Introduction
The TASCAM DR-05 is a small, easy to carry device that records really good sound. It’s made for people like musicians, reporters, podcasters, or anyone who wants top recordings. It’s simple to use and has cool features.
Design and Build Quality
- Compact and light design makes it easily portable.
- Intuitive button layout for simple operation.
- Sturdy build ensures durability during travel or field use.
Features
- Two built-in omnidirectional microphones capture clear stereo audio.
- Records in various formats including WAV and MP3, accommodating different preferences.
- Adjustable input levels and low-cut filter for enhanced sound customization.
- 2GB microSD card, expandable up to 32GB for extended recording.
Performance
- Produces high-quality recordings with minimal handling noise.
- Easy playback and file management system for quick access to recordings.
- Long battery life ensures extended recording sessions without interruptions.
Pros
- Portable and clear design
- High-quality stereo recording
- Customizable settings for different recording environments
- Expandable storage capability
- Long-lasting battery life
Cons
- Limited internal storage
- Display screen might be small for some users
- Lacks advanced editing features
Conclusion
The TASCAM DR-05 is a great pick for people who want a small recorder for different recording tasks. It’s small, has great sound, and is easy to use. It’s a good tool for musicians, journalists, and podcasters, even though it might not have a lot of storage space or advanced editing options.
ahawshlak –
This review is from: Tascam DR-05 Portable Digital Recorder (Electronics)
I purchased this to record my daughter’s piano recitals. I researched the options and found this to give me the best feature set for the money. What was important to me was easy transfer of files to my PC, good battery life, cheap and expandable media, ease of use, choice of manual and auto record levels, and the ability to change recording levels once recording has started. And of course it should make good sounding recordings!
This device met all of these criteria both on paper an in actual use. To play around with it, I have been recording my daughter’s practice sessions. I was shocked at the sound quality even from the built in microphones. The resulting recording had no hiss, had good punch in the low end, didn’t audibly distort even when the peak light would light, and had great stereo imaging. Wow! Transferring files to my PC is literally drag-n-drop since the device appears as an external drive when connected to the PC. I’ve recorded about 5 hours along with about 3 hours of playback and the battery charge indicator still hasn’t dropped. This is using the provided alkaline batteries.
I upgraded to a 16GB memory card that cost me <$30. That's what I call a cheap storage upgrade from the 2GB card provided!
To really put it through it’s paces, I brought it along to record my daughter’s school play. The resulting recroding sounded awesome and was very faithful to how it sounded live. I was afraid that the audience clapping would really overload the microphones since I set the levels manually for the performers. Though there is clipping during the applause sections, it is not bad at all. I didn’t even feel the need to round out the clipping during post processing. My daughter was very excited to hear the recording afterwards and agreed that it sounded great. As a point of reference, I’ve been making all of my recordings as stereo 16 bit 44kHz WAV files (aka CD quality/spec).
There is a little bit of handling noise, but that is to be expected with a device with built in microphones. But if you are careful, you can minimize this. I tweaked the levels at the start and you can barely tell I was pushing buttons on it. During the entire performance, I just laid the DR-05 on the empty chair next to me.
The only downside I can find with this device is that the input is really hot for line-in. If you do not have control of the output you connect to the line-in, you may have a problem. This is stated in the manual. From my reading, the more expensive models have a true line-in where this isn’t a problem. If you plan to use this device to record from the outputs of a soundboard or other device, you may want to move up to a model that supports a true line-in. I don’t plan on using this device this way, so it isn’t an issue for me.
Coming from using a Sony HiMD Minidisc recorder for similar tasks in the past, I can’t tell you how much of a pleasure the DR-05 is to use. It is so easy to use and produces great results straight out of the box. I highly recommend this device.
guerel –
This is a superb compact piece of equipment which I’ve been having fun experimenting with. For it’s price, the quality of the recordings are outstanding though the stereo image is a little on the narrow side, but when you widen the stereo a little in a wav editor like SoundForge, it truly bursts into life with utterly realistic life like highly detailed stereo imaging. It’s astonishing how powerful the microphones are too… I did an experimental recording walking through a busy market… listening back later, one was staggered being able to hear snatches of conversation and distant sounds and noises in clear detail that I never even noticed whilst making the recording! One should pay attention to the recording levels though – first time I used it involved a bus journey and I had the the levels too high hence I ended up with a painful unlistenable continual buzzing noise. Tried again at a much lower level and using the built in limiter and I was impressed! You can also plug in headphones and hear straight away how the levels sound which is another big bonus. So, provided you keep an eye on and set the recording levels lower you can get great recordings of very loud sounds which back in old days when I used tape recorders were usually prone to distorting badly due to overloading the microphones even when recording at low volumes so basically you can throw any sound at this and get a good realistic recording.
The fact one can also make direct line in recordings (hence you could use this to make high quality digital transfers of analogue tapes or vinyl) and that you can record live overdubs onto a new track means one can do some good multitrack recording with some careful imagination. The wide amount of options for recording quality and bitrates is a nice bonus too as is the fact this comes with a 4gb SDCard so you can get up and recording straight away. However, if you’re planning to make “field recordings” – when you’re outdoors then you WILL need a windshield to eliminate the wind noise since the slightest breeze can be picked up. I don’t know how units like this that are sold for double the price (or more) compare but if you want to make good lifelike stereo recordings of practically anything, this little unit will do the job very nicely and after a few minutes of familiarising yourself with the controls and menu system, it’s very easy and simple to set up and use. I’m VERY particular when it comes to sound and recording quality and guessed maybe the best reviews here were perhaps too good to be true, but this lives up to all my expectations and I’m thrilled to bits. It does everything I want it to do, and more. Amazing value.
P.K. Frary –
L’ho acquistato per effettuare registrazioni di musica dal vivo, segnatamente hard rock (ma anche rock, jazz.
Non l’ho mai testato sulla musica classica e al riguardo rimando al commento del recensore “Roberto” che registra solo quella).
In passato registravo con un minidisc della Sony ed ero abbastanza soddisfatto.
Devo dire che non ho sofferto passando al registratore digitale anche se ero scettico su due cose: amo la registrazione su supporto, quale esso sia, non amo molto quella su memoria; non mi garbava l’assenza totale di batteria ricaricabile (qui sostituita da due stilo) ma mi sono ricreduto giacché il registratore fa il suo dovere più e più volte senza “divorare” l’energia delle pile (ciò vuol dire che con due pile, si possono registrare parecchie ore di musica).
Si può registrare in alta qualità in formato MP3 o WAV, in alta risoluzione a 96-kHz/24-bit utilizzando schede di tipo microSD o microSDHC media. Una coppia di microfoni omnidirezionali in configurazione A/B offre la possibilità di registrare fino a 125dB SPL.
Non l’ho ancora provato con l’ausilio di un microfono esterno ma lo farò quanto prima e non mancherò di condividere il commento in questa sede (è possibile utilizzare un ingresso mini-jack per segnali di linea oppure utilizzare un microfono esterno con alimentazione di tipo plug-in).
Relativamente al prezzo, al momento in cui scrivo è aumentato, seppur non in maniera considerevole (io l’ho comprato a poco più di 90 euro).
La prima registrazione è stata un disastro ma non avevo regolato il livello del volume in entrata. Le successive mi hanno soddisfatto.
Sono pienamente soddisfatto.
Di seguito le caratteristiche tecniche
Formati supportati:
Linear PCM (WAV format) at 16-bit/44.1 kHz (CD quality) or 24-bit/44.1 kHz
Linear PCM (WAV format), 24-bit/48 kHz
Linear PCM (WAV format), 24-bit/96 kHz
Compressed (MP3 format): 32–320 kbit/s at 44.1/48 kHz (i files VBR can be riprodotti ma non registrati)
Caratteristiche di registrazione
Microfoni omni-direzionali integrati
Accetta elevate pressioni sonore fino a 125 dB
Setup facile
Suono naturale indipendente dalla posizione della sorgente
Ideale per registrazioni musicali live o ambientali
Filtro selezionabile per minimizzare le basse frequenze non desiderate (40 Hz, 80 Hz, 120 Hz)
Regolazioni per registrazione manuale (per musica o registrazione da campo)
Registrazione automatica, regolazione livello (auto gain)
Tre modalità di controllo automatico del livello durante la registrazione: Peak Reduction, Auto Level, Limiter
Buffer di pre-registrazione (2 secondi) che consente alla registrazione di avviarsi prima della pressione del tasto record
Il Timer consente alla registrazione di avviarsi 5 o 10 secondi dopo la pressione del tasto record
Crea un nuovo file manualmente durante la registrazione
Imposta un marker per richiamare velocemente un frammento audio desiderato (fino a 99 per file)
Ingresso mic/line stereo con alimentazione plug-in per sorgenti o microfoni esterni
Funzioni di playback
La normalizzazione e l’allineamento dei livelli di picco consentono di percepire una maggiore pressione sonora durante la riproduzione dei files audio
Variable speed audition per cambiare la velocità del playback senza modificare l’intonazione (50-200 %)
Funzione Repeat (ripete una traccia o tutte le tracce)
Funzione loop (ripete una sezione tra marker)
Funzione Playlist per riprodurre files in un determinato ordine
Funzione resume (riprende il playback dall’ultima posizione di arresto)
Funzione flash back per rivisitare all’istante il playback (1–10, 20, 30 secondi)
EQ per controllo tonale durate il playback
MP3 ID3 tag display (fino alla versione 2.4)
Spekears integrati
Uscita cuffie/linea
Altre caratteristiche
Accordatore cromatico
Funzione divisione file per tagliare parti non desiderate (solo da file WAV)
Gestione delle cartelle per organizzare al meglio i files
Funzione Hold per evitare operazioni non desiderate
Display LC retroilluminato
Connessione USB 2.0 per trasferimento files con il computer
Alimentazione per mezzo di 2 batterie AA Alkaline o NiMH, via bus USB o per mezzo dell’alimentatore opzionale (PS-P515U)
Adattatore da ‘ di pollice posizionato sotto l’unita. E’ possibile posizionare l’unità su un asta microfonica o treppiede
Specifiche tecniche
Analogue audio inputs and outputs
Microphone/Line input 3.5-mm stereo mini jack (supporting plug-in power)
Input impedance 25 kOhm
Nominal input level –20 dBV
Maximum input level –4 dBV
Line/headphones output 3.5-mm stereo mini jack
Output impedance 12 Ohm
Nominal output level –14 dBV (10 kOhm load)
Maximum output level +2 dBV (10 kOhm load)
Maximum output power (phones) 20 mW + 20 mW (32 Ohm load)
Built-in loudspeaker 0.3 W (monaural)
Other inputs and outputs
USB jack Mini-B type
Format USB 2.0 HIGH SPEED mass storage class
Audio performance
Frequency response 20 – 20 kHz +1/–3 dB (44.1 kHz, EXT IN to LINE OUT, JEITA) – 20 Hz – 22 kHz +1/–3 dB (48 kHz, EXT IN to LINE OUT, JEITA) – 20 Hz – 40 kHz +1/–3 dB – (96 kHz, EXT IN to LINE OUT, JEITA)
Total harmonic distortion 0.05 % or less (EXT IN to LINE OUT, Fs 44.1/48/96 kHz, JEITA)
S/N ratio 92 dB or more (EXT IN to LINE OUT, Fs 44.1/48/96 kHz, JEITA)
Note for JEITA Conforming to JEITA CP-2150
Computer compatibility Supported OS
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
Mac OS X 10.2 or later
Windows Pentium 300 MHz or faster
128 MB or more memory
USB port (USB 2.0 recommended)
Mac Power PC, iMac, G3, G4 266 MHz or faster
64 MB or more memory
USB port (USB 2.0 recommended)
Recommended USB host controller Intel chipset
Power supply and other specifications
Power supply Two AA batteries (Alkaline or Ni-MH)
USB bus power supplied from a computer
AC adaptor (TASCAM PS-P515U, sold separately)
Power consumption 1.7 W (maximum)
Dimensions (W x H x D) 61 mm x 141 mm x 26 mm
Weight 0,116 kg (without batteries)
Operating temperature range 0–40 °C
P.K. Frary –
The media could not be loaded.
I bought the
TASCAM DR-05
because I wanted something smaller than my DR-100 MKII for recording while traveling and wandering around town. My DR-05 was labeled “Version 2 Enhanced Performance” on the box and shipped with a 4GB microSD card and USB cable. Performance enhancements appear to be minor internal changes (hence no “MK II” moniker): nondestructive overdubbing, reverbs, auto tone (sync with DSLR guide tracks) and a few more firmware tweaks related to auto record modes. This is a bare bones package with no case, handle or wind muff (dead kitten).
APPEARANCE & BUILD: Styling and control layout are similar to the DR-07 and DR-40: dark gray plastic, raised buttons and pumpkin orange monochrome LCD. The small LCD is 1990s tech but readable in both bright sunlight and dark venues. Fit and finish appear excellent but build is light duty consumer grade and will not survive heavy rain or a drop onto concrete. It’s considerably smaller and lighter than the DR-40 and DR-100 MKII, fitting comfortably in my medium sized hands.
CONTROLS: Physical controls are basic but the important ones—record, stop, levels, pause, hold, etc.—fall easily under the fingers. The DR-05 may be held in the palm like a smartphone and controlled with a single thumb. Unlike touchscreens, physical buttons are raised, varied in shape and positioned so they can be operated by feel in the dark.
Level adjustments are global—no individual channel adjustment—but may be quickly accessed on the arrow keys. Most other features are buried in the menus. You can set the limiter with the “Quick Menu” but will need to swim through a half dozen submenus to enable mic power, format or set a low cut filter.
CONNECTIONS: Audio input options are twofold: built-in omnidirectional mics or a 3.5mm jack for a powered stereo mic. Once I enabled mic power in the menu, my Tascam TM-2X cardioid stereo mic worked flawlessly.
Output consists of headphone/line out from a single mini stereo jack. Adapters are needed to interface with studio and home stereo systems. However, I suspect most recordists are like me: the Mini SD card goes straight into the computer for storage, playback and editing. The DR-05 has a mini-USB port for buss power or uploading to a computer, but is not enabled for playback, recording or battery charging.
BATTERIES: Two AA batteries provide power. I use Eneloop rechargeables and they easily last through an all day rehearsal. If I need to track longer, I plug a USB battery pack into the USB port.
SOUND QUALITY: I use the DR-05 to record rehearsals, lessons and ambient nature sounds. The built-in omnidirectional mics sound very good–clean, full range and accurate–and easily records sounds throughout the room. The DR-05 is not a good choice for reportage as omnidirectional mics pickup too much surrounding ambience for sidewalk interviews. A unit with directional cardioid mics is a better choice if audience or street sounds need to be reduced, e.g., DR-07 MKII or DR-40.
Mics are slightly on the bright side but mellower and more diffuse than the mics on the DR-100 MKII and DR-40. The preamps have plenty of gain and I was able to record soft finger picked classical guitar with optimal levels at 75 to 80%. Unlike the DR-100 MKII and DR-40, the DR-05 lacks a gain sensitivity menu/switch but the default seems equivalent to “high” on the DR-100 MKII.
Wav files recorded at 48kHz 24-bits or 92kHz 24-bits sound excellent and process easily in Bias Peak Pro or Apple Logic. For the best sound, guitar and voice tracks need a slight EQ boost in the lower midrange.
LAST BLURB: The DR-05 is extremely portable and easily slips into a camera bag or pant pocket. It’s intuitive to operate and, indeed, tracks from the DR-05 sound great on studio monitors and headphones. Features are mainly aimed at musicians but it’s also a good general use recorder for dialogue and DSLR audio in spaces where omnidirectional mics are appropriate. I’m pleased with this little recorder: most of the audio quality of the DR-100 MKII but at one third the cost and a much easier carry.
Norman Prebble –
Estaba en duda entre la Zoom H1 y la Tascam DR-05. Me tragué muchos vídeos de youtube de comparativas y pruebas y por características parecía mejor la Tascam, así que me he decidido por ella.
Cuando me llegó con el entusiasmo me puse a probarla al instante y me quedé de piedra porque no grababa absolutamente nada. Luego, trasteando un poco en los menús, ya ví que la sensibilidad de recepción estaba puesta al mínimo. Configurando bien ésto, todo genial.
En lo que respecta a lo importante, que es la calidad de grabación, me ha parecido simplemente perfecta, tanto usando los micrófonos que lleva incorporados como con uno barato de corbata (uno de audio-technica), que conectado a la Tascam parece hasta bueno y todo. Una calidad brutal. Yo la uso para grabar vídeos para youtube y también para entrevistas en la calle y en estudio para programas de radio y es una pasada. He comparado grabaciones hechas con esta Tascam y con el Blue Yeti y creo que sin discusión gana la Tascam.
Contras:
– Como dicen en otros comentarios, lo peor es el acabado plasticoso. En una grabadora de este precio cabría esperar mejor calidad en la carcasa.
– El tamaño, siendo contenido, también resulta un pelín grande para un bolsillo normal de pantalón.
– A pesar de que en el menú hay una opción para activar la alimentación de un micrófono externo, probado con micrófonos sin pila no ha funcionado de ninguna de las maneras. He tenido que usar un micro de corbata con alimentación para grabar desde un micro externo.
– El precio me parece caro, aunque no cabe ninguna duda acerca de su calidad.
– Por lo que cobran podrían haber traído una esponja, un gato muerto o ese tipo de complementos antiviento y antipop. Tampoco habría venido mal una funda.
Pros:
– Viene con pilas y tarjeta de memoria para empezar a grabar desde el primer minuto
– La rosca universal de la carcasa que permite sujetarla a cualquier trípode
– Lo más importante: una calidad fantástica en las grabaciones que efectúa.
Io –
I bought this recording to record wild life in my local park for our website. I also use it to record my feeble attempts to sing the blues with my piano accompaniment.
The recorder works very well better than any analogue recorder that I ever had and it also works much better than the recording features on a ‘phone or tablet because the microphones are better.
I had it up and running in no time without using the manual but it is best to delve into the manual to look for the more obscure and advanced features.
I tested it in the garden on some bird song and it could pick out the robins, sparrows magpies and crows very easily and clearly even though there was traffic going past. It also picked up the sound of the the children playing in the local school at least a quarter of a mile away.
It can record using mp3 and uncompressed wav files. The wav files can be recorded at 16/44.1 and 24/96 – if you must.
You can monitor the recordings by use of headphones. The sound can be amplified so that you can hear the recording louder than it would be live.
The file system is not user unfriendly but you can change that using a PC or Laptop by removing the supplied 4gb micro sd card and inserting it into reader on your computer. If you use a new or another SD card it will have to be formatted by the Tascam, and you could lose any data or music files that were extant before you inserted the card into the recorder.
The recorder has a tuner function so you can use it to tune a guitar or similar instrument . You can also use it to make sure you can sing in tune or hit a note without first playing it on the piano.
The recorder has a line input so that you can record radio programs etc from the 3.5 mm headphone jack of a receiver or even use the line rca outputs from an amplifier to record music etc.
You can attach an external microphone to the recorder and this seems to work well but as far as I am concerned the built in stereo microphones are good enough.
You can load music files onto a Tascam formatted card and play them back through an amplifier using the headphone output. WAV and 256 kbps MP3 music files sound great – no need to buy a very expensive Digital Audio Portable player!
I tried recording an LP from my phonostage and this worked very well even though I had to adjust the recording levels so you could at a push digitise you LPs without having to move kit around.
Digitising LPs is getting popular; so if you have got an old turntable lying around and want to see how well it works without a having a phonostage then try this trick. Connect the turntable up to the line inputs of your amplifier and play it back through the speakers; the record will sound very quiet because there is no pre-amplification, and tinny because there is no RIAA equalisation. Now record the LP from the headphone outlet of the amplifier using the Tascam, in WAV format, at first you will need to adjust the play back volume and the recording levels. Be careful not to have the headphone amplifier turned up too high. Then whip out the sd card and insert it into you laptop and use Audacity or similar sound recording software to edit the digital recording to apply RIAA equalisation and Normalise the volume. Audacity has plenty of information on its website how to do this. You can then playback the result and listen to see whether it sounds good or not. If it sounds good then all you have to do is buy an cheap phonostage/adc from Behringer and off you go without having to buy a USB deck.
When making recordings out doors I use a little furry sound diffuser to block out the wind.
Pros: Very good value for money,
Lots of features and versatile,
Very good sound recording quality,
Very good with music and voice recording and birdsong – the sound is recorded and played back with High Fidelity,
Easy to use,
Light to carry around,
Battery life good with decent AA batteries.
Cons:
Its a bit flimsy and needs a carry case,
Domestic use only: you could use it in a recording studio but you would need to be ultra- careful with how you treat it,
Battery cover comes off easily but this can be fixed with some gaffer tape,
File naming is not user friendly.
Overall I can recommend this for domestic use. I would give it five stars if it was of stronger construction and the microphone casings were metal rather than plastic.
goldenears –
Bonne qualité de son quand on a compris la complexité des réglages.