Compare Digital Voice Recorders: Top 5 Voice Recorders Reviewed & Compared
1. Olympus WS-210S
This digital voice recorder from the house of Olympus is on the top of the list since it is extremely handy for recording lectures, personal notes or interviews.
Memory: It has a non-expandable 512 MB capacity in its integrated memory. Though this limit is restrictive, it can hold up to 130 hours with its minimum quality settings.
Pros
- USB cable is not needed
- Ease of use
- Highly affordable
- Integrated with stereo microphones
Cons
- Limited memory
- Audio quality could be better
Best Price: $91.46 on Amazon
Even with these drawbacks, the model tops the list because you cannot find a better recorder at a comparable price. Except for the limited memory and lack of its ability to play MP3 files, the Olympus WS-210S is quite similar to the WS-331M, which is our next contender.
2. Olympus WS-331M
The WS-331M stands apart from rest of the digital voice recorders due to its ability to play MP3 music files; the voice recording quality is also brilliant.
Memory: Though the memory cannot be extended, the integrated memory itself has 2 GB capacity. This can hold up to 556 hours of data in its lowest quality settings and 36 hours in its highest settings.
Pros
- USB cable is not needed
- Built in stereo microphones
- 556 hours recording time
- Can double up as an MP3 player
Cons
- Memory cannot be expanded
- Quality of music playback is average
Price: $108.99 at Amazon
The audio quality for podcasts or radio is not good. However, if you are ready to shell out more money, then the third product on our list - the Roland Edirol R-09HR - is an expensive but good option.
3. Roland Edirol R-09HR
The reason for this model being one amongst the top five digital voice recorders is its good audio quality, and ease of use.
Memory: It has built-in flash memory of 512 MB but it has a slot for adding memory cards up to 32 GB. It has a sampling rate of 96 KHz, which contributes to the good sound quality.
Pros:
- Professional audio quality
- Ease of use
- Memory card slot
Cons:
- Expensive
Best Price: $265.12 on Amazon
The Edirol R-09HR stands out from rest of the competitors in this list due to superior build quality and effortless operation.
4. Sony ICD-MX20
The ICD-MX20 from Sony is rated as the most precise voice recorder for use in combination with Nuance’s top-rated Dragon Naturally Speaking voice-to-text software.
Memory: It has a skimpy 32 MB internal flash memory but has expansion slots to hold duo flash memory cards of capacity up to 16 GB.
Pros
- Best accuracy with speech-to-text software
- Expansion slots for memory
- Built-in editing features
Cons
- Expensive
- Records using proprietary file formats
Best Price: $203.79 on Amazon
The inexpensive Olympus WS-331M is a better choice if you are using Mac OS as this model of Sony uses non-standard file format which is not compatible with Mac.
5. Olympus DS-40
The new DS-40 from Olympus is a professional grade audio recorder with a high sensitivity microphone.
Memory: It has a skimpy 512 MB of built-in memory capacity with 136 hours of recording time at low quality settings.
Pros:
- Good sound quality
- Long battery life (30 hours playback)
- Good for downloading and creating podcasts
Cons:
- Limited flash memory
- Speaker is placed at back
Price: $182.48 at Amazon
On the whole, this voice recorder is excellent in terms of ease of use, high recording quality and good build. However, it is a bit expensive.
