Best products from r/fieldrecording
We found 19 comments on r/fieldrecording discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 13 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. Sennheiser AMBEO Smart Headset (iOS) – Active Noise Cancellation, Transparent Hearing and 3D Sound Recording
- All-in-one Headset: In-Ear Canal headphones with Lightning connector. Features high quality music listening, transparent hearing mode, Active Noise Cancellation, 3D sound recording, immersive playback and crystal clear voice calls.
- Hear The World: Stay connected to the world and hear what’s going on around you by activating the transparent hearing feature.
- Silence The World: Isolate yourself from the world and enjoy your music to the fullest. The Active Noise Cancellation mode allows you to block out background noise whenever you like.
- Record Your World: Capture your moments exactly how you experience them. Thanks to built-in, high-quality microphones, you can easily record videos with perfect 3D audio.
- Relive Your World: By replaying your immersive recordings, you can fully relive your memories as if you’re there again. Or share them with friends. Connectivity Technology: Wired - Lightning Cable
Features:
2. Telephone Pick-up Coil with Suction Cup, Features: Record Telephone Conversations on Any Tape Recorder with a 3.5 mm Microphone
<b>Price For:</b> Each
3. Antlion Audio XLR Power Converter with Built-in Proximity Sensor - Converts 48V Phantom Power to 5V Plug-in Power for Portable XLR Mics
- SAFE POWER - Don’t burn out your mic! The converter allows you to use 48V phantom power with 3.5mm inputs for instant plug-in power. Safely add a mic, record on a laptop or smartphone.
- COMPATIBILITY - The XLR Power Converter works with all 48 volt 3-pin XLR interfaces. Connect to field recorders, XLR cameras, mixers, audio consoles, amps, preamps, and more.
- SUPERB QUALITY - Featuring a -115db dynamic range, the Antlion Audio XLR Power Converter maintains quality audio fidelity.
- PROXIMITY COMPENSATOR - The built-in proximity compensator delivers more natural vocals for boom microphones. Reduces extra bass from getting too close to your mic and minimize ‘plosives.
- PLUG & PLAY - Plug into any XLR phantom power source and you can begin podcasting or live-streaming to services like Twitch and YouTube Gaming. Start your next vlog or streaming channel with confidence in your audio.
Features:
4. Oball Original Ball
32 finger holes make this ball easy for baby to graspSmooth, flexible patented design makes the Oball soft and captivating for little handsPerfect for kids of all ages
5. Rycote 041130 Portable HD Recorder Suspension Grey
- Ideal for mounting small profile recorders
- Provides excellent isolation from vibrations and handling noise
- Allows portable recorders with a 1/4" female thread to be mounted on a camera hot shoe, boom pole, stand, etc.
- The 180-degree swivel allows for easy orientation of the recorder so it can point in the exact direction of the sound source
- Shock mount uses Rycote patented Lyre technology
Features:
6. ART USB Dual Pre 2-Channel Audio Interface Preamplifier
- USB Dual Pre is powered via the USB bus. Internal 9 Volt battery, or optional external 12V power supply (or any combination of USB, battery & power supply) can be used depending on application. When running powered by battery alone, you should expect in excess of 50 hours of operation with phantom power off. Battery life will drop to approximately 20 hours (depending on microphone) when phantom powering is engaged (still enough time to get through an average session).
- Built-in low noise +48 Volt phantom power supply allows you to power up to 2 microphones as well as the preamplifier when running from any power sources including the USB bus.
- 1/8-inch TRS mini headphone jack with level and monitor mix controls on the rear allow for latency free local monitoring of the inputs while recording as well as playback monitoring of the USB bus. monitor mix is also routed to the 1/4-inch TRS balanced outputs. This lets you use the 1/4-inch outputs as either preamplifier outputs or as the monitor feed to your powered monitors.
- Fully compliant with the USB 1.1 specification and uses USB adaptive mode for playback and USB asynchronous mode for record.
- Works with the USB audio device drivers built into Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista and Apple OS9.1/OSX computers with native USB support
Features:
7. Zoom H1n Portable Recorder, Onboard Stereo Microphones, Camera Mountable, Records to SD Card, Compact, USB Microphone, Overdubbing, Dictation, For Recording Music, Audio for Video, and Interviews
Streamlined Body with matte finish and newly designed protective mic enclosureBuilt-in stereo condenser microphones in 90-Degree x/Y formatOne-touch button controls.Battery life (alkaline batteries):
Approximately 10 hours
(continuous recording time using built-in mic, 44.1 kHz/16-bit)Localized a...
8. HTDZ HT-81 Mic Microphone 14.37 inch Professional Electret Condenser Microphone
HT-81 Mic Microphone 14.37 inch Professional Electret Condenser Microphone2 years quality guaranteeElectret Condenser MicrophoneThis is best quality in all China madeThis Ultra Directional Interviewing Professional Gun Mic / Microphone is characterized as Uni-Ultra-directional
9. Rycote Mini Windjammer for Zoom H4N Recorder
Made specifically to fit over the Zoom H4N portable recorderExcellent wind noise reduction when shooting outdoorsUp to 10 dB wind noise reduction with minimal high frequency lossEasy to slip on synthetic fur cover manufactured from the same high-quality, sound transparent fur material used on other ...
10. TaoTronics Wireless Portable Bluetooth Transmitter Connected to 3.5mm Audio Devices, Paired with Bluetooth Receiver, TV Ears, Bluetooth Dongle, A2DP Stereo Music Transmission
TaoTronics, the Leading Brand of Bluetooth Transmitter Field. First Choice of High Quality with proper price. Sunvalleytek is the only authorized seller of TaoTronics on Amazon.A magic device that can add Bluetooth capability to your None-Bluetooth audio source device like TV, iPod, CD player, PC, M...
11. Sabrent USB External Stereo Sound Adapter for Windows and Mac. Plug and Play No Drivers Needed. (AU-MMSA)
- Connectors: USB Type-A, Stereo output jack, Mono microphone-input jack.
- Driverless for Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista/7/8/Linux/Mac OSX.
- USB bus-powered, no external power required.
- Reverse Compliant with USB Audio Device Class Specification 1.0
Features:
12. Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter
- With the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, it’s easy to transfer photos and videos from your high-resolution digital camera to your iPad Pro.
- After you connect the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, your iPad Pro automatically opens the Photos app, which lets you choose photos and videos to import, then organizes them into albums.
- Add even greater capability and versatility to your iPad Pro by powering the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter with a USB Power Adapter. Then you can connect USB peripherals like hubs, Ethernet adapters, audio/MIDI interfaces, and card readers for CompactFlash, SD, microSD, and more.
- The Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter supports standard photo formats, including JPEG and RAW, along with SD and HD video formats, including H.264 and MPEG-4.
- The 12.9-inch iPad Pro (1st and 2nd generation) and 10.5-inch iPad Pro transfers data at USB 3 speeds, while the 9.7-inch iPad Pro uses USB 2.
Features:
13. Rode Deadkitten Artificial Fur Microphone Wind Shield for NT4, Stereo VideoMic, and i-XY Microphones
ENSURE YOU BUY GENIUNE RØDE PRODUCTS! Products from sellers which say ‘fulfilled by Amazon’ under the price are NOT authorized resellers, and may not be selling genuine product.Buy only from Amazon.com (labelled ‘shipped and sold by Amazon.com’)Compatible with microphones that are similarly...
I just came back from a hiking holiday in Scotland, and brought the Zoom H6 + all accessory mics and stuff that I carried around a fanny pack with me to do some field recordings. It taught me a lot, first hand - or rather first-ear. It taught me many many limits of that setup, but those are unavoidable. Anyway, I will write a long blog about my experiences and compose something from of my recordings to share as soon as I can get to it. But for now, to respond quickly to your questions:
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- The shotgun mic was great for what it intends to do. I got the new one with the center and surround and that makes it really very flexible. Record in RAW and you have both to mix up later how you want.
- It was a great educational experience, so that might be, for the budget (I got the shotgun for 113 Euros if I remember correctly) not something to disregard. Sound quality might not be perfect etc., but you have to start somewhere, right?
- It all stuffs easily in a fanny-pack, so makes it easy to carry around 'wherever you go' , which has a lot of charm.
- Sound ain't bad I think, and me and everyone else who listened to some recordings (first time listeners so field recordings, amateurs, but still regular humans with regular ears) have been very impressed so far. However, the noise floor of the H6 (and the mic?) is pretty bad for low volume sounds. Don't expect to be able e.g. to record faint distant bird sounds without (very) audible background noise. But, with a good sound source, and foreground+background sounds there is no issue. Anyway, that's a limitation you can work with, and not sure how much you can improve with an external mic given the Zoom's peamps, without spending a lot on a new recorder...
- You ABSOLUTELY need a way to remove handling noise since the mic is attached. I've been happy with this Rycote handle for the Zoom, but still requires a lot of care in handling. It also allows you you to attach this tripod which I love, which is the best way to remove handling noises of course. And again, a lot to learn here, about attacking loose cables, even to not wear swishing clothes... For this, it's just not an ideal setup with with the grip and some practice I've been able to manage.
Anyway, I'm planning on continuing working with this setup for my own education and enjoyment for a couple of years more I hope before I will allow myself to shell out for a complete new kit. I hope to share more soon, and hope to hear more from others with similar setups.
Haven't used the SOMA, but enjoy EMF recording.
The cheapest gateway into EMF is the $6 Telephone Microphone Suction Pickup. Very usable as long as you have something like an m10 or D100 that it can plug into.
https://www.amazon.com/Telephone-Microphone-Suction-Cup-Pickup/dp/B0034I75IK/
The next step up would be a Lom Elektro Usi for $30, but they are hard to get.
After that you can go stereo with a Mini City DIY or ElektroSluch 3 for about $70-$130. The stereo possibilities allow movement in the noises as you record which opens up performative recordings in a fun way.
https://store.lom.audio/collections/elektrosluch-accessories
For $140+ you can get the Priezor which is designed for more ambient EMF instead of closer to the sources.
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It's all super fun. I'd recommend starting with that $6 pickup as it's extremely usable. Then upgrade to the Lom Elektro Usi which does have a stronger output and seems to have a better signal quality in general. Devices above that add stereo functionality and capturing at longer distances which should only be explored if you enjoy working with the $6 pickup first IMO :)
If anyone has compared the SOMA to the LOM I'd love to hear it!
The 58 and 57 are dynamic mics. You want condenser mics that can capture the finest details. Even a cheap condenser mic would be much better than a super expensive dynamic one.
Do you already have the zoom?
Because if you don't, I'm sure you'd get better quality preamps and DA converters with something like the ART Dual pre connected to a smartphone (or a tablet) which you probably already have. It works with iOS devices using a converter and some Android devices with Lollipop and up using a super cheap OTG cable.
Most people i've seen doing this use one of those little AA battery inline bias boxes.
I'm really not sure how you're plugging in the rolands to that mic interface, isn't your phone's mic input mono!?
A separate audio recorder would allow you to plug the mic jack into a proper powered interface and plug the headphones into the monitor socket and you can record AND monitor at the same time... it's a much better setup and that's how i use my CS-10EMs
I use a sony M10, but a cheap zoom h1n would do the trick and will sound far, far, far better than your phone's recording capability, and permit you to monitor as well. You also can use the zoom's inbuilt mics to record voice/music without the odd binaural feeling if you wish
another alternative that is very good is the sennheiser binaural mics - but they only work with apple products so far. You might be able to get a set secondhand . I had a try of someone's and they seemed pretty good https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-AMBEO-Smart-Headset-iOS/dp/B0744PC5J8
A few observations:
The Minijack (TRRS) to Lightening adapter that comes with your iPhone allow stereo OUT (intended for headphones) and mono IN (intended for the telephone conversations). You cannot get stereo into your iPhone through this adapter (or any TRRS connection for that matter)
The Tascam interface you link to, appear to be a mono interface - it has one XLR input (one channel) and a male TRRS minijack connection. It also provide "phantom power" which is not the same as "plug in power (PIP)". In other words - it doesn't work because it does not provide PIP which is a requirement for the microphone. Even if it provided PIP, it would only give you a mono signal.
To get a stereo signal into your iPhone you need an external AD converter that that is designed for stereo and plugs directly into the lightening port - and in this case you need to verify that it in fact provides PIP in order to use your microphone.
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The most straightforward and easy (but pricey) way to to make binaural recordings on your iPhone, would be to get a Sennheiser AMBEO smart headset. https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-AMBEO-Smart-Headset-iOS/dp/B0744PC5J8
A more economical and yet easy way for you to make recordings with your current headset, would be to get a Zoom H1n - or a H1 - the latter model is discontinued and is only interesting if you can find it at a price around 30% lower than the newer H1n.
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If you are on a true budget, (ie. you are broke like me and don't consider the $100 range to be "budget" equipment) let me suggest the HTDZ HT81. For $36, it's a pretty damn good and well made microphone.
HTDZ HT-81 Mic Microphone 14.37 inch Professional Electret Condenser Microphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DGRUVKM/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_3M0qxb95JYC69
the best way is probably to make up to 40 small dollars and use them to purchase a rycote
https://www.amazon.com/Rycote-Mini-Windjammer-Zoom-4n/dp/B00BMSX2GI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495134581&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=rycote+windjammer
You want a Bluetooth transmitter. Your headphones would be the bluetooth receivers.
Something like this.
I said I’m new to this, lol... but seriously, thank you for letting me know this is the issue. I’m 100% just barely figuring this out.
Am I right that this should fix it? (Lightning to USB3, USB to audio inputs; + external power)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F7KJDIM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_I9rxCb3QCWQNH
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_H-rxCb1VQVS2A
As far as windjammers go I was thinking of getting a Rode Dead Kitten as it's rather inexpensive.