Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(72 customer reviews) 62 of 64 people found the following review helpful
accurately records musical instruments,
March 25, 2008 S. Shoop (West Virginia) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Olympus WS-311M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music Player (Office Product)
As an elementary music teacher, I often have a need to make recordings. After researching my options, on a limited budget, I chose this digital voice recorder to record my grand piano playing vocal parts. At first I was very disappointed, until told to listen through the ear buds, not the speakers on the tiny device! What sounded awful at first, ended up being the best piano recording I have ever heard from a portable device, which used to be a cassette recorder! The cd's turned out great.
Today I recorded a saxophone soloist as I accompanied his piece we are preparing for a state honors concert in a few days. I just sat this small recorder on my windowsill and I am absolutely amazed at the sound quality! It sounds as good as when the band director brought all of his equipment and large microphones to my studio!
Often middle school or high school musicians are required to make a recording for seating or auditions. I would highly recommend this WS-311M to do the job!
36 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Poor Variable Control Voice Actuator Function,
April 17, 2008 Spud (Long Island) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Olympus WS-311M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music Player (Office Product)
I bought this product for the sole purpose of recording seminars. Poor Variable Control Voice Actuator (VCVA) function ruins this otherwise excellent digital recorder.
VCVA records only when the device senses sound. Hence it helps trim out downtime and is an important time-saving function when listening to recorded material.
What I've found is that the VCVA is not sensitive enough to work properly unless the lecturer speaks directly to the recorder within about 3 feet. So even when I am sitting in the front row, this device still misses out reocrding most part of a lecture when I set it at the VCVA mode.
Addendum 6/29/08: My assessment of VCVA performance was based on the more sensitive of the two mic settings, the "Conf" mode.
50 of 53 people found the following review helpful
Ease of use, just what I needed,
May 22, 2008 S. N. Gaines (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Olympus WS-311M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music Player (Office Product)
I needed a small, discreet voice recorder. I was replacing my older micro-cassette tape recorder which is much more cumbersome. With the WS-311 I can keep it in a shirt pocket and it is un-noticed. I can use it while driving, in meetings, and for general use.
One of the uses for this is to record meetings in a "CYA" sort of mode. I do real estate, and sometimes transactions and closings can go badly. They then devolve to a "he said/she said" kind of thing. With this, at least I have a recording of what went on, dated and time stamped, for my own protection. It may not be admissible for a criminal trial, but to protect myself, it is invaluable.
It is light and simple to use. Downloading WMA files to the computer only requires a USB port and no software to be installed. Those files can then be used, e-mailed, copied, whatever you need.
My only quibble, and it is mostly my fault, is that when you try to play back a file at the highest volume, the...Read more
