I love my Zoom H4n, just be sure to hold on extra tightly when recording
bodies of salt water (as discussed on this list a few months back).
Interesting, and a bit worrisome, to hear Richard's comment about the XLR
inputs. I haven't had a chance to test them (the built in condenser mics
sound great), though I have used the 1/4" inputs for digitizing, which do
not seem to suffer from the same reported problem. Overall, I find it a
great versatile low-tech solution for digitizing as well as recording. I
agree that its a bit bulky as a portable device, especially if you don't
carry a bag with you everywhere like I do. Some have also complained about
the menu system being difficult to navigate.

Best,
Tim


On Mon, Apr 15, 2013 at 5:05 AM, Don Cox <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> On 15/04/2013, Richard L. Hess wrote:
>
> > Peter,
> >
> > If you don't want to have the iPhone for the sake of a
> > phone/PDA/browser/whatever, I would not go the iPod Touch route.
> >
> > The Zoom H2 takes about a minute (or a bit less) to boot. The H1 is
> > faster. I don't recall about the H2n. I would think the Tascams are
> > faster, but we've heard issues with battery life on at least one of
> > them. I agree about the handling noise on the H1, but it, too, has a
> > tripod socket. I would make sure that any machine I bought had a
> > tripod socket. I carry a now-discontinued Rowi "clamp pod" to clamp
> > the Zoom to a variety of things from lecterns to others' mic stands (I
> > also have a wad of folded over duct tape that I use to avoid
> > scratching things).
> >
> A Gorillapod would do that job too.
>
> > One unit that was well received a little while ago was the Olympus,
> > but I do not know the current status of Olympus or the unit.
> >
> > Sony also makes units, but they tend to be more expensive than the
> > Tascam or the Zoom.
> >
> > One thought about instant on is that with the 20-hour battery life of
> > the Zoom H2n, you could turn it on when you entered the "possible
> > recording zone" and then take it out and double punch the record
> > button and you're in (the first punch puts it in record standby with
> > the meters running...at least that is how the H2 works).
> >
> > Whatever you do, do not get a "voice recorder" or "dictation
> > recorder". Make certain it will give you WAV and MP3 files. I normally
> > record WAV though for long things I have used MP3 on occasion.
> >
>
>
> Regards
> --
> Don Cox
> [log in to unmask]
>



--
Timothy Wisniewski, M.L.I.S.

Visual Materials Archivist
Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
5801 Smith Avenue, Suite 235
Baltimore, MD 21209