Warning: Olympus LS-14 not for birders. (1 Viewer)

[madpitta]

I've been a very satisfied user of the Olympus LS-11 since mid-2009 (when it was released). Basically I wanted a recorder that was small, portable and high performance without external microphones for recording outdoor bird sounds. Suffice to say that the LS-11 wildly exceeded my expectations. Its directional mics worked wonderfully - high recording level, low noise, quick to record and play back. When out with other recordists it often outperformed more elaborate setups with external mics. Battery life was stellar. Then it died recently after a battery leak.

Obviously I knew exactly what to do next - get the latest and greatest of the same product line. So I was pretty smug when the LS-14 arrived. I proceeded to stress-test the device by recording bird sounds in the field.

I'll keep this short:

- Very low recording volume even at level 70 (the maximum possible). I have several loud portable speakers but invariably the recordings sound unacceptably feeble on all of them.
- Picks up noise from every direction.
- Mics are hardly directional so the recordings sound quite ambient (not what birders want).
- Mic gain setting useless. This would have been very helpful if it indeed amplified sounds coming from the direction the mic is pointing to.
- Turning on central mic seems to make bird sound recording worse as it diminishes any directional properties of the instrument.
- Startup time very long (double than LS-11).
- Overall tardy response to button inputs (which could be an unfortunate side-effect of its user-interface design).

So, if anyone knows of a recorder that is small, portable and high performance without external microphones, please let me know. I'm desperately looking for one. Meanwhile, if there are any studio musicians here, perhaps you can make an offer on my LS-14 .

 

[Swissboy]

...........So, if anyone knows of a recorder that is small, portable and high performance without external microphones, please let me know. I'm desperately looking for one..........

Have you tried to get an LS-11 again? I got mine only about a year ago. There might still be some on the market. When I was searching for some such device, I had realized that the models past #11 had a different emphasis, like a built-in metronome. For that reason, it may well be that the LS-11 is still being produced.

Also, I had found a Sony product http://kenrockwell.com/audio/sony/pcm-m10.htm that I had taken into consideration. But then decided for the Olympus and later got feedback that it was "the best" in the personal opinion of that particular sound afficionado.

Edit: I just checked, the LS-11 is still on the regular market here in Switzerland.

 

[iveljay]

LS-11 still around in the UK too, must be more demand for it in Europe?

I run both LS-11 and the PCM-10, amongst others (most of which are not really built for birders), and for directionality using the built in mics the LS-11 is 'better' for bird recording, the pcm-10 built in mics are more omnidirectional and more of a pain to fit a windbreak over. That said, for external mic use or situations where I am capturing ambient sounds I much prefer the PCM-10, both are very good and it boils down to personal preference and horses for courses.

 

[madpitta]

Thanks. I tried to get the 11 but it was neither available in US nor in India (easier for me to source it in these countries). As you said it does seem to be available in some European countries and UK so I'll see what I can do.

 

[Swissboy]

Same loss!

Meanwhile, I lost my LS-11 as well, also due to leaking batteries. :C

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=308727

And worse, now that I'd need a replacement, the sources have all dried up.

 

[iveljay]

Olympus UK have stopped listing it which is usually pretty final as they list most stuff long after it gets into short supply. The few apparently left in retail captivity are being advertised at about £50 more than an LS-100! I shall check my batteries...

 

[Swissboy]

Olympus UK have stopped listing it which is usually pretty final as they list most stuff long after it gets into short supply. The few apparently left in retail captivity are being advertised at about £50 more than an LS-100! I shall check my batteries...

Not sure what an LS-100 costs. But for me, the price is often less critical than the features. I just found a virtually new LS-11 on the used market. Cost me 250 Swiss Francs including postage within Switzerland. That's about £168. I presume they'd still be cheaper in UK? If I remember correctly, my original LS-11 cost me around 190 Swiss Francs in 2013 or '14.

Edit: I have since checked. One souce here lists the LS-100 at 350 Swiss Francs (about £235). And it looks like that model will be discontinued as well (or else, the store stops selling it).

 

[Swissboy]

The Sony PCM-10, by the way, is sold here for CHF (Swiss Francs) 270.

But in my case, I was trying to get an LS-11 again as it had taken me so long to get the US recordings into a form that can be played from a SD card. http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=297633

I simply did not feel like starting all over again.

 

[madpitta]

I got a new one last June from Amazon UK at a reasonable price and its works perfectly. And it just got more precious now that it looks like all sources have dried up ||. Found one Japanese source at > $500 :eek!: