Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: Hypnocracy on November 05, 2011, 11:17:02 AM
-
Wanted to move out of the Retail Section (http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=150420.15)
It is a micro sized unit...Yeah...16bit...I know...but it easy to power-recharge with a easy access to a cell Phone type battery (no surgery like with a iRiver)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_K_Pt3irNk4/TrR8a5MtVaI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/Yc9JbeW6p-A/s640/IMG_20111104_195910.jpg)
Some folks asked about line in sensitivity...I've yet to plug it into a Sound board but these are my first impressions.......There are three levels to choose on sensitivity for Line In:
Head Phone
Portable
Line Component
The CA9100 is not hot enough to use at the Line Component...I was hardly able to get a signal to register on this setting...NOT sure if you have Record level gain control at the Sanyo with a Line In...didn't appear to change but that may be Operator Error...this is my first few hours with the device....Tried Portable but hand to turn the CA9100 to the max...I dropped down to Head Phone in order to record a 6db peak with a 40-50% gain on the CA9100....
Listening on headphones...the maxed CA9100-Portable sounds fine...Headphone out to input on the Yamaha Amp...to be kind this unit is not blessed with headphone power...
-
From my (admittedly cursory) reading of the manual, I was under the impression that those three Line In settings function only when using the Sanyo's automatic level control. I thought they were non-functional when the Sanyo is set to allow manual input level adjustment?
-
In the Menu Automatic Level Control is under MIC ALC and I have it turned off...
The manual talks about "Recording Scenes" which are presets...I freaked out when I saw the Line Input Scene was not showing PCM Wave 44.1hz as a option....Turns out these are just suggestions and you can set it manually to Line In and PCM Wave
Adjust the recording level (only if the
“SCENE SELECT” setting is set to
“MUSIC” or the “MIC ALC” setting is
“OFF”).
The internal Microphones sound fine...in the right place I'd be tempted to use them
-
Well that's good news! Mine should be here next week.
-
The "Record Level" is a small number in the bottom right of the screen...If you select a Line In Recording Scene the number is there...right up to the point of pushing the Record button...then it disappears...so unless there is somewhere to turn it back on...
NO TRIM OF RECORD LEVEL FROM LINE INPUTS
-
Are there levels so you know when youre peaking?
-
Yeah...the Meters (then record is engaged) are located right above the "0:00" in the photo above and run the width of the screen and approx 3/16 in height...
You can see them on page 68 of the manual PDF
http://us.sanyo.com/dynamic/product/Downloads/ICR-XPS01M%20instruction%20manual-27267853.pdf
-
The "Record Level" is a small number in the bottom right of the screen...If you select a Line In Recording Scene the number is there...right up to the point of pushing the Record button...then it disappears...so unless there is somewhere to turn it back on...
NO TRIM OF RECORD LEVEL FROM LINE INPUTS
Well, that would be utterly absurd. Hopefully, there's a way to do it. Otherwise, it was designed by a complete moron.
-
Eh...I'll adjust level at the CA9100...I understand that would not work if I had a Naiant Tiny Box...
Record Level is manually adjustable with on board Microphone and works fine...I assume it would work with PIP Microphones too (I don't own a set so a bit of a guess there)
One other issue when selecting External Microphone input appears that PIP (Plug In Power 1.3v) MUST BE ON ...I can't find a setting to toggle that Off / On either...It would have been nice to be able to use a Battery box for 9V microphones and the internal Preamp...
:-[
-
It's sounding like there's a reason these have been marked down by 60%. I hope Buy.com's return policy is decent. :)
-
http://soundcloud.com/hypnocracy/compare-at853-xacti
Comp of Sanyo Xacti internal Omni vs AT853 Omni>CA9100>Sanyo Xacti
-
At leats it has to be compared with other little ones like Yamaha Pocketrak or Tascam Dr-3.
Read somewhere (maybe here) that some poketraks were also sold as Sanyo it was the 2g i remind. So would be nice if also Yamaha can bring a folllow up of the W24 .
-
One other issue when selecting External Microphone input appears that PIP (Plug In Power 1.3v) MUST BE ON ...I can't find a setting to toggle that Off / On either...It would have been nice to be able to use a Battery box for 9V microphones and the internal Preamp...
:-[
Have you found a solution for this?
Could one still use a battery box with the 1.3V PIP still switched on (assuming the mics can handle the combined voltage)?
-
Have not found a workaround to turn off PIP...someone else will have to speak about using PIP and a Batterybox....
First time out with the new unit...ran stage lip AT853's Omni>CA9100>Sanyo Check it out
http://soundcloud.com/hypnocracy/undertow-big-something-casbah
-
Have not found a workaround to turn off PIP...someone else will have to speak about using PIP and a Batterybox....
First time out with the new unit...ran stage lip AT853's Omni>CA9100>Sanyo Check it out
http://soundcloud.com/hypnocracy/undertow-big-something-casbah
Sounds pretty good to me!
-
I got mine and finally had a chance to test it a bit tonight. I set it to LINE IN/COMPONENT and connected my 12V battery box and an external stereo mic. In this configuration (with the mic and batt box connected), I could not adjust the input level AT ALL. The little number in the lower right-hand corner does not appear at all. I got the same result when set to LINE IN/PORTABLE.
However, when the mic/batt box is completely disconnected, the little input level number reappears, presumably because the unit has automatically defaulted back to its internal mics.
This is most confounding device I've ever seen. Why on earth would the input level control be intentionally disabled when recording from an external source?!?! For what conceivable reason would they add this "feature"?
I realize that you could use an external pre to adjust your gain, but that defeats the entire purpose of this unit (i.e. its small size). Why bother with a micro sized recorder if you have to carry around bulky preamp with it? Besides, I typically record VERY loud shows, so I don't need a preamp at all.
It's a real shame because this could have been the ultimate stealth recorder. The unit is so small (smaller than a stack of three credit cards). It also appears to be well made, and the internal hardware is probably quite good. I wish there were a firmware update available, but there isn't (I checked).
Perhaps I'll call Sanyo to ask if I'm missing something.
-
Also that problem with the yamaha pocketraks, they would be just fine for using with a battery box but you can't adjust the gain on Line In.
maybe least options are Tascam Dr-03 or 08 also that small but Line In adjustable.
-
JJ69....that was my finding on Line/Component input the three settings just adjust sensitivity "Low-Medium-High"....the input can be ran as MIC with PIP power...and then you can control the microphone input level
So...PIP microphones don't have enough headroom and would brickwall for loud shows? I've never owned a PIP microphone setup....
I'd take it to a show and run it with Internals before I'd give up...like you said the Build Quality is real nice...they may sound fine to you in that situation...
While in the TSKB I found the following on PIP...
To be safe, the microphone would have to have a blocking capacitor to prevent the PIP getting through.
I would check on this before using.
If your recording device's mic input has an mic power OFF choice, turn it OFF.
Having PIP turned on seems to always increase the deck's input noise and increase the loading of the connected mic.
So if not needing the deck's powering feature, while unlikely to cause harm to your mic, don't use it for self powered or dynamic mics if at all possible.
-
I've been playing around with this for a couple weeks. Wish I didn't get it now.
Good:
Seems to be the best recorder through built-in mics at the price. If this is what you need and your budget is limited, here's a good choice.
I like the display, including the meters.
ALC, when absolutely necessary (read: left on by mistake), not too bad.
Okay:
Size. Yes, it is quite small for what it is. But no more pocketable than Hi-MDs.
I would prefer cards to omnis.
Not so good:
I'm not liking the touch pad.
Have to scroll through menus each time I record line in because it reverts to MP3, even if not powered off between recordings.
16 bits.
Really bad:
Can't adjust line in level except the three course changes. What I most wanted this for was to record line in from analogue and HD Radio at work so I could leave my R-4 home and secondarily to replace my HiMD as stealth recorder with ext. mics. I can't get a reasonable line in level,. It's way too low or overloaded depending on the input selection. This is not only a really big flaw, it's a really stupid one.
Don't know yet:
Using it with my external stealth mics.
Conclusions:
Until this deal came along I was planning to buy a DR2d. I wish I did.
-
zowie: Why not just return it?
I'll probably keep mine just for recording at comedy clubs. I'll leave it on the table and see what it picks up.
Regarding the smaller Tascams, I haven't used a DR-08, but I can tell you that the DR-03 is completely useless as a concert recorder. The Line In is overloaded by practically any kind of amplified music. It's also the noisiest recorder I've ever seen. It's so bad it's embarrassing.
-
Zowie...yeah this is not the end all even with 16bit...intended for a market a bit different than the average TS member...wonder if it is a candidate for RockBox?
Question
Is there a volume adjust for a Headphone Out on your work radio? I'd use that to set the level if there was...that is the type of input this was built for. Additionally I have a headphone set with a variable volume attenuator (Less Volume only) on the cable...I guess it would be possible to re-terminate one of those to make an input cable for a hot output.
-
Radio Shack makes a headphone volume control that works as an attenuator. It's not the sturdiest thing but it could be your workaround, worth a try for $9.
https://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102975
-
Thanks for the suggestions. There are a number of work-arounds including using the (inferior) phones out. But it's dumb to have to. I may see how it does as a back-up deck for a live show next week.