Looking For a Micro Audio XLR Recorder? – Tascam DR-10X is The One to Get

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by Johnnie BehiriApril 28^th, 2015

Here is a piece of audio equipment which was introduced earlier this year and somehow was overlooked by us, but now after seeing it at NAB I am convinced it has a place inside any news-shooter’s bag . If you are looking for a micro audio XLR recorder, the Tascam DR-10X is the one to get.

The Tascam DR-10X is a micro plug-in linear PCM recorder for XLR connection devices. It will work best with dynamic or battery-powered condenser microphone with XLR output. It attaches to a handheld microphone and designed to capture audio during interviews, press conferences and meetings. It can capture audio at Broadcast standard 48kHz/24-bit in WAV format. The DR-10X has both manual and automatic gain settings, with a low cut filter and limiter to prevent overloads. One of the problems you might have when using this recorder is the difficulty to monitor a correct audio level when plugging headphones is not possible, so that’s where the “Dual Recording mode” comes handy. It captures a copy of the audio at a lower level, so if there is distortion you have a backup safety. Other then that, the mic connector has a locking mechanism that ensures a tight fit to the microphone body giving the entire assembly a solid feel. Depending on the camera you are currently using, syncing audio might be a requirement but when recording interviews or reporting that requires high audio quality, a field recorder is normally needed,  but for small-scale reporting you can record high-quality audio with just a microphone and the DR-10X. No need to carry bulky equipment.

Below is a short product introduction video made by our friends at B&H.

Summery highlights of the Tascam DR-10X:

-Sliding record button and hold function to prevent missoperation during recording
-Dual-recording for simultaneously creating a safety track at a lower level
-Before the battery charge runs out, automatic file closing prevents the loss of already recorded data
-Playback function allows recordings to be checked and headphones output enables input monitoring
-XLR plug-on connection
-Automatic/manual level function selection
-Records on a single AAA battery

On the downside:

-Somehow plasticky feel
-If you are using normal SD cards, make sure they don’t exceed 2GB otherwise they won’t be recognised by the recorder. The full approved SDHC cards list can be found here
-One mono channel recording only

R-10X SPECIFICATIONS

Recording media microSD card(64MB to 2GB), microSDHC card(4GB to 32GB)

Media discharging Push-Push type (Guard cover mounted)

Recording format WAV(BWF)

Sampling frequency 48kHz

Quantization bit rate 24bit

Number of channels 1-channel (Mono)

Analog audio iInputs

Connector XLR-3-31

Input Impedance 10k ohm or more

MIC input gain LOW / MID / HIGH

PHONES Connector 3.5mm(1/8″) stereo mini jack (DUAL MONO)

USB Connector Micro-B type 4pin

Power 1 AAA batteries (Alkaline or NiMH), USB bus power

Battery Operation Time Alkaline batteries (EVOLTA) About 10 hours

Battery (RTC) Lithium × 1(built in with soldering)

Dimensions 52(W) × 94.4(H) × 28(D) mm

Weight 68.3g (including batteries) / 56.3g (without batteries)

Accessories USB cable, Owner’s Manual (including warranty)

For a full product description, head to Tascam’s site