Sony ICD PX333 Digital Voice Recorder

Sony makes these recorders to last! I bought a new one after the one I had by accident fell in the toilet (don't ask). It was completely submerged -- but I did snatch it out fast (clean water, it was a stupid accident I can't even begin to explain). I took out the batteries and left the back door open so it might dry out and work again. I thought, however, nothing is going being totally submerged in water, especially a digital device. The Sony voice recorder that took a swim is just like this but an earlier model. I had it since January 2012, and paid about the same amount of money for it. After it fell in the commode I thought there goes a nice item I used daily down the toilet, quite literally. So after it dried out for a few days, I put back in the batteries. Nothing. I shopped around and bought another Sony voice recorder at Amazon, this very one. It arrived in a week -- nice fast shipping -- and well packaged. It did not come with the Sound Organizer software CD, though I have the software CD from an earlier purchase of the recorder, but I'll bet you can download the Sound Organizer software from the Sony site. It's worth it because the software is very good. When the new one arrived, I put in the batteries and it did not work. WHAT?!? Then I realized I put the batteries in backwards, so I turned them around and that did the trick. So I wondered, maybe I should see if the dunked recorder would work because I might have put the batteries in backwards. HOLY TOLEDO!!! The dunked recorder turned on right away and works just like it did before it took the dive in the toilet. I thought of returning the new one I bought because there are so many other things I need, and these really aren't cheap. But I decided to keep it instead and use the older model as a back up. Overall they are excellent digital devices, well made and the support from Sony is superb. Let me say this about the voice recorder: It has many options and features for recording: you can set it to lecture, voice recording, meetings and more. Each will impact how it records. You can set it to dim background noise, to make the mic very sensitive (and boy is it!) and a host of other useful features. At first the recorder might seem overwhelming because there are so many options. I always end up setting the date and time manually, but that's easy. After you play around with it for a while, getting the hang of everything is fairly easy. AND you can add a microSD card to increase the capacity or just to have other storage. I use an 8 Gig microSD card because if for some reason you mess up (just like I did) and unplug your voice recorder's USB cable from your notebook (just like I did) before going through the process of disconnecting the connection in your notebook, you can mess it up and it won't work like that anymore. But you still have the ability to transfer to your notebook by using the SD card in an adapter. So with my old one (that took a toilet bath) I have to remove the SD card and an adapter to transfer voice notes into my notebook. It's easy and works well. I also kept the new one because I like using the USB cable (that DID come with the recorder.) What else can I say? The Sound Organizer software is great. I have used music files in my notebook and edited them into ringtones. Then transferred them to my Samsung software. You can use the Sony Sound Organizer software to adjust settings in your voice recorder and also to make playlists and probably a whole lot of other stuff that I haven't even tried. In the range of easy to hard, I would rate the software as easy and intuitive. THIS is probably the most important aspect of these Sony devices: the excellent support. If something is STILL causing a problem or you can't figure out something (just like me) there is the Sony phone number where you can get fabulous and friendly service. Sony items may cost a bit more than their competitor, but when you are stuck and just need help, they are there ALWAYS THERE. I never thought about factoring in support when I bought items, but now I do because for example, Samsung won't do squat to answer questions because I bought an international version from Amazon. Sony, on the other hand (and like HTC, too) has support that is among the best. You would be amazed how much it matters. I had to reinstall the software and could not figure out where my voice files were (good old HP notebook hard drive crash after only two months) and those people at Sony offered to remotely connect and they not only fixed the issue but explained how to do it and were not resentful about it. They also were professional, the focused on the issue and not like some others, they ONLY does the repairs (ie: without tampering with browser settings and setting that may just be too tempting to techies at some companies. I have come to learn that it's worth spending a few extra bucks on an item if the support is good. It is not just selling the item but the support that should go with it. . This is actually my third Sony voice recorder. They have all been this make, but newer models. My first, which I loved and got the software CD and handbook with, was stolen in a burglary in January 2012. I had it for maybe three years. The second took the commode dive but is still working perfectly And this model. So if you are on the fence about which voice recorder to get, I hope this review helps. I would not pay more than $59 for it (I got my first about six or seven years ago for $39) so if you see anyone selling it for more, shop around. They are now in the range of $55 to $59. My only reservation about this one is there was NO software CD or little Sony booklet. But it would not be a deal breaker, because nowadays I'll bet you can download the handbook in pdf form and the Sound Organizer software from the Sony site. I just think the sellers should say so, because people might not know you can get software. As far as this seller goes, (World Class, Inc) the recorder arrived within a week, it was packed well to be safe and was shipped USPS, which in my opinion is a smarter faster way for small items. I don't know about where you live, but UPS cannot deliver a package to me that doesn't look like they ran over it first. Because of torn, opened, damaged and mangled packages have been so bad I have now decided I either reject them or send them back. Oh, and this recorder also arrived with two AAA batteries.

This is a great digital voice recorder. It's really small, perfect hand-held size. The main buttons are easy to use and see. I purchased this for my grandfather to record his life stories, and he's not the most tech-savvy person. I wanted to find a device that had capabilities I could use, like emailing the digital files to family members, but would still be easy enough for him to figure out how to do the basics, like record and play back. The two main buttons you need are front and center, easy to see, easy to press. You just have to press the record button to record, press it again to pause, or press the stop button to finish the recording. You can then press the play button to hear what you have recorded. It has rewind/forward buttons, which seem basic, but were not on the last recorder we had. It made it difficult for someone transcribing the recorded information because they would have to listen to the whole recording several times to get it all transcribed. If it was a long recording, this could be a bit time consuming. However, this recorder has the rewind/fast forward options built-in. The device has plenty of storage space on its own, but you can also put an SD card in for additional storage. You can also plug the device into a computer via USB, and download the files to the computer. They save as MP3 files, so you can easily email them to anyone, and play them on other devices. MP3 is a pretty universal format, so I prefer that over a WAV file. The microphone picks up sound really well, almost too well. Make sure there's not too much background noise where you're recording. The volume can also go up pretty loud, so you can easily hear playback.Overall, really happy with this recorder.

I bought this to record voice-over narratives for a movie I'm creating on my PC. All I can say is: 1. Wow!!! . 2. I wish I would have been smart enough to purchase it before starting my project. Prior to purchasing the ICD PX333 I was recording my narratives using the microphone embedded in my web camera. This generated good recordings but putting myself in a good position/posture while holding my script was an ordeal. Additionally the recording levels that resulted varied greatly and I spent an inordinate amount of time getting them evened out. No more... The Sony unit allows me to sit comfortably in a quiet place and read my script in a normal tone and volume. I bought the clip-on mic and attach it to my shirt over my sternum. What a difference it makes! My recordings sound much better and - almost as important - the levels are consistent. All I have to do is adjust the overall level of the audio clip, then I move on to the visual tracks. No more hours wasted adjusting dozens of isolated peaks and valleys for a 2 minute voice segment. It works so well and so efficiently I went back and re-recorded most of my previous voice-overs. I would not have done that if there had been too much time or effort involved. If you're doing anything that requires a good voice track like a voice-over for a movie or video, a speech or a presentation or an interview, I highly recommend this unit or something similar. The clip-on mic takes the quality to another level, so that's worth considering too. Hope this helps...

I am very happy with my little (literally) Sony ICD-PX333 recorder for the following reasons. 1. The VOR (Voice Operating Recording) actually works well (one of the main reasons why I chose this recorder). If there is a delay in starting, it is not noticeable, I've really been amazed at how well the VOR works. Using this feature is just a matter of going to: Menu/VOR/change No to Yes. To change the sound sensitivity: Menu/Detail Menu/Mic Sensitivity/Medium works fine for me. 2. Small and light, it's easy to find an eyeglass case to store it in. 3. A short USB cord is included and easily plugs into my laptop (can also be used for cameras and other devices). 4. The installed software (Sound Organizer) is a nice, easy to use, option to help keep things organized. It comes installed on the recorder and easily installs on your computer. Once you do that, you just plug in the recorder and your files transfer to Sound Organizer automatically (with or without deleting them on the recorder). You can set up your folders any way you want, including adding new folders, renaming them, etc. 5. If you have an HTML cable running from your computer to your TV, you can use your TV's speakers either via a plugged in recorder or using Sound Organizer. For us, the playback volume is adequate on the recorder for previewing recordings but listening to them as loud as we want to on the TV is a big plus. By the way, an HTML cable is an affordable way to watch movies, etc. for free on your TV via your computer. I don't see what's not to like about this product, I highly recommend it. To be nitpicky, the volume could be louder and the LED display could be brighter but both are ok (we are seniors with hearing and eyesight issues).

Useful and ideal for recording hour-long interviews.

Realicé las entrevistas de la tesis doctoral con este producto. Graba super bien, tiene muy buen alcance. Es super facil pasar los archivos a la compu, y más facil transcribir utilizando las funciones de acelerar o desacelerar el audio. Tiene muchas otras funciones que yo no utilicé, pero estoy muy contenta con la compra.

nice product.. with good quality of recording and easy to use.

I finally had a chance to use this recorder in a real time setting. As Recording Secretary I have to prepare the minutes of meetings and use a recording to help in that task. Our meeting was in a room about about 30 feet by 50 feet, maybe 20 foot high ceiling. 15 participants in the meeting. I'm just compiling those minutes now and all I can say is WOW! The audio recording of those meetings from this little recorder are AMAZING! To say this recorder exceeds expectations is an understatement. I also work in the media and can attest to the value of having solid, reliable equipment in the field. Voices are clear in the recordings and ambient noise is not an issue at all. I purchased a 32GB micro SD card which provides more than ample recording space. The first session I recorded was an hour and a half long and the mp3 file is only 125MB. Recording is one-touch simple. Press the record button and be assured you're recording by either the red indicator light or the scrolling display. File transfer from the recorder to another device such as laptop or desktop is just as easy and at a fast transfer rate. I backed up each session immediately afterwards and was impressed by how little time it took.