Gear / Technical Help > Ask The Tapers
Sony PCM-M10 portable recorder needs service - but where?
Eldo Rado:
My ten year old SONY PCM-M10 recorder has developed a glitchy control interface: many of the buttons on the front (for example, the "menu" button) no longer respond. It still records and plays back, but without accessing the menu it's not very functional. I called Sony and after literally ifty minutes on hold (" we are experiencing higher than normal number of calls...please stand by...") and they referred me to United Radio Services (tel (800) 634-8606) but it's and endless loop message, no people to speak to. Also another number SONY gave me is (800) 883-6817 but the same problem: none of the menu choices lead to a real individual.
Anyone of you guys know of someone on the cotinental US (I'm in Hawaii) that I could call and maybe send this recorder in for diagnostic and possible repair?
I know that I can buy a used one one eBay for around $200, so maybe mine is not worth fixing, but it may be a simple, inexpensive repair.
thanks
shadowfax1007:
Not sure on where to service, but maybe it's time to retire it and treat yourself to an upgrade? Put the M10 on a shelf on it's own little shrine, and get yourself something newer.
The Sony A10 is a wonderful step up that also has Bluetooth control as an option. Lots of people also using the Zoom F3 too.
Eldo Rado:
Thanks for the suggestions. Looking at the specs on the Sony PCM-A10 it's hard for me to consider it an upgrade. Unlike my old M10, the battery isn't removable (only rechargeable) and it has no phantom power, which I need for my binaural in-ear mics. The Zoom looks interesting, however; will research it. Thanks again.
Gutbucket:
Clarification-
Neither Sony M10 nor A10 provide phantom power. I suspect you are referring to plug in power (PIP) which is the typical way of powering smaller 2-wire electret mics into an unbalanced mini-jack input. Both M10 and A10 provide PIP, but I'm not sure what the PIP voltage measures, nor what PIP voltage your mics require to work to specification. The Sony's likely provide somewhere around 2.5V to 3.5V, maybe a bit more or less. The spec may differ between the M10 and A10, but if your binaural mics work straight into the M10, they are likely to work straight into the A10. If not you can always use a small battery box between the mics and recorder, which will typically provide a somewhat higher voltage of around 9V and may improve the the loudness handling capability of the mics somewhat.
Zoom F3 provides both PIP and [<edit | my thanks to Rairun for the correction] only phantom power. Phantom power is a completely different powering scheme used for more professional mics that use a balanced connection, typically over a 3-wire XLR connection to each mic. Standard phantom power is 48V and is provided on the two bigger XLR input connections on the F3, while PIP (when provided) is via a stereo mini-jack input. [Edit- however, you can still run an unbalanced PIP mic pair into balanced, phantom power inputs by using phantom power adapters that convert the phantom power to PIP power and the unbalanced mic output to a balanced output into the recorder. They typically look like somewhat longer XLR connectors]
Here's Sony's blurb on the A10's PIP- "When a plug in power type microphone is connected, power is automatically supplied to the microphone from the linear PCM recorder."
https://helpguide.sony.net/icd/pcma10/v1/en2/contents/TP0001668695.html
Hope you can get the M10 working again. If you can't find anyone to take a look at it, maybe you can take it apart and see if cleaning the button contacts helps. I think there are threads here at TS on opening up the M10 and putting it back together again with photos and instructions. If not they can probably be found somewhere on the internet.
robgronotte:
I recently used my A10 for 5 hours in one day, and the charge meter didn't even drop below the full 4 bars. I can't imagine it ever running out during typical use.
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