Description
Pair of high-quality omnidirectional Condenser Microphones
The revamped user interface makes easy to access recordings, adjust levels, delete takes, add markers, and use other common functions
Studio-quality 2-in/2-out USB audio interface makes a great fit for podcasting, digital audio workstations, etc.
Bright white backlit display offers menus in multiple language options and a dictation mode, which enables the user to jump back audio playback, including speed control and EQ
Overwrite mode for punch-ins allows users to select a precise record drop-in time for replacement recordings with one level of undo
lelga –
At £85 this is currently the best value field recorder you can buy. With MUCH less self noise than the zoom H1n and with clearer sound, it’s a very well put together, cheap machine that will last a long time if you look after it. I own six field recorders including this; Sony PCM M10, Sony PCM D100, Zoom F3, Tascam DR40x, Sound Devices MixPre3 – and this one. And the best value is the DR05x – because of the price-point/quality balance. Sure, it’s not as robust as my D100, nor does it have the Neutrik connectors of the DR40x or the near-silent preamps of the MixPre. It can’t do 32-bit like my Zoom F3 (the F3 and F6 are the only decent Zooms IMO). Plug in power works well with the centrally positioned input (would have been better lower down Tascam! especially with a wind muff on). But as a manually set point and shoot field recorder it’s ace. Very handy and small. A number of buyers want to know about music recording, and I don’t really do that with these machines, but it’s certainly capable, especially around the 1 metre distance. For spoken word you want to hit it a 5 inches with a pop filter in front head on. It has a tuner and some needless effects on it. Alright, they are quite fun. I have to buy 8 modestly priced field recorders for a classroom setting. This model will likely be my choice. 15 people found this helpful
S3r53 –
Verified Purchase Easy to use Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 November 2024 Style Name: DR-05X Pattern Name: single Great for Live rehearsals, quality mics built in.
Kaya Deuing (verified owner) –
Good sound makes good video. The unit itself is an easy to use hand held recorder. Its a bang-for-buck, budget recorder that you can you for documenting events. Way beyond what you need for YouTube. The mics are good with lots of head room, so go ahead an record drums or a band. You can plug an external mic into the 3.5mm jack at the top. there is a “hold” switch on the side so you can leave it running in your pocket. What it is not is a studio recorder for plugging your beautiful studio mics into. Its plastic. Treat yourself to a carry case – just as you would for a more expensive unit. I don’t know why people get annoyed about about this “X” version of a classic. They didn’t make a whole new device and trash all the good stuff. Any review of the DR-05 is still valid. They just made a few easy fixes; It has a Mono mode (it always was with an external mic). It will connect to your computer to download files (previously you needed to take the SD card out.). You can use it as a computer mic. I think that the flap for those ports is more sturdy. I found a guitar tuner function! 4 people found this helpful
Mr Alistair L Birse –
This is an excellent recorder for musicians, on-the-field journalists or vloggers. It delivers excellent sound quality from the two built-in microphones, and all of the effects on this recorded are an added bonus for reverb if you need it for recording vocals. The user interface is intuitive in some places and not so much in others, so it’s not the easiest thing to use, but it’s very easy to use the basic recording functions. In terms of battery life, I installed it with the cheap batteries it came with and it barely uses anything, so I’m sure this thing will keep you going for endless hours if you’re using it out and about. Just be aware that devices like this are very specific in what inputs and outputs they allow. For example, the exterior microphone ports only work with TRS jacks, so if you’re planning to use a popular consumer microphone such as a SmartLav, just know you’ll need an adapter. It also took me a while to connect this to my PC, leaving me thinking it was broken, but 5 cables later I found one it worked with. All in all, a fantastic personal recorder that packs a punch for quality and features, despite feeling a little bit ancient in terms of its design, user interface, and connectivity. 8 people found this helpful
Silverfan (verified owner) –
Looked about and decided on this for recording voice for Screencasts. Recording quality is top notch, sensitivity of the microphones is very, very good, you really do need the built-in low f cutoff filters to get rid of air con hum, Traffic passing by my closed double-glazed office window appears to be obtrusive on my intial recordings. No stand or stand adaptor included or carry case either, not even a hand carry strap (although there is a provision to fit one). If the carry strap was fitted, it might be more difficult to drop the unit (I have done this twice and it still works OK). Micro USB interface worked well as it means not having to remove the memory card to download recorded content although in this mode, it becomes a dumb card reader and cannot record. No idea on battery life so far. It appears to use USB power when that is connected, as the display lights up. There are some built-in effects like Hall etc, to modify sounds being recorded. They are either on or off, not adjustable. Once you have the basic button functions worked out, you won’t need the manual. I have not seen any delays in operating it myself, but I am only using it in 16 bit WAV stereo mode. It is possible to listen to the recordings on a headset whilst the recording is in progress, don’t wiggle the cables during recording though or you will hear them. A single internal speaker can play recordings, it is loud enough but funny that it is disabled in the open-box configuration, a setting has to be toggled to enable the speaker to be on for playback. Another happy customer. 23 people found this helpful
Sangavy –
I’ve jut bought my 2nd Tascam DR-05. The old one still works fine and is near a decade old. But now I have a project on where I need them in multiple. We’ve had the Tascam performing all sorts of roles over the years: Used as a dictaphone in academic work. Used to record interviews in public environments. Used to record location sound effects for foley work. Used to record the input from professional mics (TASCAM can provide 48v power) for voice over work. Used to backup audio from a mixing desk Used to make copies of old cassette tapes. You can also use it as a PC mic I believe but I’d never see a reason to do that. You could also use it as an MP3 player, but again, I’d see no reason why I’d do that. It’s only a two channel stereo recorder but the onboard omnidirectional condenser mics are rich and very sensitive. They give a decent stereo picture too. This makes them great for dictaphone work or interviews in a controlled environment, but in noisy surroundings they will mostly pick up sound you don’t want them to! I’ve heard it record in a cafe and it’s more keen to pick up the sink taps running on the other side of the room than the person mumbling in front of it! But that weakness does become a strength if you’re doing foley and ambience recording work. There’s a low-cut filter for cutting out some of the more egregious noise from fridge hum or background traffic. For more challenging situations, that’s where the mic/line-in port comes in handy. I’ve had my shotgun mics used in broadcasting plugged in and they sound pristine. Note: there’s no XLR input so a balanced XLR to 3.5mm jack is required. Had it been given an XLR input, I’d have given it full 5 stars. Basically, plug your mic of choice in, and you’ll have no trouble. The recorder has a very low noise floor, fine level control and offers WAV or MP3 recording options for all occasions. The onboard mics have a limiter to help avoid peaks but that doesn’t seem to be an option on line-in so be careful. You can also set file sizes which the recorder will automatically divide files into. Normally you’ll be recording direct to the micro-SD but sound output via the headphones/line-out port is excellent quality. The newer 05X version also comes with some live sound effect filters. Mostly reverbs by the sound of things. It’s nice to have I suppose, but you’re always better off adding such effects in post production. I think my favourite thing about having had a DR 05 for a decade is that in all that time it has never stuffed up a recording once. I’ve had it recording for many hours at a time in some cases so its reliability is impeccable. I wouldn’t call it ruggedly built, but it’s survived being dropped a few times without being worse for wear, so no need for kid gloves. Some drawbacks – It can suffer from mobile phone interference if you place one in close proximity (it’s the old “eh-eh-eh” noise anyone who used walkmans back in the day will remember!). I order phones to be turned off in recording conditions to avoid that issue, and is something to be aware of. – The menu system is finicky but you get used to it. – The backlight likes to turn off before you’ve finished reading the info on the screen – Prone to ugly DC offset when looking at the recorded waveform. Mostly when tasked with recording very quiet sound. You can’t “hear” it, but it looks messy on a timeline and may require some processing to fix. -Battery life on alkaline AAs is around 8ish hours I’d say which is fine. But the battery indicator can be highly eccentric, going from 3 to 0 bars in minutes giving you little warning when you need to change. For anyone working with sound, music or video, having this little beast around is always useful. I’ve kept mine at hand as an emergency backup for a number of tasks and it has managed to save the day by being there. There are better recorders on the market but in situations where you don’t need a mixer desk or an extensive mic set up, it’s a great all-rounder option. Best of all it doesn’t break the bank. 12 people found this helpful
Matthew Hepple –
February 2025 Colour: Titanium Black Size Name: 512GB Style Name: Phone Only Verified Purchase Swapped from the Pixel 8a to the S25 Ultra 512GB. Unbelievable good. Lighting fast, good optics and colour. Battery life seems to last forever and buying it in the offers for £1k is a great bargain. Only frustrating bit so far was setting up the fingerprints but once that’s done they work fine in practice. Couldn’t really care about the AI function, messed around with the picture editing and drawing things into the scene but it was naff. The item removal was pretty decent though and fills, even complicated, voids in well enough. Read more 10 people found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } Sphere Gaming 1.0 out of 5 stars Premium Aesthetics, Pricey Compromises Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2025 Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review: After using the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for a while, it’s clear that while this phone has some impressive features, it doesn’t completely live up to its flagship price. Here’s a breakdown of everything from design to performance, and how it compares to other devices in the same league. Design & Build Quality: The design of the Galaxy S25 Ultra is undeniably sleek. It has a premium build with an aluminium frame and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the front and back. The phone feels solid and well-built, but the thinness (at just 8.5mm) is a bit of a double-edged sword. While it’s comfortable to hold and looks great, I do feel like it could have been a bit thicker to house a larger battery. The phone feels a bit fragile as well, especially with its glass back. If you’re looking for something more rugged, you might want to look elsewhere, as the materials aren’t as durable as some competitors, like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which offers a titanium frame for better durability. Display: The Galaxy S25 Ultra features a massive 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. The resolution is 3200 x 1440, and it’s capable of hitting 120Hz for buttery-smooth scrolling. Colours are vibrant, and the display gets bright, reaching a peak of 2,600 nits, which is impressive for indoor and shaded conditions. However, in direct sunlight, it doesn’t perform as well as I’d like — despite the high peak brightness, reflections can be a bit distracting. Performance: Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3 processor and 12GB of RAM, the performance is great for everyday tasks. Gaming, multitasking, and running demanding apps generally run smoothly. However, the phone can get quite warm when under heavy load, especially during prolonged gaming sessions or heavy app usage. In terms of raw performance, the Galaxy S25 Ultra holds its own, but the overheating issue is something to consider if you’re planning to push the phone to its limits regularly. Battery Life & Charging: Battery life is one of the most disappointing aspects of this phone. It has a 5,000mAh battery, which sounds good on paper, but in practice, I find that it barely gets through the day with moderate usage. Intensive activities like gaming or video streaming drain the battery fast, and it needs to be charged halfway through the day. When it comes to charging, it supports 45W wired charging, but the charging speed feels slow compared to the likes of the Xiaomi 13 Pro (which supports 120W charging). Wireless charging is limited to 15W, which is decent but again falls behind other high-end devices offering faster wireless charging speeds. Camera System: The camera system is one of the highlights of the S25 Ultra. It features a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide, and two telephoto sensors. The main camera takes detailed photos in well-lit conditions, but the low-light performance isn’t quite as good as I expected. There’s noticeable noise in low-light shots, and the processing sometimes over-sharpens images, which can make photos look unnatural. Samsung has removed the 10x optical zoom from this model, so if you’re into super-zoom photography, this might be a let down. The telephoto lenses offer 3x and 10x optical zoom, but it’s not as versatile as the previous version. For comparison, the Google Pixel 8 Pro has an impressive zoom range and performs better in low light. Audio Quality: The stereo speakers are decent, providing clear and balanced sound. However, there’s not much bass, and the overall volume could be louder, especially when you’re watching videos or gaming. It’s certainly fine for casual use, but if you’re an audiophile or want immersive sound, you’ll be disappointed. Similarly, the microphone quality is adequate for calls and video recordings but struggles with background noise in louder environments. Software: The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs One UI 7, based on Android 15. The interface is clean, with some useful features like Edge Panels and Samsung DeX. However, there is a fair bit of bloatware that comes pre-installed, which could be annoying for those who want a cleaner experience. The Samsung Galaxy AI features, while neat in concept, don’t always deliver as expected. Biometrics and Security: The in-display fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable, unlocking the phone in an instant most of the time. It’s also paired with facial recognition, which works well in good lighting but can struggle in low-light situations. Both methods of biometric security feel secure, but they are not fool proof, especially in darker environments. Waterproofing (IP Rating): The Galaxy S25 Ultra is rated IP68, meaning it’s dustproof and can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes without sustaining damage. This level of protection is standard among flagship smartphones—including models like the iPhone 16 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Google Pixel 8 Pro, and Vivo X90 Pro. In contrast, some recent Chinese smartphones have pushed the boundaries of water resistance. For example, the OnePlus 13 boasts an IP69 rating, which means it can withstand high-pressure jets of hot water. This “full-level” waterproof rating offers enhanced durability in extreme conditions. While the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s IP68 rating is more than sufficient for everyday use, those who need maximum water protection might consider devices like the OnePlus 13. Additional Features: Flashlight: The LED flashlight is bright and works well in low-light conditions, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Microphone Quality: The microphone works well for calls, but it struggles in noisy environments, which is typical for most smartphones. Wireless Charging: The S25 Ultra supports 15W wireless charging. While that’s fine, competitors like the OnePlus 11 support 50W wireless charging, making it a bit of a let-down in this category. S Pen: While the S Pen is included with the phone, it no longer has the Bluetooth capabilities of previous models, making it less versatile. It’s now essentially just a stylus for note-taking and sketching. Conclusion: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a premium phone with a lot of features, but it doesn’t offer the best value for money. It has a beautiful display, a great camera, and strong performance, but the battery life, slow charging, and heating issues let it down. At $1,299, it’s hard to recommend over other flagship devices like the Google Pixel 8 Pro, which excels in camera performance and software, or the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which offers better durability and better performance. If you’re willing to compromise on battery life and charging speed for that gorgeous screen and powerful camera, the S25 Ultra may still be worth it, but it’s certainly not the best flagship phone out there for the price. Read more 4 people found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } Robert White 2.0 out of 5 stars I went back to my old phone. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 February 2025 Colour: Titanium Silverblue Size Name: 512GB Style Name: Phone Only Verified Purchase It’s overpriced and expect much better from Samsung especially for the price I paid. WiFi keeps cutting out, yet everyone device is fine, wireless charging hit or miss. Gone back to my old phone what’s 3 years old and has none of these issues. Read more 14 people found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } Chris 5.0 out of 5 stars Good but not enough upgrades from the S24 ultra Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 February 2025 Colour: Titanium Black Size Name: 512GB Style Name: with 30% off Buds3 Pro I’ve had the Samsung s24 ultra and even though the upgrades are minimal I like the feel of the device in the hand I found the s24 digs into your palms when using it for long periods of time with this phone you don’t get it as the edges are curved off I like apples design but hate iOS so it’s nice to see this design from Samsung I got this from my phone provider not from Amazon it’s worth it probably not from someone who has a like new s24 ultra but maybe from S21, S22 or S23 ultra Read more 3 people found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } Danny 3.0 out of 5 stars Quality Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2025 Colour: Titanium Gray Size Name: 1TB Style Name: Phone Only Verified Purchase Returned as believed to have overheating issues and some screens cracking for no reason so was put off by this information about s25 ultra on the samsung groups on Facebook as people were expressing on lin,so returning for refund and considaren different model. Yours sadly MR DANIEL BUSH
Read more One person found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } DJ Lifted Andreas 5.0 out of 5 stars THE S25 ULTRA IS AN AMAZING FLAGSHIP PHONE!! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 February 2025 Colour: Titanium Whitesilver Size Name: 512GB Style Name: Phone Only Amazing phone!! I went from S23U and this is way better. Don’t listen to all the hater reviews. Do yourself a favour go on the S25 Ultra reddit and read how much people love this phone. Read more DJ Lifted Andreas 5.0 out of 5 stars THE S25 ULTRA IS AN AMAZING FLAGSHIP PHONE!! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 February 2025 Amazing phone!! I went from S23U and this is way better. Don’t listen to all the hater reviews. Do yourself a favour go on the S25 Ultra reddit and read how much people love this phone. Images in this review function toggleSeeAllView() { P.when(‘A’, ‘cr-image-popover-controller’).execute(function(A, imagePopoverController) { imagePopoverController.toggleSeeAllView(true); }); } P.when(‘A’, ‘cr-image-popover-controller’).execute(function(A, imagePopoverController) { A.on(“a:popover:beforeShow:R36OEVGAFGHI3C_gallerySection_main”, function(data) { imagePopoverController.initImagePopover(“R36OEVGAFGHI3C”, “[https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61HvEl5lrjL.jpg]”, data); }); }); One person found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } Stuart Alexander 5.0 out of 5 stars Upgraded from S24 Ultra Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 February 2025 Colour: Titanium Black Size Name: 512GB Style Name: Phone Only Firstly, I didn’t buy this from Amazon, I got it direct from Samsung on their trade in deal, however, I thought a review here might help others decide. Personally, for me, I think it was a worthy upgrade from the S24 Ultra. Only subtle differences, but dare I say it, the build of the phone feels as close to an iPhone, without being an iPhone. Which in my opinion, is a good thing as Apples designs are generally spot on. The same can be said about the software. It’s still got all the great features and tweaks that Samsung have got really good at in their software, but now there are a few iPhone’esk features that complement Samsungs software. The build, for me is also a great improvement. Gone are the sharp corners and the phone feels so much more comfortable, especially with a case on. I’d say I could only justify the upgrade as Samsung gave me £660 for my old phone and I was able to go through my works money off scheme so the S25 Ultra only really cost me £400, plus I got a set of bubs thrown in and a case and charger. I’m sure once the S24 Ultra gets the new software update then the 2 phones will be even closer but I guess the main difference will always be the build, and the for me the S25 Ultra just feels like such a nicer phone in the hand and pocket. Read more 14 people found this h
adilys –
This is the second I’ve owned. The first was used to make needledrops of my favourite vinyl lps (which it did excellently). This one I’m using as a wav player through the headphone out socket. The extra storage capacity now allows me to store all my needledrops and about a hundred high quality wav rips of my favourite cds on one tiny sd card. There is no headphone volume limiting and the sound quality is excellent. I doubt I’ll use it for recording but I’m more than happy with its performance as a wav player. One person found this helpful