Deity PR-4 audio recorder overview

In my recent Field Recorders in 2026 article I summarised the currently available devices. The newest addition was a device from Deity, a company known for their video-centric products such as lavalier microphones. Though not yet released, I added the Deity PR-4 to my list since it has a unique combination of features at a compelling price point. In this article I will provide a summary of these, prior to actual field tests. 

This article will be useful to those readers who prefer a text summary to watching endless YouTube videos.

stereo electret microphones in 2026

This is a summary of sources for electret microphones in May 2026. These mics are a great choice for stereo and binaural recording where tiny size is the over-riding concern. Paired with a small audio recorder, these make a compact setup for field recording and other tasks. Please check out the Field Recording Gear page for other useful resources. 

Field Recorders in 2026

Well, it's been a good long while since my last field recorder update and a few things have changed. So here I am once again, at your service, summarising the 23 available models that sell for under €1500. Read on for the PDF download and my commentary.

Updated 11 May 2026 to include the Deity PR-4. And then again add additional power options for each recorder. 

Recommended headphones 2024

Buying headphones is confusing since there are dozens of manufacturers and hundreds of models. The popular style brands (e.g. Beats) promoted to the mass public are consistently over-priced, badly made, and terrible-sounding. The high-price models promoted to audiophiles cost far more than you need to spend.

This article is for people who record, mix, and compose music. It's for listeners who need to hear what their music actually sounds like, without embellishment or false augmentation. For you my decades of experience will come in handy!

Field recorders in 2024

I am a trained audio engineer who wrote extensively on field recorders over many years. You can access these articles from my field recording landing page. Two years ago I provided a detailed summary of the state of the art in portable field recording devices. This article brings my research up to date for 2024. 

First, download the PDF that charts every available portable field recorder priced at under a grand. I also include a table of defunct models for historical comparison.

Which SD card?

SD memory cards are used for everything from mobile phones, field recorders, still cameras, and video cameras. The most common question is... which SD card should I buy? This article will decode all of the designations and provide simple answers.

Which audio production gear? (Robin Edition)

This article follows on my declaration of principles found in "Does your gear matter" located here. As a third-level teacher and trained audio engineer, I am often in a position to recommend audio gear to electronic music composers and producers. In this article I will set out a minimal threshold for professional audio production.

The best free audio plugins (Robin Edition)

It's been a while since I wrote an article in this series. Perhaps because I don't obsess over tools and am happy with what I have. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that I don't always obsess over tools... but when I do, I like to share with you!

Recently I've been asked what plugins I would recommend, assuming that you have no cash on hand. The problem is not finding plugins, as there are so many. The problem is finding tools worth using. 

Does your gear matter?

Does your gear matter? Simple answer: yes.

Those populists who say otherwise are perhaps simply currying favour. Or, to be generous, perhaps they are attempting to counteract the overwhelming commercialisation of the internet, where everywhere you turn someone is proclaiming the newest trinket to be the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).

But both extremes are wrong. The newest tool won't make your practice better. But it's also true that ignoring the quality of your gear is foolish. This article will assert the review principles that I abide by, so as to place my articles here in the correct context.

What is a good low noise microphone for field recording?

This is another blog post in my everyone-asks-this-question-a-million-times-so-now-I-can-just-link-them-here series (patent pending). The problem with most such questions asked on social media is that not enough information is provided. Answers depend on the use case, available equipment, and budget.

All prices provided are for two mics, since I assume that stereo recording is desirable. 

Note that I have used very few of these mics in practice but have been aware of their performance for, in some cases, decades. Here I am compiling the expert opinions of others, based on my training as an audio engineer.

Fixing audio problems on Windows

The Windows operating system supports an extraordinarily diverse range of hardware and software. For common, everyday tasks, it works well. But it's not optimised for media production out of the box. What happens when you get stuttering playback, crackling audio, and other nasty symptoms? Nine times out of ten these problems can be fixed by changing the default settings

This extensive series of articles provides an easy, step-by-step approach to eliminating the major causes of audio glitches. The knowledge compiled here comes from decades of practical experience. Nothing here requires registry tweaks or third-party software, but can easily be achieved through the Windows interface, confusing though that may sometimes be. 

Tuning an RME Soundcard

This is part of a series on fixing audio problems in Windows. You may wish to start with the main article. 

This article is a quick guide to your RME soundcard settings, assuming you own one of their common Fireface USB devices. Please don't contact me for tech support, but instead use the RME Knowledgebase and Forum.

Tuning Windows Sound Settings

This is part of a series on fixing audio problems in Windows. You may wish to start with the main article. 

This information is provided as a quick reference. Please don't contact me for tech support, but instead use web searches to find further information. The included screenshots are from Windows 10 Professional but other recent Windows versions will have similar procedures. 

Tuning Windows power settings

This is part of a series on fixing audio problems in Windows. You may wish to start with the main article. 

This information is provided as a quick reference. Please don't contact me for tech support, but instead use web searches to find further information. The included screenshots are from Windows 10 Professional but other recent Windows versions will have similar procedures. 

Piano plugins: an overview of inexpensive options (part two)

If you haven't done so already, please read the first part of this article for the necessary context and terminology. Then, read this article to accompany the video on YouTube. There you will get to listen to all 23 pianos. 

Piano plugins: an overview of inexpensive options (part one)

Sooner or later, everyone needs a piano. Whether you are making pop music, composing for soundtracks, scoring a game, or simply looking for wonderful tones to manipulate into crazy shapes, a piano is the most versatile and timbrally-rich instrument you can find. A classically-trained pianist will prefer a "proper" physical grand piano. A jobbing musician will own a portable electronic instrument of high quality. But this article is directed to everyone else: music-makers who need a software solution and don't have a fortune to spend.

This is the first of two articles on the subject. Here I will discuss approaches to creating digital instruments, popular software samplers, and how to judge a sample library. In the second article I present capsule reviews of no fewer than 23 piano plugins, so that you can find those that suit you best. A companion YouTube video is now available, so you can listen to all the instruments. 

Three amazing audio plugins: SketchCassette, ShapeShifter, Digitalis

Let me introduce you to Abberant DSP, a company consisting of Ben (developer and customer support), Dan (GUI designer and marketing), and Jon (resident kitty and help centre). This small team produces three of the best plugins I've encountered. They sound great, are cheap as chips, and have quirky interfaces that nonetheless are well-designed.

Read on for my take on SketchCassette, ShapeShifter, and Digitalis.

How to sound like Brian Eno / Daniel Lanois circa 1980

Years ago I made some notes on studio gear used by Brian Eno for his late 1970s productions, in particular the albums in the Ambient series. A recent social media discussion encouraged me to compile and update this information.

In particular, there has been a long-standing fascination with the sound of the album Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror, released in 1980 on Editions EG. This beautiful recording features the minimalist piano of Harold Budd, but is co-credited to Brian Eno, in respect of his production contributions. Budd plays piano, both acoustic and electric. Alongside this solo instrument  are sounds from synths and other devices that have never, to my knowledge, been identified. According to Budd, a Yamaha DX7 and Casio CT-200 were used on The Pearl (released 1984), but these keyboards were not available in 1979 [Prendergast 1986].

The remainder of this article will focus attention on the signal chain used to create such a lush sonic environments from solo piano. This article will break down the equipment used at that time, along with today's alternatives. 

Portable Audio Recorders Summary 2022

It's three years on from my last audio recorder summary (July 2019) and so time to update my comparison table. This time it's quite compact, largely due to vendors streamlining their offerings. Please download the PDF. I've included columns for those characteristics I find most useful to distinguish between recorders. YMMV, but it should be a helpful starting point.

Now is the time to buy AKG cans

Public service announcement for all my European heads. AKG Studio Headphones are currently massively discounted at Thomann.