Professional-grade handheld audio recorders

Donald Bell, Senior Editor

March 03, 2008

Have you ever wanted to capture a sound? Maybe it was a great concert, baby's first words, bird calls, or a field recording for radio, movie, or television production. While capturing sound in our daily lives is not as common as capturing images with photography, both require an investment if you want to do it right.

More than a few MP3 players include basic voice and line recording features, but none of them are capable of recording at or above CD quality. If you're looking for a serious portable audio recorder capable of recording in multiple formats at pro-audio resolution, the following list showcases the best tools available.

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Product name	Sony PCM-D50	Edirol R-09 Audio Recorder - black	Zoom H2	Korg MR-1	M-Audio MicroTrack II	Zoom H4

Review date	March 24, 2008	April 01, 2008	April 11, 2008	March 14, 2008

CNET editors' rating	8.3 Excellent	7.7 Very good	7.0 Very good	5.7 Average

Users' rating	8.0 Excellent ( from 1 users)	9.0 Spectacular ( from 1 users)	9.0 Spectacular ( from 5 users)	Be one of the first to rate this product!	8.0 Excellent ( from 1 users)	8.0 Excellent ( from 1 users)

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Review summary	If you're looking to make great mobile recordings without lugging around a cumbersome laptop recording rig, the Sony PCM-D50 offers an unbeatable combination of design, recording quality, battery life, and features at a justifiable price.	The Edirol R-09 isn't perfect, but what it lacks in features, it makes up in its small size and rich recording detail.	The Zoom H2 is a fun, practical, and affordable tool for capturing interviews, lectures, and music rehearsals. Cheap construction and lackluster recording performance, however, make the H2 less than ideal for demanding professional recording applications.	Given the Korg MR-1's high price and poor suitability for the rigors of mobile recording, we only recommend it to discriminating audio archivists willing to accept practical limitations for increased recording resolution.	Product info	Product info

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Basic Specs
PC interface(s) supported	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	USB	USB	USB

Digital storage media capacity	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	20 GB	Info unavailable	Info unavailable

Weight	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	7.1 oz	Info unavailable	6.7 oz

Product type	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Digital voice recorder	Digital voice recorder	Digital player

Digital player (recorder)	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	MP3 , PCM , WAV	MP3 , WAV	MP3 , WAV

Battery technology	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Lithium ion	Info unavailable

Software type	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Drivers & Utilities	Drivers & Utilities , Steinberg Cubase LE

Sound output mode	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Stereo	Stereo

Flash memory form factor	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	SD Memory Card

Dimensions (WxDxH)	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	2.8 in x 1.4 in x 6 in

Resolution	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	128 x 64

Mfr estimated battery life	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	4.5 hour(s)

Width	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	2.8 in

Depth	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	1.4 in

Height	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	6 in

Product name	Sony PCM-D50	Edirol R-09 Audio Recorder - black	Zoom H2	Korg MR-1	M-Audio MicroTrack II	Zoom H4

Full specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications	Full Specifications

Price range	Check latest prices $448-499 from 4 stores	Check latest prices $399 from 1 store	Check latest prices $189-335 from 3 stores	Check latest prices $699-899 from 2 stores	Check latest prices $259-279 from 3 stores	Check latest prices $n/a from 0 store