 Big Quality in a Small Package |
| Review Date: June 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Cameron Scholtz, Phoenix, AZ USA |
I got my DS-30 last week and I love it! This is the first digital stereo voice recorder I have owned. I am very impressed with the quality of manufacturing and the quality of the recordings. I uploaded some photos above to show the size of the unit and the contents of the package.
The DS-30 can record with or without the attachable stereo microphone. This mic is so small though that even attached it still fits in my pocket.
The "Hold" feature is nice. Press the Hold button will lock the DS-30 buttons until taken off hold. This is handy if you are moving around a lot or want to save the current recording or playback settings without fear of accidentally touching any of the buttons.
It has a lot great features for recording both dictation (voice in quiet, close quarters) and conferences (voice in large, noisy rooms). These features include a Variable Control Voice Actuator which will automatically turn on/off the recorder based upon the volume level it senses, a microphone sensitivity setting and a Low Cut Filter. (Playback mode also has features like noise cancellation and voice filter.)
The DS-30 can playback AVI and MP3 files. It can also play Audible format files as well as Podcasts. The device has a full-featured menu including adjustments for backlight, contrast and LED, powersave, 3 alarms and a voice guide. The alarms are very kewl. You can set them to play various alarms sounds or even use one or your own recordings!
The D3-30 comes with ear buds and it can play MP3 and AVI files. I transferred some music to it and the quality of the MP3 player is really nice! I am not an audiophile but the DS-30 plays MP3s every bit as well as they sound on my laptop.
Transferring files from my D3-30 to my computer was plug-n-play easy. I just attached the USB cable to my PC. Windows XP immediately recognized my DS-30 as a new device and displayed it as a new drive letter in my Windows Explorer list of drives. I could drag-n-drop files to and from, including MP3s. It could not be any easier. I did not install the DS-30 software. At this point I won't even need it and I prefer not to install a bunch of unnecessary software on my computer.
The DS-30 package comes with:
DS-30 Digital Stereo recorder
User Manual (well written)
2 AAA batteries
Ear buds
USB cable
Olympus DSS software
* Optional accessories include a remote control, telephone pickup and AC adapter. |
Versatile and Dependable
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| Review Date: May 25, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Charles Lyons, Ph.D., Houston, Texas |
Let me say at the outset that I have been very pleased with the Olympus DS30. This is the third recorder of this style that I have owned. The first was a micro-cassette unit and latter an Olympus Digital VN-1000. Although both are still in working condition the DS30 is far superior in quality of sound and of course the speed of transfer of recorded sound to my PC for storage and additional applications.
While my previous recorders had to be audio cabled to my PC and then transferred or recorded in real time, the DS30 transfers by a USB cable and the software which is provided. The process is simple and I had no issues the first time I went through the process. I accomplish editing of the files by using the software that came with the DS30 to simply export the file to a folder on the PC. I then use my Cakewalk recording / editing software to edit (clip off rough beginnings or pull out portions I need for saving or editing.)
The whole process is pretty simple if you are used to using audio editing software. I use the DS30 for 3 basic applications. I receive a lot of voice mail, typically about 200 messages a week, and these messages are long and detailed, about 3-5 minutes in length. When I review the messages I need the detail and need to be able to stop and start and often transcribe. The voice-mail package is not designed for easy stop and go or editing. So while retrieving the voice-mail messages I leave the recorder by the speaker phone and transcribe as fast as I can. Then I can play back, stop and start with ease using the DS30 later. Messages that need to be retained can be moved to the PC and archived.
Second big application is for interviewing. I am a writer and it is so much better to have the audio recording of the interview to work with. Although I take a lot of paper notes, knowing that the recorder is going allows me to get more detail. The recorder gets all the words and the background sounds that I may actually miss while interviewing. I get down on paper all the facial expressions, ambience of the location and details to refer back to, and of course great quotes - after all writer's write.
Finally, I keep it with me at all times. Even my trusty Franklin Planner hasn't yet learned to open itself and take notes while I drive. In dictate mode (did I mention the DS30 can adjust the recording sensitivity from lecture to conference to dictation?) I can make audio notes of ideas while I'm driving or recording locations and address information when it is not safe or convenient to stop the car and make notes.
If you haven't had a similar style recorder the experience will seem forced at first. If you adapt to it you will soon find that you can't imagine not having it with you. I can't address the battery life yet as I have been using the DS30 actively for about three weeks and still the batteries are fine. My first concern with the unit was that it seemed fragile for the way I use it. I looked for a cover of some type for it with no success. Yet to my surprise after three weeks of active use there is not so much as a scratch on the unit. I am very pleased with the DS30's performance, price, quality and dependability.
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Great recorder--Works well w/ Mac
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| Review Date: February 14, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Desert Son, Tucson, AZ |
I bought this a few weeks ago and used it at a conference. The sensitivity was so good that I actually had to use a built-in filter to decrease the background noises (glasses tinkling, etc).
Most importantly, it works with Mac OS X (10.4 and 10.5). I have a MacBook Pro--Simply use the included USB cord, connect, and it appears like an external drive. Open the folder, drag over the .wma files to the desktop, and double click. It opened in Quicktime for me, I save as a "self-contained movie" and viola--it is importable into iTunes and into my iPod.
No complaints. Holds over 8 hrs at HQ stereo setting, so I just transferred files each night of the meeting. My bet is that I could've used a lower quality setting and done just fine. I did cover the LCD screen with a plastic film protector, as I do w/ my cell phone and iPod. Seems sturdy. |
Wow! Super-intuitive design and superior sound. Very happy.
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| Review Date: February 15, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Pen name, Chicago, IL USA |
I stumbled on the Olympus DS 30 when looking for a replacement for the DS 2 which was kind of a disappointment and ultimately I chucked it.
No one had reviewed this model yet (it must be very new) so I was leery to purchase it. But I did and I'm very happy. I can't speak to the raw technical details of digital recorders, but for the laymen's purposes, this is a superior recorder for dictation and much more.
For example, I recorded a flamenco concert last night with the DS 30 and even though the acoustics in the theater were poor, I have a very good recording which I easily downloaded into my itunes. It wasn't nothin' but a button to do, either. Very simple to use and to download. I may experiment with the podcasting features next.
The design is much better than the DS 2. The controls are intuitive and I easily navigate from menu to menu whereas I said a little prayer before doing any maneuvers on the DS 2. The screen is bigger and much brighter than the DS 2.
I was also leery about the stereo mike attachment. I thought it would compromise the compactness of the recorder. I was very happy to be wrong. Even with the attachment, the DS 30 was shorter and thinner than the DS 2. It's easily removable too. There's also a built-in mike so you don't have to use the stereo mike attachment if you'd rather not. But since it's so compact, there's no reason to remove it.
Purchase this recorder with confidence. It's run a few laps around my expectations already. |
Powerful little recorder
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| Review Date: March 20, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Charlie Helmandollar, Lilburn, GA USA |
| I had been seraching for a compact quality recording device for recording rehearsals and live performances, that I could easily download onto a computer and burn onto cd for listening. Everything else I looked at cost between $200.00 to $400.00. So I thought I would take a chance on a good voice data recorder. I already have an Olympus I use for taking notes in my car. This would've been satisfactory but has no means by which to transfer files and burn. The first time I used this DS-30 I was blown away by the quality. Far better than I ever expected or needed. And for the money it can't be beat. The ease of use, options and storage capacity make it a top notch portable recording device. Highly recommend. |
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