Voice recorder is a complicated gadget. It seems like tablets, mobile phones, smartphones and some other mobile devices took over its functions - due to the low requirements for the function of recording sounds in everyday life, when you need to record a lecture or an eyewitness account on the street, a musical number or a funny snoring cat. And then the question arises ...
Who needs a voice recorder and why?
A stand-alone device is necessary for professionals and not only to solve serious problems. So, you need a voice recorder. Which to choose? When choosing a recording device, you need to orient yourself in this way: you are choosing a professional device.
Who needs a voice recorder?
This device is necessary for students. If the educational institution is allowed to record lectures, the recorder will come to the rescue (although there are teachers who do not allow audio recordings).
The device is useful to those who collect information for its further processing (sightseers, interviewers, researchers, journalists, writers).
The recorder is useful when holding meetings and meetings (if recording is allowed), when many issues are discussed, but after the end it is not so easy to remember.
When a person decides to fulfill his civic duty: recording the requirements of bribes, threats, blackmail, extortion, rudeness.
Those managers who want to control the communication of their employees with customers.
Creative people who are constantly forced to write down their ideas, other people's opinions, take notes about their observations.
Analog voice recorder
Not so long ago, recording devices were presented in two types - analog and digital voice recorder. Which to choose? Those who were in love with magnetic tape and cassettes could purchase an analog version, sweetheart. It was easy to use, and due to the limitations of digital devices in memory - and more convenient. Nowadays, the situation has changed dramatically. How to choose a voice recorder? The market is dominated by a "figure". Although in specialized stores you can still buy analog models.
How to choose a voice recorder
The judicial system in Russia looks more loyally at audio evidence recorded on tape, rather than a "number." And if court proceedings loom on the horizon, then it is better to use the “grandfather's” method of recording: the chances that the court will accept the recording are higher, and the examination is cheaper and easier. And the quality of recorded on an analog voice recorder will be higher than on a cheap digital option.
For a very reasonable amount (up to 1 thousand rubles), you can buy a good analog voice recorder with decent quality recorded sound. However, narrow, one-time tasks are considered here. Universality did not lie nearby. And the headache will be added by the search for microcassettes for recording, the large size of the device and the limited battery life. And the recording itself will be with a characteristic noise from the recorder itself.
Is it necessary to save when a relatively small amount, albeit a large one, can provide a digital model with the additional function of protecting the audio material from editing (in this case, the court accepts the recording as evidence), compact, with a battery, high quality recorded and no removable media?
About analog models said enough. A further story will be about digital voice recorders.
Uptime memory
Recording material can be conducted on an external or internal drive. Which recorder to choose? The reviews indicate that those models that use both options are popular: a small flash memory and an SD card as an add-on.This combination is convenient, since it allows you to store recorded information offline, without copying to another medium.
You just need to change the SD card. And in the absence of an empty card, you can write to the internal flash memory, however, a small amount. There are dictaphone models in which an external drive is not provided. But they have a solid built-in volume. You should only know that the larger this volume, the more expensive the device will be, and if you need to record high quality sound, then a lot of memory will be required.
Less common are models with the ability to record only to an external drive. However, the range of additional features they have is not less wide than that of other models. How to choose a voice recorder? The lack of internal memory may be associated with material protection, trivial savings (manufacturers of cheap models offer the user to purchase memory cards themselves), and a proprietary drive format.
How to work with sound
Voice recording is the main task of the recorder. Frequency characteristics that are responsible for quality should be carefully studied when choosing a model. How to choose a voice recorder? The maximum limit reaches 44,000 Hz, but it is needed if professional recording of musical compositions is supposed. 4,000 Hz are enough to record human speech. The minimum line for recording a conversation is from 100 Hz, but for musicians - the lower the better. It should also be noted that to record musical compositions you need a stereo mode, while for voice it is better to mono. In general, the purpose of the recorder is voice recording, and for other recordings there are separate devices.
A sound of good quality with a high bitrate will take up a large amount of memory, which means expensive components and high cost. And at low sound levels, it will be already problematic to disassemble the recording. For many models, you can change the recording quality, depending on the tasks. When clarity is not important, and the presence of noise is not critical, then the bit rate is reduced, which will save space on the media and extend the recording time. The mode profiles are responsible for this, and their number can reach 12.
In addition to the frequency characteristics, the microphone affects the quality of the recorded. How to choose a good voice recorder? The expensive models have protection of the latter from extraneous noise, and the cheap, in addition to the desired sounds, will also record background noises, air movement, and friction of the recorder body. Microphone sensitivity can be adjusted on some models. This will allow you to create a good quality record depending on the surrounding conditions (remoteness of the object, car traffic, etc.).
Recording format
When choosing a voice recorder, do not forget about the file format in which the final result will be saved. How to choose a digital voice recorder? When several options are listed on the box (WMA, MP3, PCM), that’s fine. During operation, there will be a choice, which makes the device more versatile. WMA and MP3 are read by all players and there will be no problems with playback.
PCM will produce excellent quality without compression. Specific formats (ACT, DSS) will require the installation of additional software and forced conversion. However, manufacturers who resort to such formats in their offspring, as a rule, provide the required programs for free.
I must say a few words about the protection of the record. Such a function is vital when using recorded materials in the legal field. How to choose a digital voice recorder? There are various options for implementing protection: digital signature, the inability to store files that were created by third-party software in memory. When the protection of the recorded is needed, but not for judicial battles, you can use the banal setting of passwords.
Power, dimensions, connection
Everyone chooses the size of the recorder that suits him.Someone is comfortable with a device the size of a phone, and someone chooses miniature models that are easy to fix on clothes. How to choose a voice recorder for wiretapping? There are also “spy” things, very miniature or disguised as household items (keychain, pen). They are in free sale, but are prohibited by law. Here is a paradox. Most of the citizens who do not enter into the fight against the law, such toys do not seduce. If you need a screen to view information about records, tags, image files, then the minimum size of the device should be forgotten.
The recorder, like any other portable equipment, is powered by batteries or rechargeable batteries. Highlight the more correct option will not succeed. How to choose a voice recorder for an interview? Batteries are good on the road and in conditions where it is not possible to find a power outlet. They are cheap, but they have a short lifespan. Therefore, in your pocket should always be spare. Batteries need recharging, however, they will last longer.
In the characteristics, their ability to record from one charge cycle is indicated in the number of hours: more is better. A frugal model will allow about sockets and not remember.
A digital voice recorder, like many other digital devices, interacts perfectly with a computer via a USB port, and everything recorded can be dumped to a computer to listen to. A good bonus is the ability to charge the battery from the port. If the model does not support communication with the computer, then it is ready to provide him with a memory card. Card reader to the rescue.
Additional functions
Functionality, as well as dimensions, distinguish the models of voice recorders among themselves. How to choose a digital voice recorder? Most manufacturers are familiar to users by other portable equipment, except for some authentic, domestic ("Gnome", Edic).
Everyone should choose for himself what additional functions he will need. Here are the displays that were mentioned earlier, of various purposes and sizes, and flashlights, cameras, an alarm clock, an organizer. All these "bells and whistles" have nothing to do with the recording of speech. A built-in speaker or a headphone port may be useful. The remote microphone connection function is very useful. And there is also the function of recording by sound or pop. As a rule, any additional function is described in detail by marketers, so you won’t miss it.
How to choose a voice recorder for lectures
Students and schoolchildren need a voice recorder to record lectures and ... audio cheat sheets. Hence the main requirements:
Miniature - this factor is important only if a diligent student decided not to cram the examination or control questions, but rely on a technique that will tell you everything.
In addition to the miniature size, in this case, you will need the ability to listen to the recording through the headphone or microdynamic speaker.
Microphone sensitivity - devices have appeared on the market that have a microphone sensitivity of up to 12 meters, which allows recording not only from the front desk audience.
Autonomy - you need a battery that supports 400 hours of recording time.
Large amount of memory - it will take about 2400 hours, which will be approximately 16 Gb.
AGC - the system automatically amplifies the sound signal, which allows you to record, even if the room is very noisy.
The sensitivity of the microphone, autonomy, a large amount of internal memory, the aforementioned AGC system and some others are important.
Also, the electronic tag function does not hurt to mark the beginning and end of the recording, which will simplify further analysis of the recorded material, selective deletion or editing of files.
Conclusion
The voice recorder can become a convenient and reliable learning assistant, especially when you consider the presence of programs that allow you to translate sounds into alphabetic characters, which allows you to turn a recorded lecture into a detailed summary, simply by printing to a printer.
