More distinct Hold feature, clearer button design, etc.
I actually prefer the PCM-M10's button design. In-use, you probably will too (IMO). I know it's fashionable to dog on Sony (and frankly sometimes they really deserve it), but this is a great unit. Let me talk a bit:
1) the
display is miles ahead of the Edirol on detail. The
at-a-glance info is much better. The scrolling is less. There is simply more pixel detail allowing more to be shown at any one time, or simply shown more clearly. There is simply less menu-diving, generally-speaking. Compare and contrast. Look at PDF manuals back-to-back. Look at pics. See which one comes across as the toy in the display / usability department.
2) The Edirol's manual even warns, "
A small amount of noise may be heard from the
display during normal operation". Sony's doesn't 'cause they use a
traditional LCD and traditional backlight that is noiseless.
3) Right under the LCD on the Sony there are
dedicated DELETE and DISPLAY buttons (among others), using buttons that were designed with the finger in mind (with adequate surface area), not little cylindrical shapes scattered all over the surface like on the Edirol. Delete button is flatter than all the others, too, allowing you to 'learn' the position of others easier relative to this, too.
(Incidentally the DELETE key is flatter than the web pics show, this must have been a sensible late-minute production change). Anyway, these dedicated buttons and better ergonomics and layout equal an enthusiastic YES PLEASE from me.
4)
AAC and WMA support in addition to WAV and MP3. Nice bonus to expand the playback possibilities on the unit. The Edirol has no support for AAC and WMA playback.
5)
Key Control and
Pre-Recording. Yes please. I think these are far more useful than
Reverb. A unit without at least one of them after having tried them? No thanks.
6)
VOLUME control on the Sony allows easier up/down toggles of VOLUME. On the Edirol it's 2 separate gapped buttons that require more controlled finger movement. There is a raised dot on the Sony VOLUME control too, letting you know which side you are manipulating even if the unit is upside-down. It's the little things, and Sony's
keep-your-finger-on-it volume toggle wins.
7) People are saying the Sony has
quieter mics. I haven't tried the Edirol, but this doesn't surprise me because I think they are pretty darn good. For convenience, nothing beats recording then and there on your little unit. It's nice to know it isn't an area totally overlooked to please the accountants.
9)
REC LEVEL dial is a great thing. I consider it a bonus to be able to manipulate the levels in HOLD and I consider it a bonus to have a REC LEVEL dial instead of buttons. Sony can consider every possible recording scenario by making HOLD behaviour menu-selectable, as mentioned (but I doubt I'd use it). The dial is actually very hard to accidentally move; it's well-protected and has just the right stiffness (it's not loose in motion like you may expect and doesn't protrude from any surface to make accidental brushings or movements possible in 99.8% of cases, I would guess). You need to try it.
10)
Button layout. Keep in mind words don't do the Sony justice:
[>>] [pause] [rec]
/ / / /
[<<] [stop] [play] [track mark]
REC: top-right button.
TRACK MARK: bottom-right button, further out.
Both dead-easy to feel anytime, anywhere, any place, anytime, without thinking. Always on the right means you simply reach for the right-edge of the unit and find them there. Rows are not symmetrical, which is great. Track Mark always has a re-assuring space above it (where the flush ACCESS light lives). REC is on the top row to the left of that space. Again, VERY easy to feel your way. Much better in use than in these words here.
PLAY: joined via a 'I can feel it' deep groove as you slide your finger down. PLAY also has a raised dot on it. Unmistakable feel.
STOP: right next to PLAY.
PAUSE: right next to RECORD.
Completely logical. |<< and >>| are only totally out of the way, to the left, and also joined 'by feel' by a deep groove that you can feel as you slide your finger down (middle buttons have no groove, only the outer right and left ones do, so you always know where you are).
Lovely button design. Takes all of 2 glances to work out.
When you think about it, you only need to really manipulate 4 buttons for recording. |<< and >>| are ignored. 5 if you count the lovely
TRACK MARK.
I dislike
4-way / 5-way navpads in a cluster on the Edirol. I think they're more inclined to get accidental pressings. Not to speak of the shape and scattering of the smaller buttons and switches on the Edirol, which are OK but just aren't when you compare it to a design that is just simply better and has more useful buttons by default (I can accept this is subjective to a certain degree, so take my likes for what they are).
11) Sony has the
speaker in a better position (facing more towards you in most situations, rather than pointing down at your hand or the table as it rests on these..)
12)
MIC and LINE inputs are on the top-section (preferable to me, but may not be to others or in all situations, but then again I think most situations it is preferable, and that's what matters to me). One also has a tactile raised dot for the
total-in-the-dark-have-to-plug-it-in-and-don't-know-which-is-which scenarios). Not to mention the fact that Sony cleverly didn't make them the same colour.
13)
Peak stereo
LED indicators on the unit are totally worlds apart (and positioned better) from the poor (
and sad) Edirol PEAK LED.
14)
Battery lifeI can go on...
With all this said, the Edirol is superior to me here:
1) The ability to rename files / create folders / move tracks on-unit (great stuff!)
2) Remote does more.
3) USB port is covered (I think all exposed ports should have those rubber pull-out/stick-in plugs to protect their cleanliness and prepare them for a long, fruitful life, especially in less-than-nice places)
4) has some switches the Sony only has in-menu (but IMO the switches are badly-positioned and harder-to-learn-the-position-of compared to Sony's more accessible-on-the-side switch positioning)
5) is user-upgradeable (but the benefit of this is debatable...it's just a nice 'what if' blanket)
6) the option to turn ON and OFF the peak-hold on the level meters (usefulness debatable)
7) 3 low-cut frequency settings (Sony, just one!)
Perhaps one or two other things I am missing...
In my estimation, the Edirol (and others) have a new competitor and the new competitor should have them sweating in nearly every area that matters.
The talk of the Sony not making the grade is amusing to me - but I'm open to what else Sony is doing wrong here that they could learn from their competition (at the same or similar price-point).
Just some thoughts to chew on...