Hazel,
If you like the Maratz PMD660, take a look at the Marantz PMD620. However if
you are using the 660 with mics that use XLR connectors you'll be hard put
to find anything as good or cheaper than the PMD660 that supports XLR
connections. To use an XLR mic with most other units in the same price range
or cheaper, you'll have to get an XLR to miniplug adapter and condenser mics
will need to have their own power source.
Another option that offers similiar features to the PMD620 is the the
Olympus LS-10. Amzon UK sells both the PMD620 and LS-10 for around £250. If
you know someone traveling to the US, both units can be had for about £100
cheaper over here.
Cheaper than that and you have to go to Olympus DS-30/DS-40/DS-50. Latter
support recording in WMA but not WAV/MP3 as do the LS-10, PMD660 and PMD620.
There are lots of other digital recorders you might check out but I think
you'll be hard put to find anything that competes with either the Marantz or
Olympus units on quality/features/price. Other options include: Marantz
PMD670, Fostex FR-2LE, Sony PCM-D50, Edirol R-09, M-Audio MicroTrak
II, Yamaha PocketTrack 2G, Tascam DR-1, Zoom H2.
Good reviews of many of these recorders can be found here:
http://www.transom.org/tools/. Bear in mind that the reviewer is a producer
of radio documentaries so has somewhat different and rather more demanding
needs that most qualitative researchers. The same site also has extensive
reviews of XLR mics.
Comparison chart:
http://www.transom.org/tools/recording_interviewing/200703_recorder_reviews/
Alan.
On Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:43:55 +0100, Hazel Burke
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>I'm looking for recommendations for digital recorders and external
>microphones for research interviews.
>
>We have used the Marantz PMD660, which we like, and we now need to get some
>more recorders. We'd like these to be smaller (and cheaper!). We will be
>using them in some one-to-one interviews and also sometimes for interviews
>with more than one person, so I know that a good external microphone will be
>necessary.
>
>If you have any recommendations for:
>
>1. Digital recorders (hard drive or solid state)
>2. Unidirectional microphones
>3. Omnidirectional microphones
>
>all information will be much appreciated.
>
>Thank you!
>
>Hazel Burke
>
>Administrator, Real Life Methods (part of the National Centre for Research
>Methods)
>========================================================================
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