SoundTrap acoustic recorders come in two form factors – the compact ST300 series and the long term ST500 series. Because there is a lot of cross over between these product lines we have created this page to help customers decide which of these best fits their needs.
Here’s a table outlining the key differences:
| ST300 | ST300 with Ext Batt Pack | ST500 | |
| Max battery life (continuous recording) | 14 days | 70 days | 180 days |
| Max memory | 256GB | 256GB | 1TB |
| Batteries | Internal, rechargeable | Internal rechargeable, plus 3 x D cells | 9 x D cells |
| Memory and battery field swappable | No | No | Yes |
| User must maintain O’Ring seals to avoid damage | No | No | Yes |
| Requires experience/training to deploy | No | A little | Yes |
| Weight in air with batteries loaded | 0.5 kg | 2.4 kg | 4.2 kg |
| Typical mooring weight | 10kg | 20 kg | 30 kg |
| Price for STD version (256GB) | $2950 | $4300 | $5500 |
Summary
The ST500 series are designed specifically for long term deployments (~6 months to 1 year). This comes at a cost in terms of usability, meaning they require more experience and care to successfully deploy. However if recording duration is your primary concern, they can’t be beaten.
If deploying for shorter periods, then the compact ST300 series are easier to use. Their small size, weight and ease of deployment have made them very popular. Hence why they’re are still our favorite recorder for short to medium deploys (up to ~6 months).
