I field-tested the R09 before I decided to buy an H4.
I have not tested this Tascam but several reviews put it a bit lower on mic quality and preamp gain than I would like to see.
I've never been disappointed with live music recordings done with the H4. ymmv

I played with most of the handheld recorders and ended up with a Zoom H4. It had a lot of operational shortcomings (tiny display, unfriendly user interface) but it made great recordings. They came out with the H4n and fixed every complaint I had about the H4. You should at least check out the H4n.

Having looked at the mics on the H4n (someone smashed them off one of ours) they're probably worth under $5 which is understandable. Any of these class of units would have to perform better and be easier to use with a good external mic plugged into it. Which is great because you can buy the H4n and you get a quite usable unit out of the box and then if you need better sound you go buy a better mic.
Sony do make a top shelf unit with a top shelf mic, you'd probably do better with the H4n and an external mic though. Being able to put the mic in the right place and the recorder where you can easily see the meters and setup the levels is what I see as a big advantage to using an external mic, stereo or whatever.

Bob.

If the internals of the H4 mics look cheap, understand that they sounded better than anything in its class, at least when I did my tests. And yes, the samples I heard from that professional Sony model at $1,500 did sound better than the rest.

I'll not dispute that bang for buck the H4n is the best out there.
However even that $1,500 Sony unit has the same problem, the mics are attached to the unit. Testing something in a controlled environment is a world apart from using it in an uncontrolled environment.
Having any mic that you can put in the right place connected by a cable to the recorder so that you can monitor and adjust recording levels if needed, easily and conveniently, especially if you're a one man show, is going to let you avoid disasters that can all too easily happen with live shows.

Bob.

Absolutely agreed. Well said.

When I check out handheld recorders at NAB or pro shops, I just record a few seconds of room tone and listen to the recording with headphones.

Sony's PCM-D1 is the only self-contained recorder I have ever heard that can pick up "air" from its built-in microphones.

BY "air" I mean the nuances that make the recording "breathe."

Simply stunning.

The Sony PCM-D50 doesn't have "air" but it sounds very very good, and the Zoom H4n is about equal for less money (and with some advantages).

The built-in mics of the H4n sound adequate. Most of the time I use my trusty Audio Technica AT-825 stereo microphone with it and it sounds spectacular.

The H4n can record four channels simultaneously and if you're into music recording, it contains a small multitrack recording studio with overdubs and numerous effects like reverb, compressor/limiters, guitar amp simulators and more.

Thanks guys!

This is awesome info, and what you really need - life experience.

I'll check the H4N out for sure.

/Ulf

If you have $2,000 to throw at this then there is nothing that's going to touch the Sony PCM-D1 in a handheld. Although for a bit less money, I would probably go for the Sound Devices 702.

http://www.sounddevices.com/download/lit/702-facts.pdf

For mere mortals, the H4n is a really fun audio device. Yes, the H4n is fun.

Thanks John, would like, but I do not :-(

I actually found this:

http://www.wingfieldaudio.com/portable-recorder-sound-samples.html

Don't know how thorough the test is, but still.

/Ulf

Another question.

I am going to pick the H4N up for test at my soundshop next week. They wil probably let me test it for a few days.

Which mic should I get with it to test? The most work I do is speaches and music performances with 3-4 vocals and a band or a choir 20-30 vocals with band.

I only have the Røde NTG2 that I could find most suitable in my own mic's collection atm but I'm not sure it is the best to thesse tasks. I like the pricepoint for Røde a lot, but others could do as well.

Thanks.

/Ulf

I have a matched pair of Rode NT-5 mics and they sound superb. Rode also makes a stereo mic, the NT-4 which appears to use the same capsules as the NT-5.

I've had an Audio Technica AT-825 stereo mic for about 10 years that I've used on all kinds of stuff with excellent results.

Another vote for the Rode NT4.
I picked up a second hand one very cheap on eBay. I've used it on pipe organs, chamber orchestra and a gaggle of Indian performers on stage. I'm pretty certain John is right, same capsules as the NT5. A matched pair of NT5s would be a better option I guess but with the NT4 I don't have to think about it. You also get both XLR and minipin leads and the mic will take a battery for when you don't have phantom power or for when your recorder is running off batteries and you want to save the drain on its batteries.
The one thing I've bought to go with my NT4 is a Sabra SSM-1 shock mount. The mount's all plastic and maybe a bit overpriced at $42 but so far it works just fine.

Bob.

Be careful with some of the external mike / handheld recorder combinations.
With some of the recorders you have to turn up the gain to maximum just to get an audible recording thereby introducing unwanted noise.

Read as many reviews (including User Reviews at Amazon, B&H, etc) as you can for each recorder you look at

John

Thanks again guys

I'll have a chat with the music shop in copenhagen reg NT4/5 tuesday when I go in and order the H4N.

/Ulf

Btw. Bob (Farss). I picked the SE Reflectionsfilter up the other day and it is pretty amazing - thanks again.

Picked up the H4N and two paired NT5's

Look forward to try it out.

Thanks again for all the help... :-)

/Ulf

.

I bought a "dead cat" fur windscreen for my H4n and it works spectacularly. They are hand-made by a woman in Tennesee. She also makes windscreens for other handheld recorders and some microphones.

GigWig H4n windscreen on eBay - $23.99

GigWig Windscreen eBay Store

Gonna check this one out!

The foam one that comes stock is useless.

Addendum:

After looking at the pictures, I think we need to dub this one the "scaredy cat" windscreen. I don't know if I could take that thing on a real ENG assignment or not . . .

Apparently you are not familiar with windscreens made for windy situations, they look exactly like this. There is no need to be embarassed taking one on a "real" ENG assignment. The professionals on that assignment would have seen them many times before.