Rating of voice recorders for secret recording: how to choose for a journalist and for recording lectures

7 Olympus VP-10

creativecommons.org

Price – 8,000 rubles

If recording quality is important to you, then the Olympus VP-10 hidden voice recorder model is perfect for you. The appearance, reminiscent of an ordinary pen, does not prevent the device from recording sound in high quality. Due to its small size, the device fits into a pocket. On the front panel you can findIAll controls are included, as well as an indicator that lights up as soon as recording begins. On the other side of the recorder there is a second similar indicator.

There is a lever on the side to turn the device on/off, and for recording – the same lever at the top. The manufacturer provided for the possibility of accidental displacement of the levers, so they made them tight. For the dawndki The device comes with a charger itself, as well as an additional battery for recharging.

Microphones for recording are located at the top; In addition to the lever, there is also a 3.5 mm headphone jack. To secure the device there is a clothespin on the back panel of the case. The body itself is made of high quality plastic. There is a screen whose resolution is 108 by 84 pixels. The device has USB—connector for connecting to a computer. The voice recorder's controls and settings are Russified.

Pros:

• Easy control and setup
• High recording quality
• It is possible to connect to a PC
• Small dimensions
• Possibility of random recording

Minuses:

• Inconvenient controls (everything is controlled with one button)

6 Ritmix RR-145

Price – 3,200 rubles

The compact voice recorder from Ritmix takes sixth place in the rating of voice recorders for covert recording in 2021. The metal body is made of Hi-Tech steel and coated with special paint. This case provides good protection for components. The front side is equipped with protection against dirt and a matte finish. There is also a small screen on the front panel that displays basic data: charge level, recording duration, amount of free memory space and the rest. Two built-in high-sensitivity microphones record clear sound in stereo and are located on the top of the device.

The main differences of this model areYuThere is a large set of settings, a variety of modes, and also the fact that, if desired, the model can be used as a music player. Intuitive controls are one of the advantages of the voice recorder. Recording begins after pressing the center button. Conversion of the finished file is not required - the device records in standard formats. The battery is fully charged in approximately 2.5 hours. In mp3 format the device is capable of recording up to 582 hours, and in wav – up to 38. A nice feature is that if the battery runs out completely during recording, the recorded material will automatically be savedWithI.

Pros:

• Small sizes
• Convenient control
• Capacious battery
• 8 GB of internal memory
• Affordable price

Minuses:

• Freezes when used for a long time

5 Olympus VN-541PC

Price – 4,500 rubles

This is already the second model from Olympus in this top. It is perfect for both short notes and long conversations. The device has several operating modes, they differ in range, microphone sensitivity and the presence of noise reduction. It is worth noting the music recording mode - the sound detail increases due to the disabling of bass filtering. In case of long continuous operationy sThe LP function is activated, which optimizes the internal memory.

The voice recorder's battery lasts for 60 hours. Built-in memory in the model is 4 GB (1560 hours of audio recording). The curved body fits well in the hand, and the recording start button is made of rubber with relief. You can listen to the audio recording using standard 3.5 mm headphones or the built-in speaker. Additionally, the device comes with an external stereo microphone ME51.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Many modes
• Battery lasts 60 hours
• Has a built-in speaker

Minuses:

• The recorder records in mono format

4 Philips DVT1200

creativecommons.org

Price – 4,500 rubles

A 1.5-inch LCD screen and a 90s-style design distinguish the Philips DVT1200 from other models in the top voice recorders for covert recording. Another difference is the memory card slot. Thus, in addition to the built-in four GB of memory, you can connect a memory card with a capacity of up to 32 GB. The basic format in the device is wav, but after delving into the settings, you can change the recording format to mp3.

On one charge the device works up to 42 hours. To connect the device to a computer, you do not need any software or special drivers. You can listen to the recording on the recorder itself.The basic memory capacity is enough for 23 hours of audio recording in wav format (350 hours in mp3). There is a search function using voice tags. The voice recorder is very suitable for hidden recordings due to its small dimensions and weight of 49 grams. The sound is recorded in mono format. The device can operate not only from a battery - it comes with two batteries that can be used instead of a battery. In this case, the batteries will be charged while connected to the PC.

Pros:

• Affordable price
• Compactness
• Great functionality
• Build quality
• Big screen
• Powered by battery and batteries
• There is an expansion slot

Minuses:

• Sometimes the microphone records with noise

3 Ambertek VR408

Price – 5,500 rubles

In third place is the Ambertek VR408 model with great functionality and design, because of which an unknowing person will not understand that this is a hidden voice recorder. Additionally, the manufacturer has provided the ability to use its device as a music player. The device has USB for connecting to a computer.—port. Regarding connection to a PC, no additional software or drivers are required to be installed; the recorder can be used as a regular flash drive. Special optimization allows up to 35 hours of continuous recording. The built-in 1200 mAh battery fully charges in 2 hours.

The body has a plastic clip for attaching to clothing. A special noise reduction function has been developed for the device. The device's memory (8 GB) is enough for 1500 hours of recording in mp3/100 hours in wav format. You can delete unnecessary audio files from the menu without connecting to a computer.There is also an automatic recording function that begins after the built-in sound sensor detects a sound louder than 30 decibels. It is worth noting, What The voice recorder weighs only 10 grams.

Pros:

• Light weight and dimensions
• Large amount of internal memory
• Automatic recording function
• Noise suppression
• Recording quality

Minuses:

• The device does not work well as a music player

2 Edic-mini Tiny 16 U49-300h

Price – 9,000 rubles

The next model is designed for professional voice recording. The range at which the microphones record sound reaches 15 meters. This range is provided by 5 highly sensitive microphones with an active noise reduction system. The device can store up to 300 hours of recording. The memory capacity here is only two Gigabytes, howeveraboutthanks to optimizationand uhthat is enough for the above-mentioned 300 hours of recording at a sampling rate of 8 kilohertz. An interesting feature is that recording is only enabled Thenwhen the sensors pick up voices.

There are two operating modes: in the first, the device will record the conversation, until the memory runs out; with the second gadget everything is the same will lead record, until the free space runs out, but after it will automatically delete the oldest audio files. Each recording file has personal tags that indicate the date and time of recording. Each audio file has a personal digital signature to determine the authenticity of the recording, whether changes have been made to it, and also to determine which voice recorder it was recorded on. Additionally, the manufacturer has provided protection for the contents of the voice recorder - the owner can set a password on the gadget.An adapter is included to connect the device to a personal computer.

Pros:

• Five highly sensitive microphones
• Voice activation function
• Password protection
• Compactness, small dimensions
• Optimization system allows you to record up to 300 hours of audio
• Picks up sound at a distance of 15 meters

Minuses:

• Overcharge

1 Philips DVT2510

Price – 4,500 rubles

In first place is a professional voice recorder from Philips, which is perfect not only for journalists.Withany work, but also for recording lectures, interviews and short notes. The gadget is equipped with two high-sensitivity microphones for stereo recording. The main feature of the voice recorder is its large color display; now it is much more convenient to configure the gadget. Instant recording without delay, and the resulting audio is as clear as possible thanks to the active noise reduction function. Also, this recording quality is ensured by microphones developed using new technology for better noise suppression.

Simple controls with a clear interface. Additionally, there is a “hands-free” function – voice control of the device. And recording begins after pressing the main button in the center of the front panel. The model works with all operating systems. For long-term recording, the model has 8 GB of internal memory and an expansion slot for a memory card. A convenient search system, thanks to which the required audio file can be found in a couple of seconds, knowing the time and date of recording.

Pros:

• High quality stereo recording
• Large memory capacity
• Expansion slot
• Can be used as a music player
• Large color screen
• Little weight
• Microphone sensitivity is adjustable

Minuses:

• None