Product Comparison: Tascam DR-40 vs Tascam DR-05

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Best Pick

Tascam DR-40 4-Track Portable

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Tascam DR-05 Portable Digital Recorder, Silver

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General Specifications

Brand

Tascam

Model

DR-40

DR-05

Origin

Japan

About the Product

The DR-40 captures up to four tracks from built-in, high-quality condenser microphones, XLR mic or line inputs. The internal mics are adjustable from XY to AB position, helping you to tailor your recording to the sound of the room. A pair of great-sounding TASCAM microphone preamps welcome condenser microphones with phantom power, recording at up to 96kHz/24-bit resolution. It accommodates balanced XLR or 1/4" line inputs using locking Neutrik Combo jacks. The DR-40 accepts SD or SDHC cards up to 32GB, and a 2GB card is included.

TASCAM’s DR-05 brings high-quality stereo recording to an easy-to-use portable powerhouse with a size and price that anyone can handle. The DR-05 records in MP3 or WAV format – including 96kHz/24-bit high-resolution audio – to microSD or microSDHC media. A pair of all-new microphones handles up to 125dB SPL with the sensitivity to capture every detail. With new recording features like Peak Reduction and Quick Menu, the DR-05 puts album-quality recording in the palm of your hand.

Key Specs

Maximum Recording Time

20.5 hours

17.5 hours

Voice-Activated Recording

Frequency Response

20Hz to 40kHz

Recording Quality

96kHz, 24bit

Number Of Recording Modes

What customers say about "Key Specs"

Tascam DR-40 4-Track Portable

It's great at recording sounds, and to me, it sounds very accurate. I normally used it with a shotgun microphone (Azden SGM 1X).
I needed a high-quality audio recorder to record my singing and guitar playing so I could analyze myself during practice. I also wanted to be able to record some new guitar licks so I wouldn't forget them before my next practice. These Tascam recorders seemed perfect for that job.
Very handy audio recorder, and the audio that comes out is clean. the onboard Mic is pretty fantastic, and alot of users will be happy with just that. the audio in for XLR is good with a shotgun mic setup.
This recorder can record things I've never even dreamed of recording. It will be the last recording device I ever buy. Exceptional sound quality when played back on external speakers or headphones. Large user base of pros mean I can always get quality answers to my questions.
The impressive specs of this device are pretty well known, like the very nice mics, full-size XLR inputs, stereo, dual stereo, and 4-track recording. So I'd like to point out a few lesser known aspects.

Tascam DR-05 Portable Digital Recorder, Silver

The built-in omnidirectional mics sound very good--clean, full range and accurate--and easily records sounds throughout the room.
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.
Playback through the recorder is possible but better appreciated through external earbuds or a headset. Recording quality was excellent for voice recordings. Because of the sensitivity of the integrated microphones it takes some adjustment on the user's part to achieve an acceptable balance.
The Tascam DR-05 is a great sound recorder. I have used three for over 2 years. It is better than the equivalent priced recorder from Zoom and others. Recordings, in my opinion, sounds even better than the newer Tascam recorder coming out (eg. the more expensive DR-22WL with wifi).
Tascam DR-05 - Great sound, 3 click operation to start, stop, pause. Can be a little confusing, even just setting the levels on the fly. However, the sound quality is a notch above the H1. Its now my go to for recording our band through the headphone mix.
While this is fairly easy to use and to download recordings, the recordings are so quiet that they are hard to hear, and I cannot find a way to increase the volume, even after downloading. I have been online and it says the recordings are very low.

Size & Weight

Height

6.1 in.

5.55 in.

Width

2.75 in.

2.4 in.

Depth

1.38 in.

1.02 in.

Weight

7.5 oz.

4.1 oz.

What customers say about "Size & Weight"

Tascam DR-40 4-Track Portable

This little device is as portable as it gets: easily slips into a camera bag or coat pocket and feels comfortable in hand.
It's smaller than the DR-100 and comfortable in my hand, although I don't recommend handheld recording with the built-in mics due to handling noise.
This recorder has all of the features of the Mr-8 but in a way more convenient package. What really sold me were the two inputs (with phantom power!) on the bottom.
Admittedly, the unit's size (about the same size as an old Walkman or something) limits some of it's mobility, but it's still an extremely powerful unit for such a small package.
I would have preferred that it would have a little more weight to it.

Tascam DR-05 Portable Digital Recorder, Silver

It's considerably smaller and lighter than the DR-40 and DR-100 MKII, fitting comfortably in my medium sized hands.
The size of the recorder is quite tall. It is bigger than I expected but with the types of capabilities, I am not surprised. It is lightweight but it doesn't include a lanyard or holster for carrying.
The small size lets me attach a lavalier mic and slip the DR into a pocket for recording a subject who is walking around.
The unit may have been a little smaller, but i am not sure why some one would want that. compact size is nice, but too small becomes counter productive.
I love it's size. It fits in the had well and has a good build quality feel to it.

Features

Display Type

128×64 pixel graphic LCD with backlight

Computer Compatibility

Yes

Cue Marker Function

Yes

1-Touch Recording

Yes

Supported File Formats

WAV, BWF, MP3

Integrated Speaker

Yes

Interfaces

EXT MIC/LINE 1/L and 2/R terminals (XLR/TRS), MiniUSB, SD card slot, Line out 3.5mm jack

Mic/line input jack, Line out 3.5mm jack, MiniUSB, microSD card slot

Extras

MS decoding function

Proven high sound pressure design, Peak reduction function, Self timer recording function, Seamless gain control, Three low cut filter levels, Level align feature, Divide/delete functions, Loop/repeat playback function, Tripod attachment screw-hole built in to the unit

Cue Marker Function
Integrated Speaker

What customers say about "Features"

Tascam DR-40 4-Track Portable

You can adjust the angle of the built-in mics, letting you capture narrower or wider soundscapes
The multitrack recording ability of the DR-40 is a wonderful complement to the DR-100 MKII. While I mainly record stereo Wav files, being able to add additional tracks (overdub separate) and mix them in Logic at home is a big plus.
The dual XLR/Line inputs are a great feature, especially for recording demos on the go. I think the "overdub mode" is a little awkward and could have been better executed, but I didn't really expect it to be great.
It is EXTREMELY flexible and has a nice peak-limiting feature that sets the input levels really nicely. We use it with the wired remote and that is more than adequate for our needs.
All-in-all... this thing has just about any feature most people would ever need from a small portable recorder. I say "buy it!"
The DR-40 has mini-USB for power or uploading to a computer, but not for playback or recording. A card reader is faster for uploads but it's good to have a USB port just in case.

Tascam DR-05 Portable Digital Recorder, Silver

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.
There are many adjustable features, including backlight adjustments which can also affect battery life (5, 10, 30 seconds, continuous or off). The sensitivity of the microphone can be adjusted to pick up the slightest sound or can be used to pick up only the speaker intended.
If you are missing the overdubbing feature, don't despair. Go to tascam's website and look for firmware updates, and also download the manual for the new firmware, or you might not figure out how to get the overdub feature to work.
The mics are pretty good, very sensitive..it's nice to be able to control the level, and the auto feature is really great for recording lectures.
Unit takes some time to learn all the features but overall I like it. The built in speaker is not the best but works well with headphones.

Warranty / Certifications

Manufacturer Warranty

1 year(s)

Certifications

Other Information

Manufacturer

Link

Manual

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