Customer Reviews

Sony M-100MC Microcassette Recorder with Voice Operated Recording

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

 

 

I thought this would be the end-all, be-all solution to my microcassette needs, which include field recordings, music ideas, dictation and lecture. It's not...I tried three models, thinking each time it was just a bad model, but each one had an enourmous amount of flutter on playback, as if everything recorded was being twanged with a whammy bar. Too large and bulky for standard dictation needs as well, you can do better for dication with a smaller one.

In the hunt for something to help me with my college studies, I decided to grab this particular microcassette recorder/player to tape my instructors' class lectures. So far, I've found it to be a pretty good study aid. Although the recording quality still isn't as top-notch as I'd hoped it'd be, it's still a bit better than many mid-to-lower-end recorders I've used and tried out.

The lecture setting is good if you're in a class where the instructor just gives his spiel, and doesn't field that many student questions. Unfortunately, this setting features a bit more background white noise than the other two modes, so it's best to have this device within a close proximity to the subject doing the lecturing, about seven feet or less. It's also best to have a clear line-of-sight from the microphone to the speaker, without any obstructions in the way.

I've found the meeting setting to be the best for classes where student views and participation is encouraged. It doesn't have quite as much background noise as the lecture setting, but it also doesn't quite have the recording range, either. I try to get the player about five feet away or closer from the instructor when I set it to the meeting mode.

The dictation setting's perfect for those times I've got a few thoughts and words off the top of my head regarding a product offered on Amazon I'm going to review (like this one, f'rinstance). It's an especially good thing to have when you come up with a thought or idea, and you want to record it before it disappears on you. You know, like when you walk to another room in your house to get a particular thing, but when you get there, you've forgotten the reason why you went there in the first place. This setting offers the least background noise, but unfortunately it also has the shortest recording range, which doesn't make it a very good mode for recording my class instructors' lectures. But for some reason it records my voice a bit deeper than it actually is. I listen to the playback of my spoken thoughts, and I end up sounding a little like Mister Sulu from classic Star Trek. Oh my!

PROS:
I've discovered that the playback is a bit clearer sounding if you listen to it through earphones. I would, however, recommend you listen to it through a comfy pair of headphones, rather than the earbud that's included with the machine. You can even listen to whatever you're recording through the player itself as it's taping, and you'll have some idea of what the tape will end up sounding like, background noise and all. Also, don't put the earbud too close to the mike, or you'll cause some uncomfortably high-pitched feedback!

I'm always losing the battery covers to my little electronic gadgets, so I was happy to see that the battery cover slides open, and stays attached to the player.

The foam wind guard seen in the product picture is an attachment that can be removed or added if needed or desired. I found this add-on a bit funny-looking, and I'm happy to see that it's not permanently mounted to the player.

CONS:
I'm not too hip with the cue/review (aka fast-forward/rewind) feature. Both selections are on either end of a three-way slide switch, rather than push-down buttons like the play, record, and stop/eject buttons. Also, when the tape reaches the end (or beginning), the switch doesn't automatically click off; you've got to slide it to `off' yourself.

I've also discovered that the voice-only recording feature isn't as sensitive as it should be. It doesn't need the subject to be very loud when it's activated and recording, but a fairly high decibel level is required for the VOR to re-activate and resume taping. Unfortunately, I've found this to be the case with every other minitaper that has this feature, so it's not like this particular model is a unique case.

A Con that became sort of a Pro:
I haven't found the fast-playback feature to be all that useful. It plays back my lecture recordings a bit too quickly for me to comprehend what's being said. It does have one good point, though: if you want to fast-forward or rewind your tape a little faster, click the fast-playback switch on (along with the 2.4 cm tape speed setting) and it'll get to the end or beginning a bit sooner than with the rewind/review switch by itself.

`Late

With the LED voice meter, battery meter, removable wind filter, counter, and a bipod you usually find on machine guns, you're lucky that you're not paying more than the price listed above. I used mine to record European History notes and I had no problem understanding my teacher. The built-in speaker has a good maximum volume so you won't have to hold it to your ear. I really liked how far the microphone was kept away from the recording components-your regular recorders have the microphone right next to the motors (which can cause noise).

I honestly don't know what to think of microcassette recorders. You figure Sony has to produce a good one; after all, it's Sony. Well, not necessarily. I bought one of these because I do occasional taped interviews. It seemed to work well and always got the attention of the people I interviewed. But alas, it lasted for only about three months, then it stopped recording. It soon after stopped playing, as well. No one abused it, dropped it or subjected it to any jolts. It just stopped working...which is a shame because this recorder was convenient and came with that spongy thing around the mic which cut down on wind noise.

This is about the third (and last) Sony I'm going to try. I think I'll try Olympus next.

I had a very positive experience with this recorder as editor of a magazine and used it for interviews, conferences and large meetings -- it has sensitivity settings for each environment, and two options for elevating it for best reception. Now I'm retired but doing a lot of work in Egyptian archeological sites, and bought this recently for my own use. It's larger than most such recorders, especially with the mike windguard attached, but for the serious user who needs to be sure of the recording quality, it's excellent. Also, for the one I bought for the magazine, when the recorder first came out, I paid nearly twice what I paid for this one. One other thing: this LOOKS like serious, professional equipment; that may seem trivial, but when you plunk this thing down in front of a source you're interviewing, it does tend to make a statement, much the same as when you haul out a top-end camera instead of some point-and-shoot toy. I'm taking it with me next week to Egypt, where I need to tape notes to myself to transcribe later and also isolate background noise in busy sites like temples and tombs. All in all, very much worth the money.

Best micro recorder I've ever had. And I've one througt a number of them with all the dictating I do in a day.
This is a well made machine, with a good mic.

I use this recorder to tape meetings so that I can type up minutes later. It has excellent voice quality and is very easy to understand what is being said.

This is a Sony. Need I say any more. You get what you pay for and this is a nice micro-recorder at a nice price.