Tascam DR 05 vs Zoom H1 vs what else?

[Ulv]

Hello there,
I need something small and practical to record my band.
For the same price I can get a Tascam DR 05 or a Zoom H1.
What's better? Is there anything better on the market today for the same price?
I need it mostly for environmental recordings, like in our "studio" or during small gigs in clubs, not single instruments.

Thanks

 

[Badwater]

Either one is fine. About the same in features, and for just recording the room, either will do.

If you have a decent laptop or notebook another option for that price is a USB interface like AudioBox USB. It comes with a DAW recording software. All you need to operate it is some basic recording skills, and a couple of mics with cables. This will provide the best sound quality, and the ability to tweak out each track and mix the music.
And if you build your recording and mixing skills, you'll be able to record each player/instrument on separate tracks for the ultimate sound/mix. In other words, the Interface/DAW route is something you can grow into and develop skills that can make you a better musician live and in the studio.

 

[Ulv]

That's not what I need.
I already have a Focusrite 2i4.

 

[rudy4444]

That's not what I need.
I already have a Focusrite 2i4.

Sold my H1 and got a DR-05 which is a MUCH more solidly built recorder. I'm not anti-ZOOM, and have an R24, but the H1 is just cheap feeling. The biggest drawback is having to access a lot of the main functions by the side-mounted buttons. I tried to like it, but it was a big PITA for me.
The other main differance is the DR-05 is fitted with omni capsules while the H1 has cardiod capsules arrainged in an X-Y configuration. For personal instrument recording it could make a differance, but for your purposes not so much.

I have the computer stuff, too, but there's nothing as simple as turning a hand-held on and hitting the record button. I can do it faster than flipping the lid open on a lap top.

 

[Ulv]

Sold my H1 and got a DR-05 which is a MUCH more solidly built recorder. I'm not anti-ZOOM, and have an R24, but the H1 is just cheap feeling. The biggest drawback is having to access a lot of the main functions by the side-mounted buttons. I tried to like it, but it was a big PITA for me.
The other main differance is the DR-05 is fitted with omni capsules while the H1 has cardiod capsules arrainged in an X-Y configuration. For personal instrument recording it could make a differance, but for your purposes not so much.

I have the computer stuff, too, but there's nothing as simple as turning a hand-held on and hitting the record button. I can do it faster than flipping the lid open on a lap top.

Thanks.

What about battery life and audio quality?

 

[DirkP]

If you have a smartphone you could consider a digital connected mic, too. You could invest all your money into the mic and don't need another device. Zoom, Rode and Shure offer such mics.
One huge advantage: if the mic is connected to your Smartphone it is used by the camera app, too. So you can make videos of gigs or rehearsals without thinking about later synchronizing the audio and still have high-quality audio recordings if that is all you need.

Here as an example the Shure MV88 for iPhones:

 

[Ulv]

Here as an example the Shure MV88 for iPhones

I prefer not to messing around with a phone.

I own a Windows Phone 8.1, with no support for that kind of things, and an iPad Air with low storage capacity.

Also I prefer an SD storage in order to drop it on a PC after recordings.

Thank you

 

[rudy4444]

Thanks.

What about battery life and audio quality?

Audio quality is the same as the H1 as far as I can tell. I only use 44.1 khz 24 bit and they sound identical to me, other than the difference from the two different capsule configurations.
It seems to me like the DR-05 is more conservative with battery life, but I don't really watch it that close.

One thing that's kind of cool with the DR-05 is it will do very basic overdubs, so if you have a song idea and perhaps an idea for a harmony vocal or lead guitar line you could do it to capture the idea. You could overdub on the overdubbed track if you wanted to add more.

All the stuff like overdubbing, effects, etc. are really just window dressing for the most part and not really what I'd base selecting a handheld on, though.

In the case of recording band rehearsals or something of that sort the DR-05's omni capsules will do a better job od capturing everything in the room, since the capsules aren't directional.