Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I just returned mine. Simply put, its a great little product, and for $175 you just can't find a better value. But you get what you pay for, and you get a nice little recording device, perfect for most applications, epically recording musical ideas while away from the studio. However, for low level recordings such as acoustic guitar, look closer at the Sony PCM-D50, that's what I'm switching to for my use. Here are my pros and cons of the DR07:
pros:
great price ($175 guitar center)
small
light weight
records any combination of 16/24bit 44.1k/48k sample rate
has built in mics
very easy to use
takes SD cards to expand recording time.
records either mp3 or wave files.
sound is directional, and records the best from directly in front.
Comes with a wind screen.
Takes AA batteries, easy to find and use.
cons:
Mic pre-amps are VERY noisy: when recording an interview or acoustic guitar, you can hear the hiss through it... lots of hiss on low volume recordings like that.
Lots of handling noise (more on that below),
NO Speaker! So you have to bring headphones to check your recordings.
The windscreen looks and feels cheap, its just a piece of shipping foam cut out to fit on top.
Buttons feel cheap,
memory card and USB access door feels cheap, I'm sure after a short while of use, it will break off.
Handling noise: any slight touch of the unit make a loud sound when using on-board mics, Poor quality limiter: the limiter cuts back so hard that when you just touch the unit, or get a loud pop from your voice, it cuts all the way down to zero, and then back up, so you get this very dramatic but short cut out of sound. Its very annoying. I had to turn off the limiter to use it, because every time i touched the unit to move it, it would cut out for a second. This was during an interview where I had the recording level up.
I was doing an interview and had to set the internal mic sensitivity to high and the gain to 8 or 9 (out of 10) just to get a good level on my subject sitting about 6 feet across from me. There was a lot of noise (hiss) too.Too much for someone picky, and looking for clean sound. Maybe an external mic would have been better, but you're still using the internal pre-amps which are very noisy.
I have to say that for the price, if you are looking for something to record band rehearsal, practice, or song ideas, its perfect! Maybe if you had a pair of mics you would get good results from a live rock concert (rock, not jazz or classical, because of the hiss in the background.... the rock music would drown that out)
So 5 out of 5 because it is perfect for what it is, but its not a solid feeling professional piece of gear with high quality preamps, its just a portable recorder for every day recording... professional sound guys would be disappointed. I would recommend this to my musician friends who want something to record scratch song ideas while away from a real studio, or someone looking to get into recording as a hobby, and play around with recordings.
Hope that helps people out there.*** UPDATE ***
okay, i just found the Sony PCM-M10 Portable Digital Recorder. I would suggest that anyone on the fence about the Sony PCM-D50 should consider this one, its half the price. If its ANYTHING like the D50, it will be something to consider if you're looking for a bit more from the DR07, mainly a bit more in quality of the mics.
PCM-M10 Portable Digital Recorder
Click Here to see more reviews about: Tascam DR07 Portable Digital Recorder
TASCAM's DR-07 brings portable digital recording to an even smaller, more affordable package. A pair of highly-sensitive built in mics captures a wide stereo image, recording in either MP3 or 16/24-bit WAV format. The DR-07 is powered by AA batteries and it transfers files to a computer using a high-speed USB 2.0 connection. The versatile recorder even includes a windscreen, tripod stand mount and 2GB SD card to start recording right away.
Musicians will appreciate the playback functions of the DR-07, including the ability to loop MP3s and slow them down without changing the pitch. External microphones and sources can be recorded through the mic/line input, and the recorder offers analog limiting, low cut and auto gain setting for great-sounding audio. But for great-sounding recordings, the compact DR-07 is all you need.
Built-in Mic The DR-07 features a pair of built-in stereo electret condenser mics, for instant, high-sensitivity stereo recordings. Thanks to the adjustable input level, it's a great choice for quiet or loud applications, from simple songwriting with a guitar to recording a metal band rehearsal.
SD and SD-HC Support Record to SD cards (including the included 2GB card) or add a little more recording time with high-capacity SD-HC cards up to 32GB.
Simple File Transfer Using the USB 2.0 jack, file transfer is a breeze. Simply connect to your PC and drag-and-drop.
Mic/Line Input Use an external microphone or line input device using the 3.5mm line and mic inputs.
The 3.5mm line output works with headphones or for sending to stereos/monitors/etc.
Keep It Clean The DR-07 has plenty of features to ensure your audio doesn't end up a distorted mess. The switchable low cut filter helps avoid rumble during field applications or recording bass-heavy material, the analog limiter keeps the dynamics in check, and the auto gain setting helps avoid preamp distortion from the get-go.
MP3 or WAV Recording The DR-07 writes WAV files at 44.1 or 48kHz, 16 or 24-bit formats. But you don't always need that for a scratch practice recording, grabbing an interview or lecture, etc. MP3 file recording lets you record directly to MP3 format, from 32kbps to 320 kbps, thus saving you a wealth of space on that SD card.
Variable-Speed Audition Slow down playback without changing the pitch--handy for learning or studying passages, transcribing interviews, or other uses.
Ultra-Portable The DR-07 is ready to go anywhere, since it's powered by two AA batteries (you can add the optional PS-P520 power adapter to power from a wall outlet).
It weighs just 4.4 ounces--with batteries--and is 2.2 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches in size.
What's in the BoxTASCAM DR-07, 2GB SD Card, USB Cable, AA Battery, Windscreen, Owner's Manual, Warranty Card
Click here for more information about Tascam DR07 Portable Digital Recorder
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