Equipment for field recording

Independent comparison of recorders by Avisoft

We recommend borrowing your first recorder and skipping the cheapest range. It is better to find out if field recording is for you and save for a more professional and reliable device.

Less than 250€

• second hand Sony (PCM-M10, PCM-D50)
• second hand Tascam recorders (DR-100)
• second hand Olympus recorders (LS-11, LS-12)
• Roland R-07
• Sony PCM-A10

Don't expect great sound with the on-board mics with these devices. We recommend using external LOM microphones with all of the above for best performance.

250€ – 800€

• Sony PCM-D100
• Tascam DR-680 MKII
• Tascam DR-100 MKIII (not MKI or MKII!)
• second hand Sound Devices recorder

800€+

• Sound Devices MixPre-3, 6 and 10 (II)
• Sound Devices 7-series
• Sonosax

• Beyerdynamic DT-770
• Beyerdynamic DT-1350
• Etymotic ER4SR

• Rycote Stereo WS AE ORTF Kit
• K&M 23550 Microphone Stereo Bar
• K&M 236 4 Microphone bar

• Aquarian H2a-XLR
• Ambient ASF-1 MK2
• Ambient ASF-2