This surprisingly small and light voice recorder captures voice clearly (4 x 1.5 x .325 inches,1.7 ounces). It is extremely easy to use and set up, the manual is almost not needed. The built-in USB charger/computer connection is well designed, sliding into the recorder's body smoothly and reliably when not needed, no cords to damage or lose. There are many settings for the recording environment, such as meeting, interview, lecture, etc I put it on auto and was extremely pleased with the results.
To give it a difficult test, I put it in my pocket in a soft sleeve and went to an outdoor garage sale. Though you could hear some of the rustling noise from my pants fabric, it was minor and it picked up the conversations clearly enough to be discernible in this difficult environment. However, I don't recommend using it this way. Putting it on a belt pouch would definitely give excellent results with little or no rustling noises. If you'd like to keep your interviews unobtrusive, this is a great way to do it. You don't need to put it in someone's face like a microphone to get a clear recording.
Put a large memory card (micro SD) into its available card slot and you can easily capture thousands of hours of recording. The internal battery lasts for more than one day of continuous recording and charges easily and quickly from any USB charger. Plug it into a portable USB power bank and you can extend the recording time to many days or weeks of continuous recording if necessary. Not using throw-away batteries saves size and weight. It saves the recorded files in standard Mp3 format that any computer or smartphone can utilize. Highly recommended for clear voice recording, meetings, interviews or personal notes. An excellent device for a modest price.
Note: if you've never used a voice recorder, don't be fooled into thinking that your smartphone can replace one. A phone is designed to capture voice at very close range and picks up a lot of unwanted noise. Voice recorders are designed to capture the specific sound frequencies of voice and suppress unwanted extraneous noises like wind and machine hum.
Update September 27, 2017:
I went on location to interview a rock singer. I went to his concert the evening before the interview. Not having high hopes, I put the Sony voice recorder in a belt holster, set it to auto and medium high audio quality and let it record during the entire concert. It was at my side, under my shirt and I'm surrounded by screaming fans constantly bumping me. Needless to say the place was LOUD, like eardrum damaging loud. I listened to the recording the next day and WOW. I can clearly hear his intros between songs (which is all I wanted), nearly every word and easily discernible. The sound quality of the music is not good, which I didn't need anyway. I can't believe this worked. Next day we met outside the hotel and walked to a restaurant along a busy street, again with the recorder at my side in a belt holster, sat down outside the restaurant, cars wizzing by and talked. It caught all our conversations clearly. Later we drove around in a convertible with the top down (not as good, but still discernible). That evening we went out to dinner at a busy restaurant, seven of us sitting around the table, the recorder in the center and let run. Caught everyone speaking clearly. Just wow. GREAT voice recorder. Stop shopping and buy this beauty!
Ps: The battery life is crazy good. After 6 hours of multiple recording sessions through the day, it hasn't even dropped one bar. I kept a mobile USB battery pack with me just in case, but never needed or used it.
| Brand Name | Sony |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 0.16 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 4.25 x 1.13 x 6.75 inches |
| Item model number | ICDUX560BLK |
| Batteries | 2 AA batteries required. (included) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Color Name | Black |
| Special Features | Android Phone Control |
