Simple Recorder For Mac

Yes, your Mac comes equipped with Apple's Voice Memos app, but many users don't consider it an ideal solution for several reasons: it offers almost no quality and format customization options, it doesn't provide easy access to the files you record, and it insists on tracking your location.

While this third-party alternative is called Simple Recorder, it's actually more complex than Apple's offering. It can record to both M4A and MP3, and it allows you to customize the bitrate, sample rate, and channel mode. What's more, it can be controlled with hotkeys and accessed from the menu bar.

The app can be found in the Dock and menu bar. If you click the Dock icon, it starts recording audio. Click it again, and the recording stops. If you've configured a default output folder, the file will be saved there automatically. Otherwise, you will be asked to specify a location.

If you prefer to use your keyboard, hotkeys can be configured to start, pause, and stop a recording. Alternatively, you can just do that from the menu bar, though that requires an extra click. The duration of the current recording is displayed in both the Dock and menu bar.

One big advantage Simple Recorder has over Apple's built-in app is that you can choose between M4A and MP3, whereas Voice Memos is limited to M4A. You might not even know this, though, as Apple doesn't let you access the file directly. Simple Recorder makes it much easier to handle your files.

The quality settings are a lot more comprehensive. You can choose between multiple bitrate options, customize the sample rate, and even record in stereo or mono.

Simple Recorder is a well-designed app that packs quite a lot of complexity into a small package. It is very easy to use, and the format customization options should appeal to users who want more control over their audio recordings.

One feature I would love to see in the future is the option to remove the app from the Dock and use it just from the menu bar and/or with hotkeys.