Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

Pleasing design, rugged for its size, good menu lay-out but with a fatal flaw: even with the mic switched to sensitive, four folks sitting around a table talking loudly yields a very weak signal, the playback of which even at max is only audible with the recorder held up to the ear. That flunks the most basic test: recording a conversation and hearing it played back.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

I'm a freelance journalist, and starting to work in radio production (from print background). I bought this recorder on the recommendation of a fellow radio journo friend, who loves hers. My previous (non broadcast quality) recorder was the olympus ds10 (i think that was the model) -- i loved that recorder for its durability, functionality, and easy menu, but it wasn't up to snuff for professional recording.

I've only just started to use this recorder, but if you attach a high quality external mic, the sound quality is excellent. The internal mics are also very good, actually, especially for ambient sound. I like the size and layout of buttons, and the manual control of recording levels.

Overall a great product for a reasonable price, and if anything like the other Olympus I had, very durable in the field.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

I just tested out my new recorder and my initial results are very good. To test it, I recorded music from my laptop speakers and I was very impressed with how it sounded. I also hooked up the recorder to my external computer speakers and it sounded really good. I like that I can use the recorder on either battery power of plugged in.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

Easy to use, very sturdy, excellent sound quality. As a freelance radio producer with a limited budget I can also recommend the Olympus for its price. I have been working in this field for 15 years, and this is the best recorder so far. Some of my colleagues do not like its light weight, but I don´t consider this a downside.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

For many years I have recorded bird song throughout Brazil, using professional recorders with a parabolic reflector. In the last few years I have been increasingly reluctant to carry all this equipment into the field and when a friend told me the built-in mics of the LS-10 recorded almost as well as his Sennheiser I decided to give it a try. My first impressions are very positive: the LS-10 appears robust, is easy to use and transfer of recordings to the computer is dead simple. I haven't tested the recording quality extensively but it appears to be surprisingly good. It's a pity that the LS-10 doesn't support phantom power (only plug-in) but one could hardly expect that from so small a device. As a backup recorder and for making use of sudden recording opportunities the LS-10 is just what I was looking for.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

Looks and sounds amazing right out of the box. The dual mics produce amazing stereo sound and are very sensitive. I combined it with a Rode VideoMic but still feel that the onboard mics sound clearer. The menu is easy to get the hang of without the instructions. Rear playback speakers are OK. Just use the ear jack with a set of nice headphones to monitor your sound. A must have for high quality low budget field recording!

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

I am using this product for all types of documentary capture.

I love its size, audio quality, and ease of use.

I wish I could have a larger sized internal memory (the LS-11 does, but it is much more expensive, and silver...), so with a 8GB card, you are there, with less to pay.

LS-11 does have some other nice features, but this one does the gig.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

The recorder is used in church to record music. I have found it to be superb, easy to operate, and faithful in reproduction.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

Very handy size, although a little too big for every day pocket carrying. Sound is great. Interacts perfectly with the computer. Nice solid build. I don't really have any complaints about this device.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

I use this recorder for recording educational conferences. I am amazed at the small size and quality obtained. I having nothing but compliments for everything about this unit. It can hold about 60 hours on an 8 gig memory card in highest quality MP3. It is quite solidly built and not much bigger than a cell phone.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

This is the first modern field recorder I've used, so I don't have much to compare it against, but I've been very happy with it so far. Sound quality is excellent and the unit is light and portable. It isn't saddled with a bunch of useless features but rather provides everything I need with a clean and obvious interface.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

This is the best sound recorder I've used. After struggling with the controls on a "Zoom" I was more than pleased with how intuitive this LS-10 is to use. It feels nice in the hand, is light and easy to pack anywhere. Sound quality is fantastic.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

I use this product to record a line in from the audio mixer at our church. The sound quality that is recorded has been great for us. Another thing we really like about his unit is that it will record the presentations in mp3 format ready to be uploaded to the web for sharing.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

We use this device mainly to record our 2 years old daughter's voice. She is just learning how to speak and is saying very interesting things and making funny mistakes. We also record memories/stories told by the grandparents, etc. We are very satisfied with the LS-10 recorder. The only critique is about the speakers. Instead of inaudible stereo speakers, a single, more powerful one would probably be a better design choice.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

The twin built-in speakers are definitely the weakest link (way inferior to the single one on other Olympus products); otherwise, it might have been 5 stars. A simple track-marking feature would also be welcome. BUT a fantastic unit in terms of recording quality - which is what it's intended for - and very simple to use. Early days yet, but looks like it'll be a close companion!

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

perfect small recorder with a big sound

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

I got the LS-10 for dictation and to record live music. I’m retired symphony musician (oboe) and like to critique my playing, frankly, to see if I’m still in shape. I’ve also used the LS-10 to digitize LP records, since it eliminates the need to hook up to a computer. For live recording, I stand about 8 feet away and set the unit to manual level at about 3 ½. Playback is weak on earphones or into an amplifier. However–and this is important for a first-time user–the playback of any cut that is burned to a CD is much louder than the very same cut played via the LS-10. In other words, you cannot and should not judge the recording by the playback volume of the unit but should judge by the level meter, which is very easy and straightforward to use. I’d say the mics are slightly “edgy,” but considering the price and size of the unit, they’re good enough. For digitizing, I hooked up a RCA-to-mini-pin stereo cable to the tape-out jacks on my amp, plugged the cable into the LS-10's line in, then set the LS-10 level to 5. If you wish, you can edit the WAV file to fade the record noise in and out, then burn to CD. For voice, set the LS-10 to auto-level, mp3, then talk. I have had trouble, but inconsistently, using a 4 GB SD card in my unit. Sometimes–but not always–I get a formatting error. I don’t really know it the problem is the card, but I have had better luck with a 2 GB card. For those of us who remember reel-to-reel tape at 71/2 ips and all the fussing around, the LS-10 is magic.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

Playback really only makes sense with earbuds/headphones or on a PC. Built-in speakers are not adequate for full sound results.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

After listening to samples on the internet of this products recording vs other brands at similar prices.... I really liked the way the recordings sounded, especially how the highs were reproduced, this coupled with a very practical design, great battery life and small footprint made it my choice. PLayback speakers are small and not so loud, but loud enough to review recordings and listen in a quiet environment. This is an essential feature for me.
I would have liked to see track markers, and can only hope for firmware upgrade on this.

Comments about Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Field Recorder 2GB with SD Slot:

Very easy to use. The menus are simple & easy to navigate through.
Great sound quality from this little guy. The mics are great for my needs & probably for most others who read this. They will pick up alot of stuff you don't even hear!
The build of this unit is very nice. Not alot of plastic to this. The body is made of aluminum and has a good feel to it. The buttons are laid out logically for ease of use.
I've had this for a few weeks now & have enjoyed using it.
A big advantage of this as well is the type of file it records as. It records as a WAV file & can be played back on most applications. The files can be downloaded via the USB port on the side of the unit. Very easy to use.

The only downfall of this unit which I did know beforehand is the volume of the built in speakers. It is very handy to be able to playback audio on the spot, but wish it could be a little louder. If you search around you will see that this is pretty much the only complaint of this unit.