Olympus DS-30 (256 MB) Handheld Digital Voice Recorder

The Glory: Amazing audio quality with slick design and well-thought-out features for your buck.
The Shame: No wrist strap or lanyard.

Let me be the first to say that I've never heard sound as clear or crisp from a recorder as I have from the Olympus DS-30. And as a journalist who has recorded and played back hundreds, if not thousands, of interviews and meetings, and as someone who has always relied on mini cassettes, I'm qualified to say it.

The DS-30 is impressive in so many respects, it will be worth your $70-$90, if you're someone who needs to rely on quality recording. It's slimmer and about as long as a tape recorder, and very light. Controls are easy to operate one-handed. On the DS-30, you'll find all your basic controls, such as record, stop, play, volume and sensitivity, fast forward and reverse, in addition to some exciting new ones, like erase, menu, folder cycle, and detailed recording information. When you've been using an analog tape recorder for over four years, it's exciting just to have a recorder with an LCD screen, which happens to be crisp and bright.

Of course, as a mid range digital voice recorder the DS-30 goes beyond simple recording and playback. It offers organization through several folders and a file index. One handy feature is the ability to give folders a name, like "Meeting," "Ideas," or "Dictation." The DS-30 offers three filtering settings to minimize noise and increase voice or music quality during recording or playback. The voice-activated recording feature is adjustable for
sensitivity. The recorder can be set to begin recording at a certain time and then stop later. It also has an alarm clock function. Maximum recording capacity is about 67 hrs.

Playback modes let you adjust the speed of playback. Search through tracks at lightning speeds compared to analog. And, like a DVD, you have the option to repeat a file, folder, or all folders, or simply play one to the end and stop. In addition to voice recordings, the DS-30 can store and play Audible files and podcasts.

Some more handy features that come with this digital recorder are helpful displays such as memory remaining, battery life indicator, and track and volume position. A handy, easy-to-navigate menu gives you simple access to all settings. The unit runs on two AAA batteries, included retail.

Also in the retail package are a handy stereo microphone adapter for recording in high quality stereo, stereo earphones, and a USB cable and software for downloading, playing, and managing audio on your PC. Olympus provides a one-year warranty. Be careful of auctions that offer only the recorder and none of the software or accessories. If you don't get the DSS Player software with the auction, it will cost you $50 to get it from Olympus. It's not a free download, although it should be. Also, the stereo mic included with the retail package is otherwise a $25 accessory. So be sure you're getting the package you want when you shop on eBay, as many sellers offer something different.

It's almost standard that pocket recorders come with some sort of wrist strap or lanyard, since they get dropped occasionally, but none are included with the DS-30. It would have been nice especially since this is a smaller digital device, which is more sensitive to shock. Nonetheless, it's a minor complaint on an overall outstanding recorder. A lanyard, along with a host of other accessories, is available from Olympus. I got one on eBay for $1.75