Bell gives one of the most thorough reviews of the Zoom H4n. Bell calls the H4n a "mobile recording jack of all trades" and praises it for its two built-in microphones that can be rotated for recording from 90 and 120 degrees. The Zoom H4n also has jacks for two external microphones and supports multiple recording formats. Audiophiles will appreciate the H4n's four-channel recording capability, which enables you to record simultaneously from the recorder's built-in microphones and from external mics, yielding two separate stereo files. The result is a more polished and professional-sounding audio recording and more mixing and editing options once you're done. The Zoom H4n uses SDHC memory cards up to 32 GB for about 550 hours of MP3-quality recording time on one card. Bell says the Zoom H4n incorporates many details that make it user-friendly, like an offset record button that is easy to find and press without looking and the built-in speaker that allows you to listen to recordings without using headphones. Bell also likes the well-designed menu navigation functions, but does acknowledge that the hundreds of available settings may be overkill for the average user.

The Roland Edirol R-09HR is another recorder favored by professional musicians. Mark Nelson of O'Reilly Digital Media provides the most comprehensive review of the Roland Edirol R-09HR, which he describes as an improvement over its predecessor, the Edirol R-09. Enhancements include a wireless remote control, improved microphones, reduced noise, a built-in speaker, an OLED screen, better build quality and a table stand. But perhaps the most notable change is the ability to support WAV files at up to a 96 kHz sampling rate, which led to adding "HR" (high resolution) to the model name. (For more on sampling rates, see the What to Look For section of this report.) In addition to this top-of-the-line spec, the Roland Edirol R-09HR supports memory cards of up to 32 GB, more than any other model discussed here, aside from the Zoom H4n. As with its predecessor, the Roland Edirol R-09HR can also record MP3 and VBR files. Nelson also likes the Roland Edirol's intuitive interface, enabling easy file management and selection. Although Nelson makes a policy of never choosing one digital recorder over another, he does say that the Roland Edirol R-09HR is "one of the easiest recorders to use and it is a good choice for anyone wanting to capture songs at a music festival, record lectures, or create podcasts."

For half the price of the Samson Zoom H4n or the Roland Edirol R-09HR, the Samson Zoom H2 (*Est. $150) offers many of the same features and makes an excellent budget choice for those seeking high-quality recordings. Like the Roland Edirol R-09HR, you can expand the 512 MB of memory that the Samson Zoom H2 comes with by replacing the SD card, but the limit is 16 GB, half that of the Zoom H4n and Roland Edirol R-09HR. The Samson Zoom H2 also records WMA, MP3 or VBR recordings at several quality settings. While it doesn't include a speaker like the Zoom H4n and Roland Edirol R-09HR, there is a headphone jack (with basic earbuds included), and you can also connect it to speakers with a stereo cable. The Samson Zoom H2 is compatible with PCs and Macs, and expected battery life is about four hours on two AA batteries.

Mark Nelson at O'Reilly Digital Media provides the most thorough review of the Samson Zoom H2, describing not only the ins and outs of its features but also tips on how to use it and sample audio files so you can get a sense of the quality of its recordings. Nelson makes it clear that the Samson Zoom H2 is not ideal for professional recording, but he implies that it is the most affordable recorder capable of "acceptable" music recordings.

A couple reviews do point to some challenges with the Samson Zoom H2 digital voice recorder, making it clear why the Samson Zoom H4n or Roland Edirol R-09HR are better choices if you have the additional money to spend. CNET appreciates the high-end features that the Samson Zoom H2 digital recorder gives you for such an affordable price, but notices that the recording quality is not as good as one might expect from a professional recorder and that the build quality is not quite first-rate. Although the Samson Zoom H2 has four microphones, a unique feature at this price and one that enables 360-degree recording coverage, this digital recorder can't produce genuine "surround sound" recordings. In contrast to the Roland Edirol R-09HR's easy and intuitive interface, David Strom of TomsGuide.com notes that the Samson Zoom H2's "user interface is a bit quirky." Strom also says that the type size on the controls on this recorder is too small, which makes it more challenging to control recording levels on the fly.

We also saw some mentions of the Olympus LS-10 (*Est. $300), which gets good reviews for delivering professional-grade sound quality. The LS-10 has 2 GB of built-in memory plus a slot for an SD memory card. The recorder also has built-in stereo speakers so you can listen to recordings without headphones. In an extensive test on sound quality by the German website AudioTranskription.de, the Olympus LS-10 and the nearly identical LS-11 beat out the competition when recording a choral singing group. The LS-10 is also among the top picks of About.com's guide to small business (Canada), who likes the multiple recording and playback options (WAV, MP3 or WMA) and the large memory capacity.