The 10 Best Transcription Kits
This wiki has been updated 17 times since it was first published in April of 2020. Transcription services are required to convert speech into text, and are often sought by legal, medical, market research, and technology companies. Fast, accurate work is a necessity in these roles, and the equipment bundles ranked here allow users to streamline their workflow and achieve better results whether performing at home, in an office, or at a specific location, such as a courtroom. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Olympus DS-9000DT Starter Kit
2. Olympus DS-2600DT Starter Kit
3. Philips DPM6700
Editor's Notes
May 22, 2020:
The advent of portable recorders and computer software revolutionized the transcription industry, as previously a transcriber had to record in real-time, using advanced skills such as stenography or shorthand. Since the 1970s, the job has been made easier by portable tape recorders, and now digital handsets allow on the spot recording, editing, and playback, making it considerably quicker to achieve accurate results.
The transcription bundles ranked here provide foot pedals that allow the transcriber to play, pause, and scan files, leaving their hands free to type, as well as lightweight headsets, which provide clarity and improve focus for the user. The Express Scribe Pro Bluetooth has wireless connectivity, reducing the physical limitations even further when transcribing.
Some packages, including the Express Scribe Pro, Olympus AS-2400, and Philips 7177 SpeechExec, are software-based products that are used solely for transcribing existing files via your laptop or PC. Other bundles, including the YBS Olympus Complete Starter Kit, Philips DPM6700, Olympus DS-2600DT Starter Kit, and the Olympus DS-9000DT Starter Kit, include digital recorders, with powerful directional microphones and built-in editing functionality. These provide a complete solution for recording, editing, and transcribing, and are ideal for professionals who work in the field, such as reporters or market researchers.
4. YBS Olympus Complete Starter Kit
5. Express Scribe Pro Bluetooth
6. Philips 7277 SpeechExec Pro
7. Olympus AS-7000
8. Philips 7177 SpeechExec
9. Olympus AS-2400
10. Express Scribe Pro
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