This surprisingly small and light voice recorder captures voice clearly (4 x 1.5 x .325 inches,1.7 ounces). It is extremely easy to use and set up, the manual is almost not needed. The built-in USB charger/computer connection is well designed, sliding into the recorder's body smoothly and reliably when not needed, no cords to damage or lose. There are many settings for the recording environment, such as meeting, interview, lecture, etc I put it on auto and was extremely pleased with the results.
To give it a difficult test, I put it in my pocket in a soft sleeve and went to an outdoor garage sale. Though you could hear some of the rustling noise from my pants fabric, it was minor and it picked up the conversations clearly enough to be discernible in this difficult environment. However, I don't recommend using it this way. Putting it on a belt pouch would definitely give excellent results with little or no rustling noises. If you'd like to keep your interviews unobtrusive, this is a great way to do it. You don't need to put it in someone's face like a microphone to get a clear recording.
Put a large memory card (micro SD) into its available card slot and you can easily capture thousands of hours of recording. The internal battery lasts for more than one day of continuous recording and charges easily and quickly from any USB charger. Plug it into a portable USB power bank and you can extend the recording time to many days or weeks of continuous recording if necessary. Not using throw-away batteries saves size and weight. It saves the recorded files in standard Mp3 format that any computer or smartphone can utilize. Highly recommended for clear voice recording, meetings, interviews or personal notes. An excellent device for a modest price.
Note: if you've never used a voice recorder, don't be fooled into thinking that your smartphone can replace one. A phone is designed to capture voice at very close range and picks up a lot of unwanted noise. Voice recorders are designed to capture the specific sound frequencies of voice and suppress unwanted extraneous noises like wind and machine hum.
Update September 27, 2017:
I went on location to interview a rock singer. I went to his concert the evening before the interview. Not having high hopes, I put the Sony voice recorder in a belt holster, set it to auto and medium high audio quality and let it record during the entire concert. It was at my side, under my shirt and I'm surrounded by screaming fans constantly bumping me. Needless to say the place was LOUD, like eardrum damaging loud. I listened to the recording the next day and WOW. I can clearly hear his intros between songs (which is all I wanted), nearly every word and easily discernible. The sound quality of the music is not good, which I didn't need anyway. I can't believe this worked. Next day we met outside the hotel and walked to a restaurant along a busy street, again with the recorder at my side in a belt holster, sat down outside the restaurant, cars wizzing by and talked. It caught all our conversations clearly. Later we drove around in a convertible with the top down (not as good, but still discernible). That evening we went out to dinner at a busy restaurant, seven of us sitting around the table, the recorder in the center and let run. Caught everyone speaking clearly. Just wow. GREAT voice recorder. Stop shopping and buy this beauty!
Ps: The battery life is crazy good. After 6 hours of multiple recording sessions through the day, it hasn't even dropped one bar. I kept a mobile USB battery pack with me just in case, but never needed or used it.
I love electronics, and am especially smitten when I encounter well-designed high-tech devices. To tell the truth, I carried this around everywhere I went for the first few days just so I could admire it. I'm sure there are many varied needs for a small recording device like this. My specific need is to capture thoughts that pop into my head at inopportune times before they disappear (as a dream does)... it could be suddenly remembering a name long forgotten, or thinking of the perfect way to convey a feeling, or how to phrase something complicated in a simple way. The problem is that this too often happens when I'm driving, but trying to crank up the voice recorder app on my smartphone is too complicated and dangerous while I'm trying to negotiate traffic. With this device it's just a simple swipe down with my thumb on the power switch (conveniently located on the top right side) — it boots up instantly, then press the big red record button on top (press again to pause). The buttons have tactile indicators so you can learn to find the buttons by feel.
I had the Sony ICD-PX470 in my cart, which is similar but a little less expensive. It takes two AAA cells, which I thought I'd actually prefer to a built-in battery, as I usually do. I have a large stock of NiMH low self-discharge AA and AAA rechargeables along with several intelligent chargers (I told you I'm an electronics nut) so I'd have no problem swapping out the batteries. In fact I often prefer replaceable batteries so I'll never be caught waiting for a built-in battery to recharge. Then I read a review which revealed that the PX470's clock had to be reset with each battery change, and I knew that would irritate me so I started looking at this more expensive model more closely and decided it was worth the extra cost — plus, it's even smaller, plus it has a backlight.
The built-in lithium polymer battery can power this device for such a long time that I doubt running out of juice will ever be a problem. I haven't been charging mine, except for the time it's connected to my computer (but I connect only when I want to transfer or rename something), and it's only now gone down to 3/4 bars. I think one full charging would keep it going through a full day of maximum use. [Update 6/18: I've been using it on & off for at least a month since last charging it or connecting to a computer and it's still at 3/4 bars. Since i's best not to regularly run lithium-ion batteries all the way down, I connected the USB port to my phone charger and it charged quickly.]
The speaker is tiny (see my photo), but the sound is surprisingly good for its size... similar to that of a top-grade smartphone. If you want to hear the full quality of the recordings, use a headphone or transfer to a computer and use any quality of speakers you need.
I had expected the software to be a joke, but it most definitely is not! I'm impressed with its features and ease of use. The recorder appears as a USB thumbdrive which makes transferring files and creating and renaming folders as easy as can be (under Windows Explorer). But the software makes it even easier ... plus has transcription capabilities with hot-keys and speed control with DPC (Digital Pitch Control).
I've covered only a small fraction of the capabilities of this remarkable device. It has great flexibility in recording options which I'm sure others will test out and report.
At the time of my purchase this listing had only two photos which didn't clearly reveal the product, so I have added a few more in case they may help anyone.
I'm sure I will eventually find faults to this awesome recorder (nothing's perfect). I'll try to come back and post what I find.
UPDATE 5/11/2018: Coming back down to earth, I've found that turning it on and getting it ready to record is proving to be a little less convenient than I had originally thought — you have to pull the power switch on the right side down, which is possible to do with your thumb if you can get a good grip, but it's easiest to use your thumbnail to catch on the raised center dot to pull down. It takes about one second to boot up, then push the red record button and count another second for the recording to start. I still have to look at it to be sure it's recording unless I can hear the faint beep (a setting to control the beep volume would be a helpful improvement). Again, the software is very powerful and is actually a large part of this recorder's value... good enough to consider when evaluating the cost. Although you can treat this as a USB thumb drive to move files around using Windows Explorer, using the software adds significant functionality.
UPDATE 6/11/2018: I am continuing to find this device useful for my needs, which include saving miscellaneous thoughts that I want to remember, better ways of saying something I want to say, long forgotten things suddenly remembered, new facts and sources, and anything else I want to remember which can be stated verbally. For me, the competition is writing a note on my Note8 or writing a note on one of my computers. One concern is backing up. Notes on my Note8 are supposedly backed up to Samsung's cloud, otherwise I haven't yet tried to figure out another method. Notes on my computers can be backed up any number of ways or saved in the cloud. The problem is... I'm not always around my computers. I keep my Note8 and this tiny voice recorder in a small pouch that I always keep with me, attached to my belt if I'm out and about so I can pull either out at a moment's notice. I really like jotting notes down on my Note8, but using this recorder has its advantages. Right now I believe using the recorder is more secure because it's easier to backup (so far) and can't be hacked except when connected to a hostile environment as a USB drive.
Very capable; built-in stereo work well; all its features adds to complexity of its menus. With the back light, readability of the whit-on-black font is excellent. It is small in size, has mice plugin power for a stereo mic; it is a good mp3 player. I use it to listen to talk podcasts.
Bad: There is no way to append previously recorded messages. Complexity: The delete a file option is not in the same place. Depending which mode etc it may be first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth! There is no quick way to delete a file without looking at the screen and going through a series of menus. I would prefer a delete button.
This little recorder, and I mean LITTLE, is amazing. When I ordered this I thought it was going to be twice the size. For years, I have been writer and editor and this recorder is really something else. I wanted this to record conversations and meetings to be able to use the information to write stories. I can slip this into my shirt pocket and effortlessly record everything in the whole room--probably due to the stereo microphones. This comes with software you install on your computer and playback the recording--lots of control with multiple speeds, you can slow down the conversation to make it more understandable. I lost the hearing in my right ear in 1991, due to a nearby explosion during the Gulf War. This little device really has saved my job, I might miss something during a conversation or meeting but this enables me to play back the everything and fill in what I missed.
CON: It worries me that this device has internal batteries--what happens after they can no longer be recharged? I have had similar Olympic and Sony recorders but they did not measure up at all to this one.
Wow, this is a real change from Sony's earlier voice recorders. It's thinner than earlier models because of a built-in battery. It claims a battery life of 45 hours if recording at 192 kbps. I haven't tested it and it's hard to because I charge it frequently.
Things I really like:
The LCD screen is clear, sharp and crisp -- vasty better than anything Sony recorders have previously had. Vastly -- Seriously. I adjusted the screen setting to keep it lit while recording so I can see the counter. Recommend making that adjustment out of the box.
I work as a reporter so being able to clearly see the counter is critical, and this is -- by far -- the easiest, most visible display I've every worked with. The white letter is on a background. The contrast is sharp and high and easy to see under dim lighting conditions. This is a super+++ improvement by Sony. I hope they include it on all their models, especially their high-res systems.
This unit is thinner than the AAA battery versions and just a little wider. Sony uses that space to put in a larger wheel to that makes it easier to control playback. It separates the stop/record pause bottons just a little more. That helps. Instead a back/home button which makes it easier to use through the menu. It calls menu "option" -- these are all radical changes for this system.
The menu is intuitive.
The recording quality appears excellent.
Sony removed the "erase" button on the site, so now you have to go to the menu to do that. But I don't have a problem with that. As have the DPC (speed control) and A/B button. Those two are now on the wheel in front, which makes much sense.
The menu is easy to access and familiar to anyone who has used Sony in the past.
One thing I wish it had was a battery level by percentage. That's a nice to have feature. You need to rely on the battery symbol itself. But Sony also says this thing has a quick charge; 3 minutes will give about an hour.
Overall, I think this is a big step up for Sony and as a lifelong users (35+ years a journalist) of Sony recorders (several dozen probably), this is one the best that they have ever delivered. (I have four working Sony recorders right now).
This seems to power-up a little more quickly than the 533 or AAA battery units, which is nice.
Thanks Sony! Good job!
Feature Product
- Built-in stereo microphone and voice operated recording
- Three recording options: wide/stereo, narrow/focus and normal
- Quick charge; up to 1-hour recording time, with 3-minute charge
- Easy to use user-interface and recording level indicator
- Micro SD memory card slot, headphone jack & mic input
Description
Normal, focus, and wide-stereo recording provide you with the opportunity to record the audio that you need to capture in any environment, while the slim and lightweight build make it easy to take with you wherever you go and the easy to use up makes file searching simple.
I got this digital voice recorder for the research that I am working on, where I do a series of face-to-face and phone interviews. After comparing the features of other digital voice recorders in the market and their prices, I decided to get this one. I was pleasantly surprised when I first saw it - it is a lot smaller and lighter than I had anticipated. I also like the matte finish and clean design. Operating it is very easy because the features are user friendly. Charging is quick and easy, just plug the retractable USB to a USB port. I also have no problem saving files on Mac. The only thing that could be improved is the sound output of the built-in speaker; the recording sounds a lot better using earphones.
Mac users beware...the file editing software that comes with this recorder is for Windows only, and there is not a Mac version available for download on the Sony support website. You don't need the software to transfer files back and forth, I was able to move files to my Macbook Pro just fine. But If you want variable speed playback, you'll need to find your own software or app. All that said, I really like this recorder. It's small, but a good size for my needs, and has a nice, quality feel to it. The menus are simple and intuitive to navigate. The display is crisp and easy to read. I've even learned to really like the built-in USB, which I was skeptical of at first. It's nice not to have an awkward usb cable getting in the way (or lost). The sound quality of the recordings is excellent through headphones or external speakers. Playback quality on the recorder itself is less impressive, but it's perfectly fine for what it is, and for my purposes. All in all, this is a really nice recorder and I'm glad I bought it. Just know that if you're a mac user, you're on your own with the software.
The sound suppression works! I have this sitting on my desk in my typical college classroom, and I can distinctly hear the professor (who has a medium-soft voice). Even though I can hear the ambient noise - paper shuffling, bumping the desk, etc. - I have no trouble hearing the lecture. The device is small, the usb which pops out of the unit functions well (be sure to support and protect the unit, though), and UI is out-of-the-box easy to start recording. Comes pre-loaded with sound editing software, but I haven't figured out how to access it yet.
This little recorder is spectacular!
I use it as a recorder, for transcriptions, and as an MP3 player.
It is compatible with the Dragon Natural Speaking software that performs unattended transcription from previously-recorded content.
I purchased a Sony ECMCS3 stereo lapel microphone to go with it and it's a perfect match!
With the expansion memory (I'm using a 64GB Sandisk Ultra micro SD card), there seems to be no limit to the songs, speech and other files I can store on this device.
I use it as an MP3 player and appreciate the fact that the recorder has built-in speakers for playback of music and speech.
The player has forward and reverse indexing, as well as repeat to make it easy to rehear any difficult phrases.
The clarity of recordings made with this, is amazing and adjustable.
There is a playback speed control that allows accelerated playback without changing the pitch of the recorded sound.
There is also an audio equalizer built in, which enhances the listening experience through headphones or external sound amplifying equipment.
The microphone input provides power for electret mikes that might need it, and will also accept line inputs without distortion.
The audio output can drive headphones or can be used as a line output.
All this capability assembled into a case the size of two paper matchbooks placed end to end!
I also cannot believe how little power this thing uses. It can run all night, the next day and the next night without needing a recharge.
Recharge time is less than thirty minutes from any USB power source. It even has the USB plug built into the case!
I'll likely buy more of these as gifts for my techie friends. I've been looking for this recorder all my life.
I guess that "tape" has gone the way of the vinyl LP, and after years of using a cassette tape recorder I've changed to a DVR because the transcribing services now demand it. That said, and I confess that I'm just getting started, I am amazed at the quality of the recordings, not to mention the quantity of recordings that can be held in an object the size of a Hershey bar. Maybe time will show me something that I don't like about this unit, but I bought it because it was highly recommended, and, as a new user, I'm happy to add to those good recommendations. If I have any concerns, it may be that, like so many digital devices, it offers too many options. I'm so old that I can still remember when classical music was sold on 78s, so my learning curve is going to be steep!
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