GROUP TEST
SPECIFICATIONS Built-inmicrophone: Stereo unidirectional/stereo omnidirectional Inputs: 2x balanced XLR/unbalanced jackmic/line, digital Number of record tracks: 2 Recordingmedium: SDHC card Maximumsample rate/word size: Up to 192kHz/24-bit, 44.1/48kHzMP3 Power: Built-inli-ion,2xAAbatteries, USB Features: 9/10 Flexible mics and a built-in battery that you can hot-swap with AAs up the score Performance: 8/10 Audio quality fine but nothing out of the ordinary Handling: 8/10 The DR-100mkIII has a good range of dedicated controls Value for money: 8/10 A good balance between cost and features PROMOVIEMAKER RATING: 8/10 Pros: Good controls Cons: Handling noise HOW IT RATES
TASCAM DR-100MKIII £312 www.tascam.com
A nerdy but important point is that the internal clock of the TASCAM, like the sound devices, is powered by a Temperature Controlled Crystal Oscillator (TCXO). These keep beating at a very accurate rate, whatever the conditions, guaranteeing you drift-free recordings – assuming that your camera is similarly accurate. The top of the unit has a large, clear LCD, which has a faster response than the slightly annoying ZoomH4n Pro. The slightly fiddly dual input level control of the DR-100mkII has been replaced by a single one, with a switch to control either channel separately should you wish. Though this sounds weird, it works very well, and there is a clear indication on the LCD of the input gain. The systemmenus are navigated using the rotary dial on the front of the unit, and are reasonably simple and clear. The only complaint I have is that you need to exit the menus to go into record. I would prefer the record button to work any time it was needed. The DR-100 suffers from a fair amount of handling noise from the built-in mics, but the quality of the mic preamps on the XLR inputs came as a surprise. They aren’t
The TASCAM DR-100mkIII certainly looks the part. With its satin metal finish and rotary controls, it’s perhaps the most professional looking of the integrated mic recorders here. The top of the unit houses two sets of microphones – a stereo pair of ‘unidirectional’ mics, although the polar pattern isn’t specified, and an omnidirectional stereo pair. The base of the DR-100 has a couple of the ubiquitous hybrid XLR/jacks for mic/line input with phantom power. It also has an S/PDIF digital input – there’s a phono-to-jack adapter included in the box – and a 3.5mm stereo jack for a secondary, unbalanced mic or line-level input. Unlike the Zoom, the TASCAM can only record two tracks at a time to SDHC card, but it can record WAV and MP3 simultaneously, and it can be set to record a second WAV file at a gain of -12dB from the master gain, protecting your recording from unexpected overs. The unit can run on AA batteries, but also includes a built-in but replaceable Li-ion rechargeable battery. You can hot- swap between these for uninterrupted recording, and also power the unit over USB or via an optional AC adapter.
up to the astonishing abilities of the Sound Devices product tested here, but they are excellent for a hand-held recorder. The input limiters work for small peaks, but they can still be overloaded. In all, the TASCAM DR-100mkIII is an excellent, high quality, feature-packed two-track field recorder.
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SPRING 2018 PRO MOVIEMAKER
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