Tech Review: LS-P2 Digital Recorder Olympus

Bands at SXSW barely have time to blow their nose before getting on stage, let alone soundcheck instruments. Combine that with the noise spilling into each venue from the band next door, and it’s difficult to achieve an unpolluted sound.
With this in mind, we recorded Ciaran Lavery’s set in Austin using the latest handheld recorder from Olympus. The device is tiny, but the results were sharper than a serpent’s tooth on account of its three-way microphone system. Two stereo mics, pointing at a 90° angle, capture a natural stereo experience; a central mic picks up low-range sounds.
This results in pristine clarity, even while recording in a sea of cacophony.
The device has a built-in USB connector, although we had one of these on a previous model which broke, rendering the recorder unusable. LS-P2 costs €199, so it’s worth protecting.
There’s 8GB of built-in memory. You also have editing functions, and the ability to record high-res files. LS-P2’s audio is perfect for podcast and, we reckon, radio.
This lord of Olympus is the best hand held digital recorder on the market in 2016