Built-in memory
The capacity of the voice recorder's own storage. The
larger the built-in memory, the more material can be recorded on the recorder without the need to free up memory or use additional cards. This parameter is also important if you want to use the device also as a portable flash drive (many modern models allow this).
Microphone type
The built-in microphone type determines the mode (number of channels) in which the voice recorder records sound.
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Mono. The simplest option: one microphone that records sound in mono format, i.e. without separation into left and right channels. It is impossible to provide a "surround" sound with such a recording, however, in the case of voice recorders, this is not decisive, because. usually in such a recording it is not the volume of the sound that is important, but the intelligibility of speech — and it is fully provided by a monophonic microphone.
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Stereo. In this case, a pair of microphones is usually used, spaced apart on the sides of the case; the sound is recorded in stereo, and the volume of the sound is achieved due to the difference in the sound reaching the left and right microphones. Considered somewhat more advanced than mono, although it does not provide better speech intelligibility by itself.
External microphone connector
Separate input for connecting an external microphone. See "Connecting an External Microphone" for details.
Maximum recording time
The maximum continuous recording time for the voice recorder. It depends primarily on the amount of memory (see "Built-in memory", "Memory card slot"), it is also directly related to the recording quality: the higher the quality, the more space the material occupies and the shorter the maximum recording time. In this regard, manufacturers usually indicate in the specifications the maximum possible recording time, that is, the recording time with minimum quality; with higher quality and time will be less.
Frequency range
The range of sound frequencies that the recorder is capable of perceiving and recording. A person is able to hear sound on average from 16 Hz to 20 kHz, but the range of the actual human voice is much narrower — approximately 100-3500 Hz. Therefore, if you plan to use a voice recorder to record speech, these frequencies will be enough. If the purpose of the recorder is not limited to this, you should pay attention to models with a wider range — and in this case, the wider it is, the fuller and richer the recording will be.
