Voice Recorders are a great learning tool. They are incredibly useful to record a lecture and listen it again while preparing for your exams. However, you need a good equipment that can record clearly without background noise or disturbances. In this post, we have bought you the best voice recorders for lectures. If you don’t want to read the entire article you can always go with our editor’s pick Zoom H2n Stereo Recorder . You can use choose any one of them matching your requirement and budget. So, let’s start.
Our Top Choice
Best Voice Recorders For Lectures
1. Zoom H2n – Best Versatile Voice Recorder
- Over 20 hours of operation using two standard AA batteries. Mounts directly to tripod or DSLR
- Key control, a-b repeat, file dividing, normalize, MP3 post-encode, marker and surround mixer
- Additional functions include lo-cut filter, compressor/limiter, Auto gain, pre-rec, auto-rec, Tuner, metronome, variable speed playback
Zoom H2n is a portable handy voice recorder. It is versatile in nature, you can use it to record your lectures, record a live concert, record rehearsal, record a song, and for videography also. So, you can use them at several events in college, seminars, weddings, parties, singing concerts, etc. Thanks to its five built-in microphones and four recording modes. You can record it in X/Y, mid-side, 2-channel surround, and 4-channel surround. You can use X/Y channel to record a wide area but still focusing on the center, you can use mid-side to record the signals coming directly from in front like in lectures, and the surround is used to combine both X/Y and mid-side to give you a surround sound that records everything you hear.
Apart from the basic recording features, it has several other handy features like lo-cut filter, compressor, auto gain, pre-rec, auto-rec, tune, metronome, and variable speed playback. These features come handy when you want to adjust the recorded sound intensity, clarity, tuning, and the speed of playback. Suppose you are doing group study, you want to hear the lecture along with your friends in such cases you can always increase the sound intensity.
- Versatile
- 5 microphones for clear voice recording
- Add-on features to adjust sound quality
- Good memory space
- None
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a proper versatile voice recorded that you can use at various places, event, seminars, lectures, etc. this is it. It has 5 microphones and 2 input/output lines and so is the best option.
2. Zoom H1n Recorder – Best For Students
- The H1n's compact and streamlined body records WAV up to 24-bit/96 kHz and MP3 up to 320kbps.
- Zoom H1n Recorder - Stereo X/Y microphone configuration captures stereo recordings with incredible accuracy and records to microSD and microSDHC memory cards.
- The Zoom H1n allows for smooth and seamless operation with 1-button recording and all control buttons precisely where you need it.
Zoom H1 is a recorder that can help you in a lot of situations to record a lecture, event, seminar, or a concert. Thanks to its, two-directional X/Y mic. We tested them and found them to be efficient to record a three-dimensional sound with natural depth and sound. It can handle up to 120 decibels, so you can even record the videos that extremely loud. It is portable and is on the go device.
The device works for a good 20 hours with two AA batteries. Our team tested it and was actually happy to see its battery life. The Zoom H1n supports 32 GB of storage. If you buy the accessory bundle, it comes with the microSD card otherwise you need to buy the card separately.
- Three dimensional sound quality
- Easy operations
- Long battery hours
- Can record songs, lectures, and events
- Build quality is not very great
Bottom Line:
If you are looking the best voice recorder for lectures then this can be a good choice. It delivers good clear sound without any background noises.
3. Philips DPM6000 – Best Pocket Voice Recorder
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Philips DPM6000 is a pocket voice recorder that delivers superior audio quality. It is a great choice if you are looking to record audio lectures. The recorder has two microphones two take signals from two directions and provide you a three-dimensional sound with clear quality and depth. You can record interviews, seminars, events, rehearsals, etc. with it. We tested and found it works well for song recordings also. We also liked it stainless steel body which allows you to use it for long hours. The device works on Li-ion battery and alternatively, you can also charge it through a standard USB connection. This feature of USB charging is unique to it, you won’t get it in other competitor products.
The device is extremely durable as it has a strong body and single-handed operation. Lastly, to back up its storage space it has a feature of Philips Speech Live. With this feature, you can directly take the dictations workflow to the cloud. This way you wont need additional memory and you can also manage your recording from anywhere, at any time with maximum reliability and security.
- Supports Am crest IP Cameras
- Point-to-Point raw data
- View from anywhere
- No Cameras present
Bottom Line:
Ultimately, a high-quality recorder with amazing ergonomics and can be used for any kind of recordings.
4. Sony UX560 – Best Stereo-type Digital Recorder
- Built in stereo microphone and voice operated recording
- Three recording options: wide/stereo, narrow/focus and normal
- Quick charge; up to 1 hour recording time, with 3 minute charge
This is another best voice recorder for lectures that come in affordable pricing too. It has the best combination of features from a bright backlit screen and easy to read display. The display is clear and easy to navigate with a toggle menu to look for settings and existing recordings. The body built is sturdy and the body design is sleek and trendy. What we like the most is the built-in rechargeable battery so you need not spend extra bucks on the batteries. Moving on to its s sound quality testing, we found that it is good enough to record in a sparse to moderately crowded places. It has a single built-in microphone but does a good job for sure.
The other add-on things that can be convenient for you are the headphone jack, low-cut filter to reduce disturbances and other bumy sounds, clear voice function to eliminate noise disturbances, and scene selections to optimize the microphone settings for lectures, meetings, seminars, and interviews. Last but not least, it supports 4GB storage. So, with this, you can store around 49 hours of recordings.
- USB plug to charge and transfer file
- Single powerful microphone
- Easy toggle menu
- Filters to remove noise disturbances and bumpy sounds
- There is no option to rename the files
- File transfer takes a bit longer time
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for an affordable voice recorder for lectures than this can be a good choice as it has all-round microphone and sufficent filters to remove background disturbances.
5. Olympus WS-853 – True Stereo Mic Recorder
- Digitally record meetings, lectures, conferences and more
- Captures sound at a wide range of decibel levels.
- Voice-activated with built-in stereo microphone and speaker.
If you are looking for a decent device that works well without any hang-ups or low-quality audio recordings this can be for you. The Olympus WS853 has a true stereo mic with two-directional microphones and a 90 degree layout. This way you can get the highest quality recording with a good stereo experience. You can use it a distance also to record the voice of speakers in lectures, meetings, and conferences. The two-directional microphone records well in all the places where the noise levels are not too high.
The device comes with an 8GB memory space. The space is quiet good, it can save up to 90 hours of recordings. This way you need not transfer the files to your computer always. Moreover, the device is expandable to 32 GB. You can buy one more SD card and install it in case you have a lot of recordings.
- Ultra-clear recordings
- Noise-distrubance cancellations
- Comes with a good memory space
- Not goo for video recordings
Bottom Line:
The Olympus voice recorder is a great product to choose if you want to record your lectures and seminars.
6. EVISTR – Budget-Friendly
- Uncomparable Recording Quality: After the new upgrade, the EVISTR L357 digital voice recorder adopts a dynamic noise reduction microphone and PCM intelligent noise reduction technology to collect sound in 360°; adjustable 7 levels of recording gain to capture farther and lower sound; present you 1536kbps crystal clear high-quality stereo sound. It is a practical gift for students, teachers, businessmen, writers, and anyone who likes to record.
- Memory Doubled-128GB High Capacity: 2024 latest upgraded L357 audio recorder, can store up to 7000 hours of recording files (32Kbps); configured with 500mAh battery and Type-C USB cable, faster charging, 2 hours fully charged for 20 hours of continuous recording and 35 hours of continuous playback. Made of metal, beautifully crafted, and durable, it is a professional recording device that is constantly upgraded and can meet your needs for long-term high-quality and high-efficiency recording.
- Easy to Operate & Powerful: EVISTR digital recorder with just 2 buttons: press rec to start recording; press stop to save recording safely. You can choose the recording format as wav/mp3; EVISTR voice recorder with playback support A-B repeat, playback, rewind, and variable speed playback; can also be set to record in time slots and auto-record to customize your recording schedule. The optimized menu interface is clearer and provides you with more intuitive and efficient navigation of functions.
A budget-friendly device for anybody who wants to record lectures, meetings, seminars, speeches, interviews, etc. Although it comes in a low price but has all the requisite features that a device like this should have. This device is small and light and thus is an ideal best voice recorder for lectures for students. It comes with the upgraded recording quality. It can capture 1536 Kbps crystal clear audio and gives you the best results every time. The product also features noise cancellation and voice-activated recordings. This suggests that it will auto-delete any blanks, snippets, and bumpy sounds thus saving a lot of memory.
The device is USB chargeable, so you don’t have to rely on extra disposable batteries always. You can even transfer the file to your computer using the USB plug-in. Lastly, it also has an auto-recording function to schedule recordings.
- Easy to carry
- Easy to use
- Cna record in multiple formats
- Cannot record in crowded areas
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for an affordable yet decent voice recorder for students this is it. It has two directional recording and multiple recording formats.
Buying Guide – Factors To Consider While Buying ?
Buying the best one can be tricky if you do not know about the product well. Not only this, but it can also prove as a bad purchase if you do not get the features that you really wanted. We recommend you to aware with the general specifications of the product before buying one and also to jot down your requirements for a satisfactory buying experience. If you do not know how to do all that we have a buying guide. In this buying guide, you will get to know about all the factors to consider while buying a voice recorder for lectures.
1. Audio Quality
This is the primary requirement of any voice recorder be it for any purpose. The audio quality is directly related to the number of microphones the device has. The more the microphones the more clarity and depth your device will have. Not only this, it also provides a surround sound no matter whether the speaker is far or very near to the device. The best in this category is Zoom H2n Stereo Recorder with 5 microphones. This provides a stereo-like experience and a rich clear sound with zero disturbance, bumps, snippets, or blanks.
2. Storage
A factor that one must consider is the storage space of the voice recorder for students. As such the digital voice recorder with transcription software are not available as they require a lot of storage space. You need to buy the transcription software separately and combine it with the device. If you are going for the new and advanced models, then you will get an expandable storage space of 32GB. Most of the voice recorders now come with this kind of space. Apart from this, they also have an in-built storage space of 4 to 16 GB. with 8GB you can record as long as 90-120 hours. So, basically you need to relate the storage space as per your need.
3. Size/Weight
Generally, digital voice recorders are meant to be portable. Most of them are designed in a way to make it easy to carry and are lightweight. You can fit them in your bag, pocket, or purse without any stress. Especially for students, size and weight is a considerable factor to look for. As they have to go to college they can not carry something bulky or space-consuming in their bag. And for the same reason, we have only listed the device which are portable, lightweight, and easy to carry.
4. Compatability
We need our voice recorders to be compatible with both iOS, windows, and Android devices. It is because they come handy when we have to share the files with our friends/family who is using a different operating system. The devices which are compatible with both iOS, windows, and Android can be connected to any desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone. But to be doubly sure, always cross-check the compatibility of your device with the operating system that you currently own.
5. Power/Battery Life
The battery life or power source is also important. The Zoom H2n Stereo Recorder recorders work both with two AAA batteries and also has a rechargeable battery. You can use them anyway. Nevertheless, most of the devices come with rechargeable USB batteries. So, you need to to charge your device using the USB plug.
6. Formats
If you are going to use it for various things like recording lectures, songs, interviews, or playing songs then you need to look at this. Prefer going for products that have a different voice recording formats like MP3, WAV, MP4, FLAC, APE, etc. The more number of formats the more versatile the device is. Frequently Asked Questions
7. Price
Price is another important factor to consider. You can just pick anything that is expensive or cheap. You need to jot down your budget and then buy the one suiting your price range and your feature requirements.
Final Talk
We guess by now you are clear what product you have to choose and you have a fair idea of your requirements. There are a lot of varieties in the market and a lot of specification goes into each product. We have explained each and every product’s specifications, advantages, disadvantages, and their uniqueness. We recommend you to go through all the products and our buying guide too to decide the best one for yourself. Hope you like our information and by now you are clear about your requirements.
Zoom H2n Stereo Recorder - Editor's Choice
Summary
Zoom H2n is a portable handy voice recorder. It is versatile in nature, you can use it to record your lectures, record a live concert, record rehearsal, record a song, and for videography also. So, you can use them at several events in college, seminars, weddings, parties, singing concerts, etc.
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