# Picking a field recording Mic for sound design



## RyanMcQuinn (Oct 3, 2017)

Zoom h4n vs Olympus ls-14 for sound design? The SOS article about the zoom says it's great except it is missing some "body". I also read that the Olympus fits in your pocket easier and the zoom is more like a brick, so I'm leaning Olympus right now. What else should I know?


----------



## MChangoM (Oct 3, 2017)

I've used a Zoom 4Hn for over 6 years for field recording for video work, usually with external mics. Can't comment on how it compares to alternatives, but I can say that poor little Zoom has held up well to all kinds of abuse - banged and dropped many times, hauled around in a gear bag with heavy mics, exposed to all kinds of weather (never submerged), etc. Battery life isn't great, so I have adapters to run it off video gear batteries.


----------



## ptram (Oct 3, 2017)

I can't do comparisons, but I like the sound of my Tascam Dr100 mk3. Clean, open, full-bodied.


----------



## gregh (Oct 3, 2017)

I use the sadly discontinued Sony PCM-M10 which has very low noise and almost supernatural battery life. As with a camera, the best recorder is the one you have with you so I would definitely go for something easy to carry and with long battery life - cannot stress battery life enough! 

For external mics I use these with the Rycote windjammer to cut windnoise http://micbooster.com/primo-microphone-capsules/98-mono-clippy-em172-microphone.html Though cheap they are very good - I doubt you'd get much better without paying a lot more for something from DPA 

I think the LS14 has lower noise so I would go for that. But first I would check the tascam DR-100mk3


----------



## jononotbono (Oct 3, 2017)

I'm actually going to invest in a Zoom H6 soon for Sound Design and Location Recording. I have considered the F8 but I don't think I would need it and the price is quite considerable compared to the H6.


----------



## synthpunk (Oct 3, 2017)

Tascam DR-05 here. $100 usd. If you do not want to carry around another brick grab a Rode mic for your iphone.


----------



## gsilbers (Oct 3, 2017)

use the zoom h6 . very good. a lot of mic inputs so i use the onboard stereo mic and also add one or two extra mics. (jolly mics)


----------



## RyanMcQuinn (Oct 3, 2017)

It sounds like there are a lot of good options. I will look into all these recommendations. Thank you all very much. This community is always so helpful


----------



## synthpunk (Oct 3, 2017)




----------



## Anders Wall (Oct 3, 2017)

jononotbono said:


> I'm actually going to invest in a Zoom H6 soon for Sound Design and Location Recording. I have considered the F8 but I don't think I would need it and the price is quite considerable compared to the H6.


Just remember that the display on the H6 is almost impossible to read in daylight. The H5 much better, but then you'll loose two XLRs.
If I started today I'll save for a SoundDevices MixPre3 or 6. I use a MixPre-6 together with a Soundfield sps200.
Superior (the MixPre) to the H6 but also more expensive.
https://www.sounddevices.com/products/recorders/
http://www.soundfield.com/products/sps200

Re: mics. Try and get a couple of different types. Start with one or even better a matched pair of cardioids.
Then add a M/S some omins, contact-, coil-microphones and hydrophones to your arsenal.
There are plenty of brands that are adequate. Here are links to more "unusual" mics.
https://jezrileyfrench.co.uk/ordering-page.php
https://lom.audio/product-category/elektrosluch/

For inspiration I'll recommend this -->
http://www.diegostocco.com/music-from-objects/
http://www.diegostocco.com/music-from-nature/

Best of luck!

/Anders


----------

