Sony PCM-D50 – Amazing

The Sony PCM-D50 is the ultimate digital voice recorder - there is only one shortcoming in my book - the use of Memory Stick. And that might not even be a problem for many.

Why is it amazing?

  • It's signal to noise ratio - a measure of audio clarity - is 93dB.
  • At its higest, the PCM-D50 will surpass DAT recording quality.
  • It comes with 4 GB of memory built in - this is enough to allow approximately 6 hours at an excellent 48 Khz 16 bit recording (CD quality is 44.1 KHz and 16 bit)
  • It records natually in WAV format - so transfer using the USB port is a breeze. There are no weird Sony proprietery formats to deal with here.
  • There are 2 microphones available - this allows stero recording.
  • The battery life is 14 Hours when recording CD quality  at 44.1 KHz/16  bit recording or 12 Hours at the highest quality format.
  • The recorder is made of aluminum - not plastic.
  • It has the same limiter as the D1 - meaning that if there is any clipping, the PCM-D50 will take a signal at -20dB down and use that. You won't get clipping unless you have an extreme problem.

July 21st, 2009 | Posted in Sony Recorders | No Comments

The Basics of the an Olympus Digital Recorder

This is a really quick video demo of an Olympus Audio Recorder. Check it out!


Duration : 0:4:9

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September 8th, 2008 | Posted in Olympus Recorders | 1 Comment

Olympus WS-320M Portable MP3 Player and Recorder

The WS-320M is a great voice recorder and MP3 player. Its features include things like: 277 hours of recording time in LP mode or 266 songs (4 minutes with 128kbps per song). It records in the WMA format and has a Backlight LCD. The recorder has 1 GB of flash memory.

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September 8th, 2008 | Posted in Olympus Recorders | 9 Comments

Olympus DS-4000 Premium Voice Recorder

>The Olympus DS-4000 digital recorder is a top of the line recorder. This recorder records in DSS, a special standard for professional transcription and dictation requirements. (Digital Speech Standard). It captures around eleven hours of DSS audio and comes with a 32MB xD-Picture Card. It you use a 512 MB card, you will get around 1 week of audio recording.


September 8th, 2008 | Posted in Olympus Recorders | No Comments

Olympus LS10 Studio Quality Audio Recorder

The Olympus LS10 is a linear PCM recorder. It is a studio quality audio recording solution from Olympus. This is an awesome recorder with 24 BIT/ 96 KHZ LINEAR PCM RECORDING, UP TO 12 HOURS OF RECORDING CAPABILITY
2GB BUILT-IN MEMORY AND SD SLOT, and THREE RECORDING FORMATS: WAV, MP3 & WMA


September 8th, 2008 | Posted in Olympus Recorders | 25 Comments

An Introduction to Audio Editing

Edit Out Everything Unwanted

Once an audio recording is taken, it would, in most cases need to be cleaned up. This process normally is carried out to remove excess and unwanted sound parts, such as a sharp intake of breath, or an annoying dog barking in the background. Due to the fact that your audio recording is digital, there exist a variety of ways that it can be cleaned up and made into something that sounds professional and, more importantly like that, exactly the way you want it to sound.

Techniques of Editing

While there are more advanced techniques for editing audio recordings, such as mastering that is performed on recorded songs before release, other editing techniques are much more commonplace. With the rise of open source, there are even a lot of very good, and free, pieces of software that can easily help you edit any audio clip in a number of ways, making it easy for first timers.

Some of the most basic techniques of editing involve the four basic tools of cut, copy, paste and delete. Through these four tools, many possibilities arise, such as deleting portions of unwanted sound by selecting it during playback and simply erasing it from your recording. Also, with cut, copy, and paste, duplicates of a certain part of the audio clip can be made, or even moved, from one place to another.

For example, say you had a recording of a speech that had a dog bark in the background near the start, and also a line that you messed up. Firstly, you could delete the dog bark entirely, and then you could cut out the line you messed up, and paste in a newly recorded correct version of the line.

Apart from that, other basic techniques of editing involve the addition of certain effects into the audio clip. Most common among these are fade-in’s or fade-out’s. Essentially these involve raising the volume smoothly up, or down, respectively, over the course of a predetermined portion of the audio clip.

Additionally, it is possible for you to alter various aspects of the recording. Two such of these aspects are the pitch, and the tempo. Normally, altering tempo to make it faster automatically results in a much higher pitched ’chimpunk-sounding’ recording, and likewise, making the tempo slower automatically decreases the pitch. However, with most editing software of today, you can easily perform any changes while retaining the pitch.

Most software available today can allow even beginners to suitably edit audio recordings to a satisfactory level. Of course, it takes true experts to completely ‘master’ the audio track of a song, and that would take more advanced features than most of the common software has to offer. Still, for the casual user it is more than enough, and an hour or so of experimenting with the features on offer, as well as the techniques above, could easily help produce professional sounding audio clips that are crisp, clear, and most importantly do not have annoying background sound such as dogs barking.

September 6th, 2008 | Posted in Audio Software, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

What to look for in a Portable Digital Recorder

 

Characteristics of a Digital Recorder: Things to Consider Before Purchase

            If you’re looking for a digital recorder, chances are that you need it for some specific purpose. So what should you look for? Well, ideally the best digital recorder that suits your needs and requirements. Of course, if you’re not exactly an expert in digital recorders, you might easily overlook some things that really merit consideration. 

Some Basic Considerations

            One of the most obvious things to consider is size. We live in an age when things seem to constantly be getting smaller and digital recorders no exception. Still, some digital recorders sacrifice features or, worse yet, audio quality, in order to make themselves smaller, and so what should really be considered is the smallest digital recorder with the features that you desire.

            Second to this is the question of audio quality, which in essence is normally entirely dependent on the internal microphone. To be honest, it is tough to rate these as almost every digital recorder claims to offer high quality recording, and so the only real way is to read reviews on digital recorders by existing users. Also, some recorders offer connection ports for external microphones, which could be a real asset for top audio quality.

            Additionally, there is the issue of battery life, and recording time. Be forewarned that any quoted numbers in either case would generally be the uppermost limits of what is possible, and you will find that the true numbers are considerably lower. As a rule of thumb, higher quality recording equals less recording time and faster consumption of battery life. In conjunction with this, higher quality recordings also consume more memory when stored, which is why having high amounts of memory is generally preferred.

More Advanced Considerations

             Coupled with the basic considerations, there are some more advanced, and specific, areas in which some digital recorders outperform others. Foremost among these is in transcribing ability.

            Through the employment of voice recognition software, some digital recorders today can transcribe voice into text that can then be edited or emailed as required. For businesspeople, this can be a real asset as it allows for easy notes created from meetings held and such.

            Furthermore, connectivity is another area that may be required by some. Many of the digital recorders today do boast USB connectivity, either directly or through docks. If you plan to be using your digital recorder often and transferring files to computers other than your own, direct connection capabilities could be essential, unless you don’t mind lugging around a docking station.

             No matter what your needs, you should be able to find some digital recorder that fulfills them. More advanced options, such as transcribing, may prove to cost more as well, but may be worth the extra cash due to the time it can save. On the other hand, a basic digital recorder that offers decent, but not spectacular, sound quality as well as moderate battery life and memory, is fairly inexpensive today, by any standards.

September 6th, 2008 | Posted in Portable Digital Recorders | No Comments

A Review of the Olympus DS-2400

 

Olympus DS-2400 Review

            As far as a digital recorder goes, the Olympus DS-2400 seems to possess most, if not all, of the key ingredients that make for the perfect digital recorder.  By packaging all of it within a sleek and comfortable sized package that fits well within the hand of a person, and can stand or lie on surfaces, there really are no complaints to be had as to its dimensions. Topping its outer appearance off is the large screen that displays font large and clear enough that it is not necessary to squint.

Improved Quality, Improved Memory

            Certainly, Olympus did not skimp when considering the audio recording capabilities of the DS-2400. No matter the occasion, this new digital recorder delivers high quality sound recordings thanks to the improvements that Olympus packed into it.

            Chief among these is the new Digital Speech Standard Pro, or DSS, format of recordings which allows for both higher quality as well as higher compression. Roughly translated into layman terms, this means that recordings take up much less storage space, while at the same time exceeding the quality of other formats. Coupled with the extra-high quality QP mode, it is perfect for any purposes.

            Just to top it all off, the DS-2400 has SD/SDHC capability. Essentially, by being able to except either type of memory cards, the DS-2400 that ships with 1GB can in actuality have up to 16GB of memory. In a nutshell, this memory capacity, coupled with the high compression DSS file format, allows the digital recorder to record for hours upon hours on end without needing to have recordings transferred off it onto a computer.

Hordes of Features

            Although memory and audio quality are the two central aspects of any digital recorder, it helps when there are other features that allow for increased functionality. In this, the DS-2400 excels by providing intuitive controls that are easy to grasp along with their user friendly software that makes accessing files easy.

            For all transcription needs there is no need to fear as the DS-2400 is completely compatible with Olympus’ AS-2400 transcription kit and the high quality of the recordings make it even more effective. Unfortunately, the transcription kit is not bundled in with the digital recorder itself.

            Of course, the capability to transfer files to computers is a must, and in terms of connectivity there is little need to worry with USB 2.0 compatibility. Lastly, but certainly not least, the battery is said to last up to 32 hours, with AC power supply also an option just in case.

             All in all, Olympus seem to have come up with a winner in their new DS-2400 series, and have specifically suited it to the needs of professionals to combine high quality digital audio recording ability with ease of use. No matter the situation, the DS-2400 can easily fulfill its role, making it a definite asset to have around. By focusing on improving the areas that count most, the DS-2400 is definitely a solid and well rounded digital recorder.

September 6th, 2008 | Posted in Olympus Recorders | No Comments

A Review of the Sony PCM D-50

 

Sony PCM D-50 Review 

            As a mainstay in the area of electronics, certain expectations are weighed on Sony products. In many regards, the Sony PCM D-50 lives up to the expectations that are put onto it. At first glance, and touch, it appears to be slightly hefty, but then it is generally found to be fairly comfortable when held in the palm of one hand. Indeed, it feels solid and rugged, sort of as if it was designed for work out in the field.

            Other features further reinforce this feel, most of all being the bars that protect the twin microphones at the top. Overall, it seems to be a digital recorder that can take a few hits here and there and still come out of it all doing well.

Flexibility and High Quality Performance

            Although in most cases it isn’t a good idea to judge a book by its cover, in the case of the D-50 the initial feel of it being designed to work out in the field seems to be spot on. With the inbuilt twin microphones providing good sound quality recordings, the more exciting feature that they have is their ability to be rotated up to 120 degrees or so each.

            On top of that, memory will possibly never be an issue with the D-50. Mostly this is due to the fact that, where most other digital recorders only provide storage in the form of additional memory cards, the D-50 has an internal RAM storage of 4 GB. On top of that, in is granted that the situation may arise where more is necessary, however rarely, in which case a Memory Stick of up to 4 GB can be used too, bringing the total up to 8 GB of memory.

Good and Bad Go Hand in Hand

            Sadly, the one downside to the Sony PCM D-50 is that it is sensitive. True, this is not normally viewed as a downside, but the D-50’s microphones are too sensitive to win, and that presents potential problems. As a solution to this, Sony has an optional furry windscreen that cuts out most of the wind-noise. Naturally, this is hardly an ideal solution as it also means that in situations when things get very windy, it is difficult to record sharp and clear audio.

            Apart from this one flaw however, the rest of the D-50 is very up to date and brimming with useful features. Most are easily accessible, and the green and red set of LEDs that are used in conjunction with the meters can be handy for any situation where the meters are out of sight.

             All in all, Sony has come up with a very solid, functional, and rugged digital recorder that somehow manages to pull off high quality recordings. Of course the problems with recording in the wind exist, however there are ways around that, and even a little time spent editing could help clear the background noise up a bit. While not entirely perfect, it is certainly one of the better digital recorders on the market.

September 6th, 2008 | Posted in Sony Recorders | No Comments

A Review of the Korg MR-1

Korg MR-1 Review

In the world of digital recorders, Korg MR-1 stands out. Not just is it small enough to fit into almost any palm, but it is sleek yet has a rugged metallic finish that makes it one of the most polished-looking digital recorders on the market. Don’t be fooled however, there is much more to the MR-1 than meets the eye. Under the hood of this deceivingly diminutive digital recorder, lies a new era of digital audio recording technology.

One Small Step for Audio Quality

Essentially, when you boil it down, the Korg MR-1 offers the best quality audio recordings ever. Sounds simple enough, but it really isn’t. Up till now the height of audio experience has pretty much been of CD-quality, and instead of matching it, the MR-1 takes a small step past that technology, and into the future.

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For a layman, bigger is better in terms of bits. For example, the CD has 16 bits, compared to the normal 12 bits or so of most digital recorders. Bottom line, this means that the CD has greater audio depth, or rather; it has the capacity to capture audio in far greater detail than something with less bits.

Due to this there is some confusion about Korg’s 1-bit technology, as they call it, which has been incorporated into the MR-1. Simply put, this technology allows the recording of more realistic sound, due to the absence of filters that would normally cause distortion. Coupled with a sampling rate that is 64 times that of a CD, it is sound, made pure.

Other Features: The Good and Bad

Apart from the sound quality, the Korg MR-1 does pretty much what anyone could expect from a digital recorder, and does most things well. With USB ports, a port for a 3V microphone, and a wheel that makes navigation between various functions and menus both easy and intuitive, the MR-1 proves to be as functional as it looks good.

Instead of the 1-bit audio files being a pain to play on PC due to the lack of an encoder, Korg packages in Audiogate, a 1-bit audio file player, along with the MR-1. Truth is, on the Korg MR-1 itself there are functions that allow for recording into other file formats, such as MP3, and likewise Audiogate allows for transfer between file formats as well.

Possibly the only slight downside of the Korg MR-1 is its battery. Unfortunately, the internal battery can only last 2.5 hours before requiring recharging, which is distinctly dissatisfactory. Solution for this takes the form of external battery pack compatibility, but even that is not appealing to most.

End of the day, if it is the highest quality of audio recordings that are so detailed and amazing that it is even possible to hear the ‘pops’ of bubbles bursting in fizzy drinks, then the Korg MR-1 is definitely an option that should be considered. However for long, heavy duty usage, it might not last as long as would be ideal. Tough call, but it is definitely a very well put together piece of equipment.

September 6th, 2008 | Posted in Korg Recorders, Uncategorized | No Comments

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