Tascam DR-44WL – 4-track handheld recorder with Wi-Fi functionality

I've been looking for a portable recorder to better capture audio than I can get via my phone. Torn between this device and its sibling, the DR-22WL which is smaller and more easily portable, I finally settled on the DR-44WL when I learned about its dual recording capability - you can choose to make a recording in two different formats OR at two different recording levels simultaneously. With the latter, should audio levels get so high that the recording becomes limited/distorted, the lower level "fall-back" track can still be used. I have no experience of other recorders so can't comment on how this unit compares to them, but using it to make recordings of a couple of performances in Symphony Hall, Birmingham I was left astounded at the quality of the audio captured. The subjects offered a wide dynamic range and the dual level recording feature worked exactly as I'd hoped. Leaving the input level set to its default, the device captured perfect recordings across different musical groups. I'll need to spend a little time figuring out optimum input level settings, but in the meantime the device saves me from my own limitations. The Wi-Fi integration, I initially dismissed as something that would have limited utility but I wouldn't be without it now. Battery life has been great and the device has plenty of advanced features that I'm not ready to tackle yet; 4 track recording, Multi-Track recording, XLR Mic inputs, Mid Side Mic capability and track mixing functionality. Nice surprises were the inclusion of a metronome and chromatic tuner functions. The DR-44WL comes with a soft case, power supply, mic stand adapter, foam wind-shield and hot-shoe adapter that aren't supplied with the DR-22WL. It was also fitted with a Class 4 4GB Micro SD HC card and adapter, so there is no immediate need to buy one with the device unless you need something bigger. The device takes a second or so to switch on/off, and requires a deliberate action to slide a sprung switch and hold it in position until the unit activates/deactivates but this I see as an advantage and security against accidental operation. Once operational the device responds to button presses quickly. The record button requires two presses to activate. The first press initiates a 'record hold' function that lets you check inputs and levels and adjust them as required, the second press starts the recording. The only downside I've found so far is that the recordings the device creates expose weakness elsewhere - the wide frequency range captured by the device can't be reproduced by my favourite headphones so I'll have to replace those now too *sigh*

Excellent audio quality for recording singer songwriter on acoustic guitar and voice. Nice and easy to use and set up. Plonk it on a coffee table in front of you and press the record button twice and you're recording to studio quality WITHOUT needing a computer or tape setup or mixing desk or boom mic setup and cables everywhere. A nice sound characteristic to it when listened to through large speaker setup before mastering so I'm happy. I'd say it sounds nicer than what I've recorded through mic and cable setups and ice worked on mixing desks the size of aircraft carriers. If you want a nice easy way to record what is going on in the room musically to REALLY USEABLE professional quality I'd say this is a nice easy way to do it. The BULLY in mics and a/d converters have a Really nice sound to them that gives you a accurate but musical NICE sounding representation of what you've just played or heard played.

It’s a Tascam so it’s professional and reliable offering a really good all round audio performance.

The DR Control app doesn't currently support live audio streaming over WiFi only streaming of playback already recorded audio. I used a small battery powered Bluetooth transmitter/reciever the sterio 3.5mm jack plugs into line level or headphone out on the Tascam and was easily paired with my Bludio UFO Bluetooth headphones I just put both devices in close proximity in pairing mode and within a couple of seconds they had paired I had already set the Bluetooth transmitter/reciever to transmit. The end result was I could control the Tascam functions over WiFi using my IPhone and independently monitor live audio over Bluetooth to my Bluetooth headphones surprisingly with almost undescernable latency. This Tascam build quality is good but not as good as the original DR-40 and you loose the AB mic configuration in the DR-44wl. The Bluetooth reciever by Jetech is what I used to get my live audio feed from the Tascam's audio output and this is available to purchase on Amazon.

A fantastic piece of kit - I have been hooking this up to my Yamahaa keyboard to record the samples and tunes I create for the soundtrack for a movie I am making - I also use it to record real sound effects I create - Its brilliant. The sound quality is crisp and very easily editable in Audacity and Sound Forge. It has wifi features and is so easy to just pull out the memory stick and take the sounds off directlty if you don't want to use the wifi - This is well worth the money.

I am a PostGrad Masters student in Sonic Arts studying within Aberdeen University Music Department. I have a whole studio worth of recording equipment but required a decent / reliable portable recorder. This piece of kit fitted the bill excellently. There is is no such thing as a 'perfect' recorder and if you do your research properly you will find that that there are pros and cons to each and every available product. This said - this is an impressive piece of kit - although there is a huge learning skill in capturing decent recordings in the outdoors with it (as there is with any piece of kit of this ilk...) My gripe - and it's a big one - is that whilst using an XLR lead and external microphone the XLR plug became stuck in the Tascam Dr-44WL socket. This happened within the first two months of purchase and I have been too busy using the recorder to return it as yet - but it's a complete pain. The 'push' release mechanism seems to be cheap and substandard and it is has rendered this piece of kit far less 'portable' than it has been required to be. These things happen - granted - but they shouldn't. I have plenty of other XLR push release pieces of equipment and have never experienced this before.

Battery lasts for ages on this and can also be powered by usb for epic stints or just a back up power supply. Audio quality is insane!! Usability is quite fiddly but there are lots of YouTube vids from users.

Have owned several audio recorders, Tascam DR40, Zoom H4n Pro, Zoom R4. The DR44 is easily the best sounding of the lot. The zoom R4 in particular sounds like a toy in comparison. Very high quality audio with very little self noise, even with the built in mics. A fantastic device.

I must say the sound quality of this recorder really blew me away. Considering that it was released in late 2014, now it's been more than six years, but I challenge anyone who can beat the sound quality of this recorder under a studio setting. I purchased this unit not expecting much difference on the sound, but because it is uniquely featured with WIFI capability. Funny thing is though, the wifi is probably what I least like about (it is way too slow- but still must consider its age), it is after all par excellence on recording "voice." It does that perfectly.

Graban súper bien ,yo grabó instrumentos de orquesta sinfonica y la calidad es muy buena ,como nota los micrófonos que trae incorporados no se pueden mover y cambiar de orientación,son fijos ,pero eso no importa captan muy bien el sonido

Per me che non avevo grandissima confidenza con le registrazioni audio, devo dire che questo prodotto è stata una rivoluzione. Utilissimo e abbastanza facile da usare. Ottimo e maneggevole sia per matrimoni che per registrazioni musicali e di eventi. Le piccole dimensioni e la buona durata grazie a 4 pile stilo AA lo hanno reso un compagno di lavoro insostituibile. Buoni i microfoni in dotazione, registrano un suono pulito e senza troppi disturbi.

Die internen Mikrofone haben eine exzellente Audio-Qualität. Bemerkenswert ist, dass der Rekorder saubere Mitten und brillante Höhen liefert und dennoch auch tiefste Bässe aufzeichnen kann - mit anderen Worten, es haut einen echt vom Hocker. Dabei sind die internen Mikrofone extrem neutral, ohne Färbung, sehr natürlich. Und ausreichend laut sind sie auch. Verglichen mit dem Zoom H5, Zoom H4n Pro, Tascam DR-40X sind die internen Mikros klar besser. Für DR-40(X)-Besitzer: Die XLR-Vorverstärker sind nicht anders als am DR-40(X). Im direkten Vergleich ist keine Differenz nicht auszumachen, sie klingen identisch. Wahrscheinlich sind die Vorverstärker die Selben. Wobei sie klanglich bei beiden Rekordern natürlich nicht schlecht sind. Die WLAN-Verbindung funktioniert perfekt (iPhone7). Eine klare Empfehlung für diesen Rekorder. Für einige wirkt der DR-44wl billig: Ich konnte das nicht feststellen, die Verarbeitung ist gut und über jeden Zweifel erhaben. Für mich macht er einen qualitativ hochwertigen Eindruck.

I've been recording the fleeting moments of my musical life with the Tascam DR-100 II and DR-40 for several years and have been pleased with their performance. However, I'm always on the lookout for an upgrade and the DR-44WL is Teac's latest and greatest palm sized recorder. It sports new features over its predecessors--Wi-Fi, iOS app, larger LCD and better RFI shielding--but does operation and sound quality measure up? APPEARANCE & BUILD: The body—plastic with aluminum side panels—feels sturdy but is a far cry from the beefy metal body of the DR-100 II. The large monochrome LCD isn’t a touchscreen, but is easy to read and an upgrade over the DR-40 and DR-100. Unlike color displays, it’s visible in bright sunlight! A steel tripod socket makes for easy mounting on tripods and light stands. I use a small Arca quick release plate on the DR-44WL, allowing fast mount/dismount from ball heads. CONTROLS are ample but feel flimsy compared to the DR-100. Unlike the DR-70 and Zoom H6, it has a phantom power switch! Operation is intuitive save for setting levels: 1. press input level button; 2. select tracks; 3. turn level wheel; and, finally, 4. press input level button to exit level adjustment mode. Yikes, I actually had to read the manual to figure that out! The good news is paired stereo tracks, e.g., tracks 1 and 2, may be adjusted simultaneously, shaving off some toil. Channels of a stereo pair may also be adjusted separately, something not possible with the DR-40. The iOS app, Tascam Control, is smooth and superior to the physical interface of the DR-44WL, especially setting levels. After inputting a password it was up and running in a matter of seconds. The only gotcha is Wi-Fi mode goes through batteries much faster than physical controls so use the USB port for power or keep spare batteries for long sessions. CONNECTIONS: Combo XLR and TRS allow recording from external pro mics or line level sources such as mixers or outboard mic preamps. Mini or 3.5 mm TRS connectors are not directly supported but can be used with an adapter. In stereo mode, XLR inputs only work with tracks 3 and 4. Tracks 1 and 2 are reserved for the built-in mics. However, tracks 1 and 2 may be assigned to the XLR inputs in multi-track mode if that makes any sense. The DR-44WL has a switch to toggle inputs from mic, phantom power and line level. There are no digital or unbalanced inputs. A mini (3.5mm) stereo jack is the lone output source. So adapters are needed to interface with studio and home stereo systems. My SD card goes straight in my Mac for storage, editing and playback, so I haven’t bothered to hook up to anything. The DR-44WL has a mini-USB port for power or uploading to a computer, but not for playback or recording. BATTERIES: The DR-40 is an odd bird with three AA batteries in its belly. Thankfully the DR-44WL uses four AA batteries. I use Eneloop Pro rechargeable batteries and they last through an all day rehearsal. Standard Eneloop work fine also but the slightly larger size make them really tough to install/remove from the battery compartment. You can also power it from a USB port or most USB chargers. MICS & SOUND QUALITY: I record my rehearsals and live shows, so a fast and simple setup is paramount. The built-in X/Y stereo cardioid mics are a level better than DR-40 and DR-100 MKII mics: warmer and fuller bass and midrange but slightly bright in upper frequencies. Stereo imaging is excellent, with each musician precisely placed in the stereo field. Listen to my video with headphones and you can hear where each guitarist is sitting!. I loved the DR-40’s ability to switch between X/Y and A/B wide stereo and disappointed Tascam omitted said feature from the DR-44WL. Preamps are surprisingly clean: using a pair of KM-184 in a soundproof booth, I could detect no noise in classical guitar solos recorded at -12 and 75% gain. In other words, significantly cleaner than the DR-40 and perhaps slightly better than the DR-100 II. I only record soft finger picked guitars and the DR-44WL has plenty of gain, typically set 50 to 75% for -12 dB. RFI RESISTANCE: I’m surrounded by RFI: radio station transmitters and everybody is packing microwave emitting smartphones! Audio gear needs shielding or it records static, microwave beeps and classic rock stations! The DR-44WL has exceptional RFI shielding (DR-40 was a beeping mess around cellphones). Tascam had to beef up RFI shielding since the DR-44WL partners with iOS/Droid remote control apps. LAST BLURB: I'm pleased with the DR-44WL: excellent recording quality, good built-in mics, clean preamps, RFI resistant and great iOS remote control app. The cons are awkward level adjustment and controls feel flimsy. Considering the reasonable price and sound quality, the DR-44WL is a winner for me.