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Author Topic: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?  (Read 108728 times)

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Offline datbrad

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #285 on: June 08, 2018, 07:27:24 AM »
Without a comp, just going by published specs I would say stock the 706 falls short of the units you mentioned. However one upgraded by Doug Oade should be significantly better. I just can't get past the no-file save on dead battery shutdown flaw so I'm holding off. The 661 mk1 & mk2 actually shutdown with a proper file save when internal batteries are depleted and if it's abrupt loss like pulling external power plug without batteries will still leave a file up to that point and it can be recovered. I have been in plenty of situations, as many here have, where batteries are low towards the end of a show, and I just kept my fingers crossed, ready to pop in backup batteries, and rode it out and made it to the end. No issues except de-stressing after the show. With this deck you can't let it roll and hope it makes it. You'd have to stop the recording early, replace batteries, and start back up again because the risk isn't just a cut, but ending up empty handed. Not good at all. Until Marantz fixes this weakness, I'm not touching this deck. Worse than no hold button, another deal breaker for me at least. Hope this story gets better....
« Last Edit: June 08, 2018, 07:30:18 AM by DATBRAD »
AKG C460B w/CK61/CK63>Luminous Monarch XLRs>SD MP-1(x2)>Luminous Monarch XLRs>PMD661(Oade WMOD)

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Offline goodcooker

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #286 on: June 08, 2018, 09:26:09 AM »
How does the Marantz's pre amps compare with the pre amps of its close competitors in this niche: the Zoom H6, Tascam DR70D, and Zoom F4?

For recording music I would say the preamps are comparable to the Zoom units but the DR70 has a slight edge. That is just my subjective opinion. The pres on the 706 don't really have any flavor (so they would be considered transparent, I guess) and are adequate (they don't overload as long as you have your gain selections where they need to be).

I've used it for several live music recordings and the recordings sound decent. Like any preamp certain mics pair with it better. My MBHOs seem to pair better than my MK41s. Not sure why.
https://archive.org/details/matis2018-06-02.MBHOka300.flac - festival outdoors
https://archive.org/details/decemberists2018-05-23.ka300 - medium theater from inside SBD cage
https://archive.org/details/JAB2018-02-03.sbd.mk41.flac - small bar - used more features than before - ran mics + SBD, put a delay on the board feed and set the line out to send the matrix to a patcher, sent the sbd feed to the camera out for my vid cam, everything worked as planned, no hiccups at all.

Still waiting after many months for an update to fix the known bugs - mostly revolving around file saving - with nothing yet from Marantz. I've been running a backup PMD620 out of the line out in case I have any problems but ever since I've been using the backup deck I haven't had any problems at all. Thing barely sips any gas - I've run 8 festival sets about 14 hours total on a half charged 20100 mAh battery and it still has plenty of juice left in it.

I still don't recommend it to people at least until the promised but undelivered firmware update to fix the bugs is released.
Line Audio CM3/OM1 || MBHO KA500 hyper>PFA|| ADK A51 type IV || AKG C522XY
Oade Warm Mod and Presence+ Mod UA5s || Aerco MP2(needs help) || Neve Portico 5012 || Apogee MMP
SD Mixpre6 || Oade Concert Mod DR100mkii

pocket sized - CA11 cards > SP SB10 > Sony PCM A10

http://www.archive.org/bookmarks/goodcooker

"Are you the Zman?" - fan at Panic 10-08-10 Kansas City
"I don't know who left this perfectly good inflatable wook doll here, but if I'm blowing her up, I'm keeping her." -  hoppedup

Offline MJ

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #287 on: June 24, 2018, 04:38:25 AM »
Each time I used this recorder, the unit stopped recording after 3 hours and 38 minutes passed.  I do not know why and how but every wave file was not properly saved and not playable on PC.  But when I stopped recording right after the recording time hit 3 hours and a half.  Every wave file were saved and playable on PC.  I usually tape a less than two hour show but sometimes I realized that I forgot to stop recording long after the show was over.  As long as I use this recorder, I should remind myself that I must check the recording time every now and then during the show.......
Koichi
<Main Rigs>
Schoeps MK4s>(Nbox Active cables)>Nbox+ or Nbox Platinum>Izzy (Split) Cables>Sony PCM-M10 or Sony PCM-D100

<Sub Rigs>
(1)DPA4061s>(terminated with 3.5 stereo mini)>Church Audio Pre>(3.5 stereo mini+Canare cable + 3.5 stereo mini)>Sony PCM-M10
(2)DSM-6S/L>(terminated with 3.5 stereo mini)> Sony PCM-M10

<IEM>
(1)scanner
 DJ-X2000
 IC-RX7
(2)receiver
Shure P10R
Sennheiser ek2000
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Marntz PMD706

Offline barrettphisher

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #288 on: June 27, 2018, 11:50:23 AM »
Mics: ADK A51 TL's C12s, at853's (card, hyper, sub, and omni caps), Michael Joly Premium Electronics Modded Oktava mk012s (Card, Hyper and Omni caps), Busman BSC1 Stereo Kit, and Oktava 319.
Pres: V3 opti/M-S Modded, BM2p+ UA5, church audio 9100, 3 wire BB
Recorders:  Busman Mod Tascam DR-680, ACM HD-P2, HD-P2, MT2 x2, D50, M10, JB3 x2, M1, D8

Offline goodcooker

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #289 on: July 04, 2018, 12:43:55 PM »

Still waiting on the promised fix for saving issues but the last 6 times I've used this deck it has performed flawlessly.

I've been running a PMD620 out of the line out to have a backup in case I have a file save issue and so far every time I've used the backup deck I've had no problems. Figures.
Line Audio CM3/OM1 || MBHO KA500 hyper>PFA|| ADK A51 type IV || AKG C522XY
Oade Warm Mod and Presence+ Mod UA5s || Aerco MP2(needs help) || Neve Portico 5012 || Apogee MMP
SD Mixpre6 || Oade Concert Mod DR100mkii

pocket sized - CA11 cards > SP SB10 > Sony PCM A10

http://www.archive.org/bookmarks/goodcooker

"Are you the Zman?" - fan at Panic 10-08-10 Kansas City
"I don't know who left this perfectly good inflatable wook doll here, but if I'm blowing her up, I'm keeping her." -  hoppedup

Offline skaggs

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #290 on: July 29, 2018, 03:55:51 PM »
Each time I used this recorder, the unit stopped recording after 3 hours and 38 minutes passed.  I do not know why and how but every wave file was not properly saved and not playable on PC.  But when I stopped recording right after the recording time hit 3 hours and a half.  Every wave file were saved and playable on PC.  I usually tape a less than two hour show but sometimes I realized that I forgot to stop recording long after the show was over.  As long as I use this recorder, I should remind myself that I must check the recording time every now and then during the show.......
Koichi

Do you know how to tell it to split tracks at 2 gigs? 

Offline ts

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #291 on: July 29, 2018, 06:32:40 PM »
Each time I used this recorder, the unit stopped recording after 3 hours and 38 minutes passed.  I do not know why and how but every wave file was not properly saved and not playable on PC.  But when I stopped recording right after the recording time hit 3 hours and a half.  Every wave file were saved and playable on PC.  I usually tape a less than two hour show but sometimes I realized that I forgot to stop recording long after the show was over.  As long as I use this recorder, I should remind myself that I must check the recording time every now and then during the show.......
Koichi

I had the exact same issue. I sent it back. My intended use was all day festival recording. Hit record and leave. Having to babysit the deck at 3 1/2 hour intervals did not work for me. Other than that it’s a decent 3 hour show deck.

Offline skaggs

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #292 on: July 30, 2018, 11:55:43 PM »
Each time I used this recorder, the unit stopped recording after 3 hours and 38 minutes passed.  I do not know why and how but every wave file was not properly saved and not playable on PC.  But when I stopped recording right after the recording time hit 3 hours and a half.  Every wave file were saved and playable on PC.  I usually tape a less than two hour show but sometimes I realized that I forgot to stop recording long after the show was over.  As long as I use this recorder, I should remind myself that I must check the recording time every now and then during the show.......
Koichi

I had the exact same issue. I sent it back. My intended use was all day festival recording. Hit record and leave. Having to babysit the deck at 3 1/2 hour intervals did not work for me. Other than that it’s a decent 3 hour show deck.



If you manually stop it saves files properly as far as you guys know--correct?   And as far as you all can figure we can't set automatic time/space cuts as it records?  thanks

Offline DSatz

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #293 on: July 31, 2018, 12:52:12 AM »
goodcooker wrote:

> I've been running a PMD620 out of the line out to have a backup in case I have a file save issue and so far every time I've used the backup deck I've had no problems. Figures.

I like this example of giving Murphy's Law the respect and leeway that it deserves--continuing to don your suspenders, even though your belt's been working fine.

--best regards
« Last Edit: August 01, 2018, 09:51:52 PM by DSatz »
music > microphones > a recorder of some sort

Offline DSatz

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #294 on: August 03, 2018, 06:08:47 PM »
Just a comment about the file-saving "bug": It seems to me that this wouldn't necessarily be fixable via firmware update. The way it would have to work, I think, is that if power cuts off during a recording, the unit would need to sense that, and use some reserve to carry out an emergency "save and close" operation that could well take several seconds to complete. This requires two design elements that may or may not be present: a circuit that directs the firmware to take over control in the event of a power failure during recording--and enough reserve energy storage to keep the recorder's logic going just long enough after the power has failed.

If those two facilities aren't built in to the recorder's circuitry, then there's nothing that a firmware update could do to fix the situation. Also, it's not enough for the recorder to monitor the declining battery level and guess that it's about to run out, because that approach is useless if/when external powering fails (e.g. someone yanks the cord).

So if people are holding their breath for this "bug" to be fixed ... well, I wouldn't, is all. Maybe it can be fixed via a firmware update and maybe it can't. And even if it can be, maybe they'll do it and maybe they won't. I'm just saying.

--best regards
« Last Edit: August 03, 2018, 06:12:38 PM by DSatz »
music > microphones > a recorder of some sort

Offline goodcooker

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #295 on: August 04, 2018, 12:42:06 PM »

So if people are holding their breath for this "bug" to be fixed ... well, I wouldn't, is all. Maybe it can be fixed via a firmware update and maybe it can't. And even if it can be, maybe they'll do it and maybe they won't. I'm just saying.


The two biggest glitches in this machine are

1) It does not save a file if the power dies - when this has happened to me I was running on external power which was accidentally yanked and internal AAs which became depleted after it switched over - so it could have been prevented if I was properly monitoring the deck but I didn't and that's what happened. The deck monitors what source it is being powered by and has a meter to indicate the amount of internal battery power available (via a simple icon). So the  ability for the deck to tell itself that power is failing and to force a proper shutdown is present in the circuitry so it should be able to accomplish this as a function of the software - just like any number of recording decks from Marantz's own line of recorders. The interesting thing is that the info written to the card before the shutdown is not accessible at all - we all know that the deck writes the info to the card as it records so why is there nothing recoverable on the card. Just because there is not a proper file header doesn't mean zero data was written to the card in the in the form of a file with a 0byte header that can be recovered. It's just odd.

2) The deck has some kind of issue related to record run time when it reaches 3h38min. This is clearly a "bug" and is probaly not related to any kind of hardware malfunction but to the software/operating system/firmware. The workaround is to power down the deck and restart it if you think you may reach the 3:38 mark during a single session no matter how many individual files you have created. This is a hassle for many concert tapers or recordists who want to leave the deck unattended. This is certainly just a software glitch and can be fixed. It's a big one though - I had the machine go into the SAVING screen and stay there until the power ran out. It killed the card - can't be recognized in the machine or any other device or computer I've tried it in.

CAVEAT - I'm not a software designer and have no idea how to implement the proposed fixes - I just buy the recorder and use it. I reached out to Marantz and got a response I didn't like (that's how this machine works - thanks for your purchase) so I left a diplomatic but honest review about it's issues on the B&H website where I bought it. I was contacted by B&H who said they contacted Marantz and were working on a fix. Marantz support has no comment on when that could happen and I'm not holding my breath in anticipation.

I like the deck and more often that not it has performed flawlessly. It is pretty amazing what you can get for $300 nowadays. That said - if I was doing something mission critical or for pay I would not be using this deck I would be using my 20+ year old Schoeps, my 20+ year old RAD preamp and my 10 year old PMD620  :yack:
Line Audio CM3/OM1 || MBHO KA500 hyper>PFA|| ADK A51 type IV || AKG C522XY
Oade Warm Mod and Presence+ Mod UA5s || Aerco MP2(needs help) || Neve Portico 5012 || Apogee MMP
SD Mixpre6 || Oade Concert Mod DR100mkii

pocket sized - CA11 cards > SP SB10 > Sony PCM A10

http://www.archive.org/bookmarks/goodcooker

"Are you the Zman?" - fan at Panic 10-08-10 Kansas City
"I don't know who left this perfectly good inflatable wook doll here, but if I'm blowing her up, I'm keeping her." -  hoppedup

Offline skaggs

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #296 on: August 16, 2018, 05:31:22 PM »
http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=600757
http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=600957


I was very diligent about stopping the unit.  I turned it off between sets.  All data was there.  I had this in June, but wouldn't run it at Bluegrass, as it's hotter.  I was worried it would overheat and lose a day's music.  I would probably just run my 661 or HDP2 if just doing two channel. 

Offline kingdong

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #297 on: September 10, 2018, 08:21:53 AM »
I am wondering if anyone has pulled a gain knob off of a PMD-706.  I have one that has a scratchy pot on one channel.  My thought is to pull off the know and spray in some contact cleaner.  Before I started, I thought I would see if anyone has any advice.  If looks like the knob should pull straight off the pot but I'd feel more comfortable if someone had tried this before...

Edited to add the response I got from Doug Oade about this.  He says that the pots are sealed conductive plastic type and therefore will not be helped by cleaner.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2018, 05:25:34 PM by kingdong »

Offline skaggs

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #298 on: September 20, 2018, 06:59:46 PM »
I had the data loss at Telluride Blues and Brews.  I had arrived about 3 on friday.  Set up my main stage rig and took my 706 to the side stage.  I forgot to put fresh AA's in the unit, and the piss-poor USB connection was a little off and when i went to shut down the deck, it lost power.  the tracks were gone.  SO they really need a freaking firmware update. 

I will have some AT 4051b/board matrix recordings and some AT 4051b>warm mod sets to come.  I only lost one set. 

I am waiting for bt.etree.  i may up some stuff on dime of LMA community archive instead this weekend.  I really did like the warm mod auds.  That said, I rand my mk41>Oade m118>PMD 661 on the main stage, cause I knew it wouldn't lose data if i had a power fail. 

Offline heva

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Re: Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?
« Reply #299 on: December 12, 2018, 04:43:46 AM »
Firmware update available dec.2018:
https://marantzpro.com/products/view/pmd-706

"Firmware Version 1.23 (December 2018)
- Battery life improvements and various bug fixes"

 

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