Tascam DR-22WL sound recorder changes the game
Tascam DR-22WL is one of many handheld sound recorders. It competes with many other Tascam models and also with the Zoom H1, and H2N models. There are many other makes available but there is definitely something about this that sets it apart from its competitors.
How does the Tascam DR-22WL sound?
Every sound recorder stands and dies based on the quality of the sound and how it is put together. That really depends on the type of recording you are going to be doing and how flexible the recorder is to deal with that. This model is very flexible with a series of presets for different occasions and recording environments.
The basic model provides you with 2 unidirectional condenser cardioid microphones set in an XY pattern for stereo recording. This is technical speak for providing a recording range around the unit that focuses on what is in front of it with the added bonus of reducing sounds that are further away or behind it. It is great for recording things at close contact. It can handle sounds of up to 120DB in close proximity and without distorting. That translates to things that are quite loud and is an impressive capability in such a small unit.
It features a series of presets on a selection wheel that is easy to operate. A gain wheel enables you to increase or decrease the cardioid pattern to suit the conditions. There is a bias towards instruments and one intended use is to set the microphone in front of a person playing an acoustic instrument. That could be a singer, guitar, violin, clarinet or even drums. This is where the cardioid microphone and high tolerance come into their own as they will reduce audience and other ambient noises whilst also coping very well with high and hard bursts of sound pressure. All in all there are presets for quiet playback such as a classical music concert and another for loud rock concerts with the audience cheering and singing along. They really have tried to accommodate most things here.
What interested me was the interview setting that sets the Tascam microphones up for spoken word recording. It is definitely a professional piece of kit. Musicians, journalists, film makers and TV journalists will all find a use for it.
The playback quality is excellent although you may want to put the recorded sound through a sound editing program. That will enable you to get everything perfectly balanced, normalised and equalised. The unit does a good initial job though and I never find the sound I record needs much doing to it. Everything sounds clear and natural.
Extending the units capabilities
The Tascam DR-22WL is quite a multi purpose machine. It can be used as a high quality microphone for your computer if plugged in using the supplied USB cable. It also has a TRS adapter to connect a stereo or mono microphone such as a lavaliere or a ear hook. If you do connect a mono device and settings are for stereo then only one channel will be recorded but post production can easily copy this over. There are settings to record for mono input with 2 channels carrying the same signal so all eventualities are catered for. There is also a stereo TRS adapter for headphones to listen back to your recordings. The inbuilt speakers and volume control are usable if you are indoors but then it is probably easier to download and listen to it on your computer so this is less important. Outdoors the signal is weak for playback and I definitely advise using headphones.
If you need to position the recorder, then it has a standard tripod screw fitting although be aware that this is moulded plastic, so don't over tighten it or you will thread it.
When recording outside I have found a wind jammer to be essential and there is a specially designed one available for around £25. I think that is an investment worth making. The difference when recording in windy conditions is very noticeable.
What is the build quality of the Tascam DR-22WL like?
The first thing to say is that this unit is made of plastic. It is quite tough plastic but it is still plastic. You shouldn't expect a metal sleeve or for it to be massively robust. Having said that the moulding of the plastic and the colouring has been done to evoke metal and they have done a very good job of that. The speaker heads in particular are made to look very metallic. The connecting parts are securely screwed together and it does have a nice solid feeling as you hold it in your hand. For less than £100 this is a unit I am happy to own and it feels considerably higher quality than a Zoom H1. If you have used the DR-05 and appreciated its quality, then this is definitely on a par with it and maybe even better. Prices do seem to vary. I have seen prices between £95 and £130 with £99 very common. You should expect to get change out of £100, just not very much. You get the unit, a 4GB mini sound recording disk, a set of 2 AA batteries, and a USB connection cable for computers. To my mind that is good value for money from what you get. I use my Tascam DR-22WL nearly every weekend and probably record between 30 and 60 minutes of footage. I use Duracell batteries and they usually last me about 3-4 months before I need to replace them.
Wi-fi operation
Where this model leaves others standing is that it has Wi-fi operation. What this means is that you press a button and the unit becomes a wireless hub that you can connect your mobile phone computer or tablet to. There are apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Once connected you can then operate the unit remotely. There is a caveat here because wi-fi operation eats the batteries. After I have spent a weekend using wi-fi remote operation I usually replace the batteries. This is a huge decrease for power performance, but AA batteries don't cost much so the convenience is worth the cost when I need remote operation.
This is the first of the wi-fi handheld sound recorders, although Tascam has produced a bigger brother. For a handheld device though, or one that you want to put in your pocket, this is by far and away the best choice. It knocks socks off the competition for not much more money. Keep up to date with the firmware updates and you will enjoy using it immensely. Here is a video review of the Tascam DR-22WL that was also recorded with the device.
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