Keep a record of what's going on or tune into it with Sony's WM-GX400 recording radio-cassette Walkman. Use it for lectures, seminars or classes or just listen to great stereo... more
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A review by friedchris on Sony Cassette recorder April 17th, 2004
Author's product rating:
Sound Quality
Good
Ease of Use
Very Easy
Look & Design
Good
Range of Features
Average
Value for Money
Excellent
Advantages:
Excellent Recording Quality
Disadvantages:
Low Batter Life
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Not everyone needs a walkman nowadays. It’s true that cassettes are completely out of date. CD’s, mini discs, and MP3 players have taken over as the most modern media type. Hence one may ask why you would want to buy this supposedly out of date hardware. Well the answer is simple, it offers enhanced detail recording for brilliant recording quality. There are not many mini-disc or MP3 players that offer the same amount of recording quality. I as a student find this very helpful indeed. I can record my college lectures to listen and make notes later on. Good quality playback is essential for this.
The walkman has many functions. It features an auto-reverse tape system which means that you don’t have to waste time fondling with the system trying to turn your tape over. You can listen constantly to the same tape. For old tapes this is essential, I used to hate changing them over for the second part of the album. Now I don’t have to. Also there are two recording settings including half speed recording which doubles the amount of sound recorded on to one tape. This means that my long lectures can be recorded. Also I have been recording two or three albums on to one tape using the audio in socket that is available. Very handy indeed. Automatic Volume Limiter System (AVLS) protects your hearing by reducing peaks in volume. This means no more nasty shocks when your volume has been turned up to full without you knowing!
There is a built in radio with 25 pre-set stations. This comes in very handy if you listen to a lot of radio like myself. I have numerous stations I enjoy listening to and tuning them in each time is annoying at best. This is cut out with the pre-set stations. Also it features a built-in clock which comes in handy and reduces the need for a watch.
It comes with headphones which are handy if you want to listen discretely to your music or your recording. However it contains built in speakers. These are handy for working in a quiet room. However the output volume is low so it is useless in a loud room.
It runs on 2 AA batteries and has a battery life of 25 hours which is OK but a little more would be desirable. Current portable CD players like my own offer 50 hour playback time. The AA batteries fit into a small compartment allowing the compact lightweight design to be kept. At 240g this is one of the lightest on the market. It also has a modern design making it a treat to use and show off!
An amazing tool if wanting to record important information or listen to old tapes. With 1 year warranty you can be guaranteed full service if anything goes wrong with it and so it is a good buy. If wanting to listen to high quality sound and have no need to play old tapes or a recording function I would recommend an MP3 or MD player instead. However this is perfect for my needs. A brilliant recording tool at the cheap price of £64 from empiredirect.co.uk.
Advantages: Takes regular sized audio cassettes, double-time recording, inexpensive model Disadvantages: Needs to be used close to sound-source, a bit bulky for some tastes
...I always wanted a dictaphone as a child. Largely, I admit, for slightly dubious reasons (i.e. I wanted to plant it in my big sister's bedroom and find out if she was talking about me.) Many years on, as a student, I finally received one as a birthday gift so that I could record important lectures. This certainly did come in handy during those classes that, however hard I tried to stay alert, had me head down and drooling on the desk within minutes.
The Sony TCM-200DV Cassette-Corder (or 'dictaphone' to you and me) is a fairly basic model compared to some products on the market - but it does what it says on the tin and it does it to a perfectly acceptable standard.
The machine is silver (with a charcoal grey back panel and battery compartment) and weighs in at 171g - it's roughly the same size as a cassette-playing personal stereo...
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Advantages: Variable recording time, mains compatible Disadvantages: No tape counter
...and briefcase.
The unit takes two AA type batteries. The big plus for me, however, is that it can be mains powered.
A word of caution though, the jack to fit this isn't the standard one, but one of Sony's own. It's a lot smaller than you would expect but you can buy adapters with multiple fittings, which is what I did.
Overall, a good product. If it's just personal dictation you need, I'd look elsewhere for a micro-cassette machine. Those wishing to combine recording with some audio book listening (in a quiet room!) may need look no further....
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Advantages: Very versatile, most functions on one screen, customisable buttons, glow in the dark! Disadvantages: Sometimes loses the plot!
...Sony have been around producing high-quality electronics for a long time, but they usually seem to go for the one-brand approach - make sure all your kit's Sony and everything will be wonderful. So I was a little surprised to see that they had released a universal learning remote control. I was even more surprised to see that it was able to hold enough devices, and enough buttons per device, to keep me happy - I like to have every single button from the original remote available to me.
The picture doesn't really give you an idea of how big this remote control is. It's about as long as a large TV remote control, roughly three times as wide, and tapers from an inch thick at the front to about half an inch at the back end. It takes four AA batteries - more than most remotes. I've had comments that it looks more like an oversized...
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Sony RM AV3000T Infrared Universal remote control for Radio, MD recorder, Amplifier, DAT deck, TV, VCR, Satellite TV system, Cassette deck, Cable box, Digital player, DVD player, CD player
Audio system
Sound Output Mode: Stereo
Automatic Volume Limiter System (AVLS): Yes
Built-in clock: Yes
Record Level Control: Automatic
Jog Dial: Built-in
Speaker system
Speaker(s): 2 x right/left channel speaker - built-in
Radio
Type: Radio tuner - digital radio tuner - AM/FM
Tuning Display: LCD display
Preset Station Qty: 25 preset stations
AM Preset Station Qty: 10 preset stations
FM Preset Station Qty: 15 preset stations
Additional Features: FM stereo/mono switch
Cassette system
Type: Cassette recorder
Control Type: Mechanical
Cassette Capacity: 1
Cassette BIAS Selector: Manual
Auto Reverse: Yes
Auto Shut-Off: Full
Anti-Rolling Mechanism: Yes
Response Bandwidth: 40 - 15000 Hz
Features: 2-speed record/playback
Manufacturer's product description
Keep a record of what's going on or tune into it with Sony's WM-GX400 recording radio-cassette Walkman. Use it for lectures, seminars or classes or just listen to great stereo sound with the supplied headphones or in-built speakers. Automatic Volume Limiter System (AVLS) protects your hearing by reducing peaks in volume that could be damaging and reduces distortion. It features the auto reverse for continuous cassette listening without flipping your tape over. Half speed recording doubles your recording time (180 minutes on a 90 minute tape). The Sony WM-GX400 is a great companion for students or commuters.
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
02.07.2004
07.02.2004
