Speech-to-Text Recorders

Compatibility with transcription software is important

As speech-to-text software has advanced and file transfer speeds have increased, a digital recorder's ability to work well with leading transcription software has become ever more important. Nuance's Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software is perhaps the best known and most widely recommended example. For more information, see the separate ConsumerSearch report on voice recognition software.

The Sony ICD-MX20 (*Est. $250) scores higher than any other digital recorder on NaturallySpeaking's accuracy score, one of the reasons why James A. Martin of PC World proclaims it to be the "best digital voice recorder." His own experience confirms the high accuracy score. Reviews on Amazon.com point to some issues, the most common of which is trouble using the device's joystick, but Martin points to this as one of the features he likes. At 32 MB, internal flash memory is on the skimpy side, but can hold just under 12 hours in the

lowest-quality recording mode. However, there is a memory expansion slot that can accommodate Memory Stick Pro Duo cards, and that can be used to add up to 2 GB of replaceable memory. (The MX20 can't accept cards with higher capacities.) In addition to being available separately, the Sony ICD-MX20 is available in a bundle that includes Dragon NaturallySpeaking Recorder Edition software as the Sony ICD-MX20DR9 (*Est. $300).

As noted elsewhere in this report, Sony recorders do have some design issues that limit their appeal to some, including a proprietary file format that requires software that's not compatible with the Mac OS. Also, Sony products use the company's Memory Stick memory cards, which isn't as widely compatible as some formats, such as SD/microSD. If this is a serious issue, the Olympus DS-5000 (*Est. $550) could be a consideration. The Olympus DS-5000 is the top model in the Olympus professional-quality series (as opposed to the consumer models discussed earlier). At the lowest-quality setting, the DS-5000 can hold more than 79 hours of recordings on its included 512 MB microSD memory card, and you can add your own high-capacity cards (up to 8 GB) for more recording time. It can run on an included rechargeable NiMH battery pack or two AAA batteries. The recorder also offers powerful file editing features such as the ability to insert edits into previously recorded material.

There are some serious downsides, however. One is a price that's more than twice as high as the Sony ICD-MX20. PC users who want to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking (the software is not Mac-compatible) will also find that accuracy with that package is not as good as with the Sony ICD-MX20. While the Olympus DS-5000 digital recorder has not been extensively reviewed, its predecessor, the Olympus DS-4000, was generally well received.