2 kinds of solution in this note:

• All-in-one recorders: a dictaphone with built-in microphones. It records the room or the table.
• Recorder + lavalier: a matchbox-sized recorder with a clip-on lavalier mic. It records the person who wears it.

Sizes are width × height × thickness, with the device held upright, face to me. For a pocket, the width and the thickness matter most.

Bought

Sony TX660

15 Apr 2025

160 EUR

An all-in-one stick recorder, thinner than a pencil at 7.4 mm, with stereo mics and an OLED screen. It slides into a shirt pocket or a notebook and nobody notices it.

Spec	Detail
Size	20 × 102 × 7.4 mm
Weight	29 g
Mics	Stereo, digital
Formats	LPCM 44.1 kHz/16-bit, MP3 48 to 192 kbps
Memory	16 GB built-in, no card slot
Power	Built-in Li-ion: 12 h in LPCM, 17 h in MP3
Display	OLED
USB	USB-C

20 Jun 2025 Great but lost it, and not available anymore.

Philips Audio Recorder Pen (DVT1600)

24 Jun 2025

61 EUR

A working ballpoint pen with a recorder inside. 1 button starts and stops the recording, and an LED shows the state. No screen, mono only, and 8 hours of battery: it is for notes and short meetings, not for a full day.

Spec	Detail
Size	15 × 145 × 11 mm
Weight	24 g
Mics	1, mono, 360°
Formats	WAV, 16 kHz
Memory	32 GB built-in, no card slot, about 129 h
Power	Built-in 190 mAh: 8 h of recording, 2 h to charge
Display	None, 1 LED
USB	USB-C, under a magnetic cover
Extras	6 spare ink cartridges, Sembly transcription trial

Philips DVT2050

25 Jun 2025

62 EUR

A classic dictaphone: stereo mics, MP3 or WAV, a dot-matrix screen and a microSD slot. Good value, until the built-in battery became the single point of failure.

Spec	Detail
Size	37 × 108 × 14 mm
Weight	55 g
Mics	Stereo
Formats	MP3, WAV up to 48 kHz
Memory	8 GB built-in + microSD up to 32 GB
Power	Built-in 1,300 mAh: 50 h in MP3
Display	Dot matrix, 33 mm
USB	USB 2.0

01 Oct 2026 Dead. It doesn't power on, although it shows as charged when I plug it in. Before giving up on a recorder like this, 2 free checks: charge it for several hours from a wall charger rather than a computer port, then hold the power button for 10 seconds or more. At 62 EUR new, a repair isn't worth it. The replacement candidates are under Philips VoiceTracer: replacing the DVT2050.

Radar

All-in-one recorders

Size at a glance

Recorder	Width	Height	Thickness	Weight	Power
Philips DVT1170	39.5 mm	114 mm	19 mm	44 g	2 × AAA
Philips DVT2075	39.5 mm	115 mm	15 mm	51 g	Built-in
Philips DVT6115	47 mm	129 mm	19 mm	93 g	Built-in
OM System WS-882	39 mm	111.5 mm	18 mm	77 g	2 × AAA
Olympus VP-20	17 mm	130 mm	17 mm	37.5 g	1 × AAA
EVISTR L357	30.5 mm	98 mm	12 mm	-	Built-in
Riptunes MVR3200	-	-	-	-	Built-in

Riptunes doesn't publish the size of the MVR3200, and EVISTR doesn't publish the weight of the L357.

Philips VoiceTracer: replacing the DVT2050

01 Oct 2026

3 candidates in the current Philips VoiceTracer range: the entry-level DVT1170, the DVT2075, which is the closest thing to a DVT2050 successor, and the DVT6115, the top model with 3 microphones.

From left to right: DVT1170, DVT2075, DVT6115. My DVT2050 isn't shown.

Specs

	DVT2050 (mine)	DVT1170	DVT2075	DVT6115
Price	€62 in 2025	about €45	about €90	about €125 to €150
UK list price	-	£40	£80	£150
Microphones	Stereo	1 (360°, mono)	2 (stereo)	3: 2 stereo + 1 directional "zoom"
Formats	MP3, WAV	WAV only	MP3, WAV	MP3, WAV
Best quality	WAV 48 kHz	WAV 1,536 kbps	WAV 48 kHz/16 bit	WAV 96 kHz/24 bit
Display	Dot matrix 33 mm	Segment LCD 34 mm	Colour 36 mm, 128 × 128	Colour 2 in, 240 × 320
Power	Built-in 1,300 mAh	2 × AAA	Built-in 700 mAh	Built-in 1,000 mAh
Battery life	50 h (MP3)	70 h	35 h (MP3 64 kbps)	36 h (MP3 8 kbps)
Memory	8 GB + microSD 32 GB	8 GB + microSD 128 GB	8 GB + microSD 128 GB	8 GB + microSD 32 GB
USB	USB 2.0	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Size	37 × 108 × 14 mm	39.5 × 114 × 19 mm	39.5 × 115 × 15 mm	47 × 129 × 19 mm
Weight	55 g	44 g	51 g	93 g

Prices are what German and French shops showed in early October 2026. The UK list prices come from Philips.

Recording features

Feature	DVT1170	DVT2075	DVT6115
Voice-activated recording	Yes	Yes	Yes, 25 sensitivity levels
One-touch recording	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audio scenes	Memo, Meeting, Music	Memo, Meeting, Music, Personal	Note, Speech recognition, Interview, Lecture, Meeting, Music, Video, Custom
Pre-recording buffer	No	No	5, 10 or 15 seconds
Auto-split long files	No	30 or 60 min	15, 30 or 60 min
Bookmarks per file	10	10	32
Wind filter, limiter, noise cut	No	No	Yes
Recording timer	No	Yes	Yes
Smartphone app (remote, sharing)	No	No	Yes, over Wi-Fi
Tripod thread	No	No	Yes
Sembly AI transcription trial	No	Yes	Yes
External mic and headphone jacks	Yes	Yes	Yes

What each one is for

• DVT1170: the simple one. Mono, WAV only, segment display, no colour screen. Its strength is the 2 AAA batteries: 70 hours, and when they run out you swap them. No built-in battery to die, which is exactly how my DVT2050 failed.
• DVT2075: the like-for-like replacement. Stereo like the DVT2050, MP3 for long sessions and WAV for quality, a colour screen and USB-C. The smaller battery is the 1 step back: 35 hours against 50.
• DVT6115: the serious recorder. 3 microphones, including a directional one for a speaker at a distance, 24-bit/96 kHz, a pre-record buffer that catches the first seconds, wind filter and limiter, and an app to start and stop it from the back of a room. Nearly twice the weight, and the microSD slot stops at 32 GB.

Recommendation

The DVT2075. It does what the DVT2050 did, in the same size, with USB-C, and its MP3 or WAV files work with any transcription tool. The DVT6115 only earns its price for music, lectures or interviews from across a room. The DVT1170 is the choice for a recorder that can't die from a dead built-in battery.

OM System WS-882

70 EUR

A lecture and meeting recorder from the old Olympus line, now sold as OM System. 2 directional mics set at 90° give a real stereo image of a room, and the strong signal-to-noise ratio keeps quiet speakers clear. It runs on 2 AAA cells for about 100 hours, has a built-in USB plug and a fold-out stand for the table. Bulky and heavy next to the others.

Spec	Detail
Size	39 × 111.5 × 18 mm
Weight	77 g
Mics	Stereo, 2 low-noise directional mics at 90°
Formats	MP3, PCM 44.1 kHz/16-bit
Memory	4 GB built-in + microSD up to 32 GB
Power	2 × AAA: up to 110 h of recording in LP mode
Display	Monochrome dot matrix, 1.61 in
USB	Built-in USB-A plug
Extras	300 Hz low cut, voice balancer, built-in stand, no Bluetooth

Olympus VP-20

84 EUR

A pen-shaped stereo recorder with a pocket clip, the narrowest all-in-one here at 17 mm. The REC slider starts a recording even when the power is off. It runs on 1 AAA cell, which it charges over its built-in USB plug if the cell is a Ni-MH rechargeable. PCM tops out at 22.05 kHz: fine for speech, not for music.

Spec	Detail
Size	17 × 130 × 17 mm
Weight	37.5 g
Mics	Stereo, 2 omnidirectional
Formats	MP3 up to 128 kbps, PCM 22.05 kHz/16-bit
Memory	8 GB built-in, no card slot
Power	1 × AAA: 50 h in MP3 8 kbps
Display	Dot matrix, 0.92 in, white backlight
USB	Built-in USB-A plug, charges a Ni-MH cell
Extras	Low cut, noise cancel, anti-rustle filter, voice activation

EVISTR L357

55 EUR

A budget Amazon recorder with a metal body, 64 GB of memory and voice activation. It records stereo WAV at 1,536 kbps or MP3 and charges over USB-C. The specs come from the seller, not from an independent source.

Spec	Detail
Size	30.5 × 98 × 12 mm
Weight	Not published
Mics	Stereo
Formats	WAV up to 1,536 kbps, MP3
Memory	64 GB built-in
Power	Built-in 500 mAh: about 32 h of recording
USB	USB-C, 3 h to charge

Riptunes MVR3200

A slim recorder and MP3 player in a zinc alloy case, with 32 GB, voice-activated and scheduled recording. Riptunes publishes few specs, and the product shows as out of stock on its own site.

Spec	Detail
Size	Not published, "ultra slim"
Mics	1 condenser mic
Formats	WAV, MP3
Memory	32 GB built-in
Power	Built-in 180 mAh
Display	Yes, size not published
Price	$89.95 list, out of stock

Recorder + lavalier

09 Oct 2026

A recorder and a lavalier mic in 1 kit. The recorder is a small box that goes in a pocket or clips to a belt, and the mic clips to the collar, 15 to 20 cm from the mouth. The result is my voice, close and clean, with little of the room. An all-in-one recorder on the table does the opposite: it hears everyone, and everyone sounds far away.

The setup has 2 parts: the recorder, which ships with a basic lav mic, and a better lav mic to upgrade it.

Recorders

All 3 below record 32-bit float. The recorder captures the full dynamic range, so there is no input gain to set and a shout doesn't clip. All 3 also run on standard batteries, not a built-in cell, which is how my DVT2050 died.

At a glance

	Zoom F2 / F2-BT	Tascam DR-10L Pro	Deity PR-2
Price	€97 / €139	€164	$239 list
Width	57.5 mm	53 mm	58 mm
Height	46.4 mm	51 mm	55 mm
Thickness	22.4 mm	21 mm	18 mm
Weight	32 g, without batteries	65 g with batteries, 43 g without	40 g, without batteries
Display	None, 2 status LEDs	OLED	Small backlit LCD
Formats	WAV 32-bit float, mono	WAV 16, 24 or 32-bit float, MP3, mono	WAV 32-bit float mono, 24-bit mono or stereo
Sample rate	44.1 or 48 kHz	44.1 or 48 kHz	up to 48 kHz
Power	2 × AAA or USB	2 × AAA or USB	2 × AA
Battery life	15 h (F2-BT: 14 h), alkaline	16.5 h alkaline, 24.5 h lithium	about 29 h
Storage	microSD up to 512 GB	microSD up to 512 GB	microSD up to 128 GB
Mic input	3.5 mm, screw lock	3.5 mm, screw lock	3.5 mm
Lav mic included	LMF-2, omni	TM-10L, 160 cm cable	W.Lav Pro
Bluetooth, app	F2-BT only: F2 Control app	Optional AK-BT1 adapter (€33)	Built in: Sidus Audio app
Timecode	F2-BT, with UltraSync BLUE	LTC jam sync, Atomos over AK-BT1	Yes, Deity TC-1
Limiter, low cut	80 Hz low cut, no limiter	Both	Both

Prices are what Thomann showed on 9th October 2026. The Deity price is the US list price.

Pocket fit

• Tascam DR-10L Pro: 53 × 51 × 21 mm. The narrowest of the 3, almost square.
• Zoom F2: 57.5 × 46.4 × 22.4 mm. 4.5 mm wider than the Tascam but 4.6 mm shorter. The mic jack and the line out stick out of the top edge, so add a few mm there.
• Deity PR-2: 58 × 55 × 18 mm. The biggest face but the thinnest body, around 2 AA batteries.

The Zoom and Tascam faces fit inside a credit card (85.6 × 54 mm). The Deity is 1 mm too tall. All 3 are about 2 cm thick: a matchbox, not a phone. Any shirt, jacket or trouser pocket takes them. A Philips DVT2075 is narrower at 39.5 mm, but 115 mm long: a pen shape, not a matchbox.

The weights don't compare like for like. Zoom and Deity quote the empty box. 2 AAA cells add about 23 g, which puts a loaded F2 at about 55 g, next to the Tascam's 65 g.

Zoom F2 and F2-BT

97 EUR

The smallest and cheapest. No screen: 2 LEDs show input and battery, and a REC button with a Hold switch locks it. Settings live in the F2 Editor app on a computer over USB-C, or in the F2 Control app on a phone for the F2-BT. The F2-BT adds Bluetooth 4.2 for remote start and stop and timecode sync, for €42 more and 1 hour less battery. Output is mono WAV only, no MP3, so long recordings make big files. Released January 2021.

Spec	Detail
Size	57.5 × 46.4 × 22.4 mm
Weight	32 g without batteries, about 55 g with 2 AAA
Mic	LMF-2 lavalier, omnidirectional, 3 windscreens and a clip
Formats	WAV 32-bit float, mono, 44.1 or 48 kHz
Power	2 × AAA (alkaline, lithium or Ni-MH) or USB: 15 h
Storage	microSD up to 512 GB
Jacks	3.5 mm mic in and line out, both screw lock, 2.5 V plug-in power

Tascam DR-10L Pro

164 EUR

The one with a screen. The OLED shows the recording state, the elapsed time and the battery, so I can check it is running without a phone. It records WAV up to 32-bit float or MP3 at 128 or 192 kbps, and MP3 matters for a 2-hour meeting that goes straight into a transcription tool. Dual A/D converters, a switchable limiter and low cut, and a belt clip in the box. Bluetooth needs the separate AK-BT1 adapter, which adds remote control of up to 5 units and timecode with Atomos gear. Released August 2023.

Spec	Detail
Size	53 × 51 × 21 mm, without the clip and the jack
Weight	65 g with batteries, 43 g without
Mic	TM-10L lavalier, 160 cm cable, clip and windscreen
Formats	WAV 16, 24 or 32-bit float, MP3 128 or 192 kbps, mono
Power	2 × AAA or USB: 16.5 h alkaline, 24.5 h lithium
Storage	microSD up to 512 GB
Jacks	3.5 mm mic in with screw lock, 3.5 mm headphones, USB-C
Audio	Max SPL 115 dB, dynamic range 105 dB or more

Deity PR-2

The most capable of the 3: stereo recording at 24-bit, built-in Bluetooth 5.0 for the Sidus Audio app, a timecode generator and the longest battery life. A small backlit LCD gives access to the settings without the app, and a triple tap locks the controls in a pocket. The most expensive, and the AA cells make it the heaviest once loaded. The NewsShooter review found the plastic belt clip loose and the microSD slot fiddly.

Spec	Detail
Size	58 × 55 × 18 mm
Weight	40 g without batteries
Mic	W.Lav Pro lavalier, 3.5 mm
Formats	WAV 32-bit float mono, 24-bit mono or stereo, up to 48 kHz
Power	2 × AA: about 29 h
Storage	microSD up to 128 GB
Timecode	LTC out on the 3.5 mm line out or USB-C, sync from Deity TC-1
Audio	Gain -12 to +36 dB, limiter, low cut, 20 Hz to 20 kHz

Which one

The Tascam DR-10L Pro. It is the narrowest, the screen confirms it is recording, and MP3 keeps meeting files small. The Zoom F2 is the pick at €97 if I trust 2 LEDs and convert the WAV files myself. The Deity PR-2 is for video work that needs stereo and timecode.

Lavaliers

Rode Lavalier II

112 EUR

A premium clip-on mic with a low-profile capsule and a flat cable that hides under a shirt. It plugs into any recorder with a 3.5 mm mic input that supplies plug-in power: the Zoom F2 (2.5 V), the Tascam DR-10L Pro, and the external mic jack of the Philips VoiceTracers. Its plug has a locking collar, which should screw onto the threaded jacks of the F2 and the Tascam. I haven't tested that the threads match. A phone needs a TRS to TRRS adapter, such as the Rode SC4.

Spec	Detail
Weight	9 g
Capsule	Condenser, omnidirectional
Frequency	20 Hz to 20 kHz
Cable	1.2 m, flat, Kevlar-reinforced
Connector	3.5 mm TRS, locking
Power	Plug-in power, 1.8 to 5 V
Sensitivity	-38 dB re 1 V/Pa
Self-noise	27 dBA
Max SPL	106 dB at 1% THD

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/gp/product/B0BVRK5SC9/ref=sw_img_1?smid=A2O23RCY4WQI1I&psc=1