MU) OLYMPUS WS-110 DIGITAL AUDIO REC

This gizmo was recommended to me as highly reliable and compatible with Linux. It does record. And the volume is okay. But, the device drains batteries like nothing I've seen in a long long while. To preserve power, you can't merely turn the machine off. You need to take the battery out. That is a pain in the neck. In short, I'm still looking for the perfect digital recorder. This isn't it.

I bought this recorder to record music. I am a cello major at college, and needed something at least to record lessons. I sorted through many recorders before buying this one, here's my advice: ~Look at the specifications; if you are buying an olympus recorder go to their website to look up the sampling frequency and other specs. For instance you'll find out that the sampling frequency is 44.1khz (cd quality) on hq mode ~Think about how much space you will need. For me, I will not be saving anything on that recorder; it will be moved quickly to the computer or my ipod so there was no point in buying more space on it. My thoughts on the recorder so far: ~Good quality recording, almost cd quality. Works best of course with an external mic. ~I love the ease of use. The best thing, is that it works just like a usb device; you take the batter compartment off to reveal that in essence, this is a fancy usb stick. No additional software ... just drop it in the folder you want :) Recording is easy too; click the big red button and you shall record Update: I've had this recorder for WELL over a year, and I love it. With the external mic and good placement of the device, I get high quality recordings. I use it most for my lessons, and it's both discreet and efficient. Would recommend highly to anyone.

I bought the Olympus WS-110 WMA Digital Voice Recorder after researching quite a few brands and models (on Amazon and elsewhere). As I've used the device for about 3 hours only (since I got it yesterday), my feedback here will probably be revised after a few days' use. Pros: 1. Ideal size - lightweight; not heavy/bulky like most microtape recorders 2. Simple and intuitive user interface - the buttons are sized correctly and the on-screen prompts are useful 3. Quality of recording at the highest quality is simply superb. I am still amazed at the high quality of audio. 4. Connectivity to the PC is straightforward (through the USB port) and finding the file within the folder structure is effortless. 5. The price I paid ($60 + free shipping) makes this device a fabulous buy. 6. The in-built speaker is quite good considering its size Cons: 1. File format is limited to WMA/Windows Media instead of mp3 or a more Microsoft-independent format; I knew about this limitation when I bought the device but figured I could live with this limitation. 2. In-built mike is supersensitive (this is a disadvantage if the device is being used in an environment with substantial background noises). For my purposes, the sensitivity is welcome as I am currently using the device in environments with minimal background noise. I don't plan on buying a noise-cancelling mike as it might not be necessary. Overall - I would rate this voice recorder as a 4.5/5.0. It loses 0.5 points for being too MicroSoft-specific (WMA) as opposed to using a non-proprietory format. Will edit this review (if possible) after using the device for a few more days.

I received this item quickly but found the sound to be very muffled. I don't know if this is indicative of this recorder or it is just a bad recorder that we received. Voices are OK but music is extremely muffled. Very dissappointed and had to buy my daughter a second one to record her piano music.

I bought this voice recorder so that I could record interviews for my thesis. Last night, I conducted an interview in a very noisy coffee house. I could barely hear myself speak. I was quite concerned that my interview would be obstructed by the blaring music. Unbelievably, I can only barely hear the music on my voice recorder, and I can hear the interview loud and clear! I have another Panasonic voice recorder, and it's sound quality is 1/10 of this Olympus one. I also love how this voice recorder is a USB stick. My Panasonic has a separate cord. This Olympus voice recorder also works with my Mac. I can play the files in QuickTime. I can also use it with my PC. My Panasonic voice recorder only works with a PC. I have recommended this voice recorder to others. Especially for the price, it's fantastic!

I was all excited to get this digital recorder. After the first time I used it, it was terrible. I couldnt hear the sound clearly and even when I use the headset, it's still bad. My advise to you is go buy a different brand from your local store and test it. Even if it doesnt work, you can still return it and get a better one. Do not buy this digital recorder. Really it's not worth it.

microphone is terrible picks up all the background noise and misses the professor lecturing in a quiet room

I need a digital recorder for work, and I'm happy with my Olympus recorder, mostly because it is easy to use. The recorder works similar to a cell phone. Even the buttons on the front of the recorder are reminiscent to a cell phone. It's smaller and lighter than a cell. I can drop it in my purse and go. Previously, I owned a Sony recorder. I tossed out the directions and spent two years fidgeting with the thing, trying to remember how it worked, until I gave up and went with Olympus. I like how I can download files into my computer by removing the bottom half of the recorder. I have a Mac at work and it downloads the voice recordings as Wave files. It has the memory to record for 17 hours. However, it's annoying that I haven't yet figured out (nor do I know if there's an ability on the recorder) to block out certain background sounds. For instance, if you're in a loud auditorium and someone next to you coughs, the recorder will pick up that and it will be louder than the speaker on the stage. Having used recorders for years, I know that old-fashioned tape recorders can block background sounds. I don't know if the technology has been adapted digitally.