Best Reviewed
Digital Voice Recorders
- Budget digital voice recorder Olympus VN-6200PC *Est. $60
- Best digital voice recorder with MP3 player Olympus WS-500M *Est. $100
- Professional-grade digital voice recorder Samson Zoom H4n *Est. $300
- Digital voice recorder for dictating and transcription Sony ICD-MX20 *Est. $250
Get info about new reports and updates
- Good value
- No USB cable needed
- 140-hour recording time
- Built-in stereo microphones
- Average music playing ability
- Audio quality not suitable for podcasts or radio
The Olympus voice recorders in the 300 series get a review from PC Magazine, which uses both hands-on and laboratory testing. Critical and professional reviews of the Olympus 300 series are also available on AudioTranscription.de, a German retail website.
The Olympus WS-311M digital voice recorder and its siblings, the Olympus WS-321M (*est. $110) and the WS-331M (est. $200), all play music but they differ in their memory capacity (512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB, respectively). The 1.7-ounce WS-311M plugs right into a Mac or PC without a USB cable. Each of these models can record at six levels of quality. At the lowest grade, the WS-311M can hold about 140 hours of dictation. While most reviewers consider the Olympus series voice recorders appropriate for personal note taking, the audio quality is not suitable for podcasting or radio. If your need for quality recording is minimal, the Sony ICD-P520 (*est. $55) is an even less expensive alternative.
| Olympus WS-311M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music Player | |
(73 reviews) In Stock. |
|
Our Sources
PC Magazine doesn't review many digital voice recorders (no professional review source does) but it bases the report it offers on hands-on use and laboratory testing. Reviewer Molly K. McLaughlin says the Olympus WS-321M is a good voice recorder, but warns "just don't expect to use it as your primary music player." If you try to record music, indications are that the results will be "muddy bass and tinny highs."
Review: Olympus Digital Voice Recorder WS-321M, Molly K. McLaughlin, Jan. 11, 2008
AudioTranscription.de is the website of a German retailer that focuses on dictation and transcription products. This review focuses on the WS-3 series' good performance in recording between one and four people talking. Sound samples are included.
Review: Test Report for Olympus WS-311M, WS-321M, WS-331M, Thorsten Dresing and Thorsten Pehl, Sept. 10, 2007
3. Amazon.com
More than 40 customer reviews on Amazon.com give the Olympus WS-311M an average score of 4.5 out of five stars. There aren't enough negative reviews to uncover any consistent problems with this model.
Review: Olympus WS-311M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music Player, Contributors to Amazon.com
Digital Voice Recorders Runners Up:
3 picks including: Amazon.com, O'Reilly Digital Media…
3 picks including: Amazon.com, O'Reilly Digital Media…
3 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
 |
||
|
|
Edirol R-09HR High-Resolution WAVE/MP3 Recorder
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Recorder
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
 |
||
|
|
