Topic: Sony PCM-M10 (Part 4)

[F.O.Bean]

I've just had the clock set error after a period of some weeks non-use, though the rechargeable batteries seemed ok.  No further occurrences in the last few days.

You LEAVE your batteries IN your M10 when its just shelf taping That's NOT GOOD to do. Wait til you rust the contacts

[Lonman]

My thoughts on the M10 include having the clock issue, find the built in omnis barely acceptable  for anything other than capturing a riff on the fly in a live music setting when I am playing the music and just reach for the deck and hit record twice. Battery life is great using rechargeable duracell batteries and a good charger that discharges as well. I record mostly small club jazz, gypsy jazz, bluegrass and acoustic music and always need a pre for 30-40 db of gain. I use both the M10 and the R09hr and mix and match littlebox pre and 9100 (and now 9200) and can't really tell which deck I used one week after taping a show. I think the M10 feels better to hold and looks more rugged to me but the R09hr is easier to use in the dark without looking at the deck for me. Also easy to disable needless "stuff" with gaffer's tape on both decks so you don't need to worry about hitting things by accident.
Would be interested to know configs using M10 mic in with PIP on or off with CA-14's, 11's or CAFs for shows not loud enough to worry about high spl or needing to power those mics more than the deck does which I think is 3V ?  Anyone using M10 like this within 15 feet of acoustic instrument sound sources ? The A/D converter is HQ in the M10 by reading other posts and if if enough gain could be had from the deck it seems one could possible use this deck mic in with relatively sensistive mics and be ok, yes? I am guessing unity not possible though since gain would have to be higher than 4/5. Any configs with the usual suspects making the M10 a stand alone would be appreciated or even links to already posted topics on this that I can't seem to find.
Thanks as always happy tapers!

[yousef]

Just a quick question.

Might have a chance of a sbd feed tomorrow night and have never used the M10 for this before - I seem to have got the idea that the M10 can take a hot board output without attenuation - should I pack an attenuator anyway or am I really good to go with just an XLR to minijack cable?

[beatkilla]

Bring the attenuator id say, you never know how hot the board feed will be. We got a feed to the m10 from a club we dont frequent and had the line level on the m10 set to 1. We should of had an attenuator.

[yousef]

Thanks for that.

Didn't need one in the end but it was a very quiet gig. Very pleased with the results.

[Artstar]

You LEAVE your batteries IN your M10 when its just shelf taping That's NOT GOOD to do. Wait til you rust the contacts

My second most important reason why I only ever use lithium AA batteries.

[pool]

Today (after months owning one) the M10 asked to set the clock for the first time ever.
I had used it only 24 hours before  and then removed the rechargable batteries overnight.

i tried to read through this helpful thread but honestely posts by people letting us know when their "unit" will be shipped got me lost. 

Whats the common take on this? press stop twice? or is there another solution?

[willndmb]

Today (after months owning one) the M10 asked to set the clock for the first time ever.
I had used it only 24 hours before  and then removed the rechargable batteries overnight.

i tried to read through this helpful thread but honestely posts by people letting us know when their "unit" will be shipped got me lost. 

Whats the common take on this? press stop twice? or is there another solution?

you can reset it or press stop twice
pressing stop twice will get rid of the reset menu but the files will not have date/time info connected to them so if you are not good at keeping track it might cause you a headache down the road
one person has sent theirs back in for a "new" one
i personally am not bothered by the clock issue enough to send mine in for a refurbished one or whatever it is they are doing about it

[darby]

I have not had a clock issue with mine for the 5 months I've had it and keep batteries in it
and I just bought another M10 as a backup 

[ArchivalAudio]

so just wondering about folks that had/ have the "clock issue"
as I was reading the operating manual and on page 14
under when to replace batteries  then under Tips
there is a bullet

• When replacing the batteries, the clock continues moving for about 3 minutes after you remove the batteries.

which would make sense
so if you have 4 rechargeable AA's then 2 are at the ready to swap out in a expedient manner (under 3 minutes)
does the clock still reset?

thanx
--ian

[F.O.Bean]

so just wondering about folks that had/ have the "clock issue"
as I was reading the operating manual and on page 14
under when to replace batteries  then under Tips
there is a bullet

• When replacing the batteries, the clock continues moving for about 3 minutes after you remove the batteries.

which would make sense
so if you have 4 rechargeable AA's then 2 are at the ready to swap out in a expedient manner (under 3 minutes)
does the clock still reset?

thanx
--ian

Seems like if its under 3 mins, then the clock WILL NOT reset. I am getting an M10 w/ in the next couple months, and probably sell the R09/16gb SDHC Card to afford it

[Chazz]

I am new and have a microphone question. I just got the PCM-M10 and need to use it for speech (not music) with an external professional microphone.   I need to be able to use this recorder with extension cables to a podium. The mic is on the podium and I sit elsewhere using the recorder to make marks while people speak at the podium. I have the extension cables and a Shure VP-64 with a standard XLR to mini plug that worked fine on my minidisc recorder.  But now there is a hum and very low level when I use this with the PCM-M10.     

I would rather not spend the money to get the expensive mic recommended in the manual the ECM-MS957 (I am not sure it can even be used with extension cables).  But I would not mind buying a new mic that works with cables if they're not too expensive.

[rastasean]

First, I wouldn't recommend that mic anyway. ( MS957)

Secondly, have you checked the cable and made sure it was secure in both ends? Have you tried a different cable? Have you tried the mic in a different recorder? Is the hum always present? Since this is an omni mic, perhaps its picking up room noise. Since the VP64 is a dynamic mic, it doesn't need a pre-amp but if you have one, I would suggest testing it to see what it sounds like.

One downside of the M10 is the fact that it can't record mono so with the mno mic I have, I just use a stereo cable to have the audio on both channels.

[Chazz]

Rastasean--Yes, I would like to try a different cable. Not sure what to get though.  Someone told me I might need an adaptor or low to high impedance transformer...?.

And to answr your question, yes, the set-up I have works fine with the mini disc recorder, no hum.

[tgos3]

I have used Sennheiser MD211 (omni) and AKG D200 (cardioid) dynamic mikes with my M10 without problems.  I did not have to raise the recording volume so far that I got hum.  There was room sound, depending on recording distance.  Both mikes I used are low impedance professional mikes. I'm not familiar with your mike.  Going Hi-Impedance mike into Low Impedance preamp causes loss of level, (and change in frequency response) if no matching transformer or circuit is used.

I use a Hosa XVM-105F, which is a short adapter cable, Female XLR to mini TRS.  XLR Pin 2 is hot, and goes to tip and ring, Pins 1 and 3 are Ground, and go to Sleeve on the mini plug.  This results in  identical signals to each of L and R channels of the M10, which sums to mono.  The M10 can not record true mono, IIRC.  If for some reason your adapter cable does not provide signal to both channels of the Sony, and fails to ground one channel, you will get hum.

I also use a Hosa mini TRS stereo to dual XLR adapter cable  to run from my external stereo preamp to the trs line input of the M10 for stereo field recording with phantom powered condensor mikes.  It works fine, with no hum.

Dynamic mikes will have a worse S/N ratio than would phantom powered or self-battery powered condensor mikes, which put out more voltage by around 15 dB, but it shouldn't necessarily cause hum.  I believe external mikes are unbalanced when run into the mike input of the Sony, which might increase susceptibility to environmental electrical noise, such as noise from dimmer switches, fluorescent ballast, halogen lectern lamp power supply, etc.

Have you checked the sensitivity setting on the M10?  At least some mini disc recorders have a bit better S/N than the M10, but I don't think the difference should be enough to cause noticeable hum.

good luck with your problem.  Simplest solution I can think of is a long XLR-XLR 3 wire cable run from lectern into an appopriate Hosa XLR to mini TRS cable/adapter, unless you have an impedance matching issue inherent in your mike.