Digital Voice Recorders: Reviews

Updated September 2010

Voice recorders can help you take detailed notes, and the latest models can even handle the transcription for you; some recorders come bundled with voice recognition software. Experts review a wide range of voice recorders, and recommend models based on how often you'll use them and how complex your needs are. Prices range from under $100 to for budget models to about $300 for professional models.

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Budget digital voice recorder

Olympus VN-6200PC

*Est. $60 Compare Prices

If you need a simple recorder for personal notes, interviews or lectures, reviews point to the VN-6200PC. Its 1 GB of integrated memory can hold up to 444 hours of recordings at its lowest-quality setting. Some users… expandaren't happy with its plastic construction, and file conversions (WMA to MP3) can be sluggish, but otherwise, the affordable VN-6200PC does the job. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

PC Today: In this article about what to consider when purchasing a digital voice recorder, the Olympus VN-6200PC is shown as a top pick for its 1 GB of built-in memory and the ability to transfer files to a computer without additional software.

DigitalVoiceRecorderReviews.org: This review is posted by a blogger who used the Olympus VN-6200PC to record sessions of high school lectures.

Amazon.com: More than 100 customers weigh in on the Olympus VN-6200PC, resulting in an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

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for $59.99

Best digital voice recorder with MP3 player

Olympus WS-500M

*Est. $100 Compare Prices

If you're looking for a powerful digital voice recorder that can double as an MP3 player, the Olympus WS-500M is well received in reviews. This digital voice recorder has 2 GB of internal memory that can store more than… expand139 hours of high-quality stereo recording -- 544 hours at the lowest quality -- and up to 500 songs. With a pop-out USB connector, the Olympus plugs directly into a computer's USB port for downloading MP3 and WMA recordings to a PC equipped with Windows Media Player. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

PCMag.com: PCMag.com gives the Olympus WS-500M an Editors' Choice award for its full-featured recording options and what reviewer Eric Grevstad calls a "fairly robust digital music player." Grevstad also likes that the Olympus WS-500M plugs directly into your computer for easy transfer of files.

Amazon.com: More than 30 users contribute to the Olympus WS-500M's overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

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for $129.99

Professional-grade digital voice recorder

Samson Zoom H4n

*Est. $300 Compare Prices

The Samson Zoom H4n gets high marks for its recording quality and user-friendly interface. The memory card slot supports capacities up 32 GB, and a 2 GB card is bundled with the recorder. The Zoom H4n has four-channel… expandrecording ability and a pre-amp feature that lets you adjust recording levels on the fly. It also features various recording modes, including high-quality 96 kHz WAV files. These features and others make it a good choice for recordings that will be broadcast, such as in a podcast. The H4n is also recommended for musicians looking for professional-grade results. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

CNET: CNET's Donald Bell tests the Zoom H4n and calls it "a mobile recording dynamo with features that outperform competitors that cost twice as much." Bell likes the two built-in microphones that can record in two-channel or four-channel mode; plus, the Zoom H4n has jacks for plugging in two external mics for additional flexibility.

PortableDigitalRecordersSite.com: This is an in-depth report on the reviewer's experience with the Samson Zoom H4n after six months of use.

Amazon.com: More than 70 customers contribute to the Zoom H4n's overall rating of 4.5 out of 5, citing excellent sound quality and sturdy build among the recorder's best features.

Bright Hub.com: This roundup of best digital recorder choices names the Zoom H4n as the top pick, saying it offers the best sound quality.

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Buy from Amazon for $299.00
BuyDig.com for $299.00	zZounds.com for $299.00	SameDayMusi- c for $299.00

Digital voice recorder for dictating and transcription

Sony ICD-MX20

*Est. $250 Compare Prices

Named by Nuance as one of the most accurate voice recorders for use with the company's top-rated Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice-to-text software, the Sony ICD-MX20 is a great choice for those (such as teachers, doctors… expandand lawyers) who need to transfer lengthy spoken notes to text. The 32 MB of internal flash memory can hold just under 12 hours of recordings at the lowest-quality setting, but an expansion slot for Memory Stick Pro Duo flash memory lets you add up to 2 GB of additional memory. However, the Sony ICD-MX20 records files in a non-standard format that must be converted in software that's not compatible with the Mac operating system. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

PC World: James A. Martin from PC World proclaims that the Sony ICD-MX20 is the best digital voice recorder, especially for speech-to-text transcriptions.

Amazon.com: A few dozen owners rate the Sony ICD-MX20 here, and the middling score (3.5 stars out of 5) fairly represents the split opinions expressed.

VoiceRecognition.com: This retail site specializing in voice recognition hardware and software rates digital voice recorders on compatibility with Dragon NaturallySpeaking, the leading voice recognition software.

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for $299.95