Tascam DR-05X Stereo Handheld Digital Audio Portable Recorder and USB Audio Interface, Pro Field, AV, Music, Dictation Recorder

This is exactly the portable recorder that I was looking for. I use it to record live music and rehearsal sessions.The good things:- It's the right size.- It has a good range of easy to use features. Easy to navigate menus.- I can operate it with one hand using a thumb.- The recording and sound quality are quite good for my use.- It's a Tascam product - I have had good experience with Tascam and don't need to save a couple of bucks by buying a knock off or copycat.- It records WAV and a variety of MP3 densities. No proprietary format that must be converted!- It stores files on a removable Micro USB card, not on board. Files can be easily transferred by USB cable or simply transferring the card to a computer.- It uses two AA batteries (included) which means I am not tethered to a charger. This is perfect for longer recording periods as I can swap out new batteries on the fly so to speak. I was able to record / playback for over 40 hours on the supplied set of batteries.- It has a mounting screw port and can be attached to a mic stand or desk mounted stand.- It is cheap enough that if I lose it or break it I won't freak out.Could be better:- A bluetooth I/O link would be nice (it is available on more expensive recorders)- You'll need to use a stereo capable 1/8" jack patch cord if you want to use an external speaker or patch into another device.- Being a small device with a small screen, setting recording levels can be a bit tedious.- Settings are lost when the recorder is turned off.Notable mentions:- I ended up purchasing and returning a Refurbished recorder. Typically I have had good success with refurbished items but this item was "locking up" as I browsed recordings and switched menus quickly.- I have had one instance of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) while recording. It comes across as a clicking sound. I wasn't able to isolate what was causing the interference but it was not a guitar or bass amp. The RFI was transient and only occurred once in 78 recordings on the unit that I returned.- Amazon handled the return as they always do. Efficient and easy.- The lack of a micro-USB card with the recorder is not a big deal. Many people including myself have several micro-usb cards from other retired devices I could use. Memory cards are quite inexpensive these days and you can just order one when you purchase the recorder. Get a 128Gig card because if you are like me you will use it.Although the packaging that it comes in will provide great protection when it's not in use, I am purchasing a case that can fit spare batteries, a short USB cable, and the 1/8" stereo output cable in one place.

The first unit I received had a 2.5 dB difference in volume between the two microphones. I sent it back for a replacement, and the replacement had a 1.0 dB difference between the two microphones.Wondering if perhaps I was expecting too much, I pulled out two bare $5 electret microphone elements and wired them to a 1/4" TRS connector and plugged them in. The levels were within 0.1 dB of each other. So it's not a problem with the ADC in the device, it's just the internal microphones not being well-matched to each other.Figuring that I wouldn't get anything better, I kept that one, thinking that I could just replace the internal microphones with my own electret microphones if I'm ever sufficiently bothered, but so far I've just been fixing the difference between the two channels with software.There's a lot of videos on the internet complaining about radio interference but I haven't had that problem, which makes me think Tascam fixed it.The recording quality is great. I record in 24-bit PCM mode, and just set the recording volume to 48 and forget it. It's low enough that even the loudest sounds won't peak the recording, and high enough that even the quietest sounds the microphone can detect are a mile above the noise floor of the ADC. So I can just record without worry and then, later on a PC, try to get the volume level perfect. Unfortunately the limited range of the on-screen volume meter, and the fact that it makes you press record twice, really tries to encourage you to do otherwise, but trust me, just set it to 48 and try not to forget to press record twice, and your recordings will always sound perfect after you amplify them to whatever volume you actually want them to be.Other than that, the software on the device seems good enough. The menus are logically ordered and while it's a bit confusing to try to play back recordings and seek through them (though there are two modes for this, with which one is better depending on whether you have one long recording or many short recordings to go through), it does work and for the most part I just want to copy files to my PC and listen to them there anyway.Overall I'm quite happy with the device and would definitely just buy another one if this one were to stop working someday, but I do hope that if that happens, though I do hope that, if that day comes, Tascam is shipping them with microphones that are well matched to each other.

I bought the DR-05 back in 2011 and frequently used it for live band recordings. It died last week after 10+ yrs. I was tempted to try another brand but since I was happy with the quality of the TASCAM recordings, I stuck with TASCAM. For editing software, I use free Audacity and Studio One. Some of my recordings sound excellent. I also recorded my drums for youtube videos with the DR-05.This DR-05X has some extra features like brighter screen and added effects like reverb. I like the portability of the unit as it fits in my drumstick bag easily. The interface is very easy to use. The unit comes with batteries but does NOT include micro SD card and cable for PC. So, right out of the box, you cannot use the recorder unless you have a micro SD card on hand. The unit has no built-in memory. But for under a hundred bucks, I can't complain. I'll be happy if I get at least another 10 years out of this new unit. You can spend more on other recorders, but this little recorder is a great buy at this price point. One small issue - I had to return the first DR-05X I received due to the display light flickering. Amazon provided a replacement right away which works fine.