Topic: Sony PCM-M10 (Part 2)

[Belexes]

B&H gives you a nifty case for it as well when you buy the M10 from them.

[tugs]

Pardon my ignorance but what is/who are B&H?

EDIT: Never mind, found em

EDIT EDIT: Thanks Belexes

[Belexes]

Pardon my ignorance but what is/who are B&H?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

[rastasean]

Pardon my ignorance but what is/who are B&H?

If you don't know, it's best you don't find out. You will save money not knowing. trust me.

[tugs]

If you don't know, it's best you don't find out. You will save money not knowing. trust me.

It's $299 on B&H as far as I can see. I'm based in Europe so had never heard of em before tonight... Im currently looking at two sellers in the US that have it for $275 + about $30 shipping to Europe. I won't need it until September so it may have come down in price, or something better will be released.

[Cheesecadet]

I bought my M10 from B&H a week ago for $274 and it came with the free case ($30 Value).  Free Shipping and no tax! 

I have never once had a problem buying from B&H...although I have never had an issue so I don't know what their customer service is like.

They've been great for me for the past several years...

[tekdroid]

I have waited and am (so far) surprised nobody has received units with the LCD anomalies I experienced and posted about further back in this thread. Basically, uneven brighter dots and/or patches on the LCD as seen when the backlight is on in a dark environment.

I guess I was just very unlucky to receive 2 units like that. They were returned to the retailers (at my expense).

I'm happy to report no such issues with some additional PCM-M10s I bought (touch wood). This unit, as predicted, is shaping up to be the performance leader in this price range (and beyond), and my issues with the LCD quality control are gone in these recent purchases.

I am still interested in hearing from those that encounter these issues, because I'm finding it hard to believe I am the only one

As mentioned above, I have nothing but good things to say about B&H and how they handle customer service. Sometimes they make mistakes. Sometimes it takes longer to sort out a problem than I'd like (especially given the volumes they handle), but as far as I'm concerned, all these things are well within tolerance level and they will continue to be my first choice when buying electronics (as long as the exchange rate stays favourable

I could mention another New York store and how they differ in customer service, but won't embarrass them here. Suffice to say I won't be dealing with them again.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

This unit, as predicted, is shaping up to be the performance leader in this price range (and beyond),

Has anyone posted a comp using a high quality pre-amp and high end mics?   How about testing to verify how well it handles hot signals, especially at the lowest gain settings?

How the thing actually sounds using real mics is really the most important thing for many of us.

[Cheesecadet]

what exactly do you mean by "real" mics?  I could try running Studio Projects C4's > BM2P+ > M10 to check it out if that qualifies next show I go to.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

what exactly do you mean by "real" mics?  I could try running Studio Projects C4's > BM2P+ > M10 to check it out if that qualifies next show I go to.

By real, I mean not internals.   And hopefully on a demanding source that has a complex soundstage.  A PA recording would be useful, but not as useful as stage lip, etc.   But a recording alone, with no other gear to compare, is hard to judge.

A good way to do the comp is with a v3 and a bitbucket.  That way, the built-in a/d in the v3 could be directly compared to the m10, and on the same song.  I think the UA5 would allow the same style of comp - digi to one recorder, analog to another.  Though I am less familiar with how the ua5 and bmp+ ua5 sound.

[tekdroid]

Freelunch,
Sounds like you have very specific concerns and needs/wants that can pretty much only be answered and assessed by you, right?

It surprises me you don't just buy the unit and assess things yourself. What have you got to lose? If you don't like it, return it.
If you do, keep it. Seems to me you have been curious about this thing for a while.

If your assessment takes a while and you pass the return date for the store, sell it. I doubt you'd even lose $50 - and you'd have every performance question answered on your own terms, in your own time.
Again, what have you got to lose?

[Cheesecadet]

Yeah...I don't have a V3.  I generally do not run stage lip unless it is an all instrumental band and then I would run my DPA 4061 omnis and not run anything through the BP2P+.

Sounds like tekdroid may have the right idea in having you pick one up or finding someone that has the specific gear you are looking to compare. 

[Ozpeter]

Are you talking about line-in operation?  If so, the best test would be simply running a CD player line-out into it, using a familiar CD (eg Dark Side of the Moon I guess) and then you'd have a source of known quality to compare with.  My view is that the chances of hearing significant differences between almost any portable recorder's line inputs these days are close to zero.  The only way to check whether the difference relates to the use of different sources or the use of different recorders is to use a known source.

[Idle Wind]

I love mine.  $274 from B&H / no tax / no shipping / free sony case.
build quality is great, imo, super easy to use.  sure, I'd like a couple
more features, a more rugged case, whatever, but really.....we're talking $300.
I paid twice that for my Sony D8 DAT - also my  Fostex FR2LE.

here's a stealth job, AT853>Battery Box>m10.  I didn't even have to
read the manual.

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=294595

[it-goes-to-eleven]

Freelunch,
Sounds like you have very specific concerns and needs/wants that can pretty much only be answered and assessed by you, right?

I don't think my emphasis on how good a recorder actually sounds compared to other products is all that unique.   Your comment that it is "shaping up to be the performance leader" made me hope someone had posted a comp that actually establishes that.  At some point we'll have enough recordings to establish how good the m10 actually is.

It surprises me you don't just buy the unit and assess things yourself. What have you got to lose? If you don't like it, return it.
If you do, keep it. Seems to me you have been curious about this thing for a while.

There is a big difference between a recorder being very good and actually being "better".  I don't jump on bandwagons unless I have a solid reason.  The low noise floor specs of the m10 are very encouraging, but that alone does not assure great sound.