Review on Sony TCM-200DV Voice Recorder - Standard Cassette Model (Discontinued by Manufacturer) by Rick Rogers

9This Sony tape recorder is an updated version of the earlier TCM-454VK tape recorder. The earlier model was black and featured a removable battery door. The current model is grey, with a silver top and a hinged door. The newer model still has the same controls but with an extra control. An additional control is the easy-to-use FAST/DOUBLE Speed switch. This switch is useful, for example, when you want to record music and then play it back at half speed to learn how to play music by ear. The newer model also differs in that the battery door is hinged to the machine. This is an improvement as I lost the door on a previous model (TCM-454VK). The old model has a 3.3 cm speaker assembly, while the current, newer model has a 5.0 cm speaker assembly. This is a slightly noticeable difference, although I can't tell if it translates into a change in sound quality. I also like this Sony tape recorder because the batteries seem to last forever. (I realize this is just a subjective statement.) Also, I think we all appreciate the low cost of this machine. I only use this machine to record personal things, such as in the form of a diary. For example, I use it to capture the sounds of streams and waterfalls when hiking in state parks, the sounds of cable cars and barking seals on vacation trips to San Francisco, to capture birthday parties when children sing a birthday song, and for medium frequency recording. school orchestra. Unfortunately, this model adds a high-pitched, wailing tone to the entire band. While it's not noticeable when recording marching bands, it's annoying when recording a person reading a story or poem. Another complaint is that the audio fidelity is worse than the previous model, as people's voices have a jagged, overly high-frequency sound. It's not clear to me why Sony is deliberately ceding the sound of the current model to the sound of its predecessor. Bad Sony, bad, bad Sony. If you are in dire need of a cassette player I would recommend: Panasonic RQ-L31 Portable Cassette Recorder with Slide Mic. Also, when using this Panosonic recorder, I recommend epoxy gluing the retractable microphone in the upper position for improved sound quality, i.e. decent treble. But the Panasonic tape recorder suffers in that it emits a piercing squeak. The sound quality of Sony and Panasonic cassette recorders is good for recording lectures or memorizing technical information, but TERRIBLE for recording personal things like children's birthday parties or nature sounds. I would suggest buying an Olympus DS-40 recorder. Once you have used an Olympus digital recorder, you will NEVER want to use a portable cassette recorder for RECORDING. On the other hand, if you might need to LISTEN to a recording related to your daily work or technical project, a traditional cassette recorder is much more convenient and has better sound quality (because it has a built-in speaker) than an Olympus DS Digital Recorder -40. Furthermore, it goes without saying that a cassette player's simple push-button operating mechanism is far easier to operate (e.g. while driving or when used in low-light conditions, e.g. on an airplane) than the controls of any other digital recorder. .