Customer Reviews

Olympus DS-2300 Digital Voice Recorder

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Received the DS-2300 yesterday. The machine is a keeper. However, if you are thinking of buying this because of it's Mac compatibility, read on.

The DSS Player software installs OK but the first time you connect the recorder with the supplied USB cord, an error pops up that the system extension was not properly installed, that it should be either reinstalled or a replacement obtained from the vendor.

Many of the software functions do not work because of the issue with the extension. Although you can see the device as a drive and the file import function works, none of the functions in the download area of the software are available. You cannot download a folder from that menu, you cannot change the user name, rename a folder on the machine, set the time from the computer, etc.

I paid to activate DSS Player Plus so I can use the software to either split or join files. I tried to split a file a couple of times. It doesn't work, the software crashes and in the process only one half of the split is completed.

I spoke with Olympus tech support on the phone about this hoping to find out there's a replacement driver. No. They confirmed the DSS Player does not run well with Mac OS X (10.4+). No information on when there may be an update.

An email 5 days later from Olympus Tech Support in answer to the same question basically claimed the problem is Apple's fault.

Next question. I can find nothing in the documentation that indicates whether the unit will work with the new M-type XD cards larger than 512MB. On the phone, tech support said I could run the firmware update that's on the OlympusAmerica website and that the unit would work with the 1GB XD card.

However, the email from tech support 5 days later says there is no firmware update for the DS-2300 (it's on their website as an EXE file - I could do the update with a PC), and that the M-type XD cards cannot be used with the DS-2300.

Today I noticed that the description for the firmware update on their website has been changed and now lists the 1GB M-XD card as one of those that can be used.

Sounds like a case of "your mileage may vary".

If you are doing professional dictation this is the best machine for the job. Each time you stop to listen and possibly edit or continue, this machine does NOT create additional files/folders! Many recorders automatically create a folder which becomes a secretaries nightmare. The 2300 is easy to use and the dss file format is a high compression which means the files are much smaller than wma. Quality of sound is superb. I would highly recommend this recorder. Mark

I started with the DS-2300 a month ago. I have also been using the smaller WS-100 for some 10 months but let me confine my comments to only the DS-2300.

It is my habit to download instruction manuals and read them thoroughly before I buy them. The DS-2300 was no exception. At the risk of repeating what others have already written, let me be brief in my comments:

Pros - many:
Sound quality, clear display of various info on the LCD, features like Appending additional recording to the end of the current or an old file, Inserting recording anywhere in the middle of an existing file, Reviewing recording while recording, Overwriting existing recording, CUE function, the extremely useful VCVA (no sound, no recording) function and the unlimited storage facilities by the use of xD cards.

I am not qualified to comment on the additional functions that are said to be available by the use of optional software as I have not bought any.

Cons - only a few:
1. There is no choice of playing a file fast or slow in addition to normal playback. 2. One has to play the files one by one in a folder, but cannot play all the files in a folder continuously one after the other. This feature, available in the WS-100, would be useful to play songs.

3. The DSS-format is not suitable for sending recordings by email. It cannot be read by the universally available Windows Media Player. Although the recipients of the emails can download the free "mini-player" software from Olympus to open the emailed files, it is cumbersome. It would be ideal if WMA format is also made available in the DS-2300 or a firmware be made available to convert the DSS-format into .wma format.

I bought a one-GB xD picture card, type H. My DS-2300, which was among the later batches, recognized the card. However, the use of type H, which is very fast, is an overkill and waste of money. It is more suitable for DSLR cameras. I had originally thought that I could use it both in the DS-2300 and in my Evolt E-500 camera. I now find that it is not practicable to use the same card in both the equipments.

For the DS-2300, the M type card would be ideal if this recorder is also used to store songs and the recorder used like a music player. If only voice recordings are to be made, a standard type card with say 64 or 128 mb would more than suffice. Generally, it is advisable to download the recordings to the computer often.

Although, the DS-2300 is not meant to be a music player, I use it as one. I play a CD or a downloaded song on the computer, for example, and record it through the microphone jack of the DS-2300 connecting it to the computer. The DS-2300 records the music as if it were a voice recording in the DSS-format. I record several songs consecutively in each file. I enjoy the music anywhere I like. A one-GB card should accommodate a few hundred songs depending upon the sizes of the songs. I have already saved some 50 songs.

Incidentally, during my travels with my family, I used a cassette recorder to record the voices of my family members even some 25 years ago. I now replay some of the recordings, save them in the DS-2300, replay any particular file and add my comments where I want. It is not only fun but also recording of family history like photographs - except in this case voice recordings.

Unlike camera forums, I have not come across any forum dedicated to voice recorders. It would be useful to discuss issues in such forums.

Summing up:
The DS-2300 has many features. I tested all of them. Everything worked fine. Print the manual and study it thoroughly. You can then squeeze the entire juice out of it. I like this model.

ameer

The quality of sound and manufacture of this unit is unacceptable. It was made in China. Although it has an attractive design, the outside is made from the same inexpensive plastic that my $29 Panasonic DVR is made from. The recorder has two modes, SP and EP. SP is the highest quality, but playback still sounds cheap at the highest quality. There also are two microphone settings, Dictation and Conference. In Dictation mode, the microphone can only pick up what is said within about 12 - 18 inches. The quality is audible, but not great. Conference mode only works when one person is speaking in a completely quiet room, something that is not realistic with people shuffling about. Any background noise will render the recording inaudible. Even in a quiet room, the quality is muffled and unacceptable. The high price for this unit definitely is not indicative of its quality, which appears to be low. I have other, less expensive units, that are better built and have a higher audio quality. I do not understand the other reviews, other than to believe someone with less experience using DVRs would have a different expectation. Perhaps it works better with an external microphone or when used solely in a closed environment (such as a quiet, closed interrogation room), which I believe defeats the purpose of a small pocket-sized unit meant to be carried around.

A 1 MB XD card gives 168 hours in SP mode or 358 hours in EP, which would be great if the product worked. Similar to other brands, the controls are not intuitive, but can be learned easily and are not a drawback.

I bought this DS-2300 to replace my DS-330. The 330 had internal memory and I had to download every night after my 3-hour lecture. The 2300 has external memory so that I can separate items (personal, school, work, etc) and it stores much more than the limited amount of memory on the 330.

It has a nice size that is thin and fits into your pocket. The memory life also seems to be pretty good on this. As I had read on other reviews, the placement of the buttons might be a tad tricky, but so far no problems.

My one complaint is that this recorder did *not* come with a case/pouch like the 330. I went to the Olympus site and they offer one to European customers, but not U.S.

Other than this drawback and the price, I am pleased on upgrading to the 2300.

This is a great handheld recorder. It is fully featured which is important since lesser models do not have intuitive controls. I'm a MD and use this professionally for my dictation and frequently need to back up to review or re-record something. The controls on this unit are very intuitive and allow the user to switch between playback and record very easily.

I made the investment in this recorder and have been very pleased. I use the Olympus 2300 for witness and subject interviews in closed enviroments (interview rooms, offices, etc). The sound quality is great. The ability to add memory sold me. I installed a 256 MB chip and on standard play I now have over 42 hours of recording time! No more worry about fliping tapes. And no more booking tapes. My interviews could go all day and the logistics involved in standard tapes is not a consideration anymore. I upload everything to my agency's server and skip the evidence room. I like the folders option that allows for the division of recodings by file...A to E. On road trips, each letter is a day. Each interview is a number. On my paper notes and just note A1, B3, E5 for quick reference. After the recordings are uploaded to my server (or laptop) I then re-name the files to the names of the persons who were interviewed. The larger screen is easy to see and the recording time counts down so I know how long the recoding has been going. I can then make notes on paper with a reference to time into the recording allowing for quick play back later. The only problem I had are batteries. I carry extra AAA batteries and repalce them if the battery level falls below half. I recently got 20 plus hours of record time on a set of two batteries...but always be ready to switch them out if things could go long. Overall, great tool and easy to learn and use.

It took me a little while to get used to the controls. The utility of index marks was not apparent until I recorded longer sessions. Index marks let you move to a section of the recording as rapidly as moving from one file to the next. Similarly, I did not fully understand the fast forward and rev operations until I worked on some longer recordings. After a few days, I've found the controls had become intuitive and easy to use. The automatic volume control works well: I find that at a meeting in a large room I can clearly hear all of the speakers. This control also works well for recording phone conversations (using a Radio Shack phone recording controller. The automatic recording control (it stops recording during silence) works very well. There is no clipping associated with a tape transport starting up. Gaps in conversation are reduced to minimal and on playback, the conversations sound quite normal.The included 16 MB XD card has room for about 2 hours of recording at standard quality. I bought a 1GB XD (the smallest available) from a local big box store. This gives about 200 hours of continuous recording which is 5 times the battery life. There is no fast play back as seen with some machines but fast-forward during playback alternates 1 second jumps with 1 second of playback. The jumps get larger as you continue to FF. This works well and provides almost the same utility as the fast playback. Sound output from the speaker is only fair (volume and quality). Output to earphones is excellent. The included software let's you edit the files, archive them, listen to them on your computer and convert them from the proprietary DSS to .wma and .wav files. I'm very pleased with the machine. I would rate it excellent.

I have had my new Olympus DS-2300 Digital Voice Recorder for five days now. Before I even received it, I ordered the 1 GB H type card. I transferred the single recording that I had done on the 16 MB card to my computer, erased it from the card, and then I installed the new 1 GB card. Voilla! The version of the software that I received recognized the new card immediately and it indicated that I had 168 hours, 23 minutes, and 28 seconds of record time in STANDARD mode. Apparently, all the hassles that were mentioned in the reviews have been solved.
The quality of the recording is amazing. If I have any complaint at all is that a protective case should have come with this expensive device. Without some kind of protection, both the case and the display will easily become scratched.

I am an investigator who needs top quality recordings of interviews. With this device, I successfully made the transition from cassette to digital recording. The device is easy to use and the quality of the sound is excellent. The screen is large and it is easy to see the choices. The body of the device feels well made. I would purchase it again.