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Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10 review

£231.83 inc VAT

Manufacturer: Olympus

Our Rating: We rate this 4 out of 5

If you're searching for a dependable portable audio recording solution, you can't get much better than the Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10.

If you're searching for a dependable portable audio recording solution, you can't get much better than the Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10.

Why? In tests the Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10 is an extremely effective, easily controlled and pleasingly sensitive recording device, equally at home capturing the atmosphere of a party or live performance as it is recording an interview or lecture - even when the speaker utters sentences in a whisper.

The Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10 is light and powerful. It's packed with features, and is among the most accurate portable sound recording device we've used. Although suitable for anyone from student to journalist, its high price hints that this is really a machine for professionals where sound quality is crucial.

At its highest quality, the Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10 records WAV files in 24-bit, 96kHz Linear Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) format - twice CD quality. With stereo microphones fitted as standard, LS-10 includes line-in and external mic sockets and records at such high quality you could realistically use this to record a band rehearsal, or an individual instrument part for later mixing.

As long as you aren't recording in a noisy room, you get good results; and recording sensitivity is adjustable to help get decent results even in a non-ideal situation. There's a Low Cut filter to help get rid of low-level white noise.

The Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10 also records in MP3 and WMA (Windows Media) formats and can be used in Auto or Manual mode. You record to either the included 2GB of flash memory or to an SD card you pop into the slot. Up to 69 hours of audio can be squeezed onto the internal memory at the lowest quality setting. Transferring recordings to your Mac is only marginally more complicated than plugging in the USB cable. It ships with Cubase LE4 for mixing audio. The Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10 can also be used as a flash drive and music player.

Accessing and configuring the device isn't challenging, although the menu-based interface takes some getting used to. Once you've got the Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10 to do what you want once or twice, operation should come naturally.

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Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10 Expert Verdict »
Post Review
Recording formats: PCM / MP3 / WMA (recording) , WAV / WMA / MP3 (playback)
Microphone sensitivity: High (-59 dBv) Low (-39 dBv)
3.5mm mic and headphone jacks
2 built-in stereo speakers
max working output: 200 mW + 200 mW (8 ? speaker)
backlit LCD
2 AA batteries (LR6 or ZR6) or two Ni-MH rechargeable batteries
AC-Adaptor 5V / 300 mA
165g (incl. battery)
48x131.5x22.4mm
requires: Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Macintosh OS X 10.2.8 - 10.5
2GB internal memory
SD card (512 MB - 8 GB) + SDHC
  • Build Quality: We give this item 9 of 10 for build quality
  • Features: We give this item 8 of 10 for features
  • Value for Money: We give this item 7 of 10 for value for money
  • Overall: We give this item 8 of 10 overall

We were impressed by the Olympus Linear PCM Recorder LS-10. We'd like to see Olympus continue to pay attention to the somewhat fiddly user interface. However, once you figure it out, this is the system you need whether you're a student, a writer on assignment, or a musician trying to capture a few ideas. It's a shame that the price will put it out of reach of some of these users.

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