High quality portable audio recorders are now easily obtainable and affordable enough that even hobbyists can dabble in the world of digital sound recording while on the move.
Being able to capture high quality sounds on location can open up a whole wealth of music possibilities, particularly in certain genres such as dance, trance, hip-hop, ambient, and more. Stepping out of the studio armed with a compact recorder means that it’s really only the musician’s imagination that becomes a barrier to creativity.
So, enter TASCAM’s DR-40 4-track portable audio recorder, featuring a wealth of features to make capturing, storing and transferring audio recordings easy.
The unit features two condenser mics which can be adjusted between XY and AB position, plus an XLR mic and line inputs with phantom power.
Key features include a dual recording mode which captures a “safety track” at a lower input level. This is great if you record that “one take” moment only to discover the track has distortion on it.
There’s overdub, the ability to record to several tracks at once using a combination of built-in mics and external inputs, a two-second pre-recording buffer so you won’t miss the start of something unexpected, playback EQ and level align, reverb, and USB connection.
Here’s a full rundown of the unit’s capabilities:
- Handheld 4-track Portable Recorder
- Built-in condenser microphones, adjustable to XY or AB position
- XLR / 1/4” mic/line input with phantom power
- Locking Neutrik Combi jacks
- Record the built-in microphones with the XLR mic or line input for a four-track recording
- Dual recording mode captures a safety track at a lower level to avoid distortion
- Overdub mode allows recording along with a previous take
- Peak reduction automatically sets the ideal recording level
- 15-hour battery life from three AA batteries
- Up to 96kHz/24-bit WAV/BWF or MP3 recording resolution
- 2-second pre-recording buffer
- Variable speed playback from 50-150% speed without changing the pitch
- Adjustable limiter and low cut filter (40 / 80 / 120 Hz)
- Built-in speaker and chromatic tuner
- 1/8” headphone/line output
- Playback EQ and level align
- Stereo Reverb effect
- Tripod mounting hole
- SD/SDHC card slot supports up to 32GB media (2GB card included)
- USB 2.0 jack and cable for transferring recordings to computer
- Powered by three AA batteries, AC adapter (optional PS-P515U), external battery pack (optional BP-6AA), or USB bus power
- Optional RC-3F footswitch and RC-10 wired remote control
Available now, the TASCAM DR-40 has a RRP of $199.
