A field recorder, also called a microphone recorder, is a handheld unit with microphones, preamps and storage built in, so location audio is captured without a laptop.
A field recorder, also called a microphone recorder, is a handheld unit with microphones, preamps and storage built in, so location audio is captured without a laptop.
About Field Recorders
Field recording is any audio captured outside a traditional recording studio, from film, television and broadcast location work through to research and nature recording. A field recorder, often called a microphone recorder or portable audio recorder, packs microphones, preamps and storage into a handheld unit, so there is no need to carry a laptop and recording software on location.
SWAMP carries the most respected brands in portable recording, Zoom and Tascam. Browse our portable audio recorders, including the popular Zoom portable recorders, add a highly directional video microphone for camera work, and connect your rig with camera audio adapters. We also stock video recorders for capturing vision and sound together.
Yes, the terms describe the same device. A field recorder is a portable recorder with built-in microphones, also sold as a handy recorder or portable audio recorder. It records straight to a memory card, with no computer or phone required.
Anything recorded away from the studio: interviews and podcasts, band rehearsals and songwriting ideas, location sound for film and video, lectures, and nature or ambient sound. Built-in mics handle most jobs, and many models also accept external microphones.
Both are long-running leaders in portable recording and both are stocked at SWAMP. The choice usually comes down to the track count, microphone configuration and budget that suit your project rather than one brand being better than the other.