Olympus WS-883 Digital Voice Recorder, Linear PCM/MP3 Recording Formats, USB-A Battery Charging, True Stereo Microphones, Low-Cut Filter and 8GB Built-in Memory (Black)

A very good portable DigitalRecorder for voice or Music

Very light weight, easy to use. The only thing I am concerned about is the USB connection. I use it on a desktop and it just hangs there from the USB. Hopefully it doesn't break off.

I bought and used the Olympus WS-803 for 11 years. It finally just died, wouldn't charge the battery anymore and when I put in fresh batteries it wouldn't stay on. I loved that recorder. So I did some research and found that some people considered the Olympus WS-883 the upgrade I needed. I ordered it from Amazon. It came fast. No issues there. But...after using it I find it to NOT be the upgrade to the WS-803 I wanted for two reasons. Let me Review!First, the Pros of the Olympus WS-883: Its ease of use and set up is just as good as the WS-803. I didn't even need the Instructions. All the buttons and functions were familiar, although some were in different positions or locations. The sound quality is awesome. When I present I always use the Lecture feature and the sound comes out crystal clear. I love that you can record to MP3. It makes it easy to edit, when I have to, using the software editors I already have. Its size is a little bigger, both height and depth, than the WS-803. But it seems to weigh almost nothing. The slider for the hidden USB is at the top, while the USB on the WS-803 was at the bottom. That took a little getting used to but wasn't a big deal for me. It actually is tighter and locks in place better than the WS-803. That was one of my cons for the WS-803. So a USB that locks in place and can get into hard to move-in drives is a plus!Second, the Cons of the Olympus WS-883: When you turn the device to the On position, it doesn't stay On until you turn it off. It must have a battery saver that I haven't been able to disable. I am a preacher and for 11 years was used to setting up my podium ahead of the services, including turning on the Voice Recorder, and then finding it still ready to hit the Record button around 20 minutes later when I took the podium for the lesson. The first time I tried that with the WS-883, when I came up to the podium it was OFF, and it took a few seconds to have to slide the switch to the Off position then back to On before I could hit Record. I rolled with it and now I keep it with me and turn it on as I walk up to the podium. A minor thing but it threw me off my groove! The second con for me is it doesn't light up when you hit the buttons. It lights up when you first turn it on. But I liked being able to see how long the recording was at a quick glance when I would hit the Stop button on the WS-803, since it lit up. Now I hit Stop and it remains dark so I either have to carry it off with me, which I am not used to doing but have done a few times, or wait until after the services. Again, not major cons, just annoyances to me and my habits. But I am forming new habits and hopefully this will serve me for another 11+ years!If those cons don't bother you, I recommend getting it. Because it wasn't a complete upgrade I gave it 4 stars!

So far so good. Holds the battery and has a lot of memory. I didn’t have to even buy an external memory card. I like that it is rechargeable.Also the voice recording quality is phenomenal and built in speaker is decent if you need to quickly play it back.I wish I could name the voice files though.

Amazing recorder, got my first EVP with this recorder during a tour.

This product, though clever and effective when functioning, ceases functioning after several months of steady use. Not a lot of fallback room with this product, but it’s a pleasure to use when it’s working.

This little device is killer! Exceptionally AMAZING! Its recordings - SUPERB! 😃 Has noise reduction. Hasn’t a warranty - so you might want to add one through Amazon if you feel the need to. I’ve owned 2 in the past - before this one - & mine lasted for quite awhile! Records my original music sessions beautifully. Writing songs - a great tool there too - just a totally great & easy to use addition!It’s manufacturer - Olympus - has a microphone that might be sold on Amazon too if you need one. Olympus has various websites dealing with camera equipment, medical, etc. - pretty diversified.I love this little recorder!It’s dimensions:4 6/16ths L x 1 1/2” W x 3/4 “ D (thickness)Enjoy! 😊👍In Jesus Name …

The usb attachment for charging and PC plug in stops working after awhile. Mine no longer connects to any PC or laptop. The pins are in fine order and it appears to be something circuit related. This is a known flaw after doing some digging that was never addressed with this model.