Home > Consumer Reviews > Olympus TP-7 Telephone Recording Device

I use the telephone pickup with a DS2 recorder, though it seems to me that it would work with almost any recorder that had a standard mike input jack.

The device is a small, foam-cushioned microphone (about the size of an i-pod bud) that you put in your ear... So it picks up the acoustic vibrations as they pass between the telephone and your own eardrum. In contrast to magnetic pickups that can show up on sniffers, I don't see any way that the people at the other end would know that the conversation is being recorded when this purely acoustic pickup is used.

I have used it to record business transactions with large corporations, covering my responsibility by saying their standard phrase "this conversation may be recorded for quality assurance purposes". (I wonder whether it is fair to say this while we are in the "for information on your bill, please press 3 now" phase of the transaction? )


Overall, the results with the TP-7 were satisfactory --- the telephone's audio output seems to be major factor in determining the ovreall quality of the recording that one makes. This pickup offers a fairly simple, economical way of recording both ends of a telephone conversation.

This microphone works very well, with both Olympus AND Sony digital recorders. Sensitivity is fine, the price is right, and I have no complaints.

After reading the comments about the mic only working with recorders that provide power to the mic, when I at first tried it with my pc as the recording device and it didn't work I thought that was that. On a whim I plugged it in using the included stereo adapter and then it worked great.

I need a way to record conversations on my cell phone to my Olympus recorder this product make the process work. I get clear sound, and it also can work as a voice mike to bring it closer to the people I am taking in person statements from. You just place the product in your ear and the mike picks up the voice from the cell phone and your own voice. Crystal Clear

I purchased the Olympus TP-7 Telephone Recording Device to record phone interviews and have been pleased with it. I use it with an Olympus WS-320M. Interviews are typically under an hour and the earpiece fits comfortably for that duration. I have not worn it for longer than that. The recording quality has met my needs. There is some difference in volume however I transfer the files to my computer for transcription and am easily able to use the media player features to compensate for the difference in volumes levels between voices, so this was not a negative for my purposes. Recording in stereo was not a requirement for me, but this could be a consideration for others. I felt this was a good purchase for the price.