SonyICD-PX720 Digital Voice Recorder with PC Link

First, let's correct the Amazon specs on the size and wt. of this item. The true dimensions are 4.25 in. tall, about 1.5 in. wide, and .75 in. thick. The recorder weighs in at 3 oz., with batteries installed. I've included an uploaded photo of the recorder hand-held.The manual is extensive, although the odd labeling of the recorder's keys makes it a little hard to follow. A slide switch on the upper left side of the recorder labeled "Hold" turns it on and off. You can select one of the five message "folders" (A-E) by going through a menuing process. Each folder can hold up to 99 messages, depending on your chosen recording quality level. Once you have selected a folder, creating a message is accomplished just by hitting the large red "Rec/Pause" button. You can pause and continue a message just using this button. Playback is also simple, using the large "Enter" (Play/Stop) button.More complicated features allow you to add-on to a previously recorded message (one which has been "Stopped"), split a message into two separate messages, record with voice-activation, etc., etc. Messages can be erased one at a time or folder-by-folder.The included software lets you upload the contents of your recorder to your PC and play the messages from the recorder or the PC. I have run mine on an XP-Pro machine, and checked to see that there was a Sony update for Vista 64-bit compatibility, which downloaded and installed just fine. Once the messages are on your PC, you can re-name them (just like any other files), delete them, or split them up. You can also convert them from native format to MP3.The recorder has four different recording quality levels and two levels of mike sensitivity. An editing feature lets you boost the sound for otherwise unintelligible portions of your messages (I didn't try this).The playback volume range seems acceptable even for use outdoors, and I haven't yet tried recording in a windy environment.All in all, it's slick--much better than I anticipated. Back in the day, you had to spend several hundred dollars for a recording/transcription device like this, and it chewed through tape cassettes.One thing to be aware of: the recorder is so small that it might be easy to lose. There is a string lanyard thread-through point in the lower right top edge of the device, and I am ordering a string lanyard connector for use with a neck lanyard for it.

I am very satisfied with my Sony PX 720. I use it to record interviews I do with coaches for a radio pre-games. The sound quality is truly broadcast quality and very easy to use and the use of FIVE folders is also very helpful to keep interviews with different coaches separate. the USB port is wonderful to download my audio to a computer to save and the easy to erase audio files onthe PS 720 is simple to use.The one feature that I found not up to par is when recording on the mic input with an external mic. The recording sound levels or the ability changing sound levels so it will not over modulate the recording seems to not exist. I record the game audio live at the site and I found that its not as good as I expected from Sony.The build in mic works very well to record one-on-one interviews and play back for broadcast works very well. I am please with my Sony PX 720. I would recommend this unit to anyone that can uses a digital recorder who wants an easy way to download your audio files to a computer instead of re-recording them during play back to a computer.

The Sony software for this device does not run on Windows 10. Sony has no software for it that runs on Windows 10 and even the software that they do have for other OS versions will no longer be available from Sony after March 2017. If you have only a Windows 10 computer and need to load files from the recorder to the computer, you are screwed. Avoid this seemingly dead end device. Still works fine as standalone digital recorder but what a price for that functionality.

I have an Olympus DS 330, and I bought the Sony as a backup when I thought the Olympus needed repair (it turned out to only need reformatting). I do quite a lot of dictation, including both lengthy and brief documents.The Sony has large buttons and is easy to use in the sense that it's easy to press the correct button to dictate, stop or listen to what was previously recorded. It also does a pretty good job of overwriting prior dictation in order to edit it. However, it has a major flaw that in my view makes it inadequate for anything more than casual dictation of relatively short memos or documents.When using the Olympus to dictate it is a simple two step process: 1)push button, 2)speak. Using the Sony requires a three step process: 1) push button 2)wait, 3)speak. There is a time delay between when the "record" button is pushed (and an audible "beep" is heard) and when the unit actually begins recording. Consequently, unless I consciously wait a second or two after I hear the sound letting me know the unit is supposed to be recording the first few words of my dictation are cut off. It was driving the transcriptionist crazy, because each time I paused in my dictation the next few words wouldn't be recorded. That problem can be eliminated by waiting before speaking, but that forces the user to concentrate on the time delay rather than the thing being dictated, meaning it's a distraction. There is an even longer time delay when using the voice activation feature which renders that feature totally useless.In summary, the Sony unit is okay for very casual dictation but the Olympus DS 330 is far superior.