Sony M679 Microcassette Recorder

Rating:
Summary: Sony Pressman
Review: Excellent Product. Easy to Operate. Clear recording. Recommend hightly.

Rating:
Summary: Not a Good Choice
Review: The sound quality of the microcassette format is increasing. Sony almost always makes just about the best electronic device in most any category. Unfortunately, neither of these facts applies to this model (nor to any Sony microcassette recorder). Although sturdily built, possessing nice features and easy to use controls and being reasonably lightweight, the M679 just doesn't sound very good at all. The playback is distorted so much that, even at low volume levels, it sounds like the volume is turned all the way up, and I'm not referring to the loudness, but the clarity of playback. Unless whatever speech you're recording (these devices are not intended for music) is spoken directly into the mic from a distance of a few feet or less, you will have some difficulty making out words, especially if the speaker doesn't use good diction.

I cannot recommend this unit, nor any Sony microcassette recorder for that matter (I've had several from Sony), because, of all the great products they make, they somehow misstepped in this category. If you want a good microcassette recorder, I'd recommend something from Olympus, or if excellent sound quality is really important, go with a Sony digital recorder, an area in which they more than made up for the shortcomings of their microcassette line.