A dictaphone is a special device. In terms of sensitivity, it bypasses any smartphone. In addition, the recorder does not interrupt the recording, as it happens with the phone at the time of the call. It is a fact. All that remains is to choose the right digital voice recorder. So take into account the 3 hints on the parameters of the device, and select the best model.
Recording format
Good voice recorders play MP3 and WMA. They are convenient for recording and listening to music. MP3 and WMA give clear sound, read any reproducing sounds without hoarseness and interference. The difference is in the details.
- The MP3 format uses compression. Due to this, the clarity in semitones is lost, but this is not noticeable to the ear of a common man in the street. Almost invisible.
- WMA has high quality at low bit rates (data rates). Some files are copy protected, so they do not play pirated discs, but due to the lack of compression they take up a lot of space.
DSS, on the other hand, is versatile. It combines the advantages of WMA and MP3. Voices are great, the finest details are reproduced, and the file itself takes up little space. But do not flatter yourself! Not all devices read this format. So not all that glitters is gold - be careful about that.
Recording quality and duration
Look at the numbers. The length and pitch of the recording depends on three factors.
- Built-in memory varies from 512 MB to 8 GB, and is calculated according to the principle the more, the longer it lasts. Writes continuously until 21:00. But you can expand the storage capacity with a memory card up to 128 GB.
- Digital signal voice recorders record in two modes: LP (long play) and SP (standard play).
- LP records 2-3 times faster, but not clearly;
- SP filters out noise and echo;
- Bit rate (defined in kbps): The higher the value, the better the sound can be heard.
- Standard - 128 kbps. Voices are crisp and the recording takes up little space. For recording lectures, court sessions, interviews in a noisy place, this indicator is just right.
- Bitrate 256 kbps - Advanced. This option is suitable for recording disputes and briefings. The device picks up the slightest noise, so it is easy to recognize the speaker's lines when the recording is being decoded.
- Bitrate 320 kbps is specific. It is ideal for covert voice recording.
The human ear perceives sounds in the frequency range from 20 to 20,000 Hz, speech - with a frequency of 300-3000 Hz. This is common knowledge. Dictaphones are a priori configured to record with such ranges. Microphone sensitivity can be adjusted manually or automatically - depending on the model, but manual adjustment is the most accurate.
An external microphone is a handy thing. It is equipped with professional models that generate one hundred percent sound quality. You don't have to worry that the recording will be poorly recorded if you plan to keep the recorder in your jacket pocket, and fasten the stereo microphone on a tie or on the collar. Don't screw it up, it's checked.
Useful trick - record indexing
It is difficult to decipher hourly records while looking for gems of information. Do you agree? So make it easy for yourself. Press the index button when the announcer talks about something important, and these indexes will appear in the record as a numbered list. It's easier to work this way. During playback, you can jump from one index to another and find the marked places in the interlocutor's speech. Smartphones do not have this function.
PC connection
USB is not in every recorder. It is worth choosing a device that is connected to a computer. It will become much easier to reset records and work with them:
- save the entries,
- compose audio search in audio file.
With this sorted out. Now dot the "ё" with the functionality that suits you.
Example:
- recording time and a capacitive battery are important for professional work with the device;
- for amateurs, models with a built-in microphone are suitable.
Watch the Zoom H5 video test
Which is better to buy a voice recorder to simplify recording and operation
Additional functionality "unties your hands" at the right time.
| Function | How the voice recorder works |
| Automatic sound level adjustment | When the speaker speaks loudly, the recorder decreases the input level, and for soft voices, increases |
| Built-in tuner | To listen to the radio and to record broadcasts |
| Noise reduction | Set by holding the Noise Cancel button while playing an audio file or in standby mode |
| Instant recording | Slide the REC switch and the recorder will instantly start recording even if it is turned off. |
| MicroSD slot | You will be able to quickly transfer recordings without access to the Internet |
Dictaphone reviews: what our users are talking about
Filippov Andrey... Review to Zoom H6: "Good sound from standard microphones, recording channels are quickly turned on and off. I listen to them while recording. Works as a port studio. You can mixdown and shorten the file.
But the volume controls are not stable, there is a possibility of accidentally shifting the position. And that's not it. No digital display of the peak level. I don't really like the principle of saving: each entry is placed in a separate folder and the file itself without a date in the name».
Grammar Stepa... Wrote about the Zoom H6: “Both microphones convey the nuances of acoustic instruments, and if you mash the sound on them and mix them, you will have a candy sound. Suitable for musicians and operators. The downside is USB 2.0, which pulls the transfer of records to the computer».
Cool Igor left a review for Olympus VP-10 4GB: “I use it in my work. Often you have to write negotiations and interviews. I fix the dictaphone in the outer pocket of my jacket, it does not strike the eye, and the recording quality is excellent, I hear interlocutors without problems».
Interesting article: "Do I need to" warm up "the headphones?"
Watch the Zoom H5 video review
