Olympus Digital Voice Recorder

With more than 25 models on the market, Olympus is a forerunner in digital voice recorders - but which one to choose? Here, we'll take a look at some of the company's different models, their price points, and standard and special features. For your convenience, we've categorized them by usage purposes so you can easily spot the top Olympus picks for your recording needs.

Reminders, student notes, and other quick conversations

For those looking to use their digital voice recorder for quick notes, personal memos, or study aids, an Olympus VN- or WS-model DVR will fit the bill. Ranging in price from $39.99 to $199.99, these DVR model types have internal memories or USB connections and lots of storage space - more than one will record more than 144 hours, and the high-end models can record for more than 555 hours.

Archiving and lectures

When you want to record and archive audio files with great sound quality - say a lecture or poetry reading - Olympus recommends a DS-model digital voice recorder. These models have additional space for high-quality recordings - the DS-50, for example, will store more than 270 hours of high-quality recordings ($249.99). Other DS models come with remote or foot controls and docking stations for easy downloading.

Dictation and interviews

For professional recordings, the Olympus DS-4000 digital voice recorder is the DVR to get all your jobs done. At $449.00, the DS-4000 offers slide-switch operation, DSS Player Pro software to streamline usage, customized function buttons, a foot control, a dual-function cradle, and more than 11 hours of superb-quality audio storage.