View Full Version : Tascam DR-100 Versus Zoom h4n Battery life


Brian Luce
October 10th, 2009, 06:54 PM
Tacsam:1.3 hours (AA)
5.7 hours (BP-L2)

Zoom: 4.4 hours
(7.7 hours stamina)

Nicholas de Kock
October 11th, 2009, 05:56 AM
What quality settings did you record in? My battery lasted less than two hours on the Zoom.

Bill Davis
October 11th, 2009, 02:00 PM
The biggest factor IME with the Zoom is whether you've got phantom power switched on.

Generating 48v phantom from AA batteries in order to use condenser mics sucks the power from small field mixers very fast.

No phantom? Long runs.
Phantom on? Bring LOTS of batteries and be prepared to swap them often.

Brian Luce
October 11th, 2009, 02:06 PM
That's an advatage of the Tascam. It has a powerpack.

Buba Kastorski
October 21st, 2009, 11:14 PM
what about sound quality between two, is it about the same?

Brian Luce
October 24th, 2009, 02:35 PM
what about sound quality between two, is it about the same?

I've heard mixed opinions, some say zoom, some say tascam, a salesman at Location Sound said digital recorders are all about the same.

For sure, the Tascam has a better power solution in that it has a rechargeable battery AND a separate slot of AA's. 3 way power.

But the charger has to be purchased separately for about $24.

Guy Cochran
October 28th, 2009, 02:35 PM
But the charger has to be purchased separately for about $24.

The DR-100's included USB cable also allows charging when connected to your computer, or if you have an iPod/iPhone, you can use that AC charger with the cable. It's on Page 17 of the manual. http://www.avisoft.com/DR-100.pdf