Olympus WS-321M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music Player

I USE THIS RECORDER FOR MUSICAL LESSONS, PIANO AND VOICES, EXCELENT OVERALL QUALITY. I RECOMEND TO USE THE ST. XTQ BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY MODE WITH CD QUALITY (44,100 HZ. @ 128Mby) IT'S ALSO A GOOD CHOICE FOR LISEN TO YOUR MP3/WMA FILES, MID-LEVEL HEADPHONES, GOOD FOR USB V.2, GOOD DISPLAY AND CHASSIS.

IT`S THE BEST CHOISE FOR THIS PRICE IN PORTABLE DIVICES.

MY ONLY COMPLIAN ABOUT THIS RECORDER IS THAT IT USE AAA BATTERY, BECAUSE OF THIS, THE ENERGY DOESN`T LAST LONG TIME. I PREFER AA BATTERY (ONLY A BIT LARGER) WITH VERY LONG LIFE.

90% RECOMENDED.

EXTRA SPECIFICATION : (TRANSFER SPEEDS QUALITY) ALL AT 44,100 Hz.

ST.XQ 128Mby/seg
ST.HQ 64 Mby/seg
MONO HQ 32 Mby/seg

I would think twice if you are considering this particular model. I actually placed an order for it, but did my research a little late. Now I am returning this to amazon and buying in its place the Olympus DS-40 ($140, which is $40 more than the 321).

When deciding on which model to buy, I suggest that you check out the Olympus website to compare specs, and to also look closely at the FAQs.

I took a look at the Olympus.com description of the WS-321M (http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_support_faqs.asp?id=1309). The following is under the FAQ:

"While recording a file, the battery ran out. Now I can't play or find the file. Why?

If the battery runs out during the recording of a file, the currently recorded file will be lost because the file header will be unable to close. It is crucial to change the battery once the battery indicator shows only one hash mark of power remaining. Removing the battery while the recorder is in use may also corrupt a file."

This particular model uses only one AAA battery, so it will not last that long. I am purchasing a digital voice recorder because I am collecting oral histories for my thesis project. I am conducting interviews that will last up to a few hours long. In other words, I cannot afford to lose any material because I can only collect interviews once. If you do not save under a file header during the course of an interview, you can lose the data because of the battery running out. I do not know when the 'low battery indicator' comes on (i.e., how much time you have left), but what if I happen to miss seeing the indicator in the course of a long interview? Moreover, I plan to record using the highest setting in audio quality, so the battery life will not last as long as reported.

The simple solution of course is to just press save every so often during an interview. However, this model will only allow you to save five files (I think) at a time. So what if you are collecting multiple interviews throughout the day? Then you have to either conserve your saves, or offload the file to your computer after every interview.

Don't get me wrong: every olympus digital voice recorder I've looked at has this problem. (I haven't researched other brands.)

However, this particular model (like most others) does not have the option of purchasing a separate A/C adapter. Yikes. So basically, we're looking at having to be super sure about the battery life during your recording. For some folks, this is not a problem. But for me, where each recording is absolutely crucial for my work and where the interview could last hours and where I do not wish to interrupt the interview to change batteries, etc, I cannot afford to have this potential problem.

The other way to avoid this is to just put in a fresh battery every time I'm about to do an interview.

Well, I just decided that I don't want to have to worry about all this, and I have just ordered the higher-end Olympus DS-40. Although the DS-40 does not have a full GB (instead, it has 512 MB), it has several other features, including the use of two AAA batteries and, importantly, the AC adapter option, which I bought separately on amazon for about $20 or so. The DS-40 is $140 right now. To me, not having to worry about losing data is worth the extra money, given that I'll be using this recorder for tens of interviews over the next few years. Yes, this means that I'll be seeking an outlet and plugging in my DS-40 for every interview - but the two AAA's will be my backup and NOT my main and only source of power. This is a crucial factor for me.

Again, this may not be a concern for some folks, but for those who, like me, may be collecting lengthy interviews throughout the day, this is an important detail to consider.

The concept for this product is good, but its execution leaves enough to be desired so that it does not justify its high price. Just a few of the most important problems:

(1) the device and controls are a bit too small - the UI screen for displaying status and other information is difficult to see and the control buttons on the front of the device are so small that it is difficult at times to make certain that the correct one is activated or that the intended function is operated. I suggest an increase in size in the overall device and display of at least 25%.;

(2) the device itself is made of plastic and has a cheap feel to it - I suggest incorporating metal into the case for sturdiness and better feel. Increasing the weight slightly would help and make the device less likely to be lost;

(3) the USB connection does not properly engage on some computers because the ridge around the bottom of the device prevents the USB connection from fully coupling to the USB port on some computers - this means that the cable must be used and reduces the value of the device a small amount because now one must remember to take the cable when using the device if documents are to be exchanged. I suggest lengthening the amount the USB plug extends from the device case.

Because of these problems, I can only give it an average rating.

I investigate potential insurance fraud and use the Olympus WS-321M to record interviews of claimants and witnesses. This is an excellent product - it does a great job of capturing voices while minimizing background noises. Transfer onto the computer and eventually onto a CD could not be easier.

I ordered the Olympus WS-321 for two reasons: one as a Mac owner I wanted a voice recorder that would easily interface with my Mac. The Olympus WS-321 does that just fine and I can also download the files to my PC. Reason 2: it's size. I use it to record my singing at our chorus rehearsals - the Olympus WS-321 slips into my back pocket; don't need audio tapes. I then email the MP3 file to my section leader for her to review after I've reviewed it myself. I've used the Olympus WS-321 for about a month now. It's doing just what I purchased it for.