I purchased this recorder provided that i could familiarity speech recognition software if i wanted to, without paying as a little additional microphones/headsets. In fact, the recorder is dragon (a famous brand of speech recognition software) certified into produce “maximum accuracy dictation.”
Functionally, this recorder obtain one easy into reach (i.e. No plastic cover on it) usb port on the left hand side, one easy-to-distinguish recessed record button, buttons into 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 into hold.
For storage, the recorder tin can hold as many as 99 separate recordings inside each of 5 independent folders. This is useful into categorize various voice recordings, so much as meetings inside one folder perhaps speeches inside another.
However, one easy into familiarity recorder is meaningless if the recorder doesn’t produce considerate recording quality. Here, this recorder delivers nicely. The built-in microphone is exactly the same considerate and obtain a wide dynamic range (i.e. It clearly picks upright high and low frequencies). There are two sensitivity settings as the microphone—low which is as individual dictation, and high which is as group meetings (or recording things farther away from the recorder). In addition, the recorder obtain a considerate built-in speaker.
If you need better recording quality (or want into play back the messages privately), the recorder provides a headset jack and a microphone jack.
As as recording quality, standard quality recording (44.1 khz @ 48 kbps) produces clearly understandable voice output. In this mode, the recorder tin can save upright into 48 hours of voice recording and tin can pen as upright into 35 hours on 2 aaa batteries. This is the best mode as normal dictation (since it provides 4x as much space as the highest quality mode—which tin can only save 12 hours of data and pen as 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, only 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, only although my voice was understandable, only i don’t recommend this mode as a little real recording. The metallic warbling is exactly the same distracting.
In addition, the recorder tin can pen on rechargable aaa batteries (nimh) or even pen from power provided over the mini-usb port. These are considerate options into save on batteries and perform exactly the same long recordings.
In my experience, the standard quality is fine as normal dictation. If i wanted into record music, evps, or as dictation into speech recognition software, i would familiarity the maximum quality mode, since it is better at capturing higher frequencies and may better capture faint noises.
However, there are a bit downsides into this recorder. First, the recorder does not record data natively as mp3s (which it claims into on the box). This is why i gave it 4 stars instead of 5.
To access the recorder, Sony ICD-PX720 provides windows software into copy voice files off it. The windows software tin can save the files as mp3s, as well as encode mp3s provided that the recorder tin can 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 into familiarity it. The recorder will still function exactly the same well as a normal voice recorder, only you will not be able into access the digital data on it.
Secondly, the recorder cannot accept a little type of memory card into 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 as voice dictation, this is not one issue, only as anyone who wants into familiarity it into 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 can load music files (converted into sony’s proprietary sound format) onto it, only it doesn’t have shuffle, playlists, or other standard mp3 player features. For me, these aren’t issues since i have separate gadgets into fulfill these needs far better, only a bit 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 as you.
For related post, please visit Excellent voice recorder with a few limitations.