Donald Bell,
Senior Editor
August 22, 2007
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.
| Product name | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Check Prices | Check Prices | $132.33 to $139.95 | Check Prices | $99.95 | $59.96 to $131.79 |
| CNET editors' rating | ||||||
| Average user rating | ||||||
| Review date | June 28, 2006 | June 05, 2006 | July 19, 2007 | January 03, 2007 | October 30, 2006 | March 10, 2006 |
| The Bottom Line | 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. |
| Similar Products | Compare more products | Compare more products | Compare more products | Compare more products | Compare more products | Compare more products |
| Features | ||||||
| Battery technology |
Lithium ion |
Alkaline |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium ion |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium ion |
| Display type | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
LCD 1.8 in - Color |
Info unavailable |
| Digital player (recorder) |
WMA WAV ADPCM Protected WMA (DRM 9) Audible MP3 |
WMA Protected WMA (DRM) MP3 |
WMA FLAC ASF WAV Ogg Vorbis MPEG 1 Audio MPEG 2.5 Audio MPEG 2 Audio MP3 |
WMA FLAC WAV Protected WMA (DRM) Ogg Vorbis MP3 |
Info unavailable |
WMA MP3 |
| Digital Player total harmonic distortion |
0.05 % |
0.1 % |
Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
| Software type |
Creative ZENcast Organizer Creative Media Explorer Creative MediaSource |
Drivers & Utilities Creative MediaSource |
Cowon jetShell Cowon jetAudio Drivers & Utilities |
MAGIX MP3 Maker SE |
Info unavailable |
SanDisk Sansa Media Converter |
| Device type | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
Portable media center |
Info unavailable |
| 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 |
| Color |
Green |
Dark blue |
Red |
Black |
||
