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Lectureworthy: MP3 players with voice recorders
Whether you need to make a quick voice memo or record a two-hour lecture, having a recording feature on your MP3 player can really come in handy. There are plenty of MP3 players available with built-in microphones but few that really take their recording function seriously. To create this list of recordable MP3 players, we considered the quality of the recordings, the simplicity of the recording controls, line-input recording (sometimes you just need to plug in a serious microphone), memory expansion, battery life, and recording time. While the SanDisk Sansa e260 and the Samsung YP-T9 omit line-input recording, they still offer great options for simple voice memos. If you're one of the millions who already own an iPod, consider accessories such as the XtremeMac MicroMemo or the Belkin TuneTalk that can transform your iPod into a voice recorder.
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| Product name |
Creative Zen V (2GB, white) |
Creative Zen Nano Plus (1GB, Dark Blue) |
Cowon iAudio 7 (8GB, red) 
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TrekStor Vibez (12GB) |
Samsung YP-T9 (4GB, black)
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SanDisk Sansa e260 (4GB) |
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| Review date | June 28, 2006 | June 05, 2006 | July 19, 2007 | January 03, 2007 | October 30, 2006 | March 10, 2006 |
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| CNET editors' rating |
8.0 Excellent |
7.3 Very good |
8.3 Excellent |
7.3 Very good |
8.3 Excellent |
8.0 Excellent |
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| Users' rating |
5.4 Average (
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7.3 Very good |
7.2 Very good |
6.8 Good |
8.2 Excellent |
7.0 Very good |
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| Review summary | The Creative Zen V is a good choice for anyone looking for a compact flash MP3 player with recording features and great sound quality. However, the more feature-filled Zen V Plus is a better value. | If you're looking for a feature-packed flash player but you don't want to spend a ton to get one, Creative's Zen Nano Plus is the device for you. | The Cowon iAudio 7 beats the industry heavyweight iPod Nano in price, features, battery life, and sound quality. The user interface could use some refinement, but all-in-all this is a very impressive MP3 player. | Better than the iPod Nano in many respects, the TrekStor Vibez scores with its dazzling looks, excellent interface, and solid performance. | Despite a few minor issues, the stylish Samsung YP-T9 is a no-brainer: it's easy to use, packed with features, and sounds fantastic. What more could you ask for? | The SanDisk Sansa e200 series offers a boatload of features for a reasonable price, in a package that is much nicer than that of past SanDisk models. For those looking for a high-capacity, compact, skip-free MP3/WMA player, start with the e200 series. |
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| Product series | See all products in this series | See all products in this series | See all products in this series | See all products in this series | See all products in this series | See all products in this series |
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| PC interface(s) supported | Hi-Speed USB | Hi-Speed USB | Hi-Speed USB | Hi-Speed USB | Info unavailable | Hi-Speed USB |
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| Flash memory installed | 2 GB | 1 GB | 8 GB | 12 GB | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Flash memory form factor | Integrated | Integrated | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Digital player signal-to-noise ratio | 92 dB | 90 dB | 95 dB | 90 dB | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Digital Player total harmonic distortion | 0.05 % | 0.1 % | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 1.7 in x 0.6 in x 2.7 in | 1.3 in x 0.5 in x 2.6 in | 1.4 in x 0.7 in x 3 in | 4.1 in x 0.7 in x 2 in | Info unavailable | 1.7 in x 3.5 in x 0.5 in |
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| Weight | 1.6 oz | Info unavailable | 2.1 oz | 2.5 oz | 1.7 oz | 2.6 oz |
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| Resolution | 128 x 128 | Info unavailable | 160 x 128 | 176 x 132 | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Battery technology | Lithium ion | Alkaline | Lithium polymer | Lithium ion | Lithium polymer | Lithium ion |
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| Mfr estimated battery life | 15 hour(s) | 18 hour(s) | 60 hour(s) | 20 hour(s) | 30 hour(s) | 20 hour(s) |
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| Software type | Creative MediaSource , Creative Media Explorer , Creative ZENcast Organizer | Drivers & Utilities , Creative MediaSource | Cowon jetAudio , Cowon jetShell , Drivers & Utilities | MAGIX MP3 Maker SE | Info unavailable | SanDisk Sansa Media Converter |
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| Manufacturer warranty | 1 year warranty | 1 year warranty | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Product type | Digital player | Flash player | Digital player / radio | Hard drive | Info unavailable | Digital player / radio |
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| Color | Green | Dark blue | Red | Black | Black | Black |
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| Sound output mode | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Width | 1.7 in | 1.3 in | 1.4 in | 4.1 in | 1.7 in | 1.7 in |
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| Depth | 0.6 in | 0.5 in | 0.7 in | 0.7 in | 0.4 in | 3.5 in |
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| Height | 2.7 in | 2.6 in | 3 in | 2 in | 3.3 in | 0.5 in |
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| Equalizer factory presets | Pop , Jazz , Rock , Disco , Vocal , NewAge , Classic , Acoustical | Info unavailable | Pop , Jazz , Rock , Vocal , Normal , Classic | Pop , Jazz , Rock , Trance , Classic | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Digital player (recorder) | MP3 , WAV , WMA , ADPCM , Audible , Protected WMA (DRM 9) | MP3 , WMA , Protected WMA (DRM) | ASF , MP3 , WAV , WMA , FLAC , Ogg Vorbis , MPEG 1 Audio , MPEG 2 Audio , MPEG 2.5 Audio | MP3 , WAV , WMA , FLAC , Ogg Vorbis , Protected WMA (DRM) | Info unavailable | MP3 , WMA |
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| Sound effects | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | BBE , Mach3Bass , MP Enhance | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Amplifier response bandwidth | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | 20 - 20000 Hz | 20 - 20000 Hz | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Amplifier total output power | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | 52 mW | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Digital storage media capacity | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | 12 GB | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
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| Device type | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Portable media center | Info unavailable |
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| Key multimedia features | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Digital audio player , Digital video player , Digital photo viewer , Voice recorder | Info unavailable |
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| Display type | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | LCD 1.8 in - Color | Info unavailable |
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| Supported still images formats | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | JPEG | Info unavailable |
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| Supported audio formats | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | MP3 , WMA | Info unavailable |
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| Video playback formats | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | MPEG-4 | Info unavailable |
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| Radio | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | FM: 87.5 - 108 MHz | Info unavailable |
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| PC interfaces | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Hi-Speed USB | Info unavailable |
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| Included accessories | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Earphones , USB cable | Info unavailable |
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| Product name | Creative Zen V (2GB, white) | Creative Zen Nano Plus (1GB, Dark Blue) |
Cowon iAudio 7 (8GB, red)
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TrekStor Vibez (12GB) |
Samsung YP-T9 (4GB, black)
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SanDisk Sansa e260 (4GB) |
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| Full specifications | Full Specifications | Full Specifications | Full Specifications | Full Specifications | Full Specifications | Full Specifications |
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| Price range |
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$59-130 from 12 stores |
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