XtremeMac MicroMemo Digital Voice Recorder for iPod nano 2G (Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)To whom it may concern:

Last week I received the Micromemo recording device to use with my brand new 2nd generation iPod Nano.I was looking forward to replacing my old iPod recording setup, which is a Griffin iTalk unit which I use with my old 20 Gigabyte 4rth generation iPod, along with a clip-on Griffin brand microphone.

I am a college professor and I record two of my fifty-minute sessions in a row three times a week.I had two reasons for wanting to move to the Nano setup.

First, I wanted the Nano setup because it would be much smaller and lighter.I had been using an external battery pack with my 20 Gig iPod to make sure there was enough battery power to get through the sessions.So the recording unit was a little bulky.The Nano, on the other hand, would fit right in my shirt pocket.

Second, the Micromemo is advertised as recording at a higher sampling rate than my old setup, which records at 8k.I thought it would be nice for my students to be able to listen to better-quality sound.

I was thoroughly disappointed with the Micromemo--so much so that I would probably avoid all products by this company in the future.I will list the problems.

First, the Micromemo did record with the small microphone it shipped with, but it did so very poorly.On the high quality setting, it only recorded on one channel.On the low quality setting, it did record on both channels.But on both high quality and low quality settings, the recordings contained a very bad background hiss.The only difference was that on high quality, I got the hiss through both channels and sound through one.One low quality, I got both hum and recording through both channels.

Now, in case anyone thinks I am complaining too much about the background hiss, let me say that I NEVER experienced any such hiss using my old setup, which, as I mentioned consisted of a 4rth generation iPod and a Belkin iTalk.The sound quality from the Belkin unit is not as good as I would like (it sounds a little thin and occasionally wispy), but it NEVER produced noticeable hiss.

Second, the Micromemo unit simply did not work with my external lapel microphone.Not at all.I experimented for a long time trying to make sure that the switch on the bottom was set right, making sure the unit was properly attached to the iPod, and making sure the connection from the external microphone to the Micromemo unit was secure.It did not work at all.But it works just fine on my old setup.

Third, the Micromemo unit has a control on the bottom that is extremely hard to move from one position to the other.I was able to switch it into each of its three positions with my fingernail, but it was difficult.There is nothing smooth about its functioning at all.It feels very cheap, as if I were using some sort of toy.

FINALLY, I will note that I give the Micromemo one star--that is because it does look very good.When snapped onto my new iPod Nano, it looked as if it the entire unit was one sleekly designed piece.It looks much better than my old recording combo.

Other than appearances, though, this unit was a complete disappointment.I am going to order a different company's recording unit to try out with my new iPod Nano, and I will see if it works better.It will have to work a whole lot better than the Micromemo for it to even approach the quality of the setup I have already been using.By the way, I never have run into any glitches with my old unit.I plug it in, and it works.It's heavy and bulky but it works.Always.For a year and a half, three days a week.No problems, ever.

Ken Smith
College Professor, North Dakota

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Product Description:
MicroMemo plugs right into your dock connector to capture memos, meetings, lectures, or any audio content directly to your iPod.

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