Topic: PMD 661 MKll

[borjam]

I've just received my PMD-661 Mkii.

Firmware version, for the record, is A3.04.

(CORRECTION - I was wrong)
I've noticed some quirks. I'm not sure if this is normal or not. Note that I haven't tried the previous versions.

- If, while recording (I have made the test sending an S/PDIF signal from a Metric Halo ULN-2 interface), I press the track button to generate a new track, it generates a new file. Nothing new there, but, if I play the files I've generated, there's a very slight click from one file to another when playing on the unit. I haven't loaded the files to an audio editor yet to check if the transition is really seamless. It should. Was this click present in older units?

(After checking the manual, I see that a seamless transition isn't guaranteed indeed, so it's not a bug).

- There's a kinda unpleasant effect when stopping a recording, with some clicks suggesting analog circuitry being turned off. I mean when I push "stop", and I hear it on headphones. I can imagine they are powering off sections of the unit when stopping to minimize power consumption?

Still wondering about this one.

- When recording in "dual mono", the unit sends audio just to the left channel on headphones. Not a major problem, as I can see that it sends it to both channels if I select "mono" instead, but it was a bit puzzling.

I was wrong: It did record a signal to the right channel, with an attenuation of 20 dB, which is a good feature actually. I had an already low recording level, and that's why I didn't notice. My apologies.

Regarding the headphones amplifier, I think it's fine at least for my headphones, which are quite efficient. Ultrasone HFI-650.

[borjam]

- When recording in "dual mono", the unit sends audio just to the left channel on headphones. Not a major problem, as I can see that it sends it to both channels if I select "mono" instead, but it was a bit puzzling.
.

Silly me... Never mind this thing. I didn't RTFM

[DigiGal]

I've just received my PMD-661 Mkii.

Firmware version, for the record, is A3.04.

Thanks for sharing the firmware version number of the MKII, they haven't posted a downloadable firmware for the MKII as yet.

Current version of PMD661 is (v2.04) which is not dated, the previous version (v2.03) was dated 6/17/2011.

[Since85]

I have been running the latest firmware (2.04) on my PMD661, and have not had any issues with merging tracks @ 24/96. Seems to work perfectly, and I have used the new firmware at several shows now.

I use a 16gb Lexar Professional card. I know they area bit expensive, but I have had ZERO problems with it.

[borjam]

The manual states that merging is not guaranteed, and it depends on the card performance. I assumed that it was, because designing software capable of doing that is far from rocket science, but I guess the Marantz designers have opted for a more "direct" approach to recording, instead of using memory buffering.

I tried yesterday with a class 10 card (the one I had tried before was a 10 GB Sandisk Class 4 card) and the merging seems to be perfect now.

However, given that it's not guaranteed and it depends on the card, I would only rely on it using a just formatted card. Otherwise, fragmentation might cause a tiny delay when opening a new file.

If you are recording music, anyway, I would not rely on that feature at all, as the manufacturer clearly states that it's not guaranteed. Unless, of course, you press the track button between songs, during audience noise that anyway you would probably edit a bit

[jazzgtrl4]

I remember talking to Marantz at Namm about the 661. i use and love it but was wondering why they couldn't re-design it and make the mkII more like a 722 with the metering and everything on the side, maybe keep it the same size or a little bit bigger, the rep said, "ya that would be a good idea" that was two years ago.

[DigiGal]

I remember talking to Marantz at Namm about the 661. i use and love it but was wondering why they couldn't re-design it and make the mkII more like a 722 with the metering and everything on the side, maybe keep it the same size or a little bit bigger, the rep said, "ya that would be a good idea" that was two years ago.

They offer the PMD671 for that form factor...

http://usa.d-mpro.com/us/denon/products/pages/productdetails.aspx?catid=AudRecPlayback(DMPro_US)&subcatid=HandPortRecorders(DMPro_US)&pid=PMD671(DMPro)

[John Willett]

I remember talking to Marantz at Namm about the 661. i use and love it but was wondering why they couldn't re-design it and make the mkII more like a 722 with the metering and everything on the side, maybe keep it the same size or a little bit bigger, the rep said, "ya that would be a good idea" that was two years ago.

The PMD661MkII has just won the 2013 Resolution award for best recorder - see HERE.

[DigiGal]

I remember talking to Marantz at Namm about the 661. i use and love it but was wondering why they couldn't re-design it and make the mkII more like a 722 with the metering and everything on the side, maybe keep it the same size or a little bit bigger, the rep said, "ya that would be a good idea" that was two years ago.

The PMD661MkII has just won the 2013 Resolution award for best recorder - see HERE.

Yup, it's a winner, thanks for posting the link.

[cashandkerouac]

i don't have the MKII version, but i totally love my new (used) 661.  i decided to get the 661 to eliminate the need for a pre-amp for stealth applications and i could not be happier.  the 2013 Resolution award for best recorder is well deserved.   

[ninjadave]

Don't know if the Oade modded units change that spec, guessing yes since they at least change out the op amps.  If the Oade mods do improve this then what's their new spec for: Super, FET, Concert or Warm mods that they offer?

I wasn't aware that Doug posted specs for his mods?

It sure would be nice to know what they are if he could list specs on the various mods offered.

I asked Doug what the improvement for the 661 would be when I was about get the warm mod from him in March 2009 due to the well below 24bit performance published for the stock unit. He told me that he raises the mic input ref level on the 661 to -46 and since the chips the stock 661 uses are THD down -95db, the ones he uses for the cmod are down -125db, and the warm are down - 115db.

not to beat a dead horse, but what does this mean? i have the Oade CM, and does that mean the specs are just as good as a PRE, or decent, etc? i'm running MIC IN straight off my milab bodies....wondering if a PREamp>M-10 is a better option? if so which pre? TINYBOX? looking for small footprint, i stealth all the time.
thanks.
dave.

[H₂O]

The PMD661MkII has just won the 2013 Resolution award for best recorder - see HERE.

With the mkii, Didn't they only change the firmware from the original version which has been on the market for 6+ years? - Not very innovative IMO

[cashandkerouac]

Don't know if the Oade modded units change that spec, guessing yes since they at least change out the op amps.  If the Oade mods do improve this then what's their new spec for: Super, FET, Concert or Warm mods that they offer?

I wasn't aware that Doug posted specs for his mods?

It sure would be nice to know what they are if he could list specs on the various mods offered.

I asked Doug what the improvement for the 661 would be when I was about get the warm mod from him in March 2009 due to the well below 24bit performance published for the stock unit. He told me that he raises the mic input ref level on the 661 to -46 and since the chips the stock 661 uses are THD down -95db, the ones he uses for the cmod are down -125db, and the warm are down - 115db.

not to beat a dead horse, but what does this mean? i have the Oade CM, and does that mean the specs are just as good as a PRE, or decent, etc? i'm running MIC IN straight off my milab bodies....wondering if a PREamp>M-10 is a better option? if so which pre? TINYBOX? looking for small footprint, i stealth all the time.
thanks.
dave.

Dave:  i ran a Tinybox/M10 set-up for a while because it provided the "smallest +48v phantom footprint" for  out of anything else i could find.  however, i recently transitioned to the Marantz 661 OCM for a couple of reasons: 1) the Tinybox (IMO) was not a great match with my MKH8040 mics and 2) for  i wanted the fewest pieces of equipment in the signal chain.   the size of the 661 is noticably bigger than the M10 or the Tinybox, but the all-in-one package of the Marantz combined with the upgraded pres via the Oade mod are preferred.  if i was running Schoeps mics i probably would have stuck with the Tinybox, as i really like the way that combo sounds. 

[cashandkerouac]

has anyone done any battery tests with the 661 and/or the 661 MKii? 

powering my 661 with four (4) rechargable Imedion AA 2400mAh NiMH batteries i get about 4h 20min using phantom power and about 7 hours without phantom.   i assume that the MKii version is not much different, but i haven't done a direct comparison.   

[DigiGal]

There were run time battery tests in one of the team661 threads.