Your OM System recorder (formerly Olympus Audio) is a powerhouse, known for its quality and reliability in capturing professional dictation. Its built-in microphones are fantastic for clear, on-the-go recording in quiet environments.

But what about those situations that aren't so quiet? A busy clinic, a client meeting with multiple speakers, or a windy on-site valuation?

In these environments, a specialised external microphone is the key to capturing crystal-clear audio.

For your typist or transcriptionist, cleaner audio means fewer errors, less time spent deciphering words, and a much faster turnaround on important documents.

This guide will walk you through the best external microphones for your OM System recorder, matched to the specific situations you encounter every day.

For Multi-Person Meetings: The Conference Microphone

Challenge: You need to capture every word from multiple people around a large table, and the final transcript needs to clearly attribute who said what.

Solution: A dedicated conference microphone is designed to pick up sound from a 360-degree radius, so every participant is heard with clarity.

Our Recommendations:

Olympus ME33 Conference Microphone

This is the gold standard for boardroom meetings. You can connect several ME33s together to cover a very large room, and its design automatically cuts out low-frequency noise from projectors or air conditioners. For your typist, this means a clean, easy-to-transcribe recording of the entire meeting.

Olympus ME30W Conference Kit

This kit comes with two high-quality, omni-directional microphones. The wide bases keep them stable on a table, and they provide exceptional stereo sound, giving a sense of space and separation between speakers in the final recording.

For One-on-One Interviews & Quiet Notes: The Stereo Microphone

Challenge: You're dictating in a relatively controlled setting but want to achieve a higher level of audio detail.

Solution: A high-quality stereo microphone can capture nuanced, high-fidelity audio, perfect for important client interviews or detailed personal notes.

Our Recommendation:

OM System ME51S Stereo Microphone

This compact microphone plugs directly into your recorder for a significant improvement in audio quality and realism. It reduces wind noise and comes with a tie-clip, making it a versatile and simple upgrade for capturing pristine stereo sound.

For Presentations & Lectures: The Directional Microphone

Challenge: You need to record a keynote speaker, a lecturer, or a presentation from a distance, without capturing noise from the surrounding audience.

Solution: A directional or "gun-style" microphone focuses precisely on the sound source it's pointed at, rejecting ambient noise from the sides and rear.

Our Recommendations:

Olympus ME31 Gun Style Microphone

This is a highly directional "shotgun" microphone. Its design is perfect for pointing at a specific person from a distance, capturing their voice with focus and clarity.

OM System ME34 Zoom Microphone

A more compact directional option, the ME34 is excellent for recording a voice from further away. It effectively minimises surrounding sounds, delivering a clean audio file for transcription.

For Clear Dictation in Noisy Spaces: The Close-Talk Microphone

Challenge: You're a property valuer heading offsite, a doctor doing rounds in a busy hospital, or a lawyer dictating in a shared office space. You need to isolate your voice.

Solution: A microphone designed for close-range recording will actively reduce background noise, making it ideal for clear dictation.

Our Recommendation:

Olympus ME52W Uni-Directional Microphone

This microphone is specifically designed to reduce background noise for close-range recording. By keeping it near your mouth, you get a crisp and clear dictation, even when the environment isn't perfect. This is a lifesaver for your transcriptionist.

For Hands-Free Dictation: The Lapel Microphone

Challenge: You need to record your own voice with consistent volume and clarity while keeping your hands free to take notes, examine documents, or present.

Solution: A lapel microphone clips directly onto your clothing, maintaining a constant distance from your mouth for smooth, high-quality audio.

Our Recommendation:

Olympus ME15 Lapel Microphone

This discreet microphone is the ultimate tool for hands-free recording. By clipping it to your tie or collar, your voice is captured clearly and at a consistent volume, without the fluctuations that can happen when moving a recorder around. This consistency makes the transcription process significantly faster and more accurate.

Making the Right Choice for Your Workflow

Investing in the right microphone for your specific needs is a direct investment in the efficiency and accuracy of your entire documentation process. By providing your typist with the clearest possible audio, you reduce queries, minimise errors, and get your finalised documents back faster.

Ready to improve your audio quality? Explore our full range of professional dictation microphones today or contact our team for a personalised recommendation.