A voice recorder is a tool used by many professionals for its adaptability of use in the most varied situations. You can use it to record business meetings, press interviews, university lectures and court testimony, as well as musical performances or for quick note-taking.
In fact, these tools are often essential for writers, bloggers or videomakers, as they offer the possibility to save their creative ideas and come back to them calmly at a later time.
The built-in microphones of digital voice recorders are also significantly superior to those of a smartphone and able to record a speech clearly and clearly up to 5 meters away.
If you are wondering which voice recorder to choose, the feature that affects you the most is the size of the device’s memory, and the ability to expand it with SD memory cards.
Voice recorders usually allow you to choose whether to save files in MP3, the most popular and lighter format, or in WAV, heavier but with higher audio quality, particularly suitable for recording musical performances.
Some recorders of the companies Philips, Olympus and Grundig, also allow you to save in the DSS format (Digital Speech Standard), specially designed for voice recording that allows even greater compression than MP3 files.
Another important parameter is the type of power supply: many models need AAA batteries that must be replaced from time to time, but there are also recorders powered by rechargeable lithium batteries.
Now let’s see which are the best quality/price voice recorders to buy, from the most professional models to the cheapest ones.
1. Sony ICD-TX650
The best voice recorder for sound quality and performance
The Sony ICD-TX650 is a high-quality professional voice recorder, ideal for those who need to make medium to long recordings.
Its compact size and the presence of a convenient clip on the back make it suitable for attaching to a notepad or jacket pocket, perfect for those who need to take notes while recording, for example during a lecture at university. or at a business meeting.
The supported recording formats are linear PCM and MP3, but it also allows you to play AAC, WMA and WAV formats as well.
The design is clean and easy to use: the recorder has a small display that allows you to check the status of the recording and an integrated micro USB port on the bottom side, while the stereo microphone is on the opposite side.
It is powered by a built-in lithium battery that guarantees up to 15 hours of MP3 recording in 128kbps, while its 16GB capacity ensures that it can store up to 268 hours of MP3 files in 128kbps, or about 4000 files.
This makes it the ideal device for those who need to record for medium-long periods of time, or for those who have to make many recordings during the same day.
Among the most popular functions is the so-called Clear Voice, which allows you to reduce background noise for cleaner and clearer audio. Among professional voice recorders, the Sony ICD-TX650 is, therefore, a useful device especially for recording in crowded classrooms or in environments with background chatter.
- 16 GB of memory
- Noise reduction function
- Fast charging via USB cable
- Non-expandable memory
- Absence of optimization of vocal frequencies
- Software not compatible with IOS
2. Sony ICD UX570
The ideal professional voice recorder for notes and musicians
The Sony ICD UX570 is an excellent professional audio recorder, suitable for replaying recordings and quickly finding certain audio points, even for those who work in the music field and want optimized recordings according to frequencies.
The UX570 is a recorder with many options, including Time Jump which allows you to jump 10% of the total recording time, or to make small jumps from one point to another in the recording by going back 3 seconds or advancing 10 seconds.
This feature makes it perfect for college students who want to replay certain parts of the recorded lectures, or for those who have to review things decided during a meeting, easily checking the playback status on the backlit OLED screen.
The Sony ICD UX570 is also the best digital music recorder. The integrated S microphone, allows you to record audio sources by reducing background noise and the presence of automatic music recording mode, optimizes audio capture for musical frequencies.
The Sony ICD UX570 has a memory of 4 GB expandable thanks to the SDHC card slot up to 32 GB, as well as a support for a microSDXC card up to 64 GB, guaranteeing the possibility of storing more than 159 hours of recording, ie approx. 5000 files.
Finally, the presence of a USB output allows you to connect the Sony ICD UX570 directly to your computer, for a fast transfer of recordings.
- Time Jump function to find sections of audio
- High sensitivity S microphone for noise reduction
- Expandable memory up to 64GB
- Lack of low-cut filter
3. Tascam DR-05X
An excellent voice recorder with microphone for PC
The best voice recorder for versatility is the Tascam DR05X, capable of being connected as a USB microphone to any PC, ready to be used for creating jobs that need professional-quality audio, such as voiceover, live streaming, podcast, and songwriting.
This recorder with omnidirectional microphones is capable of capturing every detail by recording audio with excellent sound quality at high resolution at 96 kHz / 24 bit.
The peculiarity of the Tascam DR05X is the dictation mode to facilitate the transcription of recordings, thanks to the preset equalization for the human voice, the variable speed function, and the Jump Back function, which allows you to jump back and forth the recording in increments of time preselected.
These functions make it the right tool for checking university notes with the professor’s speech, easily transcribing the decisions taken during a meeting, or for depositions in court.
Another special feature is the ability to overdub a new file, while leaving the original file unaltered, allowing you to add other sounds, such as a guitar solo, to a previously made recording, making it the ideal instrument for musicians.
Other integrated functions include three automatic level modes to prevent accidental distortion during recording, low-cut filter, audition, chromatic tuner, six reverb effects, level alignment to smooth out any sudden jumps volume during playback.
It is powered by two AA batteries and provides up to 17.5 hours of autonomy when recording with standard 2-channel WAV, 44.1 kHz / 16-bit format. Eventually, it can be connected to a USB mobile battery, to prolong its use.
- Omnidirectional microphones
- Overwrite function
- Dictation mode for transcription
- No internal memory
- Not intuitive menu
4. Olympus WS-853
Professional digital recorder with long autonomy
The presence of a simplified menu allows anyone to use the Olympus WS-853, one of the best professional voice recorders for universities with an excellent quality/price ratio and very high autonomy.
The Olympus WS-853 has a 1.61 ”LCD display on which you can choose the type of menu to be displayed, depending on the user’s familiarity with these devices.
The Simple mode allows you to view only the essential information, facilitating the user experience thanks to the preset scenes for recording, such as Meeting, Conference, Dictation, Voice Recognition, Telephone Recording, Duplication.
In the case of more experienced users, you can choose the menu in Normal mode, where you can access all the complete functions.
Another feature that aims to simplify use is the intelligent automatic mode function, which adjusts the sensitivity of the microphone according to the volume of the speaker depending on his distance from the recorder.
The Olympus WS-853 has a memory of 8 GB expandable up to 32 GB via microSD / microSDHC cards, thus guaranteeing up to 2080 hours of recording.
It is powered by two AAA batteries, which can record up to 110 consecutive hours in LP mode, and features two directional microphones arranged at 90 ° that allow you to make recordings with high-quality stereo effect.
The recorder is equipped with a retractable USB 2.0 High-Speed output that allows you to directly connect the device with a PC to transfer recorded files.
With the playback speed adjustment mode, forward / reverse skip functions and fast forward and rewind, recordings can be transcribed easily, making it a very useful tool for journalists and college students.
For the latter, in fact, the calendar search function is very convenient, which allows you to directly access the files recorded on a given date, so as to be able to more easily retrieve the audio files of the different lessons followed.
- Excellent audio quality
- Long autonomy
- Retractable USB output
- 8GB built-in memory extendable up to 32GB
- A little plasticky to the touch
- It does not have dedicated software for managing files on a PC
5. Sony ICD PX470
The long-range voice recorder for long conferences
The Sony ICD PX470 digital voice recorder is the ideal choice for recording long lectures, for events or for recording lectures at the university, thanks to its long battery life and Focus functions, to capture a narrow sound field in one specific direction and Wide -Stereo, to expand the reach and recording all speakers.
The peculiarity of the Sony ICD PX470 lies in the functions that regulate the range of the microphone, which, in addition to Focus and Wide-Stereo, also offer preset modes Music, Meeting, Interview, Dictation that allows you to further improve the audio without having to waste time. to manually set all values.
Background noise is reduced by automatic voice recording, optimized by the use of Clear Voice technology combined with the built-in S microphone, resulting in clean, crisp audio.
The Sony ICD PX470 is powered by 2 AAA batteries which ensure duration of up to a maximum of 55 hours of continuous recording, making it the ideal tool for events, long conferences, or university lectures.
In addition to the common ways of rewinding / fast-forwarding the track and slowing down the playback speed, transcription playback features the convenient function that allows you to create marked points to later find the most important steps of the recording.
In addition, the Calendar Search function allows you to quickly find all recordings of a specific date, ideal for keeping all audio in order before moving them to your PC.
The internal memory of the Sony ICD PX470 is 4 GB, but it is possible to extend it with a microSD card up to 32 GB, thus ensuring up to 536 hours of recording in MP3 format at 128 kbps.
In addition to the common MP3 format, the recorder also supports the Linear PCM format, ideal for recording music; the larger file size is compensated for by better audio with more detail than MP3s.
- 4 GB internal memory expandable up to 32 GB (microSD)
- Focus and Wide-Stereo modes to adjust the microphone range
- Background noise reduction
- Absence of equalizer
- Non-backlit display
6. Mibao 16GB
The best voice recorder under 50 dollars
Among the best quality-price portable recorders, the Mibao is a model with 16 GB internal memory expandable up to 64 GB, ideal for those who want an economical product with the good recording quality, with a simple interface, which also offers the functions of an MP3 player and FM radio.
It has an elegant and compact design, enclosed in a high-quality metal body with dimensions of 9.4 x 3.3 x 1 cm, weighing 4.54 grams, making it one of the most portable and light digital recorders.
It is the ideal tool for those who have to record conferences, meetings, interviews, lectures or for those who simply want to write down their ideas.
The internal memory of 16 GB guarantees up to 110 hours of recording continuously at 32kbps, or 24 hours of continuous recording at 1536kbps. It is powered by a built-in 3.7V / 260mA lithium battery.
The multi-directional microphones built into the Mibao 16GB capture detailed stereo sound, with a professional DAC noise reduction chip that allows you to filter out background noise and improve the recording of human speech.
The user interface is very simple to use, featuring only two buttons on the front, one to start/stop recording and one to play a file.
The rest of the volume adjustment buttons are located on the long side of the device.
You can set the Mibao 16GB to activate automatically when audible sound is detected, thus eliminating silent passages and thus saving memory space.
Useful transcription features include fast forward and rewind and AB repeat, plus the ability to choose from 16 playback speeds, so you can be sure you never miss a word.
- Small and light, made with quality materials
- The internal memory of 16GB supports a microTF card up to 32GB
- FM radio listening function
- Absence of a headphone jack
- Start button made of apparently fragile plastic
7. Supereye 16GB
The affordable voice recorder for universities
One of the best voice recorders for universities is the Supereye, an economic model designed for those who have to record lectures, interviews and meetings, with the particularity of being able to record and save recordings using just a button: just press to start recording, which it will be saved automatically as soon as it is released.
This feature makes it practical for those who have to make recordings one after the other, and don’t want to risk missing a single word from the speaker.
The Supereye 16GB integrates a background noise reduction DAL chip which, combined with the action of the two built-in multidirectional microphones, allows you to capture a complete and detailed stereo sound.
The recording bit rate can go up to 1536 kbps, while the capture area of the two microphones is equal to 360 °, making it ideal for recording interviews.
Despite being just over 2 cm wide, the Supereye 16GB has an IPS HD color LCD display, clearly visible even outdoors. Unfortunately, however, the small size of the screen can make it difficult to read and navigate the menu.
The internal memory is equal to 16 GB and can hold up to 1000 hours of MP3 recordings at 32 kbps, or 72 hours of high-quality audio files, in WAV format at 512 kbps.
Among the useful functions for transcription are fast forward and rewind, AB repeat, the ability to choose between 16 playback speeds.
- One-Key Recording button for easy recording
- DAS chip for background noise reduction
- Double microphone for 360 ° recording
- Very small screen
- Unintuitive menu
8. Sony ICD-PX240
The best budget voice recorder
If you are looking for the best digital voice recorder in its price class, the Sony ICD-PX240 could be the model suitable for you, small but with great autonomy. The battery in fact ensures up to 32 hours of continuous recording, while the internal memory is 4 GB, and can store up to 1043 hours of MP3 file recording at 8 kbps.
It can be used as a recorder for university lectures and is great for anyone who wants to replay recordings through the built-in speaker and without having to plug in a pair of headphones. In addition, it is particularly suitable for remote recording, ideal for use in lectures, conferences, events.
One of the features is the possibility to organize files in 5 different folders, in order to have the recordings divided by topic; this function is ideal for university students who can thus divide the audio according to professors or subjects.
The peculiarity of this device is the presence of an integrated speaker that allows you to immediately listen to the recordings made. However, it is possible to connect headphones thanks to the jack located on the top of the recorder. There is also a microphone input, to improve the audio quality.
Also on the top, there is a useful Erase button, which allows you to delete and manage the recordings directly on the device, without having to go through a PC.
Next to it, there is the Divide button, which allows you to split a single file within the same folder into multiple parts.
On the opposite side, however, there is a mini USB port, which allows you to connect it to a computer, and the lock key, which allows you to temporarily disable all keys during a recording to avoid accidental closure.
- Great quality audio
- Built-in 300mW speaker
- Erase button for organizing and deleting files
- The internal memory of 4GB
- Inability to expand the memory
9. H + Y Mini Spy Voice Recorder
The best spy voice recorder
If you are looking for a voice-activated spy recorder, weighing just 9 grams and the size of a pen drive, the H + Y easily hides and is the perfect device for those who want to make recordings in a discreet way to use during meetings and interviews.
It has an internal memory of 8 GB that can store up to 96 hours of recording. The battery recharges in one hour and provides 15 to 30 hours of recording in MP3 format.
The H + Y is very intuitive to use, as it has a single button on the top, next to the micro USB port for charging, to be moved to ON if you want to start recording, and to OFF if you want to save it.
Thanks to its voice activated recording mode it is possible to start a recording only after detecting a noise, so as not to occupy unnecessary space in memory.
Despite its small size, the built-in microphone is very sensitive and allows for good quality audio. It is possible to connect the headphones to the H + Y through the micro USB output in order to listen to the recordings made, by selecting them using the buttons on the headphones themselves.
The modern and minimal design of the H + Y does not give the impression of using a recorder, but a simple MP3 player, thus allowing discreet listening to the recordings even in public.
- Quality recordings
- Small size
- 8GB internal memory
- Absence of a display
- Absence of a specific headphone jack
10. H + Y Mini Voice Recorder Spy
The USB voice micro recorder for lessons and meetings
The H + Y Mini is an audio recorder with the appearance of a simple USB stick, with the difference that, on the side opposite the cap, it has an On-Off slide button to start and save recordings. It is therefore the ideal choice for those who need to discreetly record during lectures and meetings.
The recordings have good quality and are stored in WAV format at 192 kbps in the “Recorder” folder, accessible when you connect the recorder to your computer. It has a memory of 16GB and with 1.5 hours of recharge, it is able to record up to 20 hours straight. Charging is done simply by connecting it to the USB port.
When there is little autonomy left, the current recording will be automatically saved before switching off, making this small recorder the ideal tool even for novice users. To have an optimal audio result, it is recommended to record in low noise environments, avoiding noises that could be annoying while listening again.
If the device is plugged into a notebook or PC while the key is off, it will function as a normal USB key, while it will start recording as soon as the key is switched to On. The change from one mode to another will be signaled by the lighting of a light.
Furthermore, thanks to the small slot at the end we can carry it around easily, like a keychain. We recommend it for those looking for a device with a good value for money, to record going unnoticed.
- Recorder with a USB stick
- Autonomy of 20 hours
- 16GB of memory
- No LCD display
- Charges only via USB port
Photo: amazon.com