Four weeks ago I bought an Olympus LS-7, and I have to get this off my chest before I explode the thing rocks! Here's is what I have found.I have been comparing it to the earlier Olympus LS-10 which I also own, and before that a recorder from a different manufacturer. The other manufacturer's recorder sounded good, but the menu was the most confounding, confusing menu I have ever seen. And that is why I bought the LS-10. It was way easier to use.
The LS-7 sounds better than either of the other two, and the LS-7's menu is every bit as easy to use than that of the LS-10. But the LS-7's sound and functions go much beyond the older LS-10. The LS-7 has a better frequency response on the low end because of its middle microphone. And you can turn off that mic when you don't want the low response. The LS-7 also has an additional frequency in the low cut filter off, 100 Hz and 300 Hz. What a difference this makes for keeping out air conditioner and furnace fan noise when recording a seminar. I ran side by side comparisons in a large room where I teach workshops, and the 300 Hz low-cut filter did the trick.
The specs on microphone sensitivity are better on the LS-7 than on the LS-10 and the sound level difference it quite noticeable. The LS-7 comes in at a -70 dbv compared to the -59 dbv of the LS-10. The "high" mic sensitivity setting on the older LS-10 seems to be about the same as the "Mid" setting on the LS-7. And with the LS-7's mic sensitivity set on "High," I can talk in a fairly soft voice from 2 feet away and it "pins" the meter.
The battery life is astounding! I've been using the LS-7 every day, and it still has battery life on the original charge I gave it right after I opened the box. My LS-10 would have long since run down the batteries.
Olympus, thank you. You've done it again. This is a great product for musicians, public speakers, students and anyone who ever wants to record a concert, a seminar, a class, or a workshop.
Don Schenk
Buy Olympus LS-7 Linear PCM Voice Recorder (142670) Now
Small but easy to understand interface. Most important, the sound quality is excellent for interviews and focus groups. I haven't played much with the various mic settings or the software that comes with it but since it works so well out of the box, I haven't felt a need to. Build quality good as well. Feels like it will last.Read Best Reviews of Olympus LS-7 Linear PCM Voice Recorder (142670) Here
There is quite a bit of mis-information, or a clear lack of understanding of what this little beast can do. Aside from the specifications that are readily visible here on the Amazon website, and elsewhere, the LS-7 is clearly capable of a whole lot more. The two biggest points are;1. Yes, it is capable of line level recording. Most people only see that it has an ext MIC input, but this connection serves the dual purpose of ext mic input AND line level input. The manual clearly indicates this. I have tried it for myself, and it works great. One only needs to watch the level of your source, and the LS-7 does just fine. I suggest the following settings: In the Record menu, set the REC Level to Manual, and Limiter/Compressor OFF. Then adjust your recording level manually to "0" on the LS-7. Phono line level output from my receiver works just fine, and the LS-7 does not peak out.
2. Secondly, there is plenty of information out there in audio forums that say that when an external mic (or line level input) is used, there is a frequency roll-off at 70Hz, basically filtering out anything below 70Hz. This is completely false. Using a precise noise generator tuned down to 20Hz, I have recorded directly into the mic input and verified that this input IS NOT rolled off.
I continue to be impressed by this unit's capabilities. The sound quality is exceptional. My intended uses for this device are to record ambient nature sounds when I'm photographing in the field. I'm also going to record on this device, while simultaneously using it as an external microphone into my Canon 7D camera. I've yet to try this aspect (waiting for a separately ordered mount), and I'll update this review when I do, but I've no doubt that it'll do just fine.
I also intend to capture sermon / conference / meeting audio, as well as use it for field notes. These are all things I have quickly tested, and the early results I've achieved have left me completely impressed.
One final note there is one thing that I'm not too pleased with, and that's the Power / Hold switch. While the rest of the device seems sturdy and well built, I'm concerned about the longevity of this switch. While it works fine, the tactile feel of it seems rather cheap. It's not enough to make me return this device, but it does have me wondering if I'll have a problem with it later on.
I will definitely update this review as I continue to evaluate it before the return policy expires, but after using it for 4 days straight, it definitely looks like a winner.
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Real good mics. Have a couple of things that kept it from 5 stars. You cannot erase just a portion of a track. It's all or nothing. I f you are recording(flute clarinet, sax) it's impossible to see the levels while playing other than the clipping activation light, this thing is tiny.There are many different effects like reverb and such but you can only add them on playback, you can't record with them. So if you go with earphone out to a computer the sound goes in raw and you have to add effects in garage band or the enclosed software which I never uploaded. Another feature which would be handy would to be able to use this recorder as a mic and pre amps for my garage band, the mics are good and the pre amps are fairly quiet. Be sure to print out the full directions from the web or CD, the little book that comes in the box isn't much help. Great rechargeable batteries last very long and recharge from a standard USB cord from a computer.
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