Review on Enhanced Sony 4GB PX Series MP3 Digital Voice IC Recorder With Advanced Built-In Stereo Microphone by Chris Burks

This is amazing. I've owned MANY digital recorders, starting with the Sony MiniDisk recorders, then the excellent Edirol model (which still works great) and two different models of Zoom recorders. So they are ALL on a higher level than this Sony ICD-PX440 model. But they are also much more difficult. My other current device is the Zoom H1. There's no question that it's more premium and premium (in terms of what it produces) than this non-upmarket Sony model that costs a lot less. But since I don't shoot in high quality very often, I can tell you that every time I choose Zoom I have to pull out the manual to figure out how to access the menu system. The H1 has NOTHING for intuitively locating menus - which means you're dead in the water until you can figure out what key combination invokes it. In contrast, this Sony still has more complex menus than I like, but all these types of devices have, but I can easily find and navigate through the menus. I got this recorder for two things. First, record my end of the conversation with reporters. I keep it on my desk. Two if enough to record myself when giving a public talk that I want to distribute in high quality audio. I just tried it the other day and it worked great. Here's the trick if you need a high-quality recording of your speech/conversation. Even with something like ZOOM, don't rely on internal mics (unless you're the kind of person who stands on a rock and faces one direction. I move around a lot when I speak). So you take a Plug-N-Power chest mic and place it somewhere high on your chest (middle) and clip it to your shirt or tie or whatever. Somewhere where the microphone doesn't press the button and doesn't touch anything that moves. Turn on the recorder, slip it into your pocket or jacket and get started. Oh, before you plug in a recording of your performance, make sure you set the power switch to the "Hold" position so no further button presses do anything. If you want a microphone deal, here I have what I have for you. I tried these two Sony models. - SONY ECM-CS3 is better to use (but was much cheaper) - SONY ECM-CS10 records too low (more expensive but doesn't sound nearly as good in my opinion). So this is a strong recommendation for the ECM-CS3. It's a little bigger than I'd like, but it's stereo (which adds a nice touch, even if you're not the Beatles making an early album). Great little mic. Nice clip. Batteries are not needed as it is powered by the recorder. It just works. Would you like advice on the settings for this usage? Experiment. My voice is pretty soft. Here's what I used the other day. Set the maximum bitrate to 192 KBS MP3. Set the sensitivity to medium. Install a low pass filter. Control the gain while recording on this unit and I believe your full gain control is through the mic sensitivity settings. Medium sensitivity works for me with an external mic, which is close but a bit hot at the recording level. Someone with a louder voice and a lavalier mic will probably want to try a low sensitivity first.) I'm very happy with that. It's smaller than the ZOOM H1, making it easier to carry in your pocket for this type of use. It's a lot less confusing than the ZOOM H1. But if I had to shoot at a completely different quality level, yes, I would pull out ZOOM, its manual mode, and set it right. And the USB port is a big plus. It's SO easy to get your recording and transfer it to your computer. (Just look in the "first folder" when it appears on your screen, unless you've selected a different folder of your choice. This is the default.)