BTW the new Tascam DR-60D for the DSLR guys looks pretty good
http://tascam.com/product/dr-60d/

the 60D would be over the target for me - but the 05 looks nice - and you say that its housing does not creak and squeak when you hold it in your hand and use it normally?

Have a look at the Yellowtec iXM. HHB used to make a very similar unit but that's been discontinued.

Bob.

No ritsmer it is very sturdy I’ve had no problems with hand sounds creeping in and fits nicely into your hand it also has a standard cam thread hole at the back plastic not brass unfortunately so I threaded steel adapter so this won’t wear. The magic thing is you are one click away to listening to your last recording, no scrolling back and forth etc.

For a camera mounted solution, the newish Rode mic/recorder combos look pretty interesting.
http://www.rodemic.com/vmhd

I have two Different model Zoom recorders and an Olympus LS-10. The Zoom recorders pick any case handling noise terribly but the Olympus is much better. I have no problem using the LS-10 handheld, but the Zoom...forget it!

You might also want to try some cotton gloves.

The occasional times I use my h4 handheld, I have a simple grip handle that screws into the tripod thread. Reduces, but does not completely eliminate handling noise.

I'm using a Tascam Dr-2d. Pretty good hand held and it has cards rather than omni's to reduce unwanted noise. Also, it can simultaneously record a 2nd stereo track at -6 or -12db to insure you don't run into a clipping problem..

The 60D has no mics, it is just a recorder, not meant for handheld (but is a great option for capturing DSLR sound, both dual and on camera).

I have the DR-05 and it handles pretty nice, much sturdier than the Zoom H1.

However for interviews why not get a dynamic mic and plug into the ext. mic port on your Zoom. Probably best option over sticking the recorder in someone's face......

The Yellowtech iXM I mentioned previously is the perfect solution, a microphone with interchangeable heads that has a built in recorder and it looks pretty much like a microphone and you could put a flag on it. The choice of heads are Omni, cardioid and super-cardioid. Perfect.

Only problem is the price, they have got to be joking. It's more than twice the price of the similar unit HHB used to make and it didn't sell too well because of the price. I thought Yellowtech had seen HHB's mistake and made something at a price point where they could sell the product, sigh.

The problem with a separate recorder and mic is the lack of confidence. It's desirable to have record start / stop and a record indicator on the thing the interviewer is holding. I think one of the Marantz over the shoulder recorders has a facility to use a mic with a record start / stop button. Nagra used make an all metal hand held recorder with interchangeable mics and at a more or less affordable price but they discontinued that a few year ago, darn.

Maybe just stay with the Zoom H1 and stick some adhesive backed foam tape on it, maybe that'd tame the creaks and groans.

Bob.

Great - thank you for all the good ideas.

Result:
1) I opened the Zoom H1 (just 2 screws) and added glue all the way around the rim. Plus I taped the battery lid with Tesa cloth tape (easy to remove) and voila: 99% of the squeaking is gone.
Why so much effort? because the small H1 nicely resembles a conventional mike - and is very usable too.


2) Gonna try the Tascam and the Olympus in a nearby store next week - trying and getting new toys is always nice.
The no doubt perfect Yellowtec (about 1000 GBP around here) is over my weekly pocket money.

I agree, the H1 is great piece of kit. I prefer it to the H4n which is too much of one thing and not enough of the other. For when I need more than the H1 then I want something like my Edirol R-44.

Bob.

Google'd the Edirol R-44 - looks really nice.

When circumstances allow it I use my home made sound-case:



but it all end up in the Zoom.

[I]"Google'd the Edirol R-44 - looks really nice."[/I]

It's not really "pro" audio, you can figure out how to use it without reading a 50 page manual :)
I like the way you've fitted all your audio kit in a case. Actually I'm a bit jealous, mine is takes up too many cases twice that size :(

The again I recently saved a stage show because we had a couple of apple boxes in the car. I'm still working on how to fit a kitchen sink into the back of the wagon.

Bob.

The new Zoom H6 looks to be particularly capable, it's the world's first hand-held 6-track recorder and it's loaded with useful features. It also has interchangeable microphone capsules and newly redesigned mic preamps. Looks like a heck of a deal for $400 and that includes the X-Y capsule and the M-S capsule. The extra XLR module is only $70. I'll be getting one soon to replace my H4n (with which I have been perfectly happy.)

https://www.zoom-na.com/

John, that's very nice! I like the comment about MidSide device attachment:

"The Mid-Side technique works well whenever you need a variable amount of room sound. It can also be used for studio recording, and its convenience and flexibility make it a good option for rehearsal and live concert recording as well. Another benefit is that it provides total mono compatibility, making it an excellent choice for stereo recordings that may eventually be played back in mono, such as TV broadcasts.

Interesting....

G

Tascam DR-680

I received a lot of audio advice on this forum, ended up with the Tascam, couldn't be happier. It might satisfy your needs.

http://tascam.com/product/dr-680/

The DR-680 ain't much of a hand held option and one would need a external mic... and the multiple tracks would be somewhat more than necessary for that task.
It's also a little clunky to deal with and has many buttons and switches, many of which can be difficult to access inside a case/bag. It also eats batteries eight at a time.. and with Phantom power engaged, they don't last long al. Other than that, it's a good recorder.

Thanks ritsmer for starting this thread! I needed a portable multi track recorder and was about to pull the trigger on the Tascam DR-680 but thanks to John, now am looking at the Zoom H6. the Zoom has everything I need including the built-in mics plus the ability to add another 2 XLR jacks to make it a 6 ch XLR recorder.

The Zoom H6 claims 21 hours of two-track recording on a set of batteries and almost 10 hours recording all six tracks.

I also like the fact that it has real volume knobs with a -20db pad. (The H4n has a maximum line level input of about +2 dbm and then it would overload no matter what the gain setting.) The other useful feature is "Backup Record", when turned on during the recording of WAV files, the H6 automatically records a duplicate set of L/R tracks, but with 12dB less input gain. Even if the original L/R track is distorted, chances are the backup version is fine.

Nice features John.
I was researching the web but couldn't find anything about the frequency response of the mics...

Even if the original L/R track is distorted, chances are the backup version is fine.
- Not if the recorder's input stage or signal is distorted beforehand...
John is correct in stating the H4n's max line level input. It will normally distort a nominal +4dB line level input, which typically has peaks approaching +20dB. ( and higher)