7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
Analog VS. Digital
Date of Review: Sep 1, 2003
The Bottom Line: I would highly recommend the SONY TCM-150 When thinking about Analog VS. Digital products, think of the ways that analog products can adapt to the digital world.
In the so called digital revolution, analog products are quickly being wisked away into the bottom corner shelf at most electronic stores. At Circuit City, the SONY TCM-150 Voice Recorder was on the bottom shelf, below many digital voice recorders.
I chose an analog voice recorder, one that accepts cassette tapes, because of the ease of use, the affordability, and the quality that is associated with SONY products. I had done some research of voice recorders before making the decision to purchase one. What I wanted was a cassette recorder, that was light weight with a slim design, and a machine that could pick up the slightest sound. The TCM-150 is equipped with the Clear Voice Mechanism. Using an externally attached microphone, as pictured above, next to the record button, the recorder is able to magnify sounds to eliminate the background hum that most recorders produce. The sound quality of this product is exceptional. To document my sleep, I often record myself using the TCM-150. At a good distance, the recordings capture my snoring, and alien language that I speak in my sleep.
What I love about this product is that it is easily compatible with any computer. I wanted to be able to create a sound library using the recordings. Something that interested me was connecting an analog voice recorder to the computer and recording sounds in mp3 format. After some internet research, I came across an article that clearly describes this process: http://www.ciol.com/content/pchelp/howdo/100091401.asp
I quickly went to Radio Shack and purchased a shielded 1/8 inch mono audio cable. Since there is no microphone jack, the one downfall to the machine, the audio cable must be plugged into the headphone jack of the recorder, and the microphone input of the computer. After several digital recordings, I've decided that I'm extremely satisfied with this voice recorder.