We examine what is the best audio recorder for EVP recordings of ghost voices...
Most ghost investigators who have worked to record ghost voices called EVP (short for electronic voice phenomenon) have chosen their preferred audio recorder through experimentation. It has been reasoned that certain people have a better knack for recording voices of ghosts. Maybe, that is not totally true. Perhaps, some recorders work better than others.
Old School Ghost Voice Recording
There are those who prefer to use the old cassette recorder with an external microphone in order to capture ghost messages. Digital audio recorders, however, have shown that they can capture EVP recordings just as well. The digital recorder is smaller and produces a digital file, something needed for computer analysis of the recording. Plus, you do not have to mess with tapes or transferring the recordings to digital.
Should I Use an External Microphone?
Some EVP specialists prefer an external microphone over an internal one. Especially with older cassette recorders, it was important to use an external mic to eliminate motor noise coming from the machine. Digital audio recorders do not create motor noise. This is where the debate begins. Some theorize that there is still enough internal microphone noise coming from the digital model, especially the cheaper ones, that EVP capture is actually enhanced; this is not unlike using white noise as a carrier to bring forth messages from spirits. In other words, the cheaper, internal microphone could actually be a good thing.
An external microphone might not be a bad thing to test, however. There are many types to experiment with. A parabolic or amplified microphone could be a wonderful choice, possibly providing some amplification of softer spirit voices.
Recommended EVP Recorders for Ghost Hunting
We wanted to see if there were some recommended audio recorders for capturing EVP that ghost investigators felt worked best. Last year, while in Gettysburg, I spoke to a seasoned veteran about this. He shared with me that the Sony SX57 was his preferred model of choice. The man told me he could wear headphones while he recorded EVP and actually hear the voices of ghosts while they were being recorded! Listening for “live” EVP was something I've attempted to do with an amplified microphone, headphones, and splitter I sometimes plug into my own audio recorder.
VOX (voice operated activation) is offered on some digital audio recorders. It is handy if you would like to leave a recorder in a room and have it turn on by itself when people talk. However, EVP is often too soft to be recognized by this feature, so voice activation is typically not recommended unless there is a sensitivity setting. If you set the voice activation sensitivity setting to “High,” some ghost investigators are reporting that the recorder will run almost continually, but still eliminate much of the unnecessary silence. Using this method with a Sony P210 is said to consistently capture EVP quite nicely. This could make EVP analysis much quicker.
We are seeing reports of ghost investigators using multiple digital recorders out in the field and receiving different results. In some cases, the audio recorders were placed side-by-side with one of them recording ghost messages, while the other captured nothing at all. One model, in particular, is said to work better at recording the voices of ghosts than other models from the same manufacturer: the Olympus WS-210S.
The most talked about digital recorder for recording voices of ghosts and spirits has been the Panasonic RR-DR60. It is voice-activated and reportedly has become quite hard to acquire. Many users claim it is very adept at recording EVP over other models, producing plentiful ghost voices within each recording session. Unfortunately, we are also hearing that the DR60 EVPs are not very clear and must be cleaned up a lot with audio enhancement software.
To find the audio recorder that works best for you, we suggest experimenting with several side-by-side. Work with them consistently, and you'll come up with your own model and methods. Also, experiment with different microphone set-ups and compare notes with other investigators. You might be surprised to find the best audio recorder for ghost EVP, yet!
For more information on recording EVP, visit Ghost EVP.