Review: The Newest Echo Meter Touch 2 (Non-Pro Version) From Wildlife Acoustics

From Wildlife Acoustics 

So, here's a bat detector which needs no introduction... The Echo Meter Touch 2

Stock photo from Wildlife Acoustics website.

This is how the unit arrives, double-packed, directly from Wildlife Acoustics.

Very well protected inside the cardboard box

The Echo Meter Touch App, is what you download for free, from the Google Play site online - In order to operate the unit on your cell phone. All units manufactured after 2021, will have a USB—C connector.

It's important to keep in mind that a USB—C to Micro—USB, or Micro-USB to USB-C adapter may also be used...These are inexpensive, and readily available. Any adapter used, should conform to the On The Go specification.

The Echo Meter Touch 2 is very small and light, some would say amazingly so!

One of the reasons why I mention this specifically, is because it seems to me, to be even lighter than any of it's predecessors.

At the time of this writing, it is selling for $179 US dollars — directly from the Wildlife Acoustics website.

The echo meter touch 2 in it's protective carry pouch

(very neat!)

You will find that the echo meter touch 2 is very reasonably priced, and available from many different sellers — online. Including NHBS in the British isles; and Wildlife & Countryside Services.

It doesn't take very much practice before becoming comfortable using the echo meter touch app. You are able to easily toggle between compressed and expanded mode, using the icon on the main monitoring screen.

Remember to configure your Auto ID mode. Enter the Auto ID mode: and select from North America, Europe, United Kingdom, Neo Tropics, and a South African region (should be available in the latest version by the time you're reading this).

There is also a small manual record button — Red, and marked with an M. — which you can use to initiate a recording..... This button may be used on its own — or while triggered recording is in session... This is helpful in case the trigger misses something. You may read more about this in section 2.5 of the User Manual.

As always, I recommend reading the the freely downloadable User Manual — preferably in it's entirety!

You also have the ability to stop the recording label icon to open the notes page. Voice and text notes are saved as metadata in the recording, and they are transferred along with the recording to your PC. You can later use the search feature, to search the text of any text notes you had may have added.

The app has a limit of 10,000 recordings— after that, recordings will need to be transferred or deleted.

Another interesting feature is that in live mode, heterodyne can be tuned automatically or manually.

In GPS view: you can see the different locations, since each recording session is shown with a different path colour.... The KML file is generated and stored with the session, in the session folder.

I'm glad that you are able to adjust The Real Time Expansion on a previously made recording. 

In order to adjust pitch (1/10 is higher pitched [and the one I prefer] and 1/20 is lower pitched).

The nightly sessions mode is very neat, and behaves as a sort of unattended recording mode. Nice.

There are several methods of transferring your recordings onto a computer. You may use WiFi, a USB cable, or email. I experimented with all of them.

Part 5.2 of the user manual discusses audio specifications, of both the EM2 and the EM2 pro. Very informative, as you would expect.

You can also have a look at this page, on the Wildlife Acoustics site; which shows a neat side-by-side comparison - between The EM Touch 2 and The EM Touch 2 Pro.

The Echo Meter Touch 2 is very easy to use; and would be ideal for a beginner, or just about anyone interested in listening to, and/or recording bat calls.

And as always, I recommend the EM Touch 2 Pro to those who prefer better performance and features.

You can use The EM Touch 2 to save triggered recordings to .wav files. You may listen to the recordings, in either RTE (Real Time Expansion), HET (heterodyne), or traditional Time Expansion. In other words, while recording —Or while listening to the recorded files on your phone.

You can use the Touch, to transfer recordings to your computer. The app bundles the recordings into a zip folder, and allows downloading by entering a short URL into any web browser.

The screenshot below, shows the spectrogram of Lasionycteris noctivagans, a species of Vesper bat, here in The Northeastern United States:

 

A recording of a Silver-Haired Bat, made with The EM Touch 2

Viewed using Kaleidoscope, and Zoomed-in on a bit.

Pros:

* Price: Reasonably affordable, considering what you get (providing that you already have an Android cell phone).

* Easy to use, with a lot of features - not the least of which is Auto ID.

* Lightweight and robust.

Cons:

* Speed and responsiveness are directly related to the speed and responsiveness of your cell phone (new, fast phone = fast bat detector).

* Audio output isn't very loud. On the late model Samsung cell phone I used, I found myself wishing it was much louder.

So, the other minor Con, would be that it's no longer manufactured for use on any Apple devices.

Note: When rushing out to detect bats using the default settings (presuming you're recording bats in rainy conditions - from a dry refuge!): You will hear light rain / raindrops being registered. 

This may be remedied by making adjustments in the frequency response parameters - Basically the "window" of frequencies you allow the unit to record - An incentive to become familiar with the customization's The Touch is capable of; as well as The User Manual in general.

Which all serves to help you get the most out of The Echo Meter Touch 2.

This pretty much sums up The echo meter touch 2 (non pro edition). I plan to add some more info to this review in the near future; along with some recordings, et cetera.

Thank you to Wildlife Acoustics for providing the unit for review! The EM Touch 2 has been sent to The BatAbility Club (in Scotland) - Where it will be featured in an upcoming free giveaway—For BatAbility Club members!

Until next time, Happy bat detecting!

Review: The Song Meter Micro Recorder from Wildlife Acoustics Part 1 Of 2

Part 1 Of 2 The Song Meter Micro Recorder from Wildlife Acoustics

The Song Meter Micro, is the latest offering in the line of Wildlife Audio Recorders from Wildlife Acoustics, in Massachusetts USA.

This (very small!) wildlife sound recorder, was developed for those needing to record various (non-bat) animal species.

This compact, cute, and robust sound recorder was designed from "the ground up" to work as an unattended recording solution. The main points one realizes straight away are:

It's small!

It's not very expensive.

It's robust & capable.

Packaging - Upon arrival, you'll notice that the box is small. When you open the (outer) box, you'll notice that the inner box is small...

Unboxing video on YouTube 

The unit is 4"/101mm High x 2.9"/74mm Wide x 1.1"/28mm Deep. It is 0.43lbs/195g with batteries installed.

The Song Meter Micro currently sells for $249 (US dollars) directly from the Wildlife Acoustics Site. It is also available from many Dealers in the UK and Europe. 

 

For those in The UK, NHBS has them in stock. The Song Meter Micro is designed for unattended recording of wildlife sounds in the field. It is constructed of a dark green poly-carbonate, which blends into the natural environment very well. It comes with a built-in, omnidirectional microphone. The Song Meter Micro records 16-bit PCM .wav files - to a single, Micro SD card (up to 2 terabytes in size). 

 

 

The sample rates available, range from 8kHz to 96kHz. 8, 12, 16, 22.5, 24, 32, 44.1, 48, and 96kHz are the selections available. Run time on 3 AA-sized alkaline batteries, is 150 hours. Wildlife Acoustics provides a thorough, 15-step Quick Set-Up Guide. 

For a whittled-down version, just to give you an idea of what's involved:

•  Download/install the free App onto your mobile device.
  

•  Get The Song Meter Micro up & running, by installing batteries, Micro SD card, and powering on.
  

•  Choose from one of the pre-set schedules provided; save.
  

•  Load schedule to The Micro via Bluetooth, replace cover, and deploy unit.
  

 

The Song Meter Micro deployed near my local lake. One small screw was all that was needed, to attach it to a tree at the water's edge. My target species here, were small terrestrial mammals (especially Shrews). More specifically, I was hoping to record Northern Short-Tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda); which I know to are in the area. No luck yet...at the time of this writing.

Once you read through The Quick Start's 15-Step process, and deploy the unit a few times, it becomes very easy. Read the User Manual, and you'll understand a lot more about how it may be customized: Gain settings, etc.

This unit fills a need for many Researchers working with (non-bat) animals that vocalize.

 

The unit records sounds very well; about as good as a handheld digital recorder in the same price range. So far, I've recorded various songbirds, ducks, singing insects, and Fowler's Toads.

Part 2 of this review will feature sound recordings (via YouTube video links), as well as spectrograms (using Kaleidoscope, of course!).

When deploying Song Meter Micro's, I would follow this excellent tip, directly from The Wildlife Acoustics's web page: "requires adding desiccant for each deployment to prevent condensation."

Pros:

•  Relatively inexpensive for what you get (good value).
  
•  Made by a trusted name in wildlife recording equipment.
  
•  Professional Tech support available.
  

Cons:

• Mobile device is necessary to control/set-up, and check status.
  

Once again, The Song Meter Micro may be ordered directly from Wildlife Acoustics, if you're in The U.S. 

Links to excellent Song Meter Micro Vimeo videos (created by Wildlife Acoustics):

Song Meter Micro Configuration Editor

Song Meter Micro Configuration Library 

Learn more about The Song Meter Micro in Part 2 of 2, of this review. 

...Unless, you're the "impatient type" and want to know more about The Song Meter Micro right now - In which case, I'd recommend signing up to The BatAbility Club: Where there's a full webinar (video review) & discussion about it - By yours truly! Along with comments and questions from Director, Neil Middleton.

Happy bat animal detecting!

The Song Meter Micro from Wildlife Acoustics - First Look!

I am very happy to report, that The Song Meter Micro from Wildlife Acoustics has arrived for testing and review. So far, I'm very impressed with it.

 

  

I couldn't help but make a quick unpacking video.  

Let me remind the reader, that this device was designed to record wildlife other than bats. Wildlife Acoustics has it listed as a bird and wildlife recorder (as can be seen from the above link).

This micro-sized unattended recording solution, is already being used successfully in the field - To record singing insects, amphibians, mammals, and birds. It has many customizable features (especially for such a small device).

I simply couldn't resist some preliminary tests with The SM Micro. I've also taken the time to review many of the recordings, made here in the suburbs...And straight away, I can tell this unit has a lot of potential! 

I've just recently started to hear singing insects in the evenings. The local population of mammals are pretty much always present. And my local toad and frog population should be making their debut any night now!

Happy bat detecting!

And happy wildlife sound recording! - Visit The Wildlife Sound Recording Society