A guide to buying Sony digital voice recorders

Sony digital voice recorders are convenient tools used for transcribing information or making notes on the go. Made by a reliable brand with a long history, Sony digital voice recorders offer you a wide variety of different features and benefits, so you can choose the recorder that works for you. However, before you buy, there are a few essential things to consider.

Storage space

When you buy portable recorders or digital recorders of any type, it is important to know how much storage space the recorder has and the length of time you can dictate into it in order to fill that storage space.
Mp3 digital files and memory sticks Many recorders store material as mp3 digital files, so you should ask both whether this is the format of your recorder and how many mp3 files the recorder can create and store. You don't want to have a Dictaphone recorder that doesn't have enough memory for you. Since you are buying a Sony audio recorder, you can also ask if it uses memory sticks, which would allow you to expand the memory.

Battery life

Battery life is another important component to consider when buying a digital voice recorder. Find out how long the battery will last when using the recorder and when the recorder is idle. You should also find out if lithium ion or rechargeable batteries are used, requiring you to plug the unit in to charge it, or whether you can buy standard double AA or other batteries from the store when your battery dies.

Size and other features

The size of the recorder is also important as most people want digital voice recorders to replace larger dictating machines. If portability is important to you, choose digital voice recorders from Sony that you can easily fit into a brief case or a pocket. Remember, though, the smaller the recorder and the more storage space the recorder has, the more you will pay. A cheap voice recorder is either going to have less memory or be bulkier in size. Actual features Finally, consider the actual features of the recorder. Does it activate automatically with your voice? Does it play sound clearly back to you? Test it out to be sure that it gives you the performance you need.