Topic: Marantz PMD 671 in the field Part 3...

[it-goes-to-eleven]

Now if we could only modify that DA-P1 to record @ 24bit. 

Hide a microtrack inside the case?

[Thom Joad]

Has anyone done any splitter based comps of the ACM 671?

Like:

mics > splitter > acm671
                > v3
And to eval the A/D maybe:

mics > v3 > acm671

Mine's not an ACM, but I have

The Duo
onstage, LOC 4022>V3>SPDIF out>MT (24/48)
                                >analog out>PMD-671 line in (24/48)

I don't really do BT, but if anyone wants it, PM me.  You guys are more than welcome to set up a BT of it.  -Matt

[macdaddy]

This is what I got from Doug Oade on the 8GB card problem:

Hi !
Yes, the info I have from Marantz indicates 8 gig and larger cards are
supported but must be formated on a computer. Also keep in mind not all
cards are the same so some brands may not ever work. I do not own any 8
gig cards( I prefer the reliability and lower operating current/temp of
2 and 4 gig CF cards) so I cannot test it but I hope this helps...Doug
--
Thank you for your interest.
We are factory authorized for all product we sell.
We want your business and try harder !
 
Sincerely,
The Oade Brothers Audio Sales Team.

that is fantasdic news...

i wouldnt suppose marantz has a handy freeware .exe that they have devloped for this purpose..? cf cards, and microdrives, esp. are real finnicky. for instance i bought a 2.2gig microdrive when i was using the older ipaq to record, and nothing would format it - not expanision slot changes, not a 'puter card reader, not my camera, not the ipaq2215 (wich is the one i moved to), not using the program gordon (live2496) recommends for formatting the CF cards (storage tools is what it is called, i think)...

then i bought that pad for my psp, and threw the old microdrive in the pad, and whammo - the psp saw it, and i formatted it that way... and now everything reads it (all those devices that i said before would not). weird, but i like i said above, i bet that is what is happening with the 8gig cards)...

the sandisk cards are pretty reliable - has anybody tried foratting the 8gig card with storage tools on a pda..? do you have to format the fat type, cluster size and cache size, etc. to specific values before using a card in the marantz, or did the pmd671 do that when you installed a card..? if you cant use the marantz unit to format the larger cards, has marantz stated SPECIFICALLY what fat type, cluster and cache sizes to use - this can make a difference. gordon (live2496) can fill in the specifics, but i know from experience that some settings work, and some absolutely do not, but usually when they fail, it causes nasty things like buffer over/underruns, that cause all sorts of resetting... talk about a big dropout - i have walked out of shows, f*cking fuming -  when this has happened to me (unfortunately on more than one occassion - the pleasures of being an ealry adopter (i have been using the pda rigs for a couple of years now)...
_____

@ ghengis re: 24/96 being a waste of space...

sometimes yes, sometimes no - i want to have all my options.

i agree if you are doing a straight record > FLAC > listen via foobar, then i would love to see you abx the difference (foobar has an abx function, where you load the tracks and pick; sweet for really testing wha you are hearing, and not allowing personal hunches, preferences, wishes, etc. color your tests)... anyway, i dont think many folks can hear the difference in this scenario...

BUT if you are going to be doing ANY dsp (other than the trim/fade/dither) i think it makes a huge difference, and is absolutely necessary...

now i would like to think that my sh*t sounds so good that i dont need to do any dsp, but that is just not true...

now learning the dsp tools, and using them with tremendous restraint (imo) is the way to go, and requires a whole noew set of skills. but if you are seriously planning on applying dsp, you want 24/96 (or better) source files... at least, i KNOW i do...

i can live without 24/192...

[Genghis Cougar Mellen Khan]

This is what I got from Doug Oade on the 8GB card problem:

Hi !
Yes, the info I have from Marantz indicates 8 gig and larger cards are
supported but must be formated on a computer. Also keep in mind not all
cards are the same so some brands may not ever work. I do not own any 8
gig cards( I prefer the reliability and lower operating current/temp of
2 and 4 gig CF cards) so I cannot test it but I hope this helps...Doug
--
Thank you for your interest.
We are factory authorized for all product we sell.
We want your business and try harder !
 
Sincerely,
The Oade Brothers Audio Sales Team.

that is fantasdic news...

Could be... It'd be nice.

http://www.d-mpro.com/users/folder.asp?FolderID=3689&Tab=FAQ
PMD671 Operational Questions
 What kind of media is recommended?
Depending on your application, you'll want to select a proper compact flash type I or type II, or microdrive memory card to use with your PMD671 solid state recorder. Typically standard cards with faster read/write speeds are best. You'll want to stay away from cards marked as "ultra" or anything else other than standard. If your application is one where the machine is constantly moving or subject to vibration, then you should buy a compact flash card as opposed to a microdrive.

Some recommended brands of flash cards are: Lexar, Viking, Hitachi, IBM, and PNY.

ScanDisk is not on the recommended brands, and they do mention "ultra" specifically.  It is entirely possible that they have other motivations to mention this (possible financial affiliations etc.) but it is possible it's due to the specific technology used in the card.

My Kingston "Elite" card isn't on the recommended list and when they say "anything else other than standard" who knows what the hell they mean, a standard 4X card probably can't hang @ higher bit rates.

It'd be nice if they tested and approved cards that DO work, instead of thier not this, maybe that, probably this gibberish.


 

[Chuck]

I e-mailed Marantz about this wording. The response was vague, but they said they stand by that recommendation.  I mentioned that I use the Kingston Elite with good results. Maybe they "have it in" for SanDisc? I dunno... Doug Oade recommended the Kingston Elite at first, so I bought it and I am happy with it. I've heard he has since stopped recommending Kingston cards, but again, the Kingston works great for me.

[macdaddy]

$440+ is a it steep, doncha think..?

(ebay link)

[F.O.Bean]

$440+ is a it steep, doncha think..?

(ebay link)

yes but meritline.com has PNY and a few other cheapies that are well below that price point id consider trying out first

[bhadella]

$440+ is a it steep, doncha think..?

(ebay link)

yes but meritline.com has PNY and a few other cheapies that are well below that price point id consider trying out first

Great site for CF (and other memory) on the cheap.....

http://dealnews.com/memory/prices/Compact-Flash/19/8GB.html

[macdaddy]

+t to both of you for those tips!!!

[sygdwm]

if i only record at 24/48, i will never know if 24/96 "sounds" better. i will agree, however, that a resampled version to 24/48 from a 24/96 source does NOT sound as good. i have a/b'ed 24/96 and resampled 24/48 many times over.

source: pioneer 563-a>sony 3000es>b&w604se

caveat emptor: my dvd-a player does not output a digi signal over 24/48, so i have to listen to the 24/96 source via the analog outs. not the most scientific comparison, but enough for me not to warrant going over 24/48.

[TenoRichards]

*Unable to transfer* problem resolved. It was a bad file sector. Unsure why it got messed up on the CF card, but I ran chkdsk on that extension (f:\ on my computer) on the the next restart, it fixed the file allocation on the card and voila....able to transfer wav. I assume this problem would have still been apparent had I used a pcmcia adapter, the problem being the file itself, and not the transfer medium.

[Chuck]

Good news.

[Chuck]

Hey, has anyone successfully use a Dane Elec 4GB CF card in the PMD671?

[Chuck]

Well, I left the lead at home and actually recorded three different bands successfully using only the (8) AA Radio Shack battery holder as the internal sled in my 671. I removed the keying device on the stock Marantz sled and put it on the long sled available at Radio Shack. The difference between the two sleds is that the Radio Shack version has terminals that protrude out from it, where the Marantz sled contact points are more or less flush with the sled. I had to do a little surgery on the Radio Shack sled. Basically just bending the positive connector contacts a bit to make it fit in the sled holder area of the 671.

Before using the Radio Shack sled, I never had success with the Marantz sled in my 671 working reliably in the field.

Original Marantz sled on the left  - Modified radio Shack sled on the right

[sygdwm]

*knocks on wood*

i have yet to experience this problem. i use internal power exclusively. hope your solution works.