Topic: Sony's new $600 recorder PCM-D50 PT II

[headroom]

I think with some tweaks the internal mics could catch a better sound. The case is so near to the mics it will bounce the sound back into. Try to glue some felt in between, left and right.
It prevents from reflecting sound parts. The felt left and right can stay out in the air a bit.
Also the 120 Degree seeting can sound better by just go back an tiny bit to the middle.

[Jppiano]

When I contacted Prism about the 24 bit status flag, they told me that they would update the chip that deals with the output subcode in the AD2 to send the flag. Yesterday, I got the revised chip in the mail! I'll install it and report back.....

Joe P.

[prof_peabody]

Can anyone comment if there is a bass roll off engaged all the time?  The R-09 definitely has a rolloff all the time (even though you can turn one on or off in the menus, there's one there all the time.)  The rolloff on the R-09 is something that bugs me.

[mrsoul]

I work for a heatlhcare software company (I'm a RN) and I got a Symbol PPT8800 handheld this week for a new product we are working on.  It came with a slim pleather case.  I was looking at it and thought "that looks like the same shape as my PCM-D50".  Sure enough, fits great.  Even gives enough room on the side top to get to the mic or line inputs.  Might be a good way to use in the field and still have the internals exposed (if that's what you want).  I froogled the cases for around $10.  Just thought I would share.  I still very much love my Zing pouch that I got from B&H but others might be interested in this alternative.

[wayfaringstranger]

I just bought one of these to replace my 9-year old sony MZ-R50, and wow. Bought it to use with some external mics, but I'm also very impressed with the quality of the internal mics on this thing. I've used it to record lectures, a live show in a bar, and several instances of acoustic musicians playing unamplified (the reason I bought it). It sounds pretty good:

Too-late-at-night jam with three mandolins and two guitars and a mandolin. Mics in the wide pattern, recorder seated on a table in between the three of us,  maybe 3 feet from each player. I think it may have clipped, but I was playing so couldn't adjust the levels mid-tune.

Rehearsal with Mandocello, mandolin, and octave mandolin. Mics in the wide pattern, about 10 feet away from the players. Good room; I think I got the placement right on this one, too.

A friend's bluegrass band playing in bar over a crappy sound system (the buzz you hear is from the beer cooler). It's not a bad recording, it's bad live sound. Internal mics in X/Y pattern, pointed at one of the PA speakers from about 15 feet.

[hypnotoad]

I work for a heatlhcare software company (I'm a RN) and I got a Symbol PPT8800 handheld this week for a new product we are working on.  It came with a slim pleather case.  I was looking at it and thought "that looks like the same shape as my PCM-D50".

Hahaha.  Isn't it funny the way the mind works.

 

[illconditioned]

I just bought one of these to replace my 9-year old sony MZ-R50, and wow. Bought it to use with some external mics, but I'm also very impressed with the quality of the internal mics on this thing. I've used it to record lectures, a live show in a bar, and several instances of acoustic musicians playing unamplified (the reason I bought it). It sounds pretty good:

Too-late-at-night jam with three mandolins and two guitars and a mandolin. Mics in the wide pattern, recorder seated on a table in between the three of us,  maybe 3 feet from each player. I think it may have clipped, but I was playing so couldn't adjust the levels mid-tune.

Rehearsal with Mandocello, mandolin, and octave mandolin. Mics in the wide pattern, about 10 feet away from the players. Good room; I think I got the placement right on this one, too.

A friend's bluegrass band playing in bar over a crappy sound system (the buzz you hear is from the beer cooler). It's not a bad recording, it's bad live sound. Internal mics in X/Y pattern, pointed at one of the PA speakers from about 15 feet.

Those sound good, but I don't get the sense that I'm really in the room.  I think you need better mics for that.

Listen to a clip I've got at Soundman.com:
  http://www.soundmann.com/2008-04-15-JamesThomasKent_clip.mp3

It is wacky folk (?) music, but you really sound like you're in the room (I think).  This is a new omni mic I'm using, *directly* into minidisc (HiSP mode).

  Richard

[wayfaringstranger]

Those sound good, but I don't get the sense that I'm really in the room.  I think you need better mics for that.
[...]
This is a new omni mic I'm using, *directly* into minidisc (HiSP mode).

You'll get no argument from me on that one (except for the bluegrass band recording; I've been to and played that particular room a number of times, and I think it's probably in the listener's best interest *not* to get a sense of it).

I have a decent pair of omnis that do make better sounding recordings, and I'll use them when I'm making a recording that really matters. My point was just that for something quick-and-dirty or a recording where it's inconvenient to set up mics, the built-ins do pretty well. I was pleasantly surprised.

What were you using on the recording at the link? Sounds good.

[illconditioned]

Those sound good, but I don't get the sense that I'm really in the room.  I think you need better mics for that.
[...]
This is a new omni mic I'm using, *directly* into minidisc (HiSP mode).

You'll get no argument from me on that one (except for the bluegrass band recording; I've been to and played that particular room a number of times, and I think it's probably in the listener's best interest *not* to get a sense of it).

I have a decent pair of omnis that do make better sounding recordings, and I'll use them when I'm making a recording that really matters. My point was just that for something quick-and-dirty or a recording where it's inconvenient to set up mics, the built-ins do pretty well. I was pleasantly surprised.

What were you using on the recording at the link? Sounds good.

I'm using Knowles Acoustics, model BT1759.  This is a small omnidirectional mic.

  Richard

[Outrageous]

Wayfaringstran, very nice playing, and I thought your recordings sounded good.  The stereo separation at 120 degrees is greater than you'd get with head-worn omnis, but I still could imagine I was there when listening with headphones. 

[mrsoul]

Here's another sample show with my internal mics using the X/Y config with 24/44.1 going.  I dither'd in post using the Sony Sound Forge Audio app

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,105543.0.html

[headroom]

Here a pic from the Mic PCM D-1 the PCM D-50 is maybe the same princip only different capsule. Its from the manual PCM D-1.

[bilco]

Just got mine from Wingfield today!  It really is pretty intuitive, even for an old guy. I did a couple of experiments with the internal mics outside recording birds and cars going by to start with,  I finally got around to setting it on a table and singing and playing my Martin into to it from about 3' away.  Those mics are really pretty incredible for the money.  I like what they do to the Martin better than my pair of SM81s in X/Y.  The mics sound good on my voice too.  I am going to have to play with a tripod or something to get the recorder higher up to pick up my voice more, but it sounds really good.   This unit is WAY better than what I needed for a songwriting sketchpad.  I am hoping I can actually capture some recordings of me with 1 or 2 other instruments going straight to stereo and then just burn the waves straight to CD.

If the mics in the D-1 are better than these, that truly is a great machine.

I love the simplicity of it, especially after 5 years of struggling with overdubbing, editing and mixing with a Pro Tools LE rig.

bilco

[Todd R]

I finally got around to measuring the mic plug-in power voltage on the D50.

It looks like my D50 is providing 2.8v per channel with no load, and 0.5v under a 1K ohm load.  Doesn't seem very impressive, I doubt this will be enough to power any stealth-type mics directly for loud shows.  Probably will need to use a battery box or a Church ST-9100 preamp with our micro mics.

[audBall]

Has anyone attempted removing the built-in mics or creating some kind of slip-on cover for them?  Out of the current digi recorders, this one would probably work best for me, but I just don't need those mics.