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August 4, 2008

Sony PCM D1 digital audio recorder puts the dictaphone to shame

By Paul McNally

My first attempt at producing a podcast last year was a big let-down. Armed with a digital dictaphone that I’d borrowed from a colleague, I went off to record a bunch of student journalists in a big echoey room, only to find the end result was more ‘bogcast’than podcast. It sounded as if it had been recorded in a toilet.

So it was with a mixture of excitement and fear that I agreed to put the Sony PCM D1 through its paces. Excitement because, unlike the dictaphone, this piece of kit is supposed to be the stuff of dreams. And fear because I might, knowing my luck, have to tell the Sony PR that I’d gone and lost a £1,000 recording device.

But if you’re expecting a pocket-sized box of tricks, look away now. The D1 (pictured right) is reminiscent of a mobile phone circa 1987. But although it’s a beast of a device, all the buttons and knobs are where you’d expect them. Switch it on and it’s instantly poised to record – so capture is just one button press away.

Power specs

The D1 runs off four rechargeable AA batteries, but also connects to a power source. The sound is recorded in the WAV format, which can be easily edited and converted to web-ready MP3. The in-built 4GB memory provides about seven hours of recording time, but there’s room for an external memory card if you need more.

The LCD display comes with a back light for nocturnal podcasting and tells you everything you need to know about the recording. If one level display wasn’t enough, there’s also a decidedly retro pair of analogue level meters at the top of the recorder, and two small lights that turn from green to red if the volume peaks too high.

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Hidden behind the detachable furry windshield are two petite condenser mics pointing at 45-degree angles towards each other, making the recording of two-way interviews much easier. There are two mic settings – one which grabs a fair amount of background noise and one which does a good job of cutting out everything that’s not within a couple of inches of the mic. Helpfully, Sony has also provided a line-in socket, allowing the recorder to be wired up to a PA system for speeches or conferences.

Down the side of the device is a recording volume control, and a hold feature that prevents you from accidentally switching the device off. There’s also a ‘divide’button which allows you to find that soundbyte during editing a lot easier. You can plug in a pair of headphones and monitor what you’re recording as you go along; or once you’ve finished, hitting the play button lets you listen back, fast-forward and rewind through the audio cuts.

Last but not least, the D1 comes with a USB cable, letting you transfer the WAV files to a computer without the need for software. From there, they can be opened in your software package of choice, chopped around and exported.

Fast, easy, professional-sounding audio. All you need to worry about is getting that £1,000 signed off by the boss.

Sony PCM D1 digital audio recorder

Price: From £1,000

Pros: A doddle to capture top-notch broadcast-quality audio; good battery life and capacity

Cons: Pricey, but a good investment

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