Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: DSatz on May 16, 2021, 10:39:50 PM
-
Hi. Seeing that the price had fallen to around $200, on impulse I bought a Nagra "Mezzo" pocket recorder from Trew Audio. It has functionality similar to the Sony PCM-M10, except that it has separate line and mike input sockets rather than a single socket with sensitivity determined by a menu setting.
Its memory is internal only--no card slot--so the only way to transfer files out or in is via USB. And there's the rub: I can get it to connect to my laptop, but not to my desktop PC. Or rather, it connects to either one--but after a few seconds of being connected to my desktop PC, and recognized as an external storage device (I can even see files and folders on it for a little while), it suddenly fails and locks up the recorder. This happens every time. The only way I can get it unfrozen is to remove a battery. Has anyone else here had this problem?
When time permits, I'll do some noise measurements on it. When I did that with the Sony recorder, which is switchable between 16- and 24-bit recording, the 24-bit mode appeared to have only a <1 dB lower noise floor than the 16-bit mode, which meant that the 24-bit setting was effectively useless. The "Mezzo" has both settings as well, so I'd like to see whether it's simply a nice way to fill up memory faster, or whether it actually offers any potentially audible benefit.
--best regards
-
Oboy, a windows issue!
"Make sure you only have One sound driver installed"
What version of windows is working on laptop and what version is failing on PC? Let's start from there.
Are you sure the recorder is locked up and not acting as a live audio USB interface? I can't find any indication that the Mezzo has that feature, but it could happen.
-
I appreciate your posting, but when I asked whether others had this problem, too, that's actually what I wanted to find out. The problem doesn't mean that I can't use the recorder; if/when I use it, I will transfer files via the laptop. Since I'm rather likely to use the recorder mainly while traveling, the laptop is the computer that I'll have with me then anyway.
--best regards
P.S.: No sound driver is involved, since the device appears as generic mass storage; both computers have the same version of 64-bit Windows 10 installed, but they have different chip sets; I think this is a hardware issue.
-
I don't own one so not experiencing the problem. Looks like Nagra website has two software versions available for download. V1.3.1.4 and Mezzo V1.3.1.8 (latest version), I'm not seeing release notes but installing a different software version may be worth trying.
https://www.nagraaudio.com/product/nagra-mezzo/
-
Nothing useful about the Nagra, but reminds me of a series of Lexar USB drives that have a hardware/firmware/something issue - half of my Macs see it, half don't, and I can't rely on it when I expect to interface with foreign computers. Reports aplenty on that one.
-
Hi David
I enjoy and learn from all your posts here and everywhere else I can find them.
I have been considering the Mezzo as well, as an alternative to my aging M-10, and hope you will continue to update us on your problem/progress. I have a W7 desktop, and would be very....disappointed...if i could not transfer files from a Mezzo. Have you spoken to Trew or the US Nagra people?
My Sony PCM -M10 has both line and microphone separate inputs. The microphone input can provide PIP or not as chosen in the menu. I usually use it with a SD MP-2 running into the line input when using external mikes since my only PIP mike is an old cheap XY Sony electret.
I am surprised that although the Mezzo features 24 bit recording, the (supposedly proprietary) audio circuits do not have sufficient S/N to make that bit depth effective. I expect that from 'prosumer' equipment like the Sony, but Nagra is promoting the Mezzo as "professional". I look forward to your actual noise measurements. I wish i could answer your actual question from personal experience....I'm posting just to say your upcoming info will be well appreciated.
best
TG
[...] It has functionality similar to the Sony PCM-M10, except that it has separate line and mike input sockets rather than a single socket with sensitivity determined by a menu setting.
Its memory is internal only--no card slot--so the only way to transfer files out or in is via USB. And there's the rub: I can get it to connect to my laptop, but not to my desktop PC. Or rather, it connects to either one--but after a few seconds of being connected to my desktop PC, and recognized as an external storage device (I can even see files and folders on it for a little while), it suddenly fails and locks up the recorder. This happens every time. The only way I can get it unfrozen is to remove a battery. Has anyone else here had this problem?
=======
-
This comparison will be interesting maybe
http://jpmeuret.free.fr/enregistreurs/dr05-mezzo/Nagra-Mezzo-vs-Tascam-DR05-V1.html#conclusion
I waited a long time for a mezzo at a reasonable price ... and eventually bought PCM- A10 ))
-
^ Those tests seem to be evaluating the built-in mics as much as anything else. It would be interesting to see something similar with the same (external) mics going into the mic and/or line inputs.
-
From Trew Audio yesterday:
"Hi, unfortunately, we do not have the Nagra Mezzo in stock, and we are unable to order more."
-
I traveled to Germany and back with this recorder in my bag. Its "HOLD" button is in a recessed groove on the side of the recorder, but has ridges that stick out beyond the groove walls. So the HOLD feature keeps getting turned off just by things jostling around in the bag. Many times the recorder was turned on by accident. In fact, I'd say that about half the time whenever I checked, the recorder was on when I didn't mean it to be.
And now that I'm going to transfer the three sound samples that I recorded while I was over there, I see that the folder has 92 sound files in it. Grrrr.
-
I seem to recall a dustup several years back about the LINO / SD, with accusations of it being a cheap Chinese-made recorder that Nagra simply re-branded and charged a premium for because their name was on it. Looking at the specs and overall design of those along with the MEZZO, I have to wonder if there might be some truth to those claims. Nagra certainly has no business calling these units "professional", when they know full well what a professional-level product is. Speaking of which, I notice that they still have no replacement for the VI, so the only pro-level recorder they now sell (the Seven) is limited to two analog inputs and one stereo digital input. I wonder what is going on over there.
Going back to DSatz's original problem: I wonder if it is an issue of the 5V being passed from your PC to the USB cable are causing it to lock up. If something is damaged internally, that voltage could be getting to places it shouldn't. There are cables out there that pass data but not power, but they aren't the easiest to find.
-
I would like to ask a question. I own a Nagra Mezzo and, after some Meh observations I've made some excellent recordings with it. It is very small, has a good wide soundstage and good 3-d imaging considering its size and overall I enjoy its abilities for low-profile interviews and run-and-gun background textures for podcasts.
An oddity: when I transfer files to my hard drive for storage all date time information is lost. I think I am using the latest software, Software 1.3.1.7 Hardware 1.3.1.0 Loader 1.3.1.6
Do any of you have the same issue? Can anyone verify they do get time/date information after the data resides on their hard drive?
Thank you!
-
I would like to ask a question. I own a Nagra Mezzo and, after some Meh observations I've made some excellent recordings with it. It is very small, has a good wide soundstage and good 3-d imaging considering its size and overall I enjoy its abilities for low-profile interviews and run-and-gun background textures for podcasts.
An oddity: when I transfer files to my hard drive for storage all date time information is lost. I think I am using the latest software, Software 1.3.1.7 Hardware 1.3.1.0 Loader 1.3.1.6
Do any of you have the same issue? Can anyone verify they do get time/date information after the data resides on their hard drive?
Thank you!
Looking at DigiGal's comments a few posts above yours, which I have pasted below, it does not appear you have the latest firmware.
Posted by: DigiGal
« on: May 18, 2021, 07:30:54 PM »
Insert Quote
I don't own one so not experiencing the problem. Looks like Nagra website has two software versions available for download. V1.3.1.4 and Mezzo V1.3.1.8 (latest version), I'm not seeing release notes but installing a different software version may be worth trying.
https://www.nagraaudio.com/product/nagra-mezzo/