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Re: ultra portable recorder

Subject: Re: ultra portable recorder
From: "oryoki2000" oryoki2000
Date: Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:55 am ((PDT))
Marinos Koutsomichalis wrote:
> what about the olympus ls5 ??
>

The LS-5 is a model Olympus sells in the UK and other parts of the EU.  It'=
s a less expensive version of the LS-11 recorder.  The LS-5 has 2 GB of int=
ernal flash memory instead of 8 GB in the LS-11.  The LS-5 ships without a =
carrying case or remote control.

According to John Willett, proprietor of Circle Sound Services in Oxfordshi=
re, UK, and current chairman of the British Sound Recording Association, th=
e LS-5 has the same electronics and mics (hence the same performance) as th=
e LS-11.  It's just packaged so the recorder can meet a lower price point.

The LS-5 is not sold on this side of the pond.  The LS-5 costs about $235 U=
SD delivered to USA from a European source.  The LS-11 also costs $235 from=
 a USA dealer, so there's little incentive to buy the LS-5 in USA.

As a lower cost model in USA, Olympus offers the LS-7.  It's completely dif=
ferent from the LS-11.  The LS-7 uses AAA cells (vs AA in the LS-5), micro =
SD cards (vs standard SD), three built-in mics (vs 2), 90 g (vs 165 g).  Th=
e LS-7 is smaller in each dimension than the LS-11, and lacks the LS-11's p=
rotruding mics.  So it's a better fit in a shirt pocket.

The LS-7 has an input for an external mic, but no line-in port.  It has no =
external dial for gain adjustment, requiring a trip to the menus to manuall=
y set the gain.

The LS-7 was recently introduced in USA.  Street price is about $200USD.  T=
hat's not much cheaper than the LS-11 and Sony PCM-M10.  However, the LS-7 =
is considerably smaller and lighter than either, and has the three mic arra=
y to improve low frequency response (according to Olympus).

Reviews of the LS-7 I've seen so far have been little more than re-writes o=
f the Olympus promotional literature.  We'll have to wait for experienced f=
ield recordists to give the LS-7 a try before drawing any conclusions about=
 the LS-7's performance.  I'd also like to see the price descend to around =
$150USD.

--oryoki







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