Olympus DM-20 Digital Voice Recorder and Music Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I just purchased a DM-20 for around $200... and that might have been a mistake.If only I had done my research by looking at Olympus's own web site more closely rather than spending all my time on user reviews.The specs are all there on Olympus America's site!Battery life, sound quality (in terms of frequency response, bitrates, and sampling rates), how much memory they have, and whether they record in WMA or DSS format.Who would have thought.So I'm writing this review so that others know better.

The DM-20 is a good voice recorder.It's definitely useful, because it records in WMA format with pretty good quality, it's not too big to keep in your pocket, and it has 128 MB of memory (8 hours 45 minutes if you're recording on mono high quality).Since I got it I use all the time to record lectures, keep a voice diary, and record health-related stuff I am tracking such as how long I spent on the treadmill.(Only problem with going nuts with it is that you have to sort through these recordings later.)

But instead of the DM-10 or DM-20, I should have waited and taken a look at the WS-300M, WS-310M, or WS-320M when they are released (around 10/18/2005).These new models will retail around $150, $180, and $230, and they will have 256 mb, 512 mb, and 1 gb of memory, respectively, as compared to the 128 mb in the DM-20 or the 64 mb in the DM-10.

The frequency response at the highest quality is only 300-8,000 Hz on the DM-10 and DM-20, whereas it's 100-15,000Hz on the new WS models, although the highest bitrates on both the DM-10/20 and the WS-300/310/320M are the same -- 64 kbps at stereo high quality.(That's below CD quality.)This probably makes the new WS-300/310/320M models more suitable to recording music than the DS-10/20 models.(As for whether the DM-10/20 models are better at recording voice, since by throwing out the low bass and high treble they might allow more space in the WMA file for the mid-range (voice) frequencies... I'm not sure... probably not...)

The DS-2 is another model I should have looked at.From the specs on their web site, when recording in stereo high quality (but not mono), the DS-2 seems to have the best sound quality of all the Olympus voice recorders, with a 100-17,000 Hz frequency response and 128 kpbs bitrate. (I believe it's the only Olympus voice recorder that records at that rate).However, it has 64 MB of memory, so at this quality, it only records for an hour!It has good battery life (18 hours as compared to around 13 for the DM-20).If you could figure out a way to put more memory in it, the DS-2 would probably be an awesome recorder to have.But it has one more problem, according to the online review by David Battino (Google him to find it): the DS-2 is a little too big to want to keep in your pocket all the time.

Another model worth considering is the WS-200S.Its frequency response is as wide as the (not yet released) WS-300M, WS-310M, and WS-320M, and it has 128 MB of memory.But according to David Battino's review, the WS-200S is too sensitive to noise from touching the recorder while it records (more than the DS-2).We'll have to wait and see whether the WS-300/310/320M models suffer from this problem.

Note that the highest sampling rate on these Olympus voice recorders is 44.1 khz, which is good, but the sampling rate does not have to be more than twice the highest frequency recorded; so if the voice recorder only records up to 17,000 Hz, then sampling rates above 34,000 Hz add no extra sound quality. (At least that's my understanding.)

Except for the DS-2 I mentioned above, I believe that no other Olympus voice recorder records at bitrates above 64 kbps stereo (32 kbps mono), which is clearly below CD quality.In general, when listening to music, you can hear a clear drop from CD quality for stereo WMA files recorded at less than 128 kbps (and mp3s at less than 160 kbps).Also, the frequency response on a CD goes up to about 22,000 Hz.So if you're looking for higher bitrate recordings than 128 kbps and higher frequency response than 17,000 Hz, you probably need a MiniDisc recorder (plus a mic), or one of the items that David Battino mentions: "dedicated field recorders like the Marantz PMD660, Edirol R-1, M-Audio MicroTrack, or a Hi-MD MiniDisc".

Note that you can calculate the maximum recording bitrate if it's not included in the specs.You just figure out the number of kilobits (not kilobytes) of memory, the number of seconds of recording time, and divide, like this:
(# of megabytes of memory) x 1024 x 8
divided by
(# of minutes of recording time at the highest quality) * 60

I believe the effect of the low 64 kbps bitrate on the new WS-300/310/320M and the WS-200S models (which otherwise have a pretty OK frequency response) is that you might be able to record music well as long as the music isn't complex -- like a solo vocalist or instrumentalist.I'm not sure.

These voice recorders (DM-10/20 and WS-300/310/320M) will, of course, *play* mp3s and WMAs that were recorded elsewhere at higher bitrates.But considering the DM-20's low battery life, I'm not sure how good an mp3 player it makes.If you buy the DM-20, you should also get a 4-pack of rechargeable AAA batteries (the DM-20 uses 2 AAA batteries) and a charger.Together they're around $20.If possible, try to get rechargeable batteries with a higher mAh number.

The headphones jack of the DM-20 doubles as a mic-in jack, so the device attempts to detect whether you've plugged in a mic or headphones into this jack.Although it would play music through my headphones, it (at first) would not play music through my home or car speaker system; it thought I was plugging a mic into the jack when I was really plugging some speakers or my car audio cassette adapter into it.However, it finally played music through my speaker system when I plugged my speaker system not directly into the DM-20, but into the "remote control" accessory that comes with and plugs into the DM-20.

The DM-20 recorder records pretty good quality with the built-in mic (good enough to record class lectures), and good quality with an external mic.There is some background hiss, especially when the mic is in high sensitivity (conference) mode.The (after-the-fact) noise reduction feature on the device and software causes a tinny "alien" effect, so it's just okay.I also don't use the VCVA feature (where it stops recording whenever it detects silence) for recording lectures, because even after increasing the VCVA sensitivity level inevitably the teacher will say something too softly, and the voice recorder won't record it.

The DM-10/20 record in WMA at the higher quality mode and DSS format at the lower quality modes and come with some DSS software, whereas the WS-300M/310M/320M models record in WMA in all modes and I'm not sure whether they come with similar software.

Olympus told me the DM-20's software is useful for transcription, but I read that the DM-20 is somewhat inconvenient for use with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.

But I find the DM-20's software to be useful for reviewing lectures, partly because the software (similar to the recorder) allows you to slow down or speed up the playback, from 50% to 200% of normal speed.If the new WS models didn't come with software with this feature, perhaps you could find some freeware or shareware to do it.

Copying the DM-20's files onto the computer is a snap, because you can set the DM-20's software so that whenever you put the recorder into its cradle, the software immediately downloads all files onto your computer.

Don't forget to get software updates off the Olympus web site.

Remember that you can always call up Olympus or any company and talk to a tech support person if you have questions about their models and can't find the details online.(Although you may know more than they do.)

If you're wondering whether having a voice recorder is useful for learning more in college:If you're working on homework related to a lecture from 2 weeks ago and you can't understand your notes (because they're not detailed enough), then it's undoubtedly useful to have a recording of that lecture (especially if you jot down the recorder's current time now and then while taking notes).And having a recorder takes some of the pressure off of your note-taking and allows you to focus a little more on just listening to the lecture -- although, it can just as easily make you feel that you can zone out during lecture, since you'll tell yourself that you'll listen to the whole lecture later, when the truth is, you often will not have the time.Without at least some written notes, a recording of a lecture can be hard to follow.And make sure you ask each professor whether it's all right to record his lectures (most of them will say yes).

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Product Description:
The Olympus DM-20 stereo digital voice recorder/music player packs 128 MB of built-in flash memory to give you nearly 45 hours (2,680 minutes) of voice recording or two hours of near-CD-quality music in either MP3 or WMA formats. The DM-20's compact, lightweight design and smooth, silvery finish make it an ideal travel companion. Measuring a mere 4.31 x 1.56 x 0.6 inches (H x W x D) and weighing in at a mere 3 ounces, the attractive and ergonomic DM-20 fits comfortably in the hand of the on-the-go professional or exercise enthusiast.
The DM-20 has 5 separate file folders capable of holding 199 files each, so you can organize nearly 1,000 files according to subjects like "work," "personal," and "to do." When recording, simply capture your high-quality voice files in either WMA or DSS (Digital Speech Standard) format and then place the recorder in the included USB docking station to begin downloading hours of audio to a PC or Macintosh computer. Stereo voice recording is possible with an optional stereo microphone.
Alarm playback will alert you to meetings, dates, show reminders, or wake-up times. You can simply dictate reminders into the DM-20--such as "Time to pick up the kids!"--and assign a time for this message to sound, like an alarm clock's buzzer.
Built-in WOW sound enhancement produces rich bass, and three-dimensional sound, while a user-selectable 5-setting equalizer lets you tailor the sound to your taste or environment. Olympus's innovative noise-canceling technology makes the sound even clearer. removing unwanted hiss and background noise.
The unit offers a built-in condenser microphone, and a .125-inch microphone jack gives you the option to use a high-quality external mic (not included). A .125-inch earphone jack and supplied stereo ear bud headphones let you monitor your files during or after recording. To suit various sound conditions, you can adjust the microphone's sensitivity. The recorder can be viewed in low-light situations, such as at a lecture hall or during presentations, thanks to its easy-to-read backlit LCD.
After capturing recordings you can erase them or move them between folders. The DM-20 also lets you set up to 16 index marks per message, during recording and during playback. This way, you can locate specific sections of individual dictations quickly and easily. The individual files may be played back at three different speeds: normal, fast, or slow, through either the built-in speaker or the supplied earphones. In addition, with the Repeat Playback function, the DM-20 can repeatedly play back a particular user-selected section of audio recording--ideal for transcribing dictation.
The unit's Variable Control Voice Actuator (VCVA) ensures that recording begins only when sound occurs, while its security lock prevents accidental deletion of sensitive files.
The DM-20 is perfectly suited to meet varying professional needs. You can easily attach voice files to e-mails or forward them to others for transcription. The optional AS-3000 transcription kit (DSS Player Pro transcription module with foot switch and headset) can further streamline this process. The DM-20 is also compatible with most voice recognition software, including IBM's Via Voice.
What's in the Box
Voice recorder, docking station, USB cable, stereo ear bud headphones, a CD-ROM, a user's manual, and warranty information.

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