Recording voices at press conferences can be very disappointing. Sometimes, the voices registered on the handheld audio recorder are not loud enough or they are muffled because of clothes rustling. According to Olympus, their pocket-friendly, portable audio recorder takes care of both issues.
Olympus VP-10, weighing only 37gms and with dimensions of 12.7×1.7×1.7cms, has 4GB of internal memory. According to the company, this tiny portable recorder can store 1,620 hours of audio. On the other end of VP-10 is a full-sized USB plug with a dual function – to transfer the recording to a computer as well as charge the AAA-sized NiMH battery within the recorder. The full-sized USB plug also means no special USB cable is necessary to be carried in the travel bag.
While recording, the VP-10 uses a voice balancer function. This works like an ALC or automatic level control to record quiet speakers with clarity in multiple speaker situations, while lowering the levels for those with a strong voice. In addition to the noise-cancellation algorithm, Olympus has provided the VP-10 with an Anti-Rustle Filter technology.
Interviewers use a portable microphone recorder during conferences. When placed inside a pocket or under a coat lapel, the microphone produces annoying brushing sounds as it rubs against clothing. Olympus claims its Anti-Rustle Filter technology has the intelligence to cut out the rustling sounds and record only the voice of the speaker.
Although you can turn off the power separately, the VP-10 has a special one-touch recording mode to start recording immediately at the beginning of an important conversation. When taking notes from the device, you can use the handy transcription mode to start or stop the playback. This allows you to automatically playback the last 3 seconds of what you have captured.
The VP-10 comes with four recording scenes and you can easily tweak the audio capture to match a specific recording environment. For example, use the Pocket mode for recording a wide range of voices with the recorder inside your jacket or shirt breast pocket. The other three are Dictation, Conference and Meeting modes and they help to achieve flawless, high-quality recordings in respective conditions.
With an overall recording frequency range of 50Hz to 17KHz, this tiny portable recorder can record in PCM, MP3 or WMA file formats. For monitoring the playback privately, there is an earphone jack conveniently placed at the top of the recorder. Public airing is also possible through an in-built 90mW dynamic speaker.
Two omni-directional stereo microphones embedded within VP-10 capture sound securely from sources surrounding you. You may keep the recorder in your pocket or clipped to your notebook, the recording is high in quality and contains low noise.
VP-10 arranges its recordings by date, which makes it easy and convenient to locate a file. A small LCD allows selection from the menu. The Date Search function when used with the Intro Playback function is a very useful feature – the recorder replays the first few seconds of the file, allowing you to easily search for a specific file.
