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Author Topic: Sony PCM-D100 Part2  (Read 114901 times)

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Offline dogmusic

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #120 on: August 30, 2016, 12:02:53 PM »
Is there any "golden" rule, such as, in (film) photography we have the "sunny 16" rule, which is:

if your film is x iso (i.e. x=400 iso); and you're shooting at daylight with no clouds, then your shutter speed should be 1/x seconds (here 1/400 seconds) and aperture f/16.

Is there such rule for audio (especially with the sony pcm-d100) i.e. if you're recording voice, then set the recording level to the number of meters between the recorder and the subject... or something like that?

The recording level controls vary from one recorder to another. You have to experiment with the one you use and try to do trial recordings before the session.

Further to your earlier question about auto record levels, if you have the D100 set at 4.0 and the subject is still too loud, you can also use the MIC ATT switch.

And if you record at 24 bit, a low volume recording can be raised in post with less noise resulting.
"The ear is much more than a mere appendage on the side of the head." - Catherine Parker Anthony, Structure and Function of the Human Body (1972)

"That's metaphysically absurd, man! How can I know what you hear?" - Firesign Theatre

Offline mitchellm

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #121 on: August 30, 2016, 12:33:26 PM »
Recording level also depends on whether you are using the in-built mics vs. using an external mic. 

Overall the D100 records extremely cleanly. Especially if you are using 24 bit. This means if you raise the volume in post that you won't also be increasing self-noise.

Offline adrianb

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #122 on: August 30, 2016, 01:50:18 PM »
I have never used the Auto Level feature on any recorder I have owned. If the Sony PCM-D100 had this feature it would be redundant. I use mine for nature and ambient sounds, and it's invariably set to 4.

My experience with the internal mics are that they are excellent for what I use it for, perhaps the best on any portable recorder, but useless for loud music.
Mics: Sennheiser MKH 8040, Sennheiser MKH 8020, AT BP4025, AT 853 cards, CA CAFS, CA 14 Omnis, CA 11 (Cards + Omnis), Soundman OKM II Classic
Battery Boxes: Sony XLR-1, CA 9200 Preamp, CA Ugly 2 Preamp, CA Ugly BB, Shure FP24
Recorders: Sound Devices MP3, Sony PCM-D100, Sony PCM-D50, Sony PCM-M10, Sony PCM-D10, Roland R-07, Tascam iXJ2

Offline jibanes

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #123 on: August 30, 2016, 06:35:10 PM »
This is very useful, thank you.

Regarding optical "synchronizing recording with playback" (aka "Digital Synchronized Recording"); I can't figure out, reading page 43 of the documentation, if the recording stops (even after a few seconds) when the signal (playback) ends.

Offline dabbler

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #124 on: August 30, 2016, 11:29:41 PM »
From what I recall, the limiter is not compatible with the 100dB+ SNR feature; so you're probably better off setting a lower level anyways and leaving the limiter off.

With the 100dB+ SNR, you can bump the levels in post with less noise, whereas the limiter may engage in a way which is noticeable with a volume jump.

In other words, it seemed to me that the limiter is implemented using the 100dB SNR feature internally; but using 12dB or so of that as a buffer zone for the limiter.

For reference, I used level 3 with Mic ATT at -20 doing PiP via mic-out
with DPA 4061s.  No battery box, attenuators, or anything in between; just stereo DPA4061s directly into the D100.  Anyways I returned the D100 since it
did not seem to be worth the bulk + weight over my M10 + BB combo (using a lightweight rechargeable 8.4V Li-ion for the BB).

Offline barihunk

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #125 on: October 03, 2016, 06:46:34 PM »
Hi all... So I have a question that I've been googling around all day with no good answer. If I want to use proper phantom powered mics with the D100, what's the best way to go about it? The XLR adapter by Sony is expensive and hard to find, and I've gotten conflicting posts about whether the Denecke PS-2 power supply will destroy the mic in of the D100. Going to the USBPre is a bit of an overkill (might as well just bring a laptop).

Have I covered all the options already?

Offline mnm207

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #126 on: October 03, 2016, 08:03:49 PM »
I use a MixPre (not the MixPre-D) in front of a D100 for my XLR mics (with and without phantom powering). I bought it initially to use in front of an M10 as it seemed a straightforward and flexible tool for this. Using it in front of a D100, one might see its lack of a digital out such as the USBPre2 or MixPre-D have as a downside, but it otherwise remains a straightforward and flexible way to use phantom powered mics (or any other mic with an XLR connection) with the D100.
// Sony ECM-MS5 | Naiant XX | LOM Usi & mikroUsi | Ambient ATM216 // Shure FP24 // Sound Devices Mixpre-3 | Sony PCM-D100 | Sony PCM-M10

Offline dogmusic

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #127 on: October 04, 2016, 09:13:55 AM »
Hi all... So I have a question that I've been googling around all day with no good answer. If I want to use proper phantom powered mics with the D100, what's the best way to go about it? The XLR adapter by Sony is expensive and hard to find, and I've gotten conflicting posts about whether the Denecke PS-2 power supply will destroy the mic in of the D100. Going to the USBPre is a bit of an overkill (might as well just bring a laptop).

Have I covered all the options already?

I've been using a Beachtek DXA-6 for phantom power in front of my D100, going MIC IN into the D100 with no ill effects. The Beachtek runs on a single 9V battery so you don't get a lot of mobile running time. But because I do a lot of recording of trains near my house, I have hooked up this cable to the DXA-6 so I can use an AC adapter:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000EELID0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

"The ear is much more than a mere appendage on the side of the head." - Catherine Parker Anthony, Structure and Function of the Human Body (1972)

"That's metaphysically absurd, man! How can I know what you hear?" - Firesign Theatre

Offline jibanes

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #128 on: October 04, 2016, 12:27:35 PM »
Nice, how much battery time this gives you?

Offline dogmusic

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #129 on: October 04, 2016, 04:23:19 PM »
Nice, how much battery time this gives you?

If I remember correctly, the Beachtek with phantom power on gave me about 3 1/2 to 4 hours running time on a 9V battery.
"The ear is much more than a mere appendage on the side of the head." - Catherine Parker Anthony, Structure and Function of the Human Body (1972)

"That's metaphysically absurd, man! How can I know what you hear?" - Firesign Theatre

Offline taug

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #130 on: October 06, 2016, 02:21:01 PM »
There's been a big price drop on the PCM-D100 at our favorite online shopping giant.  :o

Offline MakersMarc

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #131 on: January 22, 2017, 08:01:45 PM »
Which is who?
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Offline JDW

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #132 on: May 04, 2017, 05:13:43 AM »
There's been a big price drop on the PCM-D100 at our favorite online shopping giant.  :o

As of this writing, May 4 2017, that online shipping giant would appear to be Amazon, which has the PCM-D100 selling for US$742.

The only problem with Amazon USA is that they won't ship outside the USA.  And while B&H will ship internationally, their price is currently $775.  I live in Japan, and while the unit is sold here for a somewhat decent price, I don't want a unit that has a Japanese UI which cannot be switched to English.  From what I've read, D100's sold in Japan are firmware locked to Japanese, disallowing English, which is totally nuts for a recorder in that price category.

It's now almost half way into 2017.  You'd think that the street price of the D100 would have dropped below $700 by now.

Anyway...

I read through every single post in this thread, but unfortunately there wasn't very much specific talk about noise floor using the internal mics.  I would really like to hear some high resolution samples that demonstrate how the 100dB setting and other settings of the D100 affect noise floor for both quiet and normal recordings.  In many of the samples I've found online, I have no idea what the settings were on the D100, so I don't know if those samples are exhibit the lowest possible noise or not.  For example, I have a TASCAM iM2 30-pin mic connected to an older gen iPod Touch, and the noise floor seems to be on par with D100 samples I am finding online -- but again, I don't know what the gain setting was on those D100 samples to make an accurate comparison.  Anyway, when comparing noise floor of my TASCAM iM2 with the D100 samples, I am finding that the noise of the D100 is more "hissy" (like cassette tape hiss) compared to my iM2 noise, which lacks high frequency hiss although lower frequency noise is present.  That could be due to the fact that the D100 internal mics pic up higher frequencies better.  Even so, I've heard some D100 voice recordings that were rather hard to listen to because the spoken S's are rather too strong, and I can also hear pops and smacks of the speaker's mouth a bit too much.

My interest in having better D100 samples boils down to my interest in knowing if the expensive D100 is going to give me better sound using its internal mics than my super-cheap-in-comparison TASCAM iM2 + iPod solution.  I know the "theoretical" answers, but I seek some better D100 samples to know for sure, complete with settings of the D100 used (including Gain) to make those sample recordings.  I usually make recordings of live performances, in rooms small and large, sometimes when an amplified audio system is used and sometimes with no audio system.  So my intent for using a D100 would be in that kind of audio environment, where you don't really know what to expect from the event you are recording, and were you cannot have the recorder close to the performers (I usually am in the audience or off to the side).

Another thing that surprisingly has not been talking about in this thread (or even in the 25 page older thread) is SUSPENSION.  If I am recording a live event, I would put my iPod with TASCAM iM2 on its own tripod, which has a shock mount.  But what shockmount solutions are you D100 using?  Certainly you must know that if you are recording nearby people in an audience that footsteps be picked up by the recorder.  I've find the following suspension products on Amazon that look like they might work when used with the D100, but I have no experience to say one way or another:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L2ZNFYO/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CO2CP0O/

Probably both of those products stacked would prove to be the best tripod shock absorption solution overall.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.  Thanks.

Offline dactylus

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #133 on: May 04, 2017, 07:05:02 AM »


I purchased a "new" D100 from Amazon Warehouse that was in damaged packaging.  Other than the damaged packaging the recorder was in mint condition and appears to be in tip top shape!

Amazon has another "new" Amazon Warehouse D100 for $613.37.  New in damaged packaging.  With Amazon's return policy you have nothing to lose...

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00FAY1LQ8/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all

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Offline JDW

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Re: Sony PCM-D100 Part2
« Reply #134 on: May 04, 2017, 07:57:25 AM »
I purchased a "new" D100 from Amazon Warehouse that was in damaged packaging.  Other than the damaged packaging the recorder was in mint condition and appears to be in tip top shape! Amazon has another "new" Amazon Warehouse D100 for $613.37.  New in damaged packaging.  With Amazon's return policy you have nothing to lose...

 Thank you for the tip. I just visited that Amazon webpage. But unfortunately, it does not say the item is "new." In fact, it says it is clearly "used," and that it will also come with damage packaging.

If it was indeed a "new" item that had damaged packaging, I think it would be a good deal. But it says it is "used." 

 What are your thoughts on that?

 

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