Can You Upload Audio From Olympus Digital Voice Recorder Ws-853
3 years after I bought the Olympus WS-853, I write a review! I don't know why it's taken me so long to pen this review. Not for the lack of want – just been bogged downwards with other "stuff". But, due to public demand, I'm going to exist writing a lot more in-depth product reviews. And if you're a researcher and appreciate them, delight leave a annotate below!
If my retentiveness serves me right, I first bought this recorder because information technology had a USB directly connection to my PC, easy copying of files to PC and mac (no need for software), and its ability to recharge batteries. However, these are standard features in most digital voice recorders worth ownership in 2018.
Summary: Olympus WS-853 Review
- The Good: comes with 8GB internal memory (impressive!), rechargeable NiMH batteries and a kickstand (reduces "table noise"). Captures very little background racket.
- The Bad: max MP3 128 kbps recording mode – might accept been good plenty in 2015, not anymore. Low internal mic sensitivity = low book audio recordings. No backlight and mic and headphone jacks are on the side (wtf!).
- Verdict: Smashing all round digital recorder. Congenital for multiple everyday utilize. Skillful hassle free lecture recorder. Does an okay job recording interviews if placed close to the subject or with an external lav mic. If yous are looking to record a lot of audio, especially for personal use, you lot should definitely consider the Olympus 853. Buy the Olympus 853 from Amazon.
Olympus WS-853 Specifications
| Memory | Internal - 8GB, External - micro SD (MAX 32GB) |
| PC Connectivity | USB Direct |
| Recording Format | MP3 |
| Bombardment Required / Bombardment Charge | AAA alkaline metal battery x2, or AAA Ni-MH rechargeable battery x2 (2 x AAA Rechargeable batteries included) / Yes with direct USB |
| Recording Fourth dimension / Battery Life (Recording) | 2080 hours / 110 hours |
| Simple Mode / Vocalism activated recording | Yeah / Yes VCVA Phonation Sync |
| Low Cut Filter / Noise Counterfoil | Yes / Yes |
| Voice Balancer / Voice Filter | Aye / No |
| Agenda Search / File Separate / Index Mark | Yes / Yeah / Aye (Max 99) |
| Size, Weight (including battery) | 4.4" x i.5" x .71", 2.72 oz. |
In the three years I've owned the Olympus WS-853, I've not used it much. Mainly because I also bought the at present discontinued Olympus 823, which I used a lot. I'll get into the reasons why the 853 has been gathering dust in my closet later on, for now permit'southward look at superlative 3 features of the Olympus 853 that I similar(d).
The Good
The beginning feature that immediately stands out is the 8GB internal retentiveness. That'south impressive. In that location are very few reputable digital voice recorders that come with 8GB of internal memory. And then, at the very to the lowest degree, you get 130 hours of recording from the internal memory. Corking if you a planning to record a lot of interviews, lectures, or meetings without having to worry about storage constrains.
Olympus WS-853 Approximate Recording Times
Another great stand up out feature of the Olympus WS-853 is the rechargeable battery. And this is a feature that I'd like to see is all digital vocalisation recorders, but it'southward lacking in a lot of them (including some professions digital vocalism recorders, for instance the H1, H1n, DR05…). This recorder comes with ii AAA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries. Notation that the Ni-MH batteries need more care (see below) than the more mod Lithium ion batteries (and y'all might want to swap them with Lithium ions). Yous'll get about xxx hours of recording from the Ni-MH rechargeable batteries earlier you lot'll have to charge them.
Olympus WS-853 Ni-MH Battery Life Times
The final feature of the Olympus WS-853 that I'd like to highlight is the kick stand! Another characteristic that I'd dear to come across in all digital recorders. Ii reasons why I like the kickstand. Commons exercise is to place a digital recorder on the table when recording an interview, meeting, focus grouping etc. That'south what I practise. And that'due south what I recommend you do while recording research interviews and focus groups.
Still, in that location's a major drawback. You tend to record a lot of "table racket", scribbling, borer, knocking on the tabular array etc. The solution is to try and make certain that the internal recorder microphones are not in direct contact with the table. And the kickstand is an ingenious solution to this trouble. It's designed to reduce the dissonance from the surface when the recorder is placed on a tabular array.
The other advantage of raising the recorder using a kickstand; information technology's easier to read the screen and use keypad.
So those are the 3 highlights of Olympus WS-853; 8GB memory, rechargeable AAA batteries, and the kickstand. Peachy standalone recorder – y'all'll not need to purchase additional memory or batteries. Information technology has everything that you lot'll need to record interviews, lectures, focus group discussions, meetings, dictations: merely about anything.
The Bad
Where to outset? A disclaimer. As before noted, I'chiliad penning this 3 years later I bought the recorder AND I've used it very few times in that those 3 years. I had a peak at the recordings I had made and they were only about 10 of them in the terminal 3 years! Here's why.
Though the Olympus 853 comes with 8GB memory, the highest recording format y'all tin can record in is mp3 128 kbps. And that's depression. Peradventure it was good plenty in 2015, but not anymore. And this is the master reason I don't use this recorder – I like to record at a college bitrate; at least 192kbps mp3 or ideally 16bit 44.1 kHz wav.
The other master reason why I don't apply this recorder is that the sound is not that great. Even when using the loftier recording level, you go a relatively low recording. I'd say the lowest of all the recorders I accept. Still, the racket profile is also very depression. Pregnant it does a very skillful task of cutting out background noise. I'd hazard a approximate that the Olympus WS-853 internal microphones have low sensitivity.
Finally a few other features that are so then on this recorder. 1) It does not have a backlight screen. So you cannot operate it in low calorie-free locations. 2) Relatively low playback book using the internal speaker and lacks a dedicated playback volume control. 3) The headphone and mic jacks are on the side – which makes information technology hard to attach a lav mic and place it in a pocket. 4) And surprisingly, though you can insert a microSD card into the device, there is no way to transfer MP3 files from the internal memory to the Micro SD card!
Verdict
The Olympus WS-853 is a great self-contained recorder: lots of internal retentivity and rechargeable batteries. Built for multiple utilize. Dandy recorder if yous exercise a lot of recordings – especially dictations. I'd recommend it for situations where y'all'll wish to capture loud sounds. The microphones are not sensitive enough to pick very low sounds. If you are looking to record a lot of sound, especially for personal use, you should definitely consider the Olympus 853. Buy the Olympus 853 from Amazon.
How to Charge Olympus WS-853
In that location're a few means to charge the WS-853. Before charging the batteries, make sure that you lot take rechargeable AAA batteries in the recorder (NiMH).
i) Slide out the congenital in USB, plug it into a computer and press the OK push. The LED light will come up on to prove the batteries are charging. To cancel the charging, press any button, except the OK button. I recommend you utilize a cable to connect information technology to your computer. two) You tin accuse it using a USB charger. I commonly employ my telephone charger. Connect the recorder to the USB charger and it automatically starts charging. 3) Using a battery pack. Nifty for when y'all are traveling or away from your dwelling/office. It takes nearly three hours to completely recharge the recorder.
Earlier you use your recorder for the first time, you need to charge your NiMH batteries fully. Delight annotation that for new NiMH batteries, it is oft necessary to cycle (Fully charge the battery-drain-fully charge) them at least 3 to 5 times or more before they accomplish peak functioning and capacity. The offset several times that you use your NiMH batteries you lot may find that they run downwardly (discharge) quickly during use. Don't worry, this is normal until the batteries actually structure internally.
How to Use Olympus WS-853; a few tips
Here are a few tips when using the Olympus WS-853 when recording interviews, focus groups, lectures and meetings.
1) The Olympus WS-853 internal mics have low sensitivity. And so unless you are recording a very loud audio, always set the mic sensitivity to high. Press the menu button to admission the Device Menu. Access the Rec Menu using the – (minus) button. Press Forward button to select the Rec Level bill of fare. Press OK button to open the carte. Apply the + (plus) or – (minus) buttons to select a High, Low, or Machine setting. Printing OK button to relieve the setting. Likewise, place the recorder close to your subject.
two) You tin can monitor the recording while recording using your headphones. A nifty way to brand sure that you are recording at optimal setting. Also take a look at the mic meters on the recording screen to judge the input sound. You'll desire the meters to top at almost fourscore% for optimal sound quality.
iii) Always tape using the mp3 128 kbps setting. It means you lot'll get larger file size, but the increase in audio quality is well worth it. Playback on a calculator and use headphones if you want to experience the whole range of the recorded sound. Think a recorder primary use is to record audio, non playback.
References:
Olympus WS-853 manual
Source: https://weloty.com/olympus-ws-853-review/
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