My portable audio recorder test - Marantz, Roland, Zoom, Tascam, Juicedlink

A

Airwolf

Active member
I've put together a quick audio recorder test and review for my own use, and thought i'd make a peice to show online since I can't find anything similar.
I feel this test is unique since I've used a very low sensitivity dynamic microphone, the Sennheiser MD46. This is a common field reporters microphone. I've had a very tough time finding a recorder or preamp that can handle it. Below you will find my audio sample video clip, and my write up on the units.

Listen with headphones for best comparison.

https://vimeo.com/52597996

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I have tested several portable audio recorders, as well as my Juicedlink CX231 preamp w/5D Mark III.


Test: Recorded a simple audio test to the devices below using a Sennheiser MD46 interview microphone. Microphone held at about 4 inches from my mouth during all tests. I have normalized peaks from all audio clips to -12db, for some this meant lowering them slightly, and others such as the Juicedlink, this meant raising them quite a bit.


On several recorders I had to max out the gain on the device to get close to achieveing -12db on the device. The Marantz was one that came to mind that I could have gone higher on, this device has superior preamps to the other recorders. The Zoom H4N for example required max gain to get close to -12db.


My thoughts on the following (sound quality only)

Marantz PMD661: Excellent sound quality, preamps are great unless you go to max, but with my very low sensitivity MD46, a level of 7 out of 10 was sufficient to provide excellent -12db audio.

Roland R26: Okay preamps, good sound, some noticeable hiss, but lower than Zoom/Tascam.

Zoom H4N: Bad preamps, excessive hiss, however nice sound quality at lower levels.

Tascam DR100 Mk II: Almost same level as Zoom, slightly better preamps, good sound.

Juicedlink CX231: I was unable to reach -12db on the camera with the gain set to high and the trim knob cranked all the way with my MD46 Dynamic mic. On the 5D Mark III, manual audio was set to one notch above off. I normalized to -12 and experienced the same amount of hiss as on the Tascam recorder.

Thoughts on the devices (hardware)
Marantz PMD661: Nice build, locking XLR jacks. Old school operating system is a bit of a put off though for the money. You have to fumble around in the menu to change inputs, but that's not too bad.
My main complaint is that this unit has no powered plug-in mini-jack input. Only a line input. So mini-jack lav mics and so forth do not work on this device, you must use XLR.
Zoom H4N: Have used it for years, pretty good build, the case is weak, won't latch anymore. Lacks locking XLR jacks.
Tascam DR100 Mk II: Includes locking XLR jacks, but very plasticy build.
Roland R26: Horrible handling noise, you cannot touch it at all while using internal mics, if you adjust the recording volume while using internal mics, you can hear the knob turning. Works fine with plug in mini-jack mics. No locking XLR jacks, nice screen, much better O/S than Marantz, but preamps are lacking for low sensitivity mics.
Juicedlink: It's a metal box with switches and knobs, no complaints.
 
Thanks for posting. I am searching for the best setup to use the 5DMKIII. If I could ask, what is your impression of the quality of recording through preamps into the 5D compared to recording directly to the externan recorders? Do the external recoders produce better quality audio?

Also, did you or could you make a test with a recorder like the Marantz 661 where you recorded the same material internally as well as hooking up a line out to record in the 5DMKIII? This would be interesting to see how much of a difference (if any) you could hear.

Thanks.
 
Thanks for that; nice test.

I use a Roland R-26 - when I bought it they advised me to get the Roland accessory kit (which includes a wind jammer and leather style case that is meant to reduce the handling noise). Fool that I am I didn't get it. If you touch the battery latch on the back while recording with the internal mics its sounds like a cannon went off! I usually have it set on a tripod, or I have a small pistol grip that screws in to the tripod mount, which isolates the handling noise effectively. I must say that I am able to hold it with the pistol grip and turn the knobs without hearing any noise (perhaps they all behave differently, or perhaps your hand was shifting on the case when doing it without a pistol grip). I was advised to get the Roland as it works relatively well with low mics like the NTG-2; it seems to do well enough in that capacity, though I do find I have to ride the levels fairly high.
 
One extra advantage of the Tascam DR100II (that the others don't have) is that it also has a digital input.

This means that you can couple it digitally with a professional mixer such as the AETA MIXY and use it as a "bit bucket" for very high quality recordings.

This way you are not using any of the analogue circuits in the recorder.

Although not necessarily needed straight away, this gives extra flexibility for the future (The Sony PCM-D50 also has a digital input and can, again, be used in this way).
 
The Tascam DR100 Mk II has very quiet pre-amps as long as you stay away from the HIGH gain setting, which probably wasn't possible with your Sennheiser MD46 test.
 
Also, your JuicedLink + 5D Mk3 combo sounds "flat" compared to the other recorders, which I am guessing is limited by the audio recording capability of the 5D Mk3.
 
I found the Tascam preamps to be marginally better than the H4N, around the same level as the Roland.
Indeed the Juicedlink did sound flat. As bassman suggested I may test the output from the marantz into the 5d3 to compare the quality of sound, not just the preamps.
 
Airwolf said:
I may test the output from the marantz into the 5d3 to compare the quality of sound, not just the preamps.
Click to expand...

...If you can, also try the JuicedLink into one of the digital recorders. ( even the Zoom H4n would do for this ) I expect the JuicedLink will sound much better when bypassing the 5D Mk3.
 
After some research I went with the Marantz 661 with the Oade FET mod. It should be here by the end of the week. Doug suggested if I wanted to put a line feed into the MKIII to get an attenuated cable (RCA to 1/8"). I might do that just to have both options during recording.
 
Dingo, I have used my juicedlink going in my Zoom H2 before, it works well, but you have 2 devices to control instead of one.
 
I use the MD46 for radio interviews and tape syncs and think the pre's on the R26 are closer to the Marantz than the Tascam by a good margin. And I don't have to have the gain set anywhere near max. I've found the Zoom to be unusable with dynamic mics.
 
DNN, it also depends on how loud your speaker is. I talk fairly quiet, all the better for the test however I feel.
 
I've recorded a lot of soft spoken people for broadcast in a variety of room conditions and the recorder did pretty well on all counts with the MD46 and RE50.
 
So, i've encountered some issues. I'm going to talk to Oade tomorrow to see if their modified version will fix this, but... Using the Marantz PMD661 with my MD46 dynamic mic produces excellent results, however, when I switch to a phantom powered mic like an AT897, Sennheiser G3 wireless, or Sennheiser ME-2 lav into their XLR adapter, hiss is noticeable. So, i'm not sure if the Marantz is creating noise, or what is causing the problem, but results with powered mics and the Marantz have not been good so far. Will keep testing.

Perhaps someone might have some insight as to why this is happening?
 
The AT 897 has a stated output level using Phantom Pwr. of 10.0 mV. (batt. pwr. slightly less.) The Oade pre-amp mod would probably be a little quieter , but may not as quiet as an high-quality external pre.. though I have no direct experience with that particular recorder or the Oade 'mod'.
IMHO, the Sennheiser ME2 is not a very good mic to begin with and is replaced by many users of the G2/3 system. That said, with a properly gain-staged G2/3 system, preamp noise should not be a huge issue... though likely not quiet enough for nature recording
 
I've got a Sanken Cos 11 XLR mic coming, as well as a Rode NTG-3. Will be here on Tuesday, i'll test them with the Marantz and see how they sound compared to my cheap stuff.
 
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