There are a lot of options for nature sound recording on the market today, ranging from a couple of bucks for a microphone for your iPhone or Android phone up to more than $6k for a professional field recorder (I’m excluding analog and tape recorders). They also vary greatly in weight, with the professional versions in excess of 2 lbs., NOT including microphones, cables, batteries, wind covers and all the other goodies you need to make a decent recording.
So selecting the proper recorder takes some research. There are a couple of schools of thought on choosing a sound recorder. The first, which usually comes from nature recordists who had a previous life in professional audio or music production, is to save your money and buy professional equipment. This usually means a Sound Designs MixPre and Sennheiser mics. The recorder alone can set you back more than $1000. The other school of thought is to buy what you can afford and save for better stuff later. I subscribe to the latter school for a couple of reasons. The first is strictly financial. Saving for professional gear may mean you never get around to actually recording. Second, the gear is only part of recording, the rest is technique and post-production (editing). Sub-professional gear forces you to learn lots of tricks to compensate for noisier recorders and microphones. It also allows you to decide how much you really want to get involved with nature recording before spending too much money. If you become addicted, like many of us, then you can start figuring out ways to feed your addiction. Of course, I’m talking about people who are approaching nature recording as a hobby. If you are professional videographer or sound effects artist who needs to increase the quality of the sound production, your needs are a bit different.
What’s the difference between recording on your iPhone and recording using a professional recorder? The first, and most important, is the quality of the sound. Professional recorders can record at a higher bit rate (analogous to more pixels in a digital photograph), the recorders themselves introduce less noise into the recording, and they can record in a format that preserves more of the sounds (i.e., no compression). They also have more connectors and jacks for more microphones and mixers and most importantly, they contain good pre-amplifiers, which boosts the sound level coming through the microphone above the noise of the recorder. Most of them can provide “phantom” power (48v) for professional-grade microphones. For more about recording using a smartphone, see “Audio recording with a smartphone.”
Most recorders made today were made for the music industry or for voice recording. In general, a nature recordist’s needs are different. Nature is usually much quieter than a recording studio, and unwanted noise, in the form of wind or distant machinery, is much harder to control.
But before you even worry about cost, you need to ask yourself what you are planning on recording. This is even more important when choosing a microphone (see “Microphones for nature recording”), but also important with a recorder. If you are recording in noisy environments, you don’t need expensive pre-amps. If you are only interested in recording bats, there are specialized bat recorders and detectors for that, although some of the professional gear can handle that, too (and see my page, “Options for recording ultrasounds“). But if you want to record in quiet environments, or extremely wet or cold environments, then you need to give serious consideration to the quality of your gear.
1. Identify your needs
These will differ depending on whether you are recording professionally or as a hobby, what sampling rate you want to capture, and what inherent noise level you can tolerate. The type of microphone is also important, as professional-level mics often require phantom power, and not all recorders supply it. Higher sampling rates (to 192 kHz or higher) record more detail in the sound, and they can record much higher frequencies, including many bats. But the files are much larger, too, requiring more storage space and transfer time moving files around. As mentioned above, recorders vary in size and weight, so consider how you will be using the equipment and who gets to cart it around.
2. Identify your budget
Sound recording gear can get very expensive. Do you need the best equipment, and related, do you need it now? Can you buy lower or middle-end equipment now and upgrade later? In metropolitan areas it is possible to rent equipment, which will allow you to “try before you buy.”
3. Balance your needs and your budget
Don’t forget to budget for the costs of microphones (often way more expensive than recorders), cables, adapters, power supplies and batteries, tripods, wind protection (can also be pricey if you don’t make your own), carrying cases, and possibly pre-amplifiers or mixers. All of these add to the space needs of your equipment.
4. Periodically reassess your needs.
Keep an eye out for deals (I hear some good deals are available on EBay, but I’ve been outbid every time I try to buy something). Also, your needs may change – you may need lighter gear, or you may find that you’re not taking those 10 mile hikes with sound equipment filling your backpack any more, so heavier equipment would work fine now. You may decide that you’re not using those professional-level mics, but have switched to plug-in-power mics and can get away with a pocket recorder.
If you have the budget and weight of the gear isn’t an issue for you, by all means go for the professional-level gear. You will save a significant amount of time messing with equipment and recordings in order to make them sounds as good as the pros do. However, if money is tight, or you like do things the hard way, there are less expensive options. In addition to the Avisoft website, good reviews of the recorders can be found on commercial sites, including Amazon, Sweetwater.com, B & H Photo, and other gear dealers. The Wildlife Sound Society of the UK also provides some equipment reviews. Also note that in the last few years there have been some major shake-ups in field recorders, with Sony and Olympus, both of whom made some really great recorders, effectively exiting the market. I hope that is a temporary thing, and that new offerings are down the road. But meanwhile, check the used market for Sony PCM-M10, Sony PCM-D100, Olympus LS-09, Olympus LS-11, Olympus LS-100, and Tascam DR100 mk III. These have all been favorites of nature recordists over the years. Even the old professional workhorses from Sound Devices, the 702, 722, and 744 are now relegated to the used market.
Recorders capable of nature recording generally fall into one of several categories. I refer to these as “pocket recorders,” “handheld recorders,” and “professional recorders.” Pocket recorders have limited features, and a low price point, which means less expensive (i.e., lower quality) pre-amps. They are small, light and easy to carry, but often lack the ability to record in multiple formats or attach external mics. They will, in most cases, do a better job than your smartphone. Olympus and Sony used to make some very nice pocket recorders (e.g., the Sony PCM-M10, the Olympus LS-11), but they have been discontinued and their replacements don’t seem as high of quality. Examples of pocket recorders worth considering include the Tascam DR-05X, the Tascam DR-07X, the Zoom F1-LP, the Zoom F2, the Zoom H1n, and the Zoom H2n.
Handheld recorders are slightly larger than pocket recorders, with more features. They have better pre-amps (allowing recording in quieter locations), more ability to adjust settings to fine-tune your recordings, and the ability to attach external microphones. The following group have list prices of under $500 USD (usually), and most have the ability to provide phantom power to professional microphones. Some handheld recorders to consider include the Tascam DR-40X, the Tascam Portacapture, the Sony D10, the Zoom H4n pro, the Zoom H5, the Zoom H6, and the strange-looking Zoom H8.
And some professional recorders with all the bells and whistles include the Sound Devices MixPre series and the Zoom F series that provide very quiet pre-amps along with more options like Bluetooth and USB connectivity. All provide power for XLR and PIP mics. Check YouTube for some nice video reviews of these models. The most popular models include the MixPre-3 II, the MixPre-6 II, the MixPre-10T, the Zoom F4, the Zoom F6, and the Zoom F8n. The Tascam DR-701D and DR-70D are recorders that also work as video interfaces.
IN A NUTSHELL: Choosing a sound recorder for nature recording may be different than choosing one for the studio. Portability, durability, and quiet pre-amps are important features. The choice of recorder also depends upon what external mics you will be using with the recorder, and what type of recording you will be doing. The choice of recorders often means balancing features and cost.
I hope this was useful. Please feel free to leave comments.
Last modified May 2022.
I’ve been reading about recording outdoors and found this post, thank you. Most of the articles I’ve read are about removing wind noise by using dead cats an blimps and so forth, but what if I want to capture the wind sounds, but want to not have the phlup sound that the wind makes when hitting a mic? Is there a way to capture the subtle sound of breeze without damping it away so I don’t get the phlup?
Hi Speedy, keeping the wind from making a buffeting sound when it hits a mic is a challenge. The blimps + dead cats do that with a variety of layers, so it might be possible to start removing layers to try to get the sound you want. The most important thing is to keep the wind off the mic capsule. Most effective is dead air space, although you can also use thick, acoustically-transparent foam. In the case of a blimp, the shell of the blimp blocks some air, and is usually covered or lined with a thin foam that blocks even more. Depending upon what you are trying to record (wind speed, gustiness, etc), that may be enough. Use the landscape as much as you can, too, by using vegetation, rocks, etc, to block the wind (experiment with distance to objects to get the sound you want). Also, the closer to the ground, the lower the wind speed, usually. So think of wind protection as a series of layers that are added as wind speed increases. Each layer provides additional protection, but will also dampen the sound somewhat, especially in higher frequencies. Fur is quite effective (but not completely) at minimizing wind at higher wind speeds, but really dampens the higher frequencies. So you might start with a blimp without the fur (go with a better brand) and see if that and mic placement will get you the sound you are after. Hope that helps, Chris
Thank you! Very helpful with my challenging situation.
It seems like squeaky, crunching, screeching sounds will highly unlikely be recorded properly by the microphones which are made to record human voice. That is why there is a separate category of microphones that is suitable exactly for recording the sound effects.
And which microphones are you referring to?
I am keen to record the seashore/sounds of the sea continuously from a boathouse with electrical connections which is about 50 feet ( call it 15m ) from high tide . Is this possible? I have no experience in audio but I do not believe that should stop me from trying. The location is a bay leading into the North Atlantic and it is subject to hurricane winds from time to time in winter but the microphone could be shielded from direct exposure to the wind . The sounds are extraordinary and I would like to share them with people all over the world, particularly expats. Any hope? I am really looking forward to hearing your ideas. Maria
Hi Maria, thanks for visiting my blog. Recording ocean sounds is very complex, but also very rewarding. Part of the difficulty stems from the variety of sounds, both direct and reflected from various surfaces (structures, cliffs, etc). Do I understand that you are looking to set up a microphone to live-stream the sounds? I don’t have any experience doing that, but you might check with these guys: https://jrbp.stanford.edu/about/facilities/live-audio-stream. Hope that helps!
Hello from Finland! First, really impressed by your depth and clarity.
Do you have any recommendations on equipment for extremely cold environments… Ive been looking at the mixpre3 and f6, but now you got me wondering… Say I want to record birch trees cracking at minus 30-40c, sounds of ice sheets etc. Hadnt really thought about how cold will affect battery drain etc.
I can imagine some ways to reduce cold stress on the recorder itself by wrapping it in fur and putting some minor heating element inside, but I guess it would be wise to to think about this before pulling the trigger.
Moisture is also likely to be a factor in spring and autumn.
Hi, thanks for visiting my website. I have not recorded in extreme conditions like you are describing (but I love the idea). I think the cold will affect the battery life, and I think your ideas for keeping the recorder/batteries warm are good. For the MixPre 3, it’s possible to get batteries that last > 8 hours, so cutting that in half or so may not be that big a deal, depending upon how long you wanted to record. I haven’t used the F6, but I would guess battery life would be similar. I haven’t heard of humidity being much of an issue with recorders (dry bag with a little ventilation if it’s too hot should suffice), but it can be with microphones. Some mics are better with cold and humidity than others, so it would be wise to do your research to find mics that can stand those conditions. I have heard that some recordists also use warmers for the microphones, both for cold and humidity. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help…
Chris
Thanks for the quick reply.
I think 8h should be well enough. I think both of these can be powerd from an external usb powersource, but there really are crazy differences in how for example mobile phones, and even cars react to -40c
Feeling like a bit of a dinosaur, after a 20y pause. these 32bit recorders seem like a steal, costing a few % of a tascam DAT 25y ago.
If I learn anything at the studio equipment stores I will report back.
Pasi
Hi Pasi
I’m using the Mixpre3 II and Zoom F6 and the Mixpre is using far more power than the Zoom! You can connect the Zoom via an car./motorcyclebattery and a USB 12V/5V-connector and it will run for hours and hours. A 128gb microSD card (in SD-adapter goes for 32 hours +/-) But setting up the F6 for birding was a pain for me not being a sound engineer Ihad to write up the procedure 🙂 Have a look here if you are startled..
The cold itself no problem, but you could use a hotwater flask to prolong the capacity.
https://www.fuglesang-troms.net/powering-zoom-mixpre3/
https://www.fuglesang-troms.net/zoom-f6-setup-for-birders/
Yours Stein
I’ve used the Mixpre3 II down to -15C with no problem, it gets quite warm during long recordings so it won’t freeze! I’ve had Zoom H5 out for 24H in Antarctica recording Snow petrels returning to nest with food (the chick waits for days for the parent..) and it worked very well with EM-172 stereo connected, see more at https://www.xeno-canto.org/explore?query=sp%3Aaqeeyu%20loc%3A%22Troll%20Station%2C%20Norway%22
Just received F6 and it seems it has better battery-life with Sony L-type than MixPre3.
Stein
Thanks for the input, Stein! I agree that the MixPres get quite warm with extended recording, but I have little experience with cold weather recording. It’s nice to hear from someone with experience.
Hi!
Is there an handy recorder anywhere near the quality of the Sony PCM-M10 battery life, mic preamp, low noise, etc? Finding an M10 at a good price is near impossible. Damn Sony!
Or something like a smaller Sound Devices MixPre-3 for external mics….I don’t now.
Something ultraportable but with no compromise sound/preamp!
Discontinued M10 whyyyyy 🙁
My thoughts exactly, especially since my M10 is starting to die. Sony came out with a replacement (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1305530-REG/sony_icd_sx2000_high_resolution_portable_audio.html). It’s getting good reviews for recording music, but I haven’t heard of anyone using it for nature recording yet. My next recorder will be a MixPre-3, but the new Sony recorder is tempting, as something to keep handy for spontaneous recording.
I’ve read the SX2000 is more in the voice recorder line, no great mic/line input or other strong features of the M10. Different type i think.
What’s insane is the fact that the “big” PCM-D100 is still at a nonsense price: MixPre-3 at 650$ and a couple of good basic external mics and you spend the same money but with pro quality preamps with XLR for easy upgrade with stellar mics in the future. the only downside is size….and battery life.
I still don’t know what to think about the SX2000. I does appear to be in the voice recorder line, but it is rumored to replace the M10. Could Sony have missed the mark that much? I agree about the D100. Even after using it for awhile, it seems like good equipment poorly thought out. The MixPre 3 doesn’t seem that much bigger than the D100. I see it’s biggest downsides as the lack of onboard mics and battery life. Both of which make it non-comparable to the D100, which I guess means you need to have both, rather than one or the other;) Some of the Tascams, or even the Olympus L100 seem to have better feature sets at better prices, but they seem a bit noisier.
Hi,
I am planning to setup an equipment for leave-and-drop recordings in a natural space.
My idea is to use a not expensive recorder (i woudn´t like to risk my best equipment leaving it alone in the forest), a preamp (maybe this DIY: https://dxarts.washington.edu/wiki/electret-preamp-circuit) or the Soundman A3 adapter and two primo EM172 electret caps.
I am specting to find very soft noises and I would like to get the better relation between the cost and the sound. So, here are my questions:
– Does exist any cheap hand recorder with the possibility of bypassing internal preamps?
– If it does not, could I improve my recording using the external preamp even passing the signal through the recorder preamp?
I really appreciate any clues, tips, and experience about this practice.
Thanks in advance
Hi, thanks for the question. Several small recorders offer a separate line-in jack, or share the line-in with the 3.5 mic jack (in which case, you can specify whether or not you want plug-in power), so you can bypass the internal pre-amps. My Zoom H4n had the combo jack, and both my Sony PCM-M10 and PCM-D100 have separate line-in jacks. I have heard conflicting reports about the need for more power on the EM-172 capsules. Some people say they work great with the power provided by the small recorders; other say they benefit from more power. I haven’t tested an external pre-amp with my EM-172s.
One other thing to consider with leave-and-drop recordings is the battery life of the recorder, which can vary tremendously. My little M10 could get several overnight recordings on a set of batteries, whereas my old Zoom H4n only got a few hours (newer models probably have better battery life). If you are supplying the power to the capsules externally, battery life may be less of an issue, but it’s worth researching before you buy a recorder. Hope that helps!
Hi, I’m experiencing a bit of a problem with my recordings. My equipment: a Tascam DR-P2 recorder. A Sennhiser mic mounted in a parabolic with both foam and fur windscreens. A Cloudlifter at the mic and new 3-pin balanced cables. Time is at dawn with no discernible wind.
My setup: Mic, parabolic, and Cloudlifter are on a tripod outside the building, about 10′ away and aimed at a nearby lake for recording Loons. Cable through a mostly closed window. Recorder is on a table inside the building. Mic is using it’s own battery power. Using a 1Khz tone, mic position was adjusted in the parabolic for maximum output as indicated on VU meter.
Problem: Recording has a low frequency base sound throughout the entire recording, not quite like wind but more of a steady tone.
Any ideas?
Hi Bruce, a couple of possibilities spring to mind. First is just the 60 Hz hum that often plagues electronics. Second is some distant machinery or road that the mics might be picking up but that your brain is filtering out. That happens to be fairly often, where I’m certain there are no distant low frequency hums, but the mics find them (my Sony mics are heavy on the low end anyway). Is it something you can filter out, either with a low cut filter on the mic or recorder, or in post?