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 have a zoom H2. I had assumed, since you set start and stop thresholds for the “auto-record” function, that it would START when the sound hits a certain level, stop when it fell below that, and then start again when it hit that level again.
Instead, it just seems to start when you actually hit record, and then stops automatically, but will NEVER restart again automatically. It seems to be designed this way deliberately. I don’t want to record 3 days solid of the silence of the forest, I want a trigger that starts recording when a sound is picked up (a pre-record function of a couple seconds is handy to have with this as well.)
Any suggestions for me? I don’t suppose this can be jury-rigged, so I assume I need to get a different recorder?
thanks much
I would expect it to start and stop according to threshold, too. You might try to find any forums for Zoom recorders, or even try contacting Zoom, before getting a different recorder. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.
Thanks for the great article Christine! I purchased a Sony PCM-D100 and wanted to say it does provide phantom power. The recorder asks if I want to turn phantom power on when I plug in my Audio Technica 8022 (which has it’s own battery so I don’t use it for that) but I also purchased the 20db pre-amp you mentioned and the Sony PCM-D100 powers that via phantom power every time I use it.
Again, thanks very much or the great article, you nudged me down the road of nature recording with this and your mention of the 20db pre-amp is greatly appreciated!!!!
Keep those wonderful recordings coming, I truly enjoy them!
Hi Phil, The PCM-D100 does not provide phantom power (48v), but it does provide PIP (plug-in power), which is 2.5-5 v. Phantom power is usually provided with XLR jacks and larger cables. I just purchased the D100 and have been truly impressed by how quiet the pre-amps are, even without an additional boost. But you should be able to get some really quiet recordings with that mic and additional pre-amp. What do you think of the mic?
Hi! This is a great source of information. I am a graduate student hoping to record some clapper rail vocalizations and potentially analyze them. These birds can be loud but usually call from the cover of dense vegetation. I have a mid-range budget and was hoping you could recommend a portable and durable digital recorder that offers reasonable battery life, a good pre-amp, phantom power, 24-bit recording and any other features you think important! Thank you for the help.
Are you using a shotgun mic? You might try something like the Tascam DR-40 or DR-44WL. Both are portable, and many people like them.
Great! Thanks. I was hoping to use a shotgun mike simply because it would be easier to carry into the marsh, but if a parabolic reflector would be better I would consider one.
You’re certainly right that a shotgun is easier to carry than a dish. A dish might get you better sound, though. And you can put together a nice dish with PIP mics. But they are a pain to haul around. Telinga makes a nice roll-up one, though. Nice thing about the Tascams is that they’ll work with either an XLR shotgun or a PIP mic.
Ok! I will look into the Telinga option! Thank you for the help. I will let you know how I make out with the recordings
I want a battery powered recording device to hang on my bird feeder and hear the songs inside my home. Can’t seem to find anything on the net. Can you help?
Hi John, it sounds like what your looking for is not a recording device, but a microphone with a transmitter. It might even be possible to run a cable into the house and to a speaker. It’s a bit beyond my expertise, but maybe some of the other visitors to the site can chime in.
Hello! I am a biologist and musician interested in soundscapes and am wanting to purchase equipment. Field sites would include wetlands and grasslands (potentially very windy!) and eventually deciduous and rain forests. I am limited at the present moment financially and was wondering if I could get your opinion. Currently, I have a SONY IC recorder and am wondering about microphone(s). Is it preferable to have 2 microphones? Or will one suffice? There is a Rode NT1 available at a local music shop for a reasonable price, but I am wondering if I should wait and invest in either NT4 or NT5 since there are 2 microphones included. I am also hoping to use these microphone(s) while performing and I will need something that can pick up guitar, violin and vocals. Should I be looking for something dual purpose or find separate equipment? I appreciate your help! And I have found your blog extremely helpful so far!
Hi Rachel, thanks for your comments. The Sony IC is a digital voice recorder, and not well suited to nature recording or music recording. Both of those require greater dynamic range and better pre-amps than the recorder can supply. In addition, regarding external mics, all of the mics you listed require phantom power through XLR, and the digital voice recorder supplies, at most, plug-in-power through a mini-jack (3.5 mm). In other words, there is no place to plug those mics in. Given the diverse needs you are looking for, you might look at something like the Zoom H5 or H6. They are not super for nature recording, but some of the most flexible out there in terms of their own built-in mics and types of external microphones you can add. The Zooms are also quite popular among musicians. You might be able to do everything you need with the built-in mics. I would suggest starting with a better recorder, getting to know it well, and then picking up external microphones. Good luck!
i found a friend who sale me his used FR2-LE 250euro, is a good choice?
It depends upon if it’s in good working order, and what kind of mics you intend to use with it. It only takes professional (xlr) mics. So if it’s in good shape, and you have or intend to get professional mics, than that is a great price! I’ve heard some incredible recordings from that recorder.
yes i know…its in good working order and of course i’ll take a professional mic like mkh60 which i prefer and i use already in a tv show and it has great results in all conditions…thank you for your opinion.
Now i found fostex fr2 for 250 euro,i think is better and has the same price what do you think?
I’ve never used either one of these, so I can only go by internet reviews. The FR2 is larger, quieter, has a higher sampling rate (192 kHz) but lower battery life. It appears to have a more robust build. Both appear to be pretty good, so I guess it depends on how much those factors matter to you. Hope that helps.
Have a look at the new Zoom F8 recorder.
wow, thanks, it’s way out of my price range, basically my situation is that I am very sensitive to noise, especially loud neighbors, barking dogs etc… my wife and I are house hunting in the county and the MOST IMPORTANT piece of information I need is – “are there loud neighbors? are there barking dogs?” and the only way I can think of, other than sitting in my car out front for a month straight lol … is to install some kind of device that will turn on and record noise, that is weatherproof etc… and not too expensive etc… any ideas? thanks!
Hi Liam. Boy am I with you on that request. Although I would add to the list of noise – trains, planes, drag racing tracks, loud motorcycles, etc. Unfortunately, I don’t know of an inexpensive way to acquire that info. The automated recorders run towards $1,000. There are Android (and probably iOS) apps that can record sounds based on a threshold (so they only record when noise hits a certain level). You would need an Android device that you would be willing to leave out for an extended period of time, plus a way to power it. If you can access the recorder at least once a day, you might just be able to pick up a small recorder (Sony PCM-M10, Olympus LS-11, etc) that can record for close to a day continuously. But you would have to change the batteries and storage cards frequently, and go through the files, which can be very time consuming. On the plus side, you probably wouldn’t have to do it for a whole month, and continuous recording would tell you a whole lot about the area. If you’re into programming, you could probably create a Raspberry pi device that might do what you want. Maybe someone else will chime in with some solutions. Best of luck and please let me know if you come up with a good solution.
thank you so much for all your great ideas, I will definitely let you know if I come up something that seems to work!
am very interested in purchasing a recording device that is weather proof and portable, that i could leave outdoors for a week or so then download the recording, preferably one that only records when it “hears” sound, wondering if you might be able to point me in the right direction? thanks!
There is a waterproof automated recorder that can do it at http://www.frontierlabs.com.au
Hi Liam. Did you find a suitable, outdoor device to auto record sound? I’m looking to gather evidence for a neighbour’s intrusive dog barking.
Glad to find you again post-Coachella Valley bighorn days! Any advice on sound system to match with Canon 5d Mark III for recording audio associated with extreme weather events (thunderstorms, tornados, flash floods, wildfires?
Hi Walter! Thunderstorms are some of the most difficult things to record due to the extreme dynamic range. Choice of mic depends on whether you want mono or stereo. For the former, you want a good shotgun mic, like a Sennheister MKE600 or MKH416. For stereo, something like a Rode NT-4 or an Audio Technica BP4025. Most mics labeled as “video mics” are more for dialog, and are too noisy and lack the dynamic range for what you want to record. You want to make sure you have a good camera mount and wind protection. While these mics can plug directly into the camera, I would add a mixer to help control recording levels, something like a Tascam DR-60d MKII or a Sound Devices MixPre-D. Some people will use a Zoom recorder, like the H4n as a mixer, but that’s a noisy recorder and I would advise against it. All of the sounds you mentioned have a strong low frequency component; make sure any high pass filters are set to “off.” Hope that helps!
I agree with your ideas about choosing gear.
I saved up to buy the FR2-LE (and later the PortaBrace carry pack for it) and I love it; it is well worth the money. I’m sure that the SoundDevices recorders are even better and also well worth the price, if you could afford one!
I was thinking of buying the Sony PCM-10 but chose the more expensive recorder because it has a better technical specification.
With hindsight I think I would have had as much fun sooner, and made good recordings too, if I had bought the PCM-10.
Thanks for the comment, John. The FR2-LE is reported to be a great machine so I think you made a good choice. I’ve heard some amazing recordings from it, and it provides phantom power which the Sony PCM-M10 does not.