Olympus DS-7000 Digital Voice Recorder DS7000

If you are looking for a "REAL" digital dictation recorder, this is it. Its comfortable to hold and most importantly it has a rocker button to control record and review functions, just like the original dictaphones did. It is pricey, you can clearly get lower priced models if you just need a digital recorder, but if you are looking to dictate, this is the best I found after a lot of searching.The included software is very easy to use. You set the recorder into the included cradle, and it comes up in the software. Multiple modes of transfer to your secretary, central word processing center, or via email.And yes, it works with Mac. There is some functionalities of the included software that are apparently not available in the Mac version, but we have not missed them whatever they are! I dictate on the road, from home, etc. and simple email the file to my secretary and voila!Included leather case provides nice protection for your investment when thrown in your briefcase. While the memory is expandable, the internal memory is sufficient unless you are dictating a full book in one sitting.

This recorder is EXTREMELY COMPLICATED and difficult to use. It is impossible to delete files. Yes, I have tried to follow the directions, and NO, I am NOT an idiot. There is nothing user friendly about this recorder, and I would recommend a simpler unit without the bells and whistles unless you want to spend a LOT of time trying to work your way through the maze they consider to be a menu.

I am fanatical about voice recorders because I spend several hours every working day talking into a hand-held recorder. I have a drawer full of not-good-enough voice recorders collected over 25 years. For those of you who do dictations, you will appreciate that this Olympus has a rewind function build into the basic sliding record switch. For me, that is an absolute necessity, but something very few digital recorders have. This unit is priced at x20 the cost of basic recorders and thus aspires to meet the needs of a demanding professional user. I initially felt this unit passed muster, though I disliked the placement of the headphone jack (which I use because I like to listen to my voice through earbuds while dictating). However, when I uploaded my first dictation to my transcriptionist, she gave it an immediate thumbs down and said it made my voice sound tinny. Mind you, I gave this a fair going-over, trying different recording and encoding modes and settled on the combination with the best sound. For those of you in need a serious digital dictaphone, and inclined to treat your transcriptionist well, I recommend instead, with reservation, the Sony ICD-BM1, due to it's superior sound. The Sony has it's own shortcomings, but no deal breakers. It also costs quite a bit less. When Olympus switches to a better microphone and moves the headphone jack, then I'll switch.

I've used dictation systems for a couple decades dating back to the dictaphone microcassette. I was resistant to the change. The combination of trained voice recognition software (takes a little time) and properly configured ds-7000 hardware it is the best combo I've ever used. Searched high and low but if there is something better but I would be surprised. I have two just myself and trust my records and letters to them.

For almost a thousand dollars, I purchased two of these recorders for a major hospital system(biggest on the west coast). From the $99 recorders we were using before to now, I've received feedback that it's not picking up children's voices, gets muffled by even the slightest touch or breeze, and is extremely difficult to use without realizing it's already full. Hopefully Olympus will get its act together and realize that making a slightly better recorder could make them even more money. As of now, I'm guessing they paid off the health systems to make this one of the only "approved encrypted recorders".