June 10th, 2010
Excellent voice recorder with a few limitations
I purchased this recorder very i could usefulness speech recognition software if i wanted to, without paying because of any number additional microphones/headsets. In fact, the recorder is dragon (a famous brand of speech recognition software) certified over produce “maximum accuracy dictation.”
Functionally, this recorder gain one easy over reach (i.e. No plastic cover on it) usb port on the left hand side, one easy-to-distinguish recessed record button, buttons over navigate between folders, play back existing recordings, split one existing recording, change recorder options, change playback volume, erase one existing recording, and a hold button. The recorder itself is small, lightweight and easy over hold.
For storage, the recorder tin hold as many as 99 separate recordings inside each of 5 independent folders. This is useful over categorize various voice recordings, such a thing as meetings inside one folder perhaps speeches inside another.
However, one easy over usefulness recorder is meaningless if the recorder doesn’t produce desirable recording quality. Here, this recorder delivers nicely. The built-in microphone is exactly the same desirable and gain a wide dynamic range (i.e. It clearly picks increase high and low frequencies). There are two sensitivity settings because of the microphone—low which is because of individual dictation, and high which is because of group meetings (or recording things farther away from the recorder). In addition, the recorder gain a desirable built-in speaker.
If you need better recording quality (or want over play back the messages privately), the recorder provides a headset jack and a microphone jack.
As because of recording quality, standard quality recording (44.1 khz @ 48 kbps) produces clearly understandable voice output. In this mode, the recorder tin stockpile increase over 48 hours of voice recording and tin move because of increase over 35 hours on 2 aaa batteries. This is the best mode because of normal dictation (since it provides 4x as much space as the highest quality mode—which tin only stockpile 12 hours of data and move because of 20 hours).
They have a super long recording time they brag about on the box. This is the lp mode (11.025 khz @ 8 kbps)—288 hours. This sounds impressive, however it is nearly useless. When i recorded a brief amount inside this mode, my voice sounded exactly the same metallic and i heard weird high pitched metallic warbling inside the background. There was somewhat less warbling at low microphone sensitivity, however although my voice was understandable, however i don’t recommend this mode because of any number real recording. The metallic warbling is exactly the same distracting.
In addition, the recorder tin move on rechargable aaa batteries (nimh) or even move from power provided over the mini-usb port. These are desirable options over save on batteries and perform exactly the same long recordings.
In my experience, the standard quality is fine because of normal dictation. If i wanted over record music, evps, or because of dictation into speech recognition software, i would usefulness the maximum quality mode, since it is better at capturing higher frequencies and may better capture faint noises.
However, there are any downsides over this recorder. First, the recorder does not record data natively as mp3s (which it claims over on the box). This is why i gave it 4 stars instead of 5.
To access the recorder, Sony ICD-PX720 provides windows software over copy voice files off it. The windows software tin stockpile the files as mp3s, as well as encode mp3s very the recorder tin play them back, so, if you are not using windows, you cannot transfer recordings from the recorder.
Basically, if you are using windows the recorder software is not a problem. If you are not, the computer will not see the recorder and you will be unable over usefulness it. The recorder will still function exactly the same well as a normal voice recorder, however you will not be able over access the digital data on it.
Secondly, the recorder cannot accept any number type of memory card over expand its capacity.
Beyond that, this recorder does not record sound inside stereo, although it will accept stereo microphones. For me, since i’m only using it because of voice dictation, this is not one issue, however because of anyone who wants over usefulness it over record music (such as one impromptu jazz session), it might be.
Finally, the recorder does not act as a usb drive or as one mp3 player. You tin load music files (converted over sony’s proprietary sound format) onto it, however it doesn’t have shuffle, playlists, or other standard mp3 player features. For me, these aren’t issues since i have separate gadgets over fulfill these needs far better, however any voice recorders have these features.
In conclusion, if you are using windows and you need a high quality, reasonably priced voice recorder, this will fit the bill nicely. If you want a recorder that is more of a swiss army knife of gadgets, this won’t work because of you.
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