Olympus Digital Voice Recorder DM-520

Comment: I bought this recorder to record bible study and Sunday sermons. I would like to be able to burn the recordings to a cd but I haven't figured out how to do that yet. I know the software available can do such a thing but I haven't figured it out yet. Too bad my MBA won't help me out with this one. But as for ease of use, sound quality etc., it's great. I would buy this one over and over again.

Comment: I've had this recorder for a year now. Love it. Pay attention to other critical reviews to determine if it has all the features you want (Olympus has other recorders better suited for special purposes like dictation).

The voice menus have proven surprisingly useful. I use this in the car a lot to record quick thoughts and reminders. Once you get the hang of where the buttons are, no need to look at the recorder to use it.

Speaking of the buttons, there's an OK button dead center in the front of the recorder, ringed with up/down/left/right buttons. Thes button functions change depending on mode and are all you need for simple playback. If you've used a Logitech Harmony remote, you know how useful this button configuration can be when done right. It's done right here.

Recording quality from the built in (stereo) microphone is excellent for voice. I haven't tried it with music. It picks up voices in a large conference room clearly from 20 feet away. The stereo isn't irrelevant even for voice. When multiple people are talking over each other it actually helps intelligibility. I just don't worry when recording a large meeting about being able to hear everyone. While writing this review, I tried a little experiment, setting the recorder on the floor in a far corner of the living room, default record settings, and then walking around the house talking. In the dining room, 25 feet away, clear as a bell. In the kitchen, partially blocked by walls, still pretty clear. 40 feet down the hallway in the bedroom, still clear, if faint. If there's one reason to choose this recorder above others, it's the ability to grab multiple voices from distances you wouldn't expect.

Hardware quality is excellent. I'd recommend a case if you're going to carry this in your pocket with your keys. My previous DM-20 was pretty marred by being tossed around with keys in my pocket for years. The included case is way too big for a pocket. I ordered another case off Amazon purely for slimness. Unfortunately, the Amazon link thing didn't work for it or I'd link to it. I'd love to find a neoprene case designed specifically for this recorder. Probably this link will be suppressed:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UX1060/ref=oss_product

The recorder takes two AAA batteries, and will charge Nimh batteries via USB. Battery life is almost too long. I forget that you have to hold the Stop key while connecting to USB port on your computer to go to charging mode instead of connected mode. The recorder works well as an external USB drive.

Bells & whistles--there are a lot. I have no idea how to use most of them. The Scene stuff seems interesting. It changes a group of recording or playback parameters all at once for different scenarios (music, lecture, large conference room, and multiple custom scenes you can add). Since I haven't gotten an unuseable recording yet from the defaults, I haven't tried any of this. There's voice activation with multiple sensitivity settings. You can add an SD micro card (I put one in just for backup--I've never come close to exhausting the 4GB of built in memory.)You can transfer files from the built in memory to the card and move files between folders. It works as an mp3 player and has Audible support.

Bad stuff:

You do have to press a lot of keys to get some things done. Others have complained about erase--once you learn the dance it's ok (Erase, up arrow, OK, up arrow, OK).

Could we please get a decent case for this? It's supposed to be a pocket recorder but it's hard to carry it around in your pocket.

Comment: This product is amazingly easy to use right out of the box. The voice recording quality is fabulous and the playback quality is also excellent.
The controls are conveniently placed very easy to understand and use. The convenience of recording in 6 different folders makes it easy to store the files in an organized fashion and this is very important to me. The builtin microphone is very powerful and can capture sounds even if the recorder is in my pocket. That is how I record my 2 year old son's songs without him realizing it because when he sees me recording he does not perform LOL. This small thing can hold a TON of files. We have been recording on this for over a month now and still have not managed to fill up the space. The protect feature helps ensure that files dont get deleted accidentally.
The only issue that I have had is with the recharging of the battery. I bought an external battery charger and rechargable batteries and it works great.
I must buy if you have need for a voice recorder.

Comment: I have owned other Olympus products and have always felt the quality to be excellent and the DM520 is no exception. Unit fits in the hand nicely and the controls are easy to use. I would,however, prefer if the power on switch was a little bigger and easier to get at. Not a major issue. Mic is very sensitive but wish it put out a little bigger volume. For someone who is looking for a top quality recorder with good features and easy to use, this is an excellent unit.

Comment: Excellent device. Very easy to use; I did not have to use the instructions. The only flaw is that the battery meter does not display the correct life span. Specifically, the battery lasts an incredible amount of time, but the meter shows over 50% life before dying. This is easily solved by just charging the battery after the first bar on the meter disappears. Otherwise, I love this thing, it lets me record in mp3 format, and it takes less memory, and I can fit lectures on CD.