Caleb again heard his favorite voice over actor with his famous line and he was inspired. He finally stopped thinking about his dream and now wants to do something about it.
But every time he thinks he is ready enough to be a conqueror, another side of him says that the barriers have never been lowered. On a second thought, he realizes that he NEEDS absolute PREPARATION.
Caleb admitted that he failed to invest effort and time in practicing. One of the reasons why he can’t practice well is that he does not have (not even know) the right devices that will help him prepare the way. He doesn’t even have an idea how his own voice sounds. He sees purchasing a digital recorder as a stepping stone to his dream.
Maybe at some point in your life, you were like Caleb. You thought you were ready but it turned you down finding out that you were not prepared enough. Just like what this young man did, you have to acknowledge that there are devices that can aid you.
What are these digital voice devices anyway?
Portable digital recorders are one of the useful and affordable things we have now on offer in the market, you can use your own smartphone with an appropriate microphone o you can buy a real recorder with as many features as a portable studio. In fact you can even start a home studio using a suitable portable recorder, because you can record different tracks, mix them, apply effects including limiters and compressors. You then remove the memory from the device, you extract the sound files from the computer, edit and process a bit further and then you can deliver.
No wonder that these gadgets are becoming widely popular in the voice over business. They are consumer electronic devices capable of recording high resolution audio. For beginners, it’s important to have the right kind of devices that will be of assistance.
Now let’s help Caleb look for the best digital voice recorder.
Photo courtesy of Samsontec
What are the features of a good one?
- AUDIO QUALITY. James Tanner, a researcher on the technological aspect of genealogy and one of the authors at FAMILYSEARCH, gave importance to the quality of the audio a recorder can make. Some devices capture sound that is unnecessary for the listener. The best digital voice recorders have the ability to block ambient noise that may eventually generate poor audio.
- RECORDING TIME. Consider how much recording time you will consume. If you need to record a long audio, it’s suggested to get one that can keep a 500-hour recording. Time limits should never be an issue. Who would want to save an audio that’s cut off at some point and continue listening to it at the next file? But you can say that this is just a question of memory capacity and you are right. Good battery life should also be considered.
- DATA STORAGE. Decide to get a voice recorder that can store more than just one audio. Another plus is the capability of separating the files according to your events. There are digital voice recorders now that come with USB storage. With such devices you can save more than just an audio. You may store other types of files like documents or images.
- PC CONNECTIVITY. Most inexpensive digital recorders do not have this feature. It’s important that you portable digital recorder can be connected to a PC in case you need to transfer or back-up your data. If you have a Windows computer, make sure to get one that is compatible with the operating system. The latest and most advanced digital recorders nowadays may work with Windows 7. There are also digital voice recorders compatible with MAC.
Just like choosing the best microphone, it would take a little effort for you to have your best digital voice recorder in hand. After all, it’ll not be a good practice if you do not have your recorder as your best companion. Sony ICD-PX312 and Olympus VN-8100PC digital voice recorders are known models.
My favourite is the Zoom H4n, a multitrack studio with a great high sensitivity stereo condenser twin mic. You need a good windshield or windjammer though, because the mic picks up some unpleasant pops even using a foam around the mic capsules. You can take advantage of its amazing 50 built-in sound effects.
Further upmarket you have the more expensive Nagra and Tascam brands, real icons in the audio industry since the old times of tapes. Japan’s Marantz has released the solid state PMD620MkIIs, with integrated high-quality stereo condenser microphone. You can record up to 5 hours on two batteries AAs.
A criteria that is essential too is that any device should have a built-in recording level knob and a low-freq. filter. Let me remind you that even though the quality of those brands are as good as an established studio, the acoustics around are as important, but that’s another subject. Like all handheld devices you have to be careful about possible hand noise, their mics are so senstitive that can capture any tiny finger pressure on their bodies, spoiling the recording.
You may check out TopTenREVIEWS with their list of top ten digital voice recorders paralleled with different brands and features. You can also have a glimpse on what’s on offer at B&H’s Portable Digital Recorder Roundup.
Come on, share your thoughts about the best voice recording devices!