Memorex MB2180S Personal Micro Cassette Recorder

Other products by Memorex

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 1.1 x 4.8 x 2.3 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004TZHP
• Item model number: MB2180S
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank

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  Electronics > Portable Audio & Video > Microcassette Recorders

• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1999

Product Description

Amazon.com Review
Memorex's MB2180 personal microcassette recorder doesn't have many features that set it apart from the crowd, but it's a solid unit that gets the job done. It's also one of the few microcassette recorders we've tested that's truly useful out of the box, as it comes with one blank tape.

The unit is powered by two AA batteries or via the 3-volt DC jack. It doesn't come with a power supply, but we had no trouble getting it to run with a cheap universal adapter purchased at the local electronics store. A large red LED protrudes from the side of the recorder and stays lit as long as the unit has power. It's garish, but considering how important it is to know when the recorder needs batteries, it's a practical addition. We were somewhat disappointed with the MB2180's controls, as the buttons are narrow and extremely stiff, which made using the fast-forward/rewind cue switch less than enjoyable (and also less than precise).

Recording can be done either manually or turned over to the automatic voice-activated circuitry. We were impressed with the quality--especially on the full-speed setting. Recordings were clear, and the built-in microphone did a great job of recording only what it was pointed at. The sound quality gets a little muffled on the half-speed setting, but it's still adequate for making personal recordings or conducting close-up interviews if you need as much recording time as possible. There's also a headphone jack if you don't want to listen to playback through the unit's decent integrated speaker. The MB2180 isn't the most feature-rich recorder we've ever tested, but it does its job well and its low price belies its overall value. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Comes with everything you need to start recording (except batteries)
• Good recording quality
• Relatively inexpensive

Cons:

• Low-quality buttons
• Not the smallest recorder on the market

Amazon.com Product Description
Take the compact Memorex MB2180S microcassette recorder with you to meetings or interviews for easy, quality recording. VOX (voice activation) allows you to record hands-free, and you can record manually at two speeds to save tape. Other features include a headphone jack, tape counter, and built-in microphone. This recorder weighs only 9 ounces, comes with one blank microcassette tape, and has a 90-day warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fair Machine that's nice for the price, July 6, 2000

By A Customer

I just bought this recorder and it is fairly decent in quality, especially since it is about $10 cheaper then the other micro cassete recorders from here. I have not used any other microcassete recorders before, but I am sure that there are probably more worthy recorders if you are willing to pay the price for them. If you plan to use the recorder frequently spending some more money may be better. However, this recorder does the job well for me, a low frequent user. You basically get a decent machine for a decent amount of money. And if anyone was wondering, it looks like the Panasonic recorder if you wanted to know what it looks like. It also includes one 30 minute tape but does not include batteries (2 AA)

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A little misleading, January 17, 2001

By A Customer

Though the microcassette recorder works just fine, the technical data is misleading. There is no lapel microphone included, which is one of the reasons why I chose this item.

1.0 out of 5 stars The speaker doesn't last!, June 18, 2003

By	Niki Robison - See all my reviews

I've owned two of these stinkers in 18 months. The first one's speaker blew in normal playback in about 3 months. The second one's speaker has been fizzling for the last 7 months, and finally quit. It's been terribly frustrating -- and because the unit is so inexpensive, it doesn't make sense to try to have it fixed. Don't get it.