best iRiver replacement audio recorder at DVinfo.net

Vito DeFilippo · May 25th, 2008, 02:21 PM

Hey all,

I searched around to find suggestions for a good/small audio recorder that can be used with a lapel mic and put in a groom's pocket.

Seems like up to the end of last year or so, many were pointing to the Zoom H2. But now that we're post NAB, is this still a good choice, or is anyone using something newer and better?

Thanks for any help!

Rick Steele · May 25th, 2008, 09:08 PM

There's a lot of alternatives Vito but I don't think the "iRiver killer" has arrived just yet.

I had high hopes for the Zoom H2 until mine arrived. There's no way I'd put that thing in a groom's pocket - it's just too damned big compared to the iRiver. It does nicely with other types of audio though.

For mic'ing up the groom, I'll stay with my Senn G2 wireless units for as long as they work.

Vito DeFilippo · May 25th, 2008, 09:19 PM

Darnit! I was hoping the H2 was small enough. I've used minidisc recorders. Is it bigger than that?

I had high hopes for wireless, but I find it just enough extra time to set up that it stresses me out when I arrive at the church from the bride's house. And to top it off, you never know when you have a problem. I used it last weekend to mic the podium and thought, "what the heck, I'll just say 'check' a few times to adjust my sound levels," even though I felt like an idiot standing at the podium doing sound checks. Well, holy interference with the house system! I had to quickly change channels and try again. Fortunately that did it but I shudder to think what I would have had to do, if I had not checked.

The darned iRiver is just so easy, and it records forever. Yeah it doesn't sound as good, but you have to take the good with the bad.

Thanks Rick...

Rick Steele · May 25th, 2008, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vito DeFilippo

I was hoping the H2 was small enough. I've used minidisc recorders. Is it bigger than that?

I think the H2 is a bit "thicker" than a minidisk but the bulk would be about the same. Except I think the H2 will show through a snug jacket. The best use I've found for mine is to mic the DJ's speaker or to record live music. It's a great little unit for the price.

And I handle my iRivers better than the wife's china these days. I still use them to mic up a minister and also the podium. When used on a groom they never pick up the bride's audio like my wireless unit does... but man they are indeed amazing little devices.

Vito DeFilippo · May 25th, 2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Steele

And I handle my iRivers better than the wife's china these days.

I hear ya. I thought about picking up a third on ebay lately, and noticed that those models a going for a very high price lately. Three times what I paid. I think people are grabbing them while they can...

Renton Maclachlan · May 26th, 2008, 02:11 AM

I got a couple of 890's earlier in the year off ebay. Cheapest they went for was $us25, the dearest was $us84 - within days of each other! If you're patient you can get them on the cheaper side.

Noa Put · May 26th, 2008, 02:35 AM

I recently bought a iriver t20mx (new) with a archos clipon mic in a local audio store, thought the iriver was about 50 dollar. It's not great quality in sound but it's sufficient.
I also use a zoom but a H4 which I usually position on a tripod and close to a loudspeaker in the church or if they have someone singing close to them.
This one gives really good audio quality but it's like the h2 a bit big, certainly nothing that can easily fit in a pocket.

Doug Lange · May 26th, 2008, 03:15 AM

I have a Microtrack II that works very well but is the size of an ipod (video) but is one inch thick. I also have a Belkin Tunetalk Stereo that plugs into an ipod that works with a lapel mic. It sounds even better with the stereo mic supplied with the Microtrack II. Belkin states that the TuneTalk will also work with the new iPod nano (video). I could test this, my daughter has a nano.

The iPod nano is 2.75x2.06x.26 inches, which is about the same as a mini DV cassette case only thinner. The Tunetalk Stereo is about 1.25 inches long, which would make the combination of the ipod and Tunetalk about 4x2 inches. Interestingly, the Microtrack II is about 4x2 inches, but is also almost 1 inch thick, making it bulky by comparison.

What are the dimensions of the iriver?

Noa Put · May 26th, 2008, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Lange

What are the dimensions of the iriver?

My iriver is 55x25x15mm. only the archos mic has a preamplifier which is 55x50x15mm but both still fitt well into the grooms pocket.

Carl Wilky · May 26th, 2008, 08:49 AM

Hi Vito

I use the Olympus DS40, which has great recording time, size is quite small and battery life is excellent. Sound quality is very good and you have the option of selecting different folders to record multiple events if you happen to have several gigs in one weekend.

http://www.dyslexic.com/mmDYS/Images...ympusDS-40.jpg

Here is to illustrat the size of the unit

http://www.dyslexic.com/mmDYS/Images...mpusBundle.jpg

Vito DeFilippo · May 26th, 2008, 09:28 AM

Hey Carl. that actually looks pretty small. You use this at events? Have you tried it with a lapel mic? What do you think? I took a quick look at the manual, and it says it accepts external mics, which is great.

Do you find the three mic sensitivity settings enough flexibility? And you say good sound quality but any problems with self noise or anything else?

Thanks. Hope to run into sometime here in Montreal!

Alastair Brown · May 26th, 2008, 11:11 AM

There was another recent thread singing the praises of the Olympus DS-30.

http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=96034

Just picked up one myself to try. Haven't used it in anger yet. All I have noted so far is that you appear to have only three options for recording sensitivity. Low/Med/High. Lapel mic works fine, or, used the supplied mics on a lecturn/hidden away.

Andrew McWeeny · May 27th, 2008, 08:41 AM

Hi Vito, I was using MiniDisk also but I'm now using the H2. Below is a side-by-side look at the sizes. I'm also using a belt pouch rather than stuffing in a jacket.

Vito DeFilippo · May 27th, 2008, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew McWeeny

I'm also using a belt pouch rather than stuffing in a jacket.

Hey Andy. Thanks for the photos. Are you happy with the H2? And with the belt pouch, do you mean you attach the belt pouch to the groom because you find the H2 too big to go in his pocket?

I looked for you at the old port on Saturday but didn't see you. Ran into Marco, though... Mine was a 16 hour marathon, but I heard you may have beat the record for longest all day wedding coverage!

Cheers,
Vito

Jon Omiatek · May 27th, 2008, 11:19 AM

Buy an iRiver on eBay. I love those little guys and have a bunch of spares. They make great backups for my Senn G2's.

May 25th, 2008, 02:21 PM	#1
Vito DeFilippo Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 1,585	best iRiver replacement audio recorder Hey all, I searched around to find suggestions for a good/small audio recorder that can be used with a lapel mic and put in a groom's pocket. Seems like up to the end of last year or so, many were pointing to the Zoom H2. But now that we're post NAB, is this still a good choice, or is anyone using something newer and better? Thanks for any help! __________________ . http://www.nosmallroles.com

May 25th, 2008, 09:19 PM	#3
Vito DeFilippo Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 1,585	Darnit! I was hoping the H2 was small enough. I've used minidisc recorders. Is it bigger than that? I had high hopes for wireless, but I find it just enough extra time to set up that it stresses me out when I arrive at the church from the bride's house. And to top it off, you never know when you have a problem. I used it last weekend to mic the podium and thought, "what the heck, I'll just say 'check' a few times to adjust my sound levels," even though I felt like an idiot standing at the podium doing sound checks. Well, holy interference with the house system! I had to quickly change channels and try again. Fortunately that did it but I shudder to think what I would have had to do, if I had not checked. The darned iRiver is just so easy, and it records forever. Yeah it doesn't sound as good, but you have to take the good with the bad. Thanks Rick... __________________ . http://www.nosmallroles.com

May 26th, 2008, 02:11 AM	#6
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	I got a couple of 890's earlier in the year off ebay. Cheapest they went for was $us25, the dearest was $us84 - within days of each other! If you're patient you can get them on the cheaper side. Last edited by Renton Maclachlan; May 26th, 2008 at 03:14 AM.

May 26th, 2008, 03:15 AM	#8
Doug Lange Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska Posts: 138	I have a Microtrack II that works very well but is the size of an ipod (video) but is one inch thick. I also have a Belkin Tunetalk Stereo that plugs into an ipod that works with a lapel mic. It sounds even better with the stereo mic supplied with the Microtrack II. Belkin states that the TuneTalk will also work with the new iPod nano (video). I could test this, my daughter has a nano. The iPod nano is 2.75x2.06x.26 inches, which is about the same as a mini DV cassette case only thinner. The Tunetalk Stereo is about 1.25 inches long, which would make the combination of the ipod and Tunetalk about 4x2 inches. Interestingly, the Microtrack II is about 4x2 inches, but is also almost 1 inch thick, making it bulky by comparison. What are the dimensions of the iriver? __________________ After years of lurking, I finally made the mistake of opening my mouth.

May 26th, 2008, 09:28 AM	#11
Vito DeFilippo Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 1,585	Hey Carl. that actually looks pretty small. You use this at events? Have you tried it with a lapel mic? What do you think? I took a quick look at the manual, and it says it accepts external mics, which is great. Do you find the three mic sensitivity settings enough flexibility? And you say good sound quality but any problems with self noise or anything else? Thanks. Hope to run into sometime here in Montreal! __________________ . http://www.nosmallroles.com

May 25th, 2008, 09:08 PM	#2
Rick Steele Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado USA Posts: 654	There's a lot of alternatives Vito but I don't think the "iRiver killer" has arrived just yet. I had high hopes for the Zoom H2 until mine arrived. There's no way I'd put that thing in a groom's pocket - it's just too damned big compared to the iRiver. It does nicely with other types of audio though. For mic'ing up the groom, I'll stay with my Senn G2 wireless units for as long as they work.

May 26th, 2008, 02:35 AM	#7
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	I recently bought a iriver t20mx (new) with a archos clipon mic in a local audio store, thought the iriver was about 50 dollar. It's not great quality in sound but it's sufficient. I also use a zoom but a H4 which I usually position on a tripod and close to a loudspeaker in the church or if they have someone singing close to them. This one gives really good audio quality but it's like the h2 a bit big, certainly nothing that can easily fit in a pocket.

May 26th, 2008, 08:49 AM	#10
Carl Wilky Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Montéal, Canada Posts: 115	Hi Vito I use the Olympus DS40, which has great recording time, size is quite small and battery life is excellent. Sound quality is very good and you have the option of selecting different folders to record multiple events if you happen to have several gigs in one weekend. http://www.dyslexic.com/mmDYS/Images...ympusDS-40.jpg Here is to illustrat the size of the unit http://www.dyslexic.com/mmDYS/Images...mpusBundle.jpg

May 26th, 2008, 11:11 AM	#12
Alastair Brown Major Player Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Glasgow/Scotland Posts: 626	There was another recent thread singing the praises of the Olympus DS-30. http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=96034 Just picked up one myself to try. Haven't used it in anger yet. All I have noted so far is that you appear to have only three options for recording sensitivity. Low/Med/High. Lapel mic works fine, or, used the supplied mics on a lecturn/hidden away.

May 27th, 2008, 08:41 AM	#13
Andrew McWeeny New Boot Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nepean, Ontario Posts: 18	Hi Vito, I was using MiniDisk also but I'm now using the H2. Below is a side-by-side look at the sizes. I'm also using a belt pouch rather than stuffing in a jacket. Attached Thumbnails

May 27th, 2008, 11:19 AM	#15
Jon Omiatek Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 755	Buy an iRiver on eBay. I love those little guys and have a bunch of spares. They make great backups for my Senn G2's.