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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: aero on April 04, 2026, 01:34:29 PM
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Hello,
unfortunately my beloved Sony PCM m10 has been stolen, I really liked it and now I need to replace it.
I liked everything about it, form factor, functionality, recording quality, battery life...
What should I get to replace it? A second hand PCM M10 or something else?
My budget is similar to the original asking price of the Pcm m10 (around 200 $ - Eur?)
Mostly used for field recordings, mostly using on board mics
Thanks!
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Hello,
unfortunately my beloved Sony PCM m10 has been stolen, I really liked it and now I need to replace it.
I liked everything about it, form factor, functionality, recording quality, battery life...
What should I get to replace it? A second hand PCM M10 or something else?
My budget is similar to the original asking price of the Pcm m10 (around 200 $ - Eur?)
Mostly used for field recordings, mostly using on board mics
Thanks!
If you liked it, you should be able to find a replacement M10 easily enough. The A10 is similar in many ways and has bluetooth (which is great), but the built-in mics are very different (cardioid instead of omni).
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Thanks. I had a look, so far not much luck hopefully will have better luck in the future.
Also most of what I’ve found is from japan and I’ve read that those ones operate in Japanese only. Would rather use englush if I can.
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Would rather use englush if I can.
I laughed.
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Thanks. I had a look, so far not much luck hopefully will have better luck in the future.
Also most of what I’ve found is from japan and I’ve read that those ones operate in Japanese only. Would rather use englush if I can.
Post in the Yard Sale here, I bet one will turn up in not too long.
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Thanks. I had a look, so far not much luck hopefully will have better luck in the future.
Also most of what I’ve found is from japan and I’ve read that those ones operate in Japanese only. Would rather use englush if I can.
I have a red one that only speaks Japanese.
I'm able to use the camera function of g00g1e translate to read what it says, so it's not really a problem if I have to mess with the settings.
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Thanks for all the advice, especially for taking the time during the festivities!
I was somewhat surprised that after so many years the M10 it's still the one to beat at that price point.
I was kind of hoping that a new device could replace it, like the Roland R-07.
I have put an ad in the Yard Sale and also looked at the usual sites for second hand.
I saw quite a few M10 being sold in China, sometimes pictures were clearly recycled from somewhere else, some feedback good, some others not so.
On one side it's tempting because you have some sort of money back guarantee if the item is not what it's advertised, on the other hand it's a hassle and you never quite know how it will go.
Any advice/experience on this matter?
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Personally - and it is a matter of taste - regardless of their basic sound quality, the built in mics of the M10 being close-set omnis have such poor stereo imaging that I don't remember ever using them. The A10 cardioids when spread out have a good stereo image in comparison. But maybe lacking a bit at the low frequency end. However, that is easier to compensate with eq, compared with trying to compensate for the wrong polar pattern.
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Personally - and it is a matter of taste - regardless of their basic sound quality, the built in mics of the M10 being close-set omnis have such poor stereo imaging that I don't remember ever using them. The A10 cardioids when spread out have a good stereo image in comparison. But maybe lacking a bit at the low frequency end. However, that is easier to compensate with eq, compared with trying to compensate for the wrong polar pattern.
I must admit that when pairing the M10 with other mics, like the Roland CS binaural, I had results that I liked better, I have pretty decent microphones, like the Schoeps MK4, so I can appreciate the difference ;).
With the internal mics is more of a in the spur of the moment thing, and in general I like the overall functionality of the M10.
I had a look at the A10 and - besides some design choices which I'm not a big fan of - it's also out of production, so not the easiest to source.
At the same time I have to factor in that a used M10 is going to be an oldish device, with possible failures down the line and no repairs available.
With no clear successor in that segment of the market it's not immediately easy to pick a new (or used) recorder.
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Don't know why this segment hasn't seen new quality devices in recent years. Perhaps because smartphones have eroded the volume of the market?
If you have a Smartphone, you could consider a MV88 (https://www.shure.com/en-US/products/microphones/mv88usbc?variant=MV88-USBC).
It will not be as quiet/sensitive as the Primo EM172 capsules of the M10 but the portability is great.
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Wait a second. You have Schoeps MK4s and are using internal mics. That seems crazy to me.
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Wait a second. You have Schoeps MK4s and are using internal mics. That seems crazy to me.
I don't have a portable pre ;)
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I can sell you a roland r-05 for a decent price if you want.
Drop me a personal message if interested.
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Wait a second. You have Schoeps MK4s and are using internal mics. That seems crazy to me.
I don't have a portable pre ;)
No nbobs and/or baby nbox/riotbox?
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I can sell you a roland r-05 for a decent price if you want.
Drop me a personal message if interested.
Thank you but it's either the M10 or something newer, currently in production.
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Why?
Newer isn't necessarily better.
You mentioned the r-07.
The r-05 is better. Been using the same unit since 2011 and it has never failed me.
Anyways, you do you. I guess we all have our preferences.
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Why?
Newer isn't necessarily better.
You mentioned the r-07.
The r-05 is better. Been using the same unit since 2011 and it has never failed me.
Anyways, you do you. I guess we all have our preferences.
Nothing wrong with the r05, from what I’ve heard I wouldn’t think it’s inferior to the r 07.
If newer was always better I would already found a solution and wouldn’t have asked for advice here.
However old electronics fail, even my M10, which was in excellent condition, developed a strange spike at around 20kHz, I couldn’t hear it of course, but something failed somewhere.
So I’d rather minimize risks where I can…
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Wait a second. You have Schoeps MK4s and are using internal mics. That seems crazy to me.
I don't have a portable pre ;)
grab a babynbox from Nick which will make for a big upgrade.
Zoom F-3 or the Tascam FR-AV2 which gives you 32 bit float. Removes worry of setting levels
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Wait a second. You have Schoeps MK4s and are using internal mics. That seems crazy to me.
I don't have a portable pre ;)
grab a babynbox from Nick which will make for a big upgrade.
Zoom F-3 or the Tascam FR-AV2 which gives you 32 bit float. Removes worry of setting levels
Note that the BABY Nbox which runs on a single 9V is not a pre-amp, just a power supply.
the somewhat larger N Box Platinum runs on 4x 9 volt cells but IS a preamp.