Olympus WS-110 WMA Digital Voice Recorder

by Olympus

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.8 x 2 x 9.8 inches ; 1.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000VDQAQ4
• Item model number: WS-110
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,676 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 7, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

With 256 MB of internal flash memory, the Olympus WS-110 WMA Digital Voice Recorder lets users record up to 69 hours of digital audio in HQ, SP, and LP recording modes. The WS-110 records audio as WMA files, which makes transferring audio files to a PC a snap--the Windows Media Audio (WMA) files work seamlessly with any Widows based PC. This unit lets you continuously record for 21 hours with one AAA battery, and you can conserve memory and battery power with the variable control voice actuator that records only when sound is sensed. A voice filter eliminates high and low frequencies during playback to enhance human voices. You can also use the WS-110 as a mass USB storage device to hold any type of digital file. The WS-110 keeps files organized by letting users record to five different folders that each hold 200 files. When it's time to transfer files to a PC, the WS-110's USB direct design lets you plug the recorder right into your computer for easy, full-speed transfers using USB 2.0 connectivity. This digital recorder is compatible with Windows ME, 2000 Professional, XP Professional, XP Home Edition, and Vista operating systems.

Product Description

Olympus ws-110 digital audio rec.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars overall very good, November 25, 2007

By 

Annie (New York) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Olympus WS-110 WMA Digital Voice Recorder (Office Product)

I bought this recorder to record music. I am a cello major at college, and needed something at least to record lessons. I sorted through many recorders before buying this one, here's my advice:
~Look at the specifications; if you are buying an olympus recorder go to their website to look up the sampling frequency and other specs. For instance you'll find out that the sampling frequency is 44.1khz (cd quality) on hq mode
~Think about how much space you will need. For me, I will not be saving anything on that recorder; it will be moved quickly to the computer or my ipod so there was no point in buying more space on it.

My thoughts on the recorder so far:
~Good quality recording, almost cd quality. Works best of course with an external mic.

~I love the ease of use. The best thing, is that it works just like a usb device; you take the batter compartment off to reveal that in essence, this is a fancy usb stick. No additional software ... just drop it in the folder you want :)
Recording is easy too; click the big red button and you shall record



Update: I've had this recorder for WELL over a year, and I love it. With the external mic and good placement of the device, I get high quality recordings. I use it most for my lessons, and it's both discreet and efficient. Would recommend highly to anyone.

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great deal for the price, March 20, 2008

By 

Vox Populi (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Olympus WS-110 WMA Digital Voice Recorder (Office Product)

I bought the Olympus WS-110 WMA Digital Voice Recorder after researching quite a few brands and models (on Amazon and elsewhere). As I've used the device for about 3 hours only (since I got it yesterday), my feedback here will probably be revised after a few days' use.

Pros:

1. Ideal size - lightweight; not heavy/bulky like most microtape recorders
2. Simple and intuitive user interface - the buttons are sized correctly and the on-screen prompts are useful
3. Quality of recording at the highest quality is simply superb. I am still amazed at the high quality of audio.
4. Connectivity to the PC is straightforward (through the USB port) and finding the file within the folder structure is effortless.
5. The price I paid ($60 + free shipping) makes this device a fabulous buy.
6. The in-built speaker is quite good considering its size

Cons:

1. File format is limited to WMA/Windows Media instead of mp3 or a more Microsoft-independent format; I knew about this limitation when I bought the device but figured I could live with this limitation.
2. In-built mike is supersensitive (this is a disadvantage if the device is being used in an environment with substantial background noises). For my purposes, the sensitivity is welcome as I am currently using the device in environments with minimal background noise. I don't plan on buying a noise-cancelling mike as it might not be necessary.

Overall - I would rate this voice recorder as a 4.5/5.0. It loses 0.5 points for being too MicroSoft-specific (WMA) as opposed to using a non-proprietory format.

Will edit this review (if possible) after using the device for a few more days.

92 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not very good for dictation, March 20, 2008

By 

Stephen Holland (Naperville, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Olympus WS-110 WMA Digital Voice Recorder (Office Product)

A buyer needs to know that this is just a recorder and not suitable for dictation use. The device is slim, light, but just the right weight to feel right in your hand. The USB connector is a great idea. All audio files generated are accessible as a USB drive that you plug into your computer.

The way the controls work is that when you press the "rec" button a new file is created that stores the audio. You can pause recording and restart by pressing the "rec" button to keep recording in the same file. If you press stop the file cannot have anything else added to it. What you cannot do is to pause the recording then listen to the recording to see where you were in your dictation. If you want to listen you have to press stop then play the file. You cannot add to the end of a file.

For recording discussions, music, events, or interviews it is fine. Good audio quality and low price. However, for dictation it is not appropriate. I returned the unit after purchase (at Office Depot) due to the limitations. Olympus has dictation appropriate recorders, but these are quite expensive. I'll be looking at the Sony brand dictation recorders to see if what I need is available there.