First look at Sennheiser MKH 8030 and Rycote BD-10 microphones

December 11, 2023

The Sennheiser MKH 8030 has been the stuff of legends for more than a decade. What does it sound like, and how does it compare to the other Sennheiser mics in the series or to the new Rycote BD-10?

Zoom F3 recorder review

June 10, 2022

The Zoom F3 is a little beast of a recorder. Is it worth buying? Let’s have a look.

Zoom F6 field recorder review

June 12, 2020

When I sold my H4n back in 2013 I swore I’d never get another Zoom device. Fast forward to 2019 and I bought the Zoom F6 recorder, hoping it would be a different experience. Did it disappoint? Read on to find out more.

Sony PCM D10 long term review

February 23, 2020

I’ve had the Sony PCM D10 handheld recorder for a little over a year. I initially thought this was the long-awaited D100 replacement with additional features like XLR input and USB-C connectivity. This wasn’t really the case, but is it still worth getting?

Sound Devices Mixpre II review

February 12, 2020

In late 2019 Sound Devices released the second generation Mixpre recorders and I was one of the first recordists to test one. Are the new Mixpres worth buying? Here's my review of these devices after having used the Mixpre 6 II and 10 II on a couple of field recording expeditions.

Field recording tools of the trade

At the lower end of the price spectrum, field recording equipment will yield relatively similar results. A few dB of self noise won’t make a huge difference if the recordist hasn’t mastered the other tools of the trade, the ones that can’t be bought. Let’s examine some lesser known but rather more important tools that are sure to improve your field recording practice.

Introduction to Freestyle field recording

Freestyle field recording is a flexible approach to recording nature and wildlife sounds outside of the studio or any controlled environment, developed by George Vlad. While traditional methods are prescriptive and rigid, Freestyle field recording encourages deliberate experimentation and a very organic workflow.

Listening session at the House of Lords in Westminster

I recently received an invitation to play some of my soundscapes and to tell stories about conservation. While there’s nothing unusual about that, the setting was definitely novel for me.

A collection of Owl sounds

Owls are awesome and worth learning about. What better place to start than a curated selection of owl recordings, captured by your favourite wildlife sound recordist!

The 2025 Soundscape Fund

How can field recording make a difference for conservation and environmental causes? I get this question a lot, and one of the answers is here. Once a year I team up with Thomas Rex Beverly and Andy Martin to raise money for environmental NGOs.