Low cost EVP recording
As investigators we are always looking for better ways to capture our data. One of the most common pieces of ghost hunting equipment are voice recorders for EVP sessions. They can range from old cassette recorders to wireless audio and laptops. As with any equipment these things can range enormously in price. For the majority of us the less expensive the better.
This review introduces the Sansa Clip MP3 audio player. The version we purchased was the 1GB (Gigabyte). They do come in larger capacities but we felt for the purpose of recording audio that 1GB would be plenty for an investigation. The first thing we were looking for was the quality of the recording. This device had excellent reviews from various sites and stated that it could be easily used as a dictation device for meetings and classroom lectures. This was a good hint that the microphone sensitivity was in line with what we needed. Obviously the more sensitive the microphone the better. We want to hear sounds from an entire area not just immediately next to the device. Many common digital recorders will store their audio files in compressed formats such as WMA or MP3 to help save space. The one very problematic issue with recording in these formats is compression. The reason for compression is to make files much smaller. This in turn will always reduce the quality and resolution of the recording. In turn this can also lead to false positives when capturing EVP’s. If you look at our Captūra page you can listen to one example of a false EVP that was captured just because of compression. So another selling point for the Sansa Clip was the fact that it records in WAV format. WAV is generally considered to be uncompressed. It does not lose any information as it’s being stored. The files however are much larger and require more storage space. We estimate the Sansa Clip 1GB will hold between 4 and 4.5 hours of uncompressed audio recording. For most investigations this is perfect. However if you are in the field and begin to run out of space on the device it is very easy to connect via USB to a laptop and transfer the file. You are then left with enough space for another 4 hours of recording.
After testing the Sansa Clip we were sold. At a price of around $30 CAD we don’t think we could find much better. The microphone is very sensitive and records a very good quality audio file. It transfers easily to a computer which will allow for better analysis after an investigation has been completed. The battery life is great and should hold up for around 15 hours.
The one thing we would suggest while using the Sansa Clip is to either clip it a piece of clothing or lay it down on a surface. The microphone is very sensitive and will pick up the sound of you just holding the device.
All in all the Sansa Clip is a great device for paranormal investigators. At $30 with this type of quality you just can’t beat it.
