Yes, you are currently having a device in your pocket that can capture audio—your phone. But the quality of the audio from those tiny microphones leaves a lot to be desired. It’s easy to overwhelm the microphones when you’re trying to capture an impromptu jam session with your band. You never get a solid stereo image of your surroundings. And echoey lecture halls reduce every speaker to a muddy mess.
There are plenty of reasons to get a field recorder. They can be used to record lectures in school, capture audio for a video shoot, serve as a mobile podcast studio, collect samples for use in your music, and even create IR (impulse responses) for building custom audio effects.
There is also the act of field recording itself: going out and capturing the ambient sounds of the world around you. If you have never experimented with it, I cannot recommend it enough. It can teach you to listen better to the world around you and make you more observant.
If you work with audio in any way, even as a hobby, a good handheld field recorder is a must-have. Below are our current favorites. Also check out our guides to the Best recording softwarethe Best Wired Headphonesand the Best USB Microphones. If you're interested in recording at home and away from home, be sure to check out our guide to improving your home recording studio.
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