TASCAM DR-05EB Portable Digital Recorder

• Built-In Stereo Condenser Omnidirectional Microphones with sensitivity up to 125db SPL
• Up to 96kHz/24-bit WAV (BWF) linear PCM recording and Stereo MP3 recording from 32-320 kbps bit rate
• Automatic or manual level setting
• Bullet-style Ear Bud Headphones with In-line Phone Microphone and Carrying Pouch
• MicroSD (54MB - 2GB)/microSDHC (4GB - 32GB) card slot (2GB card included)

This is a great recorder. It does what it is supposed to do for a reasonable price. Here are a few notes based on my use of it:

First, skip the ear buds. Get the DR-05 instead. The ear buds are mono only with a temporary stereo switch. That means, to hear any stereo recordings, you have to continuosly press the tiny button. I can't hold it for more than about 30 seconds without fatigue. Also, the recorder sends a stereo signal whether the source is stereo or mono and the buds simply combine this signal into one channel (if you are not pressing the stereo button) which can easily overdrive the speakers. I found the ear buds to be useless.

Second, Beware of the Delete selection on the Quick Menu it deletes the currently selected file, but, depending on how you use the recorder, the selected file may not be the last one you recorded. It changes automagically. I found out the hard way that you really have to be aware of the selected track number at the bottom of the display...

You may want to change the LCD backlight to ALWAYS, or the auto shut off to something other than OFF. I set the recorder aside, the light shut off and I forgot to power down. The next day, the batteries were nearly dead. I know, not really the fault of the recorder, but I don't like the default settings. Ignore this if you're perfect.

Lastly, the mics are quite sensitive and you will most likely want a wind screen for even the slightest breeze. I have a common round ball foam screen that stretches snuggly over the rectangle shape. Not sure if they sell actual custom ones.

Buy TASCAM DR-05EB Portable Digital Recorder Now

I keep finding new ways to use this recorder. I first got it as a way to record random sounds to sample for songs or sound effects for my film projects and it works great! The sound is crisp, it's really easy to use and the headphones paired with it are convenient for quick monitoring to make sure I'm getting the right levels. I then started using it to improve the audio on my camera and I use it to demo out songs when I'm in a rush or have limited resources. I highly recommend this recorder. I'm a clumsy person, I've dropped it a few times and it still works great. The sound is extremely high-quality, especially for such a small device and I have had no problems figuring out the menu-set and getting it to do exactly what I want it to.