Product ReviewsSony ICD-PX820 (2048 MB, 535.5 Hours) Handheld Digital Voice Recorder

Great little machine

I am usually overly critical about items like this ie. not designed right, functions keys not placed right, too complicated considering what it's purpose is, etc. BUT... THIS Little machine is truly a gem. I absolutely couldn't be happier with it. I looked at other models that cost four times the price of this one and, although drooling over the thought of having one, I couldn't justify the price for what I intended to use it for. I think I can honestly say that if you offered me one of those models now in exchange for my Sony ICD-PX820 I would have to decline. You couldn't want it to do more than it does - it's fantastic - so easy to use - all sorts of files and storage - small and light weight - And batteries last forever like I read in other reviews.

CON: If I had to pick a downside to the Sony ICD-PX820 it would be that the 'long play' mode is pretty much unusable, at least on my machine (there are four sound quality settings to chose from and each effects how much storage you have). The other three settings are great, however, and allow many hours of recording space - 80+ hours is more than I'll ever use.Read full review...

Sony ICD-PX720 & ICD-PX820 are good Digital Recorders

Sony 1GB ICD-PX720 & 2GB ICD-PX820 are Great Digital Voice Recorders, except:
1) "Play" button is too close to surface/ spring not strong enough- recorder turns itself on in my pants pocket (same on ICD-PX720 and ICD-PX820). . I glued on epoxy to form a raised edge around playback button so button would not be highest point; still turns itself on occasionally.)
2) "LP" 80 Hz-3,500 Hz and 230/535 hours recording is a joke - unusable for understanding playback (STUPID Sony marketing claim- would be MUCH BETTER with LP: 80 Hz - 7000 Hz and 150/300 hours ). Standard Play 45/89 hours is quite Good, HG 17/33 hours is Very Good, and SHQ 12/19 hours is Excellent- and they all record many more hours than the batteries will last - about 10-15+ hours recording with 800 mAh batteries/ playback slightly less hours. Earphone playback not tried but should be very good with longer battery life per battery.
3) Works well with Ni-Mh batteries which some recorders do not- my batteries recharged 500+ times- Ni-Mh batteries saves money. Does not force you to reset date time when you change batteries like ICD-PX320 does unless plugged into USB while batteries changed.
4) SHQ MP3 files take up about 1 MB of storage per minute of play and the alternates with less space lose a lot of quality.
5) Speaker is clear, but too small to play loud enough in noisy area. Earphone not tried but should be good.
6)(Not impressed with Dragon Natural Speaking voice-to-text that is an option.)
7) Knowing all the shortfalls, I just bought another one (get out the epoxy).Read full review...

Small, easy to use and long battery life

Package arrived with all the contents as described. Was pleasantly surprised to find the product looked like it was brand new. Have only used it twice, but it works perfect. Great buy for the price.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: treats4cookie

A truly excellent recorder

This is an outstanding digital recorder. It is easy to use and easily fits in your shirt pocket. One of the nice features is the ability to divide files by simply pressing a button below the screen. This makes it easy since you don't have to go into any menus. I record a lot of music from the radio with a patch cord hooked to a radio, gadget or computer. You can easily take out the commercials, news, etc. This model doesn't have a micro SD slot, like it's successors, the ICD-PX312 and 333. But that's okay because when you fill up the 2 gb of internal storage, it is very simple to move the files over to a computer with the mini USB connection. I have several of these units that I have used for years. They really hold up well and are all still going strong, even after dropping them on the floor several times. You can also use it as an MP3 player, which can easily hold hundreds of songs. Typical superb Sony quality and design.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: frankinvegas

One of the best

My favourite recorders and this one is in perfect condition. So simple to use without having to switch it on first with a good mic pickup and easy delete of messages because it plays the whole message back not just a snippet. Highly recommend it. If there is a fault it is one that I like = it does not look flash so does not impress others! hndRead full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: nothin2itbut2doit

Cheap and effective voice/music recorder. Input jack & USB Port bug pluses

This recorder works well when set up properly for the job at hand. I have used it onstage in place of expensive mics. Have one on each side of stage. Then mix the two together for more uniform audio. This prevents people fading away as they walk to the other side of the stage. The mic is actually very sensitive and could be used in the center for adequate audio. Music sounds ok. Using a sound board into the input jack works well and even is pretty forgiving when badly overdriven. Batteries are AAA and last weeks unless using for playback with volumne turned all the way up. Then they are good for about 24 hours.Read full review...

Sony ICD-PX820

I bought Sony ICD-PX820 one month ago and was immediately impressed with the number of features available on this inexpensive digit recorder. It has a sensitive mic, and very simple menu.it is easy to use it. It's size is perfect for carrying in a pocket. Overall, I'd recommend this digit voice recorder if you're on a budget.
i like it,it is very good.Read full review...

Great digital recorder, great price!

Excellent package, fast shipping, and a great recorder. I had two of them already for work that I do, and this was added as a back-up in case of emergency or failure. This recorder is easy to use, great in terms of battery use (they go forever on a set of AAAs), and records well. Even when attaching a microphone to the recorder, the battery life is long. The features are more than most will ever use. I do like the new ICD-PX312 as a replacement for these in the line, but the 820s have a simplicity and quality.Read full review...

Great little device and worth the money

I purchased this recorded to use at meetings to take minutes of the meeting. It is a nice size for carrying and has several useful features and is easy to operate. I particularly liked to voice activated feature. It is sensitive to noise but I think you could put it on a towel and help this. I cannot compare it with other products since this is the first one I have ever purchased.Read full review...

A great little digital voice recorder!

This is a great little digital voice recorder. It has great features and is easy to use. I will say that the speaker volume is not very loud but with headphones or earbuds the volume is good.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: gazrok