Not all voice recorders are created equal. It’s important to know what makes a quality voice recorder so you can make a good purchase decision. Recorders that work well in offices will not necessarily work outside in noisy events. and your needs for sound quality must also be carefully considered. Here are six things to know with voice recorders in Seattle, WA:
- Audio quality: Many people buy voice recorders believing they will merely need to download voice files and assign them to a transcriptionist. For that reason, they do not consider playback quality. However, you will likely either find yourself writing articles in a hotel room long after the fact and need to refresh your memory, or need to play back a few seconds if an interview is interrupted and you need to see where you left off. You will use the playback function, so do not underestimate that critical capability.
- Weight of device: Even if the distance from your office to the conference room is only about 10 feet, you do not want a bulky device that makes you dread every interview. So, it is best to buy a voice recorder that is light and easy to carry. Fortunately, the bulky dictation equipment of old is no longer the favorite among audio companies, so chances are your recorder will be a small, compact device that easily stays in your pocket.
- Storage space: The best recorders offer hundreds of hours of storage space. This is essential if you are reporting on a long festival or conducting multiple interviews for a court case. The last thing you need in the middle of a project with your laptop still at the hotel is to run out of recorder space. Find a recorder with as much space as possible. and also get in the habit of downloading files as you finish them.
- USB connection: The easiest way to conduct transcription these days is to download files from your voice recorder to a computer, then either email it to your assistant for transcription or send it to a transcription service. Once upon a time, files were transferred by recording on cassette tapes and giving those to an assistant to transcribe. Unless you want to rely entirely on playback, the ability to download voice files for transcription is essential.
- Recording environment: A voice recorder used primarily in an office or conference room is different than one optimized for outdoor environments. You will need to choose based on indoor/outdoor settings, the size of a room and acoustics. All of this will affect the required strength of the recording microphone and whether you need features like background noise cancellation.
- Battery capacity: If you plan on recording several interviews a day or over several days, you likely want a rechargeable battery. It is never a good position to find your recorder out of power and have no AAA batteries available. Since today’s recorders can last several days on one charge, find one that can recharge overnight.
Efficiency, Inc. knows what makes a quality voice recorder in Seattle, WA. If this is the first time you’re purchasing voice recorders or it is time to upgrade your current ones, contact us today for guidance.