Need a suggestion for a voice recorder

Lots of times I am asked to repeat word-for-word "What did the sales person say?" For a car shop they say so much I would prefer to have a small recorder in my pocket. Anyone have a good suggestion to buy one? Thanks for your experience.

sail2sunset
Delray Beach FL

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More About Equipment for Mystery Shopping

Any of the Olympus models that has the direct connector to a usb port. Try ebay for great deals on discontinued or rehabbed units.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

sail2sunset Wrote:
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> Lots of times I am asked to repeat word-for-word
> "What did the sales person say?" For a car shop
> they say so much I would prefer to have a small
> recorder in my pocket. Anyone have a good
> suggestion to buy one? Thanks for your experience.

i prefer sony. they are at best buy. i prefer the one that records up to 300 hours and you can send the wave files directly to your computer. then you can play the recordings on your computer as you type brief phrases of the conversation as you listen. from there, you can develop those phrases into full sentences and paragraphs afterward. of course, it's been at least a year since i've had to use a voice recorder for a shop. i do different shops now that don't require narratives.

Olympus and Sony are very, very good. Hard to pick yet I currently use a Sony PX-312 that normally retails between $50-60. I paid a little more for it (Walmart) because it has a feature that cuts out the background sounds, which is helpful if you have the DVR rubbing on the inside of your pocket when walking.

I use an Olympus recorder and it is awesome. No complaints. I got mine at Radioshack.

I wouldn't shop without it.

I have a $20 model from Radio shack...it works just fine, has room for many shorter jobs. I generally erase everything once I have done the report unless it was pretty complex so there is room to record more. Even when I leave a fine dining shop on it for a while I can still record at least 10 smaller jobs. I do not do lots of jobs a day so it works well for me. If you do this full time you might need one with a longer time capacity.

I purchased a refurbished Olympus model on amazon.com for about 49.00. Definitely want one that can plug into a USB port on your computer. That allows you to ff and rewind on the recording to find what you are looking for. Also will save you substantially on your batteries life.

I've wondered about having one for some shops, but so far have done OK without.

Does it make it enough easier to do the reports, considering you have to listen to it all over again? Or, alternatively, zip forwards and back to find the spots you really need?

Although if I did get one, I could also do some recordings in my house. Save calling the Ghost Hunters out here. Hee!

Practitioner of the Nerdly Arts.

Depending on the shop you won't need to listen to the whole thing. I rarely perform any shop without the recorder on. It provides me with timing and I can just speak detailed descriptions of employees while walking to my car. Most of the time I am able to recall everything needed without it, but having the back up provides some peace of mind. It also means I don't have to sit in my car and writing up a bunch of notes. That time saved is important to me.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Eric in Tampa Wrote:
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> Olympus and Sony are very, very good. Hard to pick
> yet I currently use a Sony PX-312 that normally
> retails between $50-60. I paid a little more for
> it (Walmart) because it has a feature that cuts
> out the background sounds, which is helpful if you
> have the DVR rubbing on the inside of your pocket
> when walking.

Looking at buying this model. Eric, have you utilized the Dragon compatible feature of this model?
What do you like/dislike about this model? TIA

Silver Certified, I own my own PV-500, and I do shops in and around the DFW area.

Not Eric, but I have the Px-312 and its great.

The feature I love is that you can connect a USB cable and upload the recordings so you can replay on your desktop while writing a report.

It also has a hold feature which locks the buttons so it wont turn off by accident.

It fits nicely in a top pocket or coat pocket and has really high quality recording.

Pricey but worth the investment in my opinion.

rgolen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Eric in Tampa Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Olympus and Sony are very, very good. Hard to
> pick
> > yet I currently use a Sony PX-312 that normally
> > retails between $50-60. I paid a little more
> for
> > it (Walmart) because it has a feature that cuts
> > out the background sounds, which is helpful if
> you
> > have the DVR rubbing on the inside of your
> pocket
> > when walking.
>
> Looking at buying this model. Eric, have you
> utilized the Dragon compatible feature of this
> model?
> What do you like/dislike about this model? TIA

thanks dwater. it is funny you mention it fits in a shirt pocket. another reviewer online mentioned it may protrude higher (so as to see it is in a shirt pocket) than some of the other models.
the usb function was one of the benefits I like about it.

Silver Certified, I own my own PV-500, and I do shops in and around the DFW area.

On a mens shirt it is well below the level of the pocket on every shirt I own.

I like the fact that its tall because the microphone is positioned on the top and its closer to the action so you get a better recording.
If you turn it around with the back side facing you cant tell what it is if a really tall person was looking down.

You can also tilt it corner to corner but I have never had to do that.

It also has the option of an external microphone if you want to hide it totally.

Great battery life as well!

I should be on a commission.......LOL....... in case Sony are reading. ;-)

I should add for balance Its not easy to navigate playbacks on the stand along unit.

Thats why I would not go for the cheaper non-USB unit

When you are looking at longer shops such as Restaurants or Test drives you want to be able to have the recording on you desktop so you can skip around and listen to the relevent parts.

rgolen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> thanks dwater. it is funny you mention it fits in
> a shirt pocket. another reviewer online mentioned
> it may protrude higher (so as to see it is in a
> shirt pocket) than some of the other models.
> the usb function was one of the benefits I like
> about it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2013 04:37PM by dwater.

Just got a new (opened box) Olympus WS-700M from eBay for $40. =D

I downloaded a voice recorder on my phone... it's free and works great.

I always say shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist. - Tammy Faye Bakker

Shopping Southern California
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