Perfect.

I love this product, and would purchase it again.

The only difference between this recorder and the next one up: VN-3100PC, (which my daughter has) is that this one has half the memory, and is black instead of blue, so any reviews for the VN-3100PC will apply to this one also.

The free microphone that you get does not include the cable and tie clip that you would get if you purchased microphone separately.

Overall I'm extremely happy I ordered this.

all around impressive

i just got this recorder and find it superb. the device is tiny, light and"dupont lighter"-stylish. i particularly like the metal buttons, much more tactile that plastic one - i know it is a small thing. I like the five-line display which provides a lot of information compared to another device i used.
now for the great part, the integrated micros are great, and the stereo effect is really a bonus. This is especially the case if you later listen with earphones.
the time elapsed versus the length of the file are displayed clearly and legibly.
i did invest in a little carry case and i am glad i did because that way i can throw the recorder into a bag and still keep it pristine.
i find the 'hold' button more positive and better protected. this is important because it saves you battery life.
i really like the indexing facility. if you use the device to learn language where you need to reiterate the same sentence again it is really effective. you mark the begining and jump back with the arrow button - right to the correct location every time in one click. nice!


the things i am not a big fan of are the recording format which seems to be wma only. having said that it plays straight on windows media on my pc so no problem. the other aspect is the five folders on the device are a bit naff - unless it was possible to rename them and to move the file across as required. small stuff really.

Clear, boosted diplomatically sized microphone

General description

Although this is a mono-microphone, it's very well suited for general higher- quality voice recordings with a WS -class 'Olympus' digital voice recorder. The microphone takes some power from the device as it operates, so its fidelity is better than you would think from just looking at the size of the device. Its colour is black and with a metallic tie clip, so it's easy to place. I would however avoid getting the microphone wet or subjecting it to strong impacts.

Why use this microphone?

If you use an Olympus digital recorder, other people as well have noticed that it's hard to boost the input levels for recordings that use 'Voice-activation'. If you apply this microphone, the input level is boosted so these features are easier to use reliably. However I would suggest that users select a 'high' microphone, non-stereo, setting before the recording is made, and make test recordings beforehand for maximum results.

Is it any better than my built-in microphones?

The native stereo of Olympus class type devices can be fantastic when the device is stationary. But when you carry these devices, the recording quality can be reduced, as you are moving about. The idea is that the microphone can be made stationary with a tiepin clip, so is less likely to record the rustling of your clothes. This alone is an aid to better clarity recordings.


To give you an idea of the clarity & sensitivity of this microphone when I play the recordings back using native Olympus headphones, I have heard my own breathing being recorded, the rustling of news papers and a clock ticking from over 2 meters away, even parts of the other person telephone conversation as someone is talk to them on the 'phone.

Summary

The price is fantastic for the quality of this microphone and is perfectly suited to an 'Olympus', WS -class device, for example. If you require better quality, you could consider the stereo-class microphones but they are #40 and up.

If you wish reduce any residual hiss present when the recording is very quiet, I could suggest buying 'Magix Audio Cleaning lab deluxe 12' to remove it as it works wonders!

My experience about this Product!

I'm happy with this product!
Only a little tihings, but is not effect how is work!
1: The memory! I think they sud put biger memory than 128MB! In X.HighQuality, is only 5h and 40min! (but if you want to joy the record, you sod use this!)
2: For the back cover of this recorder, they use a poor quality silver paint! so on the first time in your pocet, some all redy come of! Not bedly, just at the sharper corners!
But after all this I still gonna recomed this for You!

Nice basic number, ideal for interviewing

I used this machine for recording interviews as part of my social science studies and, although considerably cheaper when I bought mine, it is a good basic tape recorder with good sound quality and an excellent range. I don’t see any point spending more money if this is the kind of thing you are going to use it for.

Excellent recorder

Mine arrived from absolute music solutions and came with all the extras (UK)power addapter usb cable etc.
All you need is two AA batteries and you're up and running.
I did have an excellent Olympus voice recorder, but for live music this is streets ahead, because you can set the record volumes on the H2 but everything is fixed on a voice recoder and music is distorted at high and low pitch.
This unit is fairly straightforward to use once you get used to the duel function buttons.
The transfer to computer is slow by USB, I think it is only standard USB, but a card reader is the easy answer to that.
Also a small built in speaker would be nice for playback checking.Easy answer is a pair of small portable speakers or phones.
I gave 5 stars because the above two points are only personal niggles, the recorder performance is very good and I think you would have to pay serious money for any improvement you could notice.

A Little Gem for Snapshot Sounds

It does what it claims.

This is the second Olympus we've bought; our previous one was the 1Gig WS320M, now a year old and still working beautifully in everyday use.

If one sets the record quality to be the highest (ST XQ), with the Bass-Cut filter off and the mics in Conference mode, then the recordings make excellent stereo when played back on a PC with good speakers (eg I use Logitech X230).

The quality is also good enough through the (surprisingly durable) supplied earpieces, with a bit of bass EQ added, if you have ear-holes big enough (17mm dia) to accommodate them! But I use my trusty old AKG240 headphones, which are far more comfortable (if a bit lacking in sensitivity for this machine) and allow the playback to be set as Flat, and the Extra Bass and Graphic EQ etc all left off. Since I first wrote the review, I've bought the Sennheiser CX300 in-ear buds which are much, much more comfortable than the Olympus ones and sound excellent on this machine, almost as clear as the AKG240s. I also bought a set of Sennheiser PX200 mini headphones but found I could not get a good fit, so the bass was poor, and I was disappointed; however, my wife loved them with her WS320M.

The controls are easy to use, and I recommend the informative manual is downloaded - it is much clearer and easier to read then the tiny type in the booklet that comes with the recorder. The display is easier to read than on our year-old WS320M.

I have no argument with WMA format files, as long as they are 128K or more, and so far I have not noticed any compression artifacts on this machine, except some intermod on complex soundscapes with many voices (eg a choir, in an echoing hall.) For recording rehearsals, auditions, and meetings for later review, it is perfect; simple, unobtrusive and very convenient. For just a few voices it gives a clear and accurate portrayal of both speech and singing, male and female. It also works well with a grand piano (a tough test for an old fashioned analogue tape machine).

However, I would not expect to use it as a serious recorder; to my professional ears no compressed audio format is good enough. But as a snapshot 'sound camera' it is a little gem; and it is vastly better than any dictaphone, or (with external electret mics which it can power) any tape-cassette machine I have tried in the past (including the expensive so-called professional ones).

It is not so ergonomic to use as a dedicated IPlayer, but otherwise just as good on playback, and how many IPlayers allow you to record? The AAA battery has only 11 hours life for the 35 hours ST XQ recording time, doh! But on just Music playback it does much better, and then the battery life is very much a function of how loud your ears can stand it, about 15 hours on the normal mid-volume setting. The battery compartment has a much improved captive slide and flip cover, so it will not get lost (as might happen with the earlier WS320M).

As one might choose from a range of different screwdrivers for different screws, so this stakes its claim for a place in the range of different recorders for different occasions.

At the heavily discounted price it is good value, but avoid paying list.

Why only four stars? I would have much preferred a longer lasting AA battery, and of course, more comfortable, smaller diameter earpieces. And the list price is too high.

Just amazing quality and good value for money

Having read many reviews before purchasing this microphone I have to say that the previous comments are totally accurate. I wanted a mike that I could use with my PC to dub over videos that I edit prior to burning to disc. Previous mikes have allowed the hum of the PC hard drive to be detected and this has been eradicated with the mike. Setting the control to 90deg allows me to have total control over the input with no outside nosie interference. I have also used this mike in a church wedding via my Camcorder where previously the dialog of a church service has been difficult due to high ceilings and lots of echo. Using a 10m extension cable with no loss of qaulity I am highly delighted with the results. I aslo think the price is excellent.

"Revision Tool to ensure Success"

This is just perfect for anyone doing GCSE's or A-Levels to record revision summaries and listen to them on the go! The recorder has space for over 30 recording hours on a good quality level. Files can be arranged into folders and transferred between sub folders.
The actual machine is very light and small so it fits into a pocket easily. There are some really useful functions too e.g. you can set the recorder to only record when you are talking at a certain volume, so the recording is automatically stopped and started while you find your place or talk to someone else.
Highly Recommended! Great Price!(when bought from amazon.co.uk - now sold from other companies though...)

Does the job - with a PC too

For occasional and mobile recording, this device does the job quite well. Its not the most comfortable solution though - so I doubt you would choose it for daily use. I have plugged it in to my Olympus voice recorder and directly into my laptop for recording - both work fine. It sits OK under my telephone headset too. Came with 3 rubber ear inserts of different sizes. Its fitted with a mono 3.5mm miniplug but adapters for stereo 3.5mm and mono 2.5mm were also supplied with mine.

excellent value

reasonably priced, big memory, easy to operate, small which makes it convenient to carry. decent internal mic. i'm very happy with mine - pen and paper is done with in my life.

Great Stereo Digital Voice Recorder

The Olympus USA site has a better product description than anywhere I have seen, so take a look. The 'S' in WS-210S = Stereo (I think), so any product without an 'S' at the end is a mono recorder.

Amazingly small and light. Files are stored in Windows Media Audio format so will play in Windows Media Player, without any need for conversion.

It has a 'USB Direct' USB plug contained withit the recorder so it can be plugged directly into a pc. It does come with a short USB extension lead just in case your PC's USB port is tucked away.

A few features described:

1) Microphone sensitivity - Low = Dictation or High = Conference; Low cuts out some background noise.

2)Takes one AAA battery.

3) Does not come with a case or strap / lanyard.

4) Four quality recording modes.

5) Has two internal microphones but is a great match for the Olympus ME-51S stereo microphone.

6) Display shows recording time left

spectacle case

This is definately 5 star kit, it is a bit delicate, but its tiny and weighs nothing so what can you do? I keep mine in a spectacle case in some foam so its well protected. To record live music is a little outside its capability as the music is boosted in quiet parts and clipped in loud parts and doesn't sound great when heard back, shame you can't set the record levels but then it is a voice recorder.

A nice compact piece of kit

I bought this being tired of tapes, miniCD`s and the like plus having a poor memory. Its a VERY light compact piece of kit that fits into your pocket or clips onto your shirt pocket. Easy to use, and just so helpful. Its the nicest item I have bought for a long time.

Jungle sound is back

this tape player is wonderful for submitting music at any place or time. the battery life is very good and the sound quality reasonably clear for simple music such as dnb, jungle or hip hop. if you wish to carry it around it is very light and its microphone recording feature is a good addition to the player. i love using it to play my mixes out loud to people and, when going on a walk to do artwork it is very useful. IN A SENTECE, IT IS WITHOUT DOUBT a PORTABLE RAVE.

Great stereo microphone !

Bought to complement my WS-210S Olympus digital recorder. Seems that mixing different makes of mics and recorders can produce disappointing results!

This Olympus microphone and the Olympus WS-210S are a perfect match and work very well together.

The Olympus USA site has a better product description than any site I have seen.

It also comes with an extension lead and a tie clip so that the mic can be placed within 1m of the recorder.

This microphone requires plug-in-power, i.e. power supplied by the recorder.