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Techniques Selecting an Audio Recorder
Audio recorders models on the market frequently change, and for this reason, we do not recommend particular recorder models. Instead, we will try to provide a list of recommended characteristics and note specific model problems as we learn about them.
In general, an audio recorder that is effective for EVP will have the following characteristics:
Voice Activated Recording Mode: This is essential if you plan on making many recordings, say at a haunted site, and do not have a lot of time to review sound files. We prefer Voice Activated Recording (VOR) because it does save us considerable time for review, and because the added noise caused by the VOR switching on and off seems to help in voice formation. Interestingly, the communicating entity is apparently able to trigger VOR when it is ready to speak. A good recorder should give you the option of using VOR or not.
Low and High Recording Quality Settings: Experience has shown that digital voice recorders work best for EVP, as compared to cassette and disk recorders. Digital voice recorders, operating at relatively low sample rates, produce more EVP than at higher sample rates. The point of this is that low quality or long recording options usually have lower sample rates, therefore more internal noise and therefore more EVP.
(Please note that we recommend the use of inexpensive recorders because of the internal noise they have, but we also recommend that you try the higher quality recording option because some experimenters have produced very good EVP with high quality recorders, and when they do, the EVP is usually not as overshadowed by the background noise. Experiment!)
Adjustable Microphone Sensitivity: Field recording often involves recording in places with many people talking or a lot of traffic noise. It can be very difficult to avoid these external noises and they may be too much for EVP recording. Decreasing the sensitivity of the microphone may help. At the same time, there are occasions in which the recorder is not producing sufficient sound for voice formation, and the room is too quiet. Increasing the sensitivity of the microphone may help.
(By the way, some people are creative and do things such as putting the microphone end of the recorder in a box to capture the "sea in a shell" effect. Others sometimes rub the microphone against cloth. Be creative.)
A "Hold" or "Lock" Feature: Using this feature will save you many accidental recordings that can use up your batteries.
Interface to a Computer: Newer audio recorders provide a USB port for transferring audio files to a computer; however, if the recorder does not provide a way to save the files as a Windows PCM (*.wav) file format, then we recommend the use of a cable between the earphone jack and the Mic In of the computer, and then the use of an audio management program to record audio files into the computer. See Recording Sound into a Computer for instructions.
Quality Enhancement Features: Some recorders have settings that allow you to "enhance" the recordings to optimize voice quality. The features use special algorithms that enhance some frequencies and suppress others. We are not very familiar with these features, but it may be wise to make sure that, if your recorder has such a feature, it also has a way to turn it off.
Save audio as mp3 or Windows PCM (*.wav) files: We have learned that some recorders that allow transfer of audio files via a USB connection save only as WMA formatted files. WMA is proprietary and Audacity will not open a WMA file. Some Olympus recorders are this way. Be sure that your recorder will save in a format that you can open with your audio manager. See the Audacity setup instructions for a format conversion tool.
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These are the main considerations when purchasing an audio recorder for EVP. We no longer recommend the use of a cassette recorder, although experimenters have used them for years before computers became available. If you just want to see if you can record an EVP, and only have a cassette recorder available, then us it. It will work. When using a digital recorder, remember that you will need to use your digital recorder with a computer for file storage and analysis.
Anything that can record voice will work. You can use a cell phone, the sound track for your video recorder or your mp3 player/recorder. Just remember that the rule of thumb is: The higher the quality of audio recorder, the more you will need to supply background sound.
Panasonic RR-DR60 Reset Instructions Provided by James Jones
I received a DD DR60 in the mail today and when putting batteries in the unit it would not record because it showed that the recorder was "full" even though there wasn't one file being saved. I found out that the unit just needed to be reset because if it is without batteries for a long time it can get confused the next time you put batteries in. Apparently there is some kind of flash memory in there that doesn't depend on battery power and once you put some new ones in if things don't match up properly, it gets confused.
I was able to reset the unit by taking out one battery, then holding the "mode" button and the push button "Play" wheel down while inserting the battery. This reset the unit and now it works.
I found this procedure on the paperwork included with the unit.
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