Should I waste money on a digital recorder?

Question

I am interested in pursuing my own paranormal investigations and wanted to know if it was worth spending the extra money for a digital recorder? I worry that if I buy one I'll never get any EVPs, but I won't know unless I do. I am not sure of the best approach. Any advice (other than being institutionalized) would be wonderful.

Answer 1

It's a toss up, on one hand there's less mechanical noise to weed through with digital. But on the other hand, if you are trying to sway a skeptic then yes a digital recorder is much easier to manipulate.

It really does just depend on what you're more comfortable with.

Answer 2

The money wouldn't be wasted; T.R. has a good answer. Rock on!

Answer 3

Why not join an already existing paranormal team to give any kind of equipment a test run?

Plus it depends on whether or not there are any bona-fide haunted sites that you could visit in your area, or if you're willing to travel 250+ miles to other locations before investing any money into the equipment.

Other than for EVP work, could you use the recorder for anything else?

Answer 4

I personally dont think it would be a waste of money, cause i have had amazing results with EVP.

Answer 5

Computers and cellphones can also digitally record

Answer 6

it's your decision but be careful. recorders like that have a tendncy to record themselves playing as the recording device is inside the case. beware the power of suggestion.

Answer 7

Consider if you are going to be using the recorder for anything else as well. If so, even if you get no EVP, it will not be wasted.

If you are just going to use it to try and record EVPs, it is a more difficult decision. However, you will never know until you try it, so I would suggest buying one anyway. If, as it turns out, it doesn't do anything for you, if you have taken proper care of it and still have everything with it, you could sell it on and reclaim some of the money you spent.

Answer 8

it is worth EVERY penny! I invested in a digital recorder and you'd be AMAZED at what i caught.

Answer 9

I personally have grave doubts (pun intended) that EVPs are a real phenomenon, so I can't recommend buying a digital recorder for that purpose. But if you want to go ahead and get one anyway, get one that records in CD quality (44 kHz, 16 bit). Use the highest quality mode that it offers. Also never hold the unit while you are recording with it, but instead place it on a solid surface. Also make sure that automatic volume control on recording is turned off. For convenience sake, get one directly plugs into your computer via USB.  I like the Olympus recorders.

Answer 10

When a skeptic is confronted with a digital recorder (particularly a digital video recorder), pretty much the first thing that they do is proclaim that a digital recording is 10 times easier to manipulate (faked) than an analogue recording.

Answer 11

Whether or not you bring a recorder along at all really depends on your feelings regarding EVPs.  Personally, since I think ghosts have no voice boxes and if they did we could hear them as well as any device recording audible sound (i.e. a digital recorder), I think EVPs are nothing more than auditory pareidolia, so I wouldn't bother.

If you want to try to get some EVPs but don't want to spend the money on a recorder just use the microphone on your video camera.  There is no reason not to.  The only drawback with this method is that the sound won't be as easy to manipulate.  I would contend that enough manipulation of your sound clips amounts to sound production, so you can see why I am against the practice.