This recorder is very small and highly sensitive. Not having experience with the newer recorders this was a surprise. The picture does not do it justice for its petite size.It measures 7/8" wide, 2-5/8" wide (including button tops) and 4-5/8" tall.This would be an easy fit for a front shirt pocket with plenty of room for extra pens.
The exterior of this recorder is plastic, not metal as the silver color might suggest.Long term use may wear off the silver color, but I haven't had mine long enough to tell.It looked a little cheaper than I expected it to.However, a metal exterior would have made it heavier and certainly more expensive.
While learning to use the recorder I found the directions left a lot to be desired.Showing how to put the batteries in and charge them may seem okay in a single graphic, but when it came to recording and playback with the multitude of settings possible they were virtually useless.
It took a number of times for me to realize that if you record using VAS (voice activated system), in order to play normal speed you have to move the middle switch from VAS/FAST PLAY to OFF.This is because this switch controls the recorder in both record and playback modes.This was not intuitive and a real no-no as far as usability. If you want to record and then replay in normal speed right away, you can't just rewind and play, you have to rewind, change this setting and then hit play. Odds are then when you go to record again, you'll forget to put it back into VAS.I don't like the way they implemented this.
I found the sound quality to be excellent for my uses which are primarily in a single average room size with little background noise and only a couple of voices. However, this recorder boasts that with the Sound Level Equalizer (SLE) setting this can be used in classrooms and larger conference type settings.I plan on trying this but haven't yet.The additional speed settings also seem a plus to play back, if you have a lot of notes to review.
I did find the VAS (voice activated system) worked real well.I'm not a slow talker and it did not clip my first words at all. It promptly stopped when speaking stopped too.Much I'm sure will depend on the volume you set.The sensitivity you set it at will most likely effect this performance.
Recorder volume uses the same volume knob that you also use to hear the playback.I found this confusing in the instructions as well. Even though the knob has no numbers the intructions give you numbers to set the volume knob at to record various sounds by.You have to guess what the range of 1-10 are based on playing with the knob.
I can't speak to how it will perform in larger room or noisier environment as I haven't tried this yet.
Having a charger and AC cable is a worthwhile addition. The batteries and charger unit add about $15 value to the unit above the recorder it self.
Since the RN305 unit is similar to this and about $28, you have to decide if the addtional Sound Level Equalizer and this battery and charger assembly add $21 more value to you.It was to me.
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Rechargeable Micro Cassette Recorder with Voice Activation SystemProduct Description: The Panasonic RN-505 microcassette recorder includes one-touch recordingand such standard controls as cue, review, and pause. Its slim design fits inthe palm of your hand. The voice-activated system and built-in condenser micallow for easy, automatic recording, and an LED indicator lets you know that theunit is recording. Features include sound-level equalizer, equalizer indicator,silent auto stop, and tone control.
The Panasonic RN-505 runs on two AAbatteries and comes with two rechargeable ni-cad batteries and a batterycharger. A two-hour charge will provide up to 3.5 hours of playback time. Italso comes with an AC adapter.
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First of all, with Harmon/Kardon how can you go wrong! When I first pulled this sturdy unit out of the box, plugged it in, and watched as the CDR-2's classy display light up I knew I had purchased a beautiful,higher-end piece of equipment!The users-manual is easy to read andunderstand, with several different recording scenarios explained.For myfirst recording I copied an entire CD in DIGITAL, using the 2X DUB feature. The CDR-2 performed flawlessly and made a perfect copy, keeping in mindthat the CD I copied was somewhat new and scratch/dirt free.I have yet toexplore it's other features, such as it's DUAL-PLAY mode; playing 2 CD'ssimultaneously, which will be helpful to me as a recording musician.Ithas many options for recording outside sources digitally (and analog) withit's COAXIAL and OPTICAL in/out ports. I've purchased and returned a"lower-end" recorder before and was extremely disappointed.TheHarmon/Kardon CDR-2 is one solid piece of technology in my book.
