Sony ICDLX30BLK Digital Flash Voice Recorder

If you're old enough, you may remember the thirty dollar cassette recorders they used to sell for recording basic audio stuff at home. The fidelity was decent, and the operation was as simple as can be. Turn it on and press the red button to record. This little Sony is the modern equivalent of that simplicity. Except it uses standard SD cards instead of cassettes, and it records a whole lot better.

Most portable audio recorders have tons of setup options buried in multi-level menus. This unit is very basic. Insert the batteries and the SD card, and there's nothing to set up. Turn it on, press the button and you're recording using the built in mikes. You really only need the menu to set the date or switch to the external mike port.

The unit records full fidelity standard mP3 files at the 192K data rate, which is more than enough for perfect voice recordings, and nearly as good as CD audio for music. It has AGC, which is automatic gain control. This boosts the sound levels a bit to pick up voices across the room. If you talk loud, the AGC reduces the volume so the sound does not distort. There is not too much AGC pumping, and the AGC transitions sound quite natural. If you are looking for an audio recorder to produce studio quality recordings, this is not the tool for that job. It's the fact that you can't disable the AGC or change the data rate that makes this unsuitable for professional recordings. The recording quality is certainly good enough. But if you just want a great audio recording of a lecture, some dictation or a family sing-a-long around the piano, this is what this unit is designed for. With an external mike, it's good enough for recording radio interviews and narration for your home or corporate videos.

The unit does what it was designed to do, and it does it simple and well. It will record 22 hours on a 2 gig card and run 22 hours on two AAA batteries.

This recorder was purchased to provide backup for written minutes of charitable foundation meetings. Sitting unobtrusively on the table, its twin microphones pick up voices from all over the room, and its speaker reproduces them with lifelike accuracy. The controls are simple and intuitive and the recordings are catalogued by date for easy retrieval. This is my first experience with a digital voice recorder, and it is much better than a microcassette recorder. For the purpose it was purchased, I don't think I could find anything better for a comparable price.

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This digital recorder works well and easy to use. It saves files based on date though and it would have been nice if you could save as a file name for future easier finding.

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Been looking for a pocket-sized voice recorder to go with me each time I attend seminars and conferences and this one fits the bill.

The sound is clear and the operation is easy. Love it ! And YES, it comes with an A/C adapter.

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I bought it specifically to record commentary for music performances, however it did not recognize the SD cards provided by the festival. It caused me to have to buy another more expensive model from a local store. I will keep it, but I will likely have to buy SONY SD cards. That was inconvenient.

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