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How do they stack up? The Olympus VN-7200 Digital Voice Recorder vs the Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder

In this brief comparison, we are going to be putting two products head to head. You might think it all comes down to the price, but frankly there is a lot more to it. This article is part of a series called The Best Portable Sound Recorder in 2023

 Olympus VN-7200 Digital Voice RecorderEveryone has different preferences and priorities, so to make choosing easier we have attempted to give a frank review of the products. Let's start with the Olympus VN-7200 Digital Voice Recorder. Olympus is a leading brand around the world when it comes to sound and video products. From digital cameras to sound recording devices, this company does it all. And, more importantly, it does it all well!

 Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital RecorderAnd now we will have a look at our second product, the Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder. The H1 by Zoom is certainly proof that good things come in small packages. It's a handy, user-friendly sound recorder that can be stored in your pocket. Despite its tiny size, it captures sound loud and clear. It's ideal for lectures, meetings, and interviews, in our opinion.


Examining the Olympus VN-7200 Digital Voice Recorder

The VN-7200 is a digital recorder that offers a whopping 2GB of internal storage. This means that you can record hundreds of hours of audio without needing a separate SD card.


Taking a look at the features of the Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder

It captures high-quality audio thanks to the in-built X-Y unidirectional mics that are integrated into it. Each mic is set at a 90-degree angle to the other one. This is known as an X-Y design, and it helps to record a wider area with clarity and definition. It works much the same as a mic preamp (read our top 10 list here).

HEAD TO HEAD COMPARISON

Olympus VN-7200 Digital Voice Recorder

Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder

KEY FEATURES

+ Voice-activated recording.
+ Fast and slow playback modes.
+ Microphone and headphone ports, as well as an in-built speaker.

+ Line/Headphone output for connecting headphones or a DSLR.
+ High-quality audio recordings thanks to X-Y mics.
+ USB port for connecting H1 to a computer.

WHAT OUR TEAM THOUGHT

This is a professional product that can be relied on for important recordings. With indexing marking, a voice-activated mode, and up to 1,511 hours of recording time, the VN-7200 is one of the best on the market.

It's quite simply a premium recorder that is loaded with useful features. Some of our favorites include the X-Y microphone configuration, the USB 2.0 port, and the Mic/Line input port.



Read the complete review

You might also be interested in Music Critic's in-depth article on this topic, The Best Portable Sound Recorder in 2023.


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