Whether you want to interview people, capture short memos or have your speech automatically turned into text, a digital voice recorder is the solution. On this page, you'll find recorders in every price range.
Professional Voice Recordings, Interviews, Memos and More
From journalists to writers, nobody wants to depend on the built-in microphone of their smartphone for interviews. While a phone is a solid tool for saving short voice memos on the fly, they're not designed to clearly capture one of more than one speaker. That's where voice recorders come in, which are often equipped with two microphones or a single high-quality omnidirectional microphone to guarantee clear, pro-grade recordings.
Audio Recorders: Built-In Memory
Voice recorders offer a built-in storage capacity which can often be expanded with an SD card, allowing you to record even more audio you can listen back to or edit later. In other words, with a voice recorder, you'll never have to quickly jot down notes in the middle of an interview again.
Memo Recorders with Transcription Software
If you combine a voice recorder with the right software, it's possible to automatically turn speech into text and save yourself the time it would normally take to transcribe long interviews and important speeches or presentations. See our range of Dictation and Transcription Recorders for the gear we're talking about.
Can Voice Recorders Only Be Used to Record Speech?
A voice recorder comes equipped with one or two microphones that are mainly designed to capture speech. As such, digital voice recorders aren't great at recording the sound of festival crowds, live gigs, urban scenes or natural surroundings. In all of these cases, a field recorder is what you'll want to use.
What's a Dictation Machine?
Dictation machines and voice recorders are basically the same. A dictation machine is a classic piece of tape-based kit that was used to record long talks such as business meetings back in the day. Its modern counterpart - the voice recorder - is a lot more portable and, best of all, it's digital.
Frequently Asked Questions About Voice Recorders
How does a USB voice recorder work?
For audio file transfers, most voice recorders can be directly connected to a computer via USB. Some models have a USB port that doubles as an interface, in which case the voice recorder can also be used as a USB microphone.
What's the best voice recorder?
That depends on the audio quality you want and the number of people you want to record. Pay attention to the built-in microphone(s), the storage capacity, and specifications supported file formats and audio quality to single out the perfect voice recorder for your needs.
