Olympus 550: was RE: Olympus DM520
Ok, let me clarify this You are correct, there are two models. The DM-520 and the DM-550. Although I didn't update the subject line, all my comments mentioning the Olympus DM-550 were correct, and about that specific model. The main difference between the two models, as far as I can tell is the ability to adjust the rerecording level on the DM-550, which cannot be done on the Olympus DM-520. I have no idea why they would actually bother with releasing two models - except as a means to put a premium price on the DM-550, as it seems they did with the DS-71 versus the DS-61. The DS-71 is the only DS model with adjustable volume control. I hope this makes sense. I would also note that all the online literature I have found on the DM-550 seems to be UK based, so it is possible the DM-550 isn't yet available in the US, though I know the DM-520 is available there. Regards Tim -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Casey Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 2:12 PM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Olympus DM520 Hi not to correct you and make you feel bad or anything. But in the subject line you say the 520 recorder. Then in your messages you say it is the 550 recorder. So now maybe there is a 550 recorder coming out. If so I wonder what features it will all have. No unless you are talking about the 520 recorder and just saying 550 when you mean to say 520 just a big confused hear is all. Casey - Original Message - From: Tim Noonan t...@timnoonan.com.au To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 7:47 PM Subject: RE: Olympus DM520 In addition to in-built stereo microphones, the other nicer feature of the DM-550 over the DS-71 is that wav recordings can be split or truncated. This would allow a narrator to record a book, and cut out recording stumbles etc, and then resume narration in the next file. That is, it doesn't support true over-write recording, but unlike the DS series unwanted audio can be deleted on the machine itself. Unlike the DS range, The DM-550 also supports 999 instead of 99 files in each of the five sound recording folders. I believe it would be an absolutely fantastic and incredibly portable recorder for on-site interviews and podcast recordings. Size wise I estimate it is less than a 5th of the overall size of the pocket. I have minimally used a Plextalk Pocket, and with external mics it is pretty good quality, but I don't know the quality of the pocket's internal microphone, but suspect it is relatively crappy. Certainly it was awful in the Plextalk PTR 2! I can't find any disadvantages at all of the DM-550 over the DS-71, which is great! And, as previously mentioned, I suspect its recording quality is a significant step above that of the DS-71. In short, I want one :-) Tim Noonan - From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Ray Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 11:09 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: RE: Olympus DM520 Useful information and thoughts on the Olympus recorders there Tim, so thanks. My interest in these recorders is as a relatively affordable portable recorder for blind people doing audio journalism-type recordings for talking newspapers and audio magazines. There is sufficient voice guidance now to make this a far more reliable and practical job than with much less accessible recorders. the Plextor may come into it's own where a bit more dynamic range is needed and some music of limited dynamic range could be recorded too with it. That leaves us with recorders of the calibre of the Sony PMCD50 - hope I've got it's model number right - for live music and high quality sound gathering. While it's not really accessible we're told by Neal Ewers it is usable. that would seem to me to be the main choices open to us just now. Others could add in the Edirol R09h and the new Zoom recorder and there are podcasts kicking about covering these too. Let's hope someone reviews the Olympus DM series soon. Ray Tim Noonan wrote: Going from the functionality in the Olympus DS71, which has adjustable recording levels, there are either 10, but probably 15 recording volume settings, accessed by pressing the left and right arrows while in record pause or record. In addition, there are still the three microphone sensitivity settings on the side of the machine. The volume limiter (anti clipping facility is disabled when recording is set to manual volume levels. I haven't tested extensively, but while I think the voice capture of the DS-71 is extraordinarily good, for full spectrum recording, there is a lot more background hiss during silent passages and it seems somewhat limited frequency response, than one would expect for a wave recorder. I deduce from the promotional material, that the DM-550 will be
RE: Olympus 550: was RE: Olympus DM520
what is the price of all this krap? -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org]on Behalf Of Tim Noonan Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 10:34 PM To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' Subject: Olympus 550: was RE: Olympus DM520 Ok, let me clarify this You are correct, there are two models. The DM-520 and the DM-550. Although I didn't update the subject line, all my comments mentioning the Olympus DM-550 were correct, and about that specific model. The main difference between the two models, as far as I can tell is the ability to adjust the rerecording level on the DM-550, which cannot be done on the Olympus DM-520. I have no idea why they would actually bother with releasing two models - except as a means to put a premium price on the DM-550, as it seems they did with the DS-71 versus the DS-61. The DS-71 is the only DS model with adjustable volume control. I hope this makes sense. I would also note that all the online literature I have found on the DM-550 seems to be UK based, so it is possible the DM-550 isn't yet available in the US, though I know the DM-520 is available there. Regards Tim -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Casey Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 2:12 PM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Olympus DM520 Hi not to correct you and make you feel bad or anything. But in the subject line you say the 520 recorder. Then in your messages you say it is the 550 recorder. So now maybe there is a 550 recorder coming out. If so I wonder what features it will all have. No unless you are talking about the 520 recorder and just saying 550 when you mean to say 520 just a big confused hear is all. Casey - Original Message - From: Tim Noonan t...@timnoonan.com.au To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 7:47 PM Subject: RE: Olympus DM520 In addition to in-built stereo microphones, the other nicer feature of the DM-550 over the DS-71 is that wav recordings can be split or truncated. This would allow a narrator to record a book, and cut out recording stumbles etc, and then resume narration in the next file. That is, it doesn't support true over-write recording, but unlike the DS series unwanted audio can be deleted on the machine itself. Unlike the DS range, The DM-550 also supports 999 instead of 99 files in each of the five sound recording folders. I believe it would be an absolutely fantastic and incredibly portable recorder for on-site interviews and podcast recordings. Size wise I estimate it is less than a 5th of the overall size of the pocket. I have minimally used a Plextalk Pocket, and with external mics it is pretty good quality, but I don't know the quality of the pocket's internal microphone, but suspect it is relatively crappy. Certainly it was awful in the Plextalk PTR 2! I can't find any disadvantages at all of the DM-550 over the DS-71, which is great! And, as previously mentioned, I suspect its recording quality is a significant step above that of the DS-71. In short, I want one :-) Tim Noonan - From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Ray Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 11:09 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: RE: Olympus DM520 Useful information and thoughts on the Olympus recorders there Tim, so thanks. My interest in these recorders is as a relatively affordable portable recorder for blind people doing audio journalism-type recordings for talking newspapers and audio magazines. There is sufficient voice guidance now to make this a far more reliable and practical job than with much less accessible recorders. the Plextor may come into it's own where a bit more dynamic range is needed and some music of limited dynamic range could be recorded too with it. That leaves us with recorders of the calibre of the Sony PMCD50 - hope I've got it's model number right - for live music and high quality sound gathering. While it's not really accessible we're told by Neal Ewers it is usable. that would seem to me to be the main choices open to us just now. Others could add in the Edirol R09h and the new Zoom recorder and there are podcasts kicking about covering these too. Let's hope someone reviews the Olympus DM series soon. Ray Tim Noonan wrote: Going from the functionality in the Olympus DS71, which has adjustable recording levels, there are either 10, but probably 15 recording volume settings, accessed by pressing the left and right arrows while in record pause or record. In addition, there are still the three microphone sensitivity settings on the side of the machine. The volume limiter (anti clipping facility is disabled when recording is set to manual volume levels. I haven't tested extensively, but while I think the voice capture of the DS-71
