Ten Reasons to choose Sony's Soloist Digital PC Comparative Recorder for your language learning applications…

1. Soloist is a True Comparative Recorder
Soloist uses a single file for playback and simultaneous comparative ("drill") recording(1). Just like a cassette, the "program" (lesson) material is on one track, and the student recording ("drill") is on the other track of the same file.

Other language learning PC recorders use separate files for each "track". This is like having a special cassette deck with two tapes - one tape containing the program material, and one tape for recording the student's voice. Obviously, you could not play both of these tapes at the same time on a standard cassette deck, and likewise you cannot play two separate files at the same time using a standard software application.

2. Soloist uses only Standard File Formats
The sound files produced by Soloist are international standard formats (WAV and MP3), playable on any Windows 95 or higher PC. You can listen to a student's comparative recording, (which can be saved with or without the program track), on any PC anywhere anytime.

Some other systems can produce proprietary files - files that are not in compliance with international standards and may not compatible with any other program.

3. Soloist has the Best Possible Sound Quality - Virtually No Dropouts
Since Soloist uses a single file for playback and recording of audio, it does not "stream" audio from a Server. Instead, Soloist automatically copies files to the local hard drive. This prevents the unacceptable dropouts in sound due to server/network bottlenecks - assuring the best possible sound quality for the students.

4. Soloist Supports a Large Variety of Multimedia File Formats
Soloist can open and play/display sound, video, still image, text and Hyper-Text Markup Language files. All this multimedia functionality is built right into Soloist - no other software is needed.

So in additional to helping students learn languages orally and aurally, Soloist can help them learn both reading and writing and can provide visual reinforcement.

5. Soloist is Simple to Use
Soloist appears similar to a cassette player or PC media player program. The language-learning specific functions are intuitive… To hear a phrase over and over again, just click "A-B Repeat" at the beginning of the phrase and click it again at the end.

6. Soloist has Highly Accurate Random Access
Soloist can access any point in a sound file with 1/10th of second accuracy. Since many words take less than a second to speak, this helps students quickly locate any single word.

7. Soloist Allows Students to Work at Their Own Pace with "Varispeed"
Soloist can playback sound files slower or faster than they were originally recorded with "Varispeed". This easily adjustable feature permits more advanced students to work faster, and novices to work slower.

8. Soloist Can be Integrated with a Comparative Cassette Deck
Cassettes still have an advantage of being low-cost and very transportable - who doesn't have a tape player (at home, in the car, or a Walkman®)? In addition, there is an abundance of audio lesson material existing on cassettes.

Soloist can be integrated with Sony's ER-8020 comparative cassette deck, allowing students to listen/record digital files or analog cassettes. Students can also copy to/from files and cassettes at normal or two times normal speed. Want to take home a copy of a ten minute digital recording on a cassette? Copy it a two times speed and you'll be ready in five minutes.

9. Software Written and Maintained in the United States
Soloist software is produced in the United States of America. It was designed and is upgraded based on extensive input from local educators. Do you have an idea for a new feature or change to Soloist? Just submit your request, and if it is something that most users would like, chances are that it will be quickly implemented.

10. Soloist has Hundreds of Additional Features
Soloist has literally hundreds of other features. Many are unique to Sony and most are customizable by the administrator. All features are intended to make Soloist easy to use and the most flexible choice for language learning. Contact your Sony authorized Reseller for complete details and a demonstration.