Ikey Audio Gravador USB Portátil iKEY Plus

Comments about Ikey Audio iKEY Plus Portable USB Recorder:

We used the iKey to record a person presenting information to a small group of people. Our goal was to record the presenter for quality assurances purposes, so the information presented to subsequent groups will be consistent. The iKey performed as described, using just the included microphone. We used a mid-range format, and the results were exactly what we wanted. Very easy to set up and use; saving to a USB drive is easy and convenient. We used the included AC power supply instead of batteries, which worked well. The unit is small, so the controls and light display are not as intuitive as they could be, but once you know what they mean, it doesn't matter. A case is included, which is nice; it would be better if it weren't open on one side. Looking forward to using this in other ways, such as converting vinyl records to digital files.

Comments about Ikey Audio iKEY Plus Portable USB Recorder:

I purchased this to record our church services and practices. It does exactly as it is advertised. We run a line in from our sound board and record to a thumb drive. From there, we transfer to a computer to burn CDs. The iKey saves us from having to man a computer that takes up space in our sound booth.

Recording is simple and starts recording quickly with no gaps. I have not recorded to an iPod yet, but the documentation reveals that it does take a little longer to buffer the recording to the iPod, once you stop recording.

It is pretty easy to learn all the controls and will only take a few minutes to train anyone on how to use it.

I was a little disappointed in the plastic construction - it feels a little flimsy and has a cheap feel to it. It does come with a case, though it does not offer a lot of protection to scratches. If you use batteries, this will add some nice weight to the unit.

The recording quality is excellent. I tested using the included microphone and was surprised how clear it was, although the volume seemed a little low. You have the option to choose three quality levels of mp3 or wav format.

A couple of things that I did not like about it:
You cannot specify the name of the file and there is no date/time stamp on the file. So, if you use it for multiple recordings, it may get confusing to which files you just recorded to if you are not offloading and clearing up your drive between recordings.

When I recorded some samples using the microphone, there is a very noticeable click at the end of the recording. I did not notice it using a line in, so it was most likely due to the microphone being so close to the rec button.

I would have liked to be able to connect the unit to a computer and record to the hard drive, but that is not an option. Another feature I would have liked is to be able to replay a recording and delete clips. You will have to eject the drive and attach it to a computer to manage the recordings.

Recommendations
One of the main selling points of the iKey is being able to use an iPod to record to. To be fair, I have not tested using an iPod to record to yet. However, the documentation shows a number of steps that you have go through to transfer recordings from the iPod to your computer. The directions seem to be overly complicated, so much so, that I didn't even bother to try. If you are really planning on using an iPod, I would recommend going to the manufacturer's website and read the documentation prior to purchasing. I consider myself technically savvy and thought that it may be a let down to many planning on using the iPod.

I also recommend getting some rechargeable batteries. The iKey comes with an ac adapter that will power the unit and will also charge any rechargeables in the unit. You can use regular batteries, but the battery compartment is under four screws, so switching out batteries is not a quick feature.

If you are planning on traveling around with the iKey, then do not count on the included case - I found it hard to put the iKey in the case and leaves one end exposed. It also does not have any room for accessories (cables, ac adapter, etc).

Overall, it does everything as advertised. I recommend it.

Comments about Ikey Audio iKEY Plus Portable USB Recorder:

We use this to record voice over for tv and radio spots as well as industrial videos. Don't have a dedicated recording booth so its compact size works well for our needs. Audio quality is fine. Works as advertised. Simple to use and provides great flexibility for mp3 compression. Had a couple of instances where it didn't seem to recognize the USB thumb drive but simply turning it off and on resolved that problem. Only disappointment is that it does not provide phantom power to my condenser mic. Which means I have to run the mic through a audio board (or something else that provides power). Would be hard to do on battery operation but would be nice feature when running off AC adapter.

Comments about Ikey Audio iKEY Plus Portable USB Recorder:

I picked up one of these bad boys a few weeks ago not knowing what to expect after reading the review written by JHRJ. I knew I was going to record to my iPod so I wasn't to worried. I am so happy I want deterred from buying this unit since it works great. I am a DJ and I used it to convert all my vinyl into MP3 format and I also used it to put one couples wedding night songs onto their iPod which they really appreciated. My son happened to borrow it and he plays guitar so he has been using for recording that way but he has been recording to a 4GB USB Key and to date he has had any problems. The sound quality is superb and I am extremely happy with this unit, the only problem was that I was forced to buy another one for my son. Thankfully the price isn't so steep...Items I Recommend: Apple ipod

Comments about Ikey Audio iKEY Plus Portable USB Recorder:

I have to say I have had more problems with the unit then I would have expected for the price. First it can be really picky about USB drives. When we received the unit I also got an 8GB USB drive to record to. The unit can take a lot of space if recording on the highest setting (about 650MB/Hour) and we shoot 6 to 8 hour events. When we first tried we were having trouble getting the unit to see the 8GB USB drive. I also have a 2GB USB drive so I tried it out and it noticed the 2GB right away. After talking with Ikey on the phone they said the unit just has trouble with the larger GB jump drives. The second problem I was having is the Batteries. It has an A/C adaptor and a 6 AA battery capacity. If you are going to use the A/C adaptor you are warned not to use regular AA but only rechargeable ones or no batteries at all. But the unit has trouble with rechargeable batteries running the unit I dont think the batteries are putting out the Volts that it needs. So what I am doing now is using my 2GB on the second to last quality setting and have the unit plugged in with no batteries. I have tried the energizer lithium batteries so I didn't have to have the unit plugged in and it work for about 7 hours straight but I dont want to buy a six pack of those bad boys all the time. But with the 2GB and plugged in I have not had any trouble and the sound quality is great. I have just purchased an I pod and plan to see if it works any better with it. All in all I dont recommend the unit but then again I have nothing else to recommend.

Problems Encountered: Batteries, Does not see all USB drives

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: N/A

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