Topic: Sony PCM-M10 (Part 4)

[Chazz]

tgos--It would be great if if using the cable run with the hosa XVM-105F would solve my problem! Here are the specs on my mic:

http://www.shure.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webcontent/us_pro_vp64_en_ug.pdf

Do you think the HOSA would do it?

[tgos3]

I think it should work. 

I checked the wiring diagram for my D200E AKG, and like your Shure, it has pin 2 and 3 as hot and return, with pin 1 to ground, so the same adapters that work for me should work for you.... However, the AKG diagram does not illustrate pin 3 and case connected, so that may remain an issue.

It looks like the Shure is set up to ground the XLR case and pin 3 together.  I don't know if that is appropriate for your situation.  You could try looking inside your current cable at the end that goes into the mike, and see if it the XLR is set up that way in the cable as well.  If you decide to try another cable you could experiment on your current one, and try desoldering the connection between the XLR case tab (the little bar in the diagram) and pin 3.  A bunch of old Neumann mikes were also set up that way on purpose, since it helps prevent environmental noise pickup on such mikes (but not all mikes).

 If you do ground case and pin 3, i think it has to be that way at both ends, and I don't think the Sony is set up that way.  You can do the experiment and find out, if you are able to put your current cable back the way it used to be.

Here's another issue that might be relevant.  On my Sharp minidisc recorders, it is possible to engage a true MONO recording function, which i used to do when using one mike going in via TRS.  This can not be done on the Sony M10.  I don't know if your current adapter cable made use of the minidisc electronic summing to mono, and is failing to ground one side of the M10....I have my suspicions.

good luck

[reburns]

Hello folks -

This is my first post and I'm hoping someone will be willing to take the time to help a Newbie.  I am a still photographer, and bought a PCM-M10 to record interviews and background material to support slideshows (i.e. YouTube, etc.).  I leave Friday to Nepal - China for a month where I'll document some non-profit work.   I will try my hand at recording conversations with people I photo-document.  I'm thinking that this PCM-M10 is a decent choice for size, battery life and that the omni mics will do well at recording interviews. 

Here's my question:  What is a recommended resolution for capturing tracks?  LPCM 44kHz/16bit?  or higher bit or sampling?  I suspect that like photography, I'd want to capture at a high resolution & depth to enable low-loss editing later, even if the final product is MP3.  I have a portable hard drive system for downloading from the microSD.  Another thing I've been wondering if there is anything to do to quicken boot-up time.  With the 16GB microSD installed it takes 25 seconds to boot, and without a card the boot time is 6 seconds.  The 25 seconds can seem like forever if there's action I'm missing. 

Any basic tips that I should know?  I.e. rule of thumb for recording levels?  I'm hoping that the internal mics will suffice, and I did buy a dead cat.  It'd be great if I took time to practice, but I'm the kind who's always behind.  Perhaps you know someone like that already, perhaps someone who spends too much time on forums....

Thank you! - Ralph                          (ralpheburns.com)

[rastasean]

record 24 bit 48 Khz and aim to have the levels reach -12 in manual mode, wave of course.

To shorten boot time, don't turn the unit off and let it go to sleep after 10 inactive minutes. When you're ready to record, hit the record button and there's virtually no delay. Please note that if you're using the 5 second pre-record feature, you will need to press record twice: one to wake up from sleep & two to start recording. I would make backups of the audio...keep it on the card, save it to your computer, save it to a flash drive, save it to the internet, I'm sure you already do this with your photographs.

just remember to update us when you get back.

[F.O.Bean]

Hello folks -

This is my first post and I'm hoping someone will be willing to take the time to help a Newbie.  I am a still photographer, and bought a PCM-M10 to record interviews and background material to support slideshows (i.e. YouTube, etc.).  I leave Friday to Nepal - China for a month where I'll document some non-profit work.   I will try my hand at recording conversations with people I photo-document.  I'm thinking that this PCM-M10 is a decent choice for size, battery life and that the omni mics will do well at recording interviews. 

Here's my question:  What is a recommended resolution for capturing tracks?  LPCM 44kHz/16bit?  or higher bit or sampling?  I suspect that like photography, I'd want to capture at a high resolution & depth to enable low-loss editing later, even if the final product is MP3.  I have a portable hard drive system for downloading from the microSD.  Another thing I've been wondering if there is anything to do to quicken boot-up time.  With the 16GB microSD installed it takes 25 seconds to boot, and without a card the boot time is 6 seconds.  The 25 seconds can seem like forever if there's action I'm missing. 

Any basic tips that I should know?  I.e. rule of thumb for recording levels?  I'm hoping that the internal mics will suffice, and I did buy a dead cat.  It'd be great if I took time to practice, but I'm the kind who's always behind.  Perhaps you know someone like that already, perhaps someone who spends too much time on forums....

Thank you! - Ralph                          (ralpheburns.com)

Best of luck. Update us from China while youre there

[aaronji]

tgos--It would be great if if using the cable run with the hosa XVM-105F would solve my problem! Here are the specs on my mic:

http://www.shure.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webcontent/us_pro_vp64_en_ug.pdf

Do you think the HOSA would do it?

Part of your problem may also be that those Shure mics are really low sensitivity (0.28 mV/Pa).  By contrast, the MD211 mentioned by tgos3 has a sensitivity of 1.6 mV/Pa.  Sony says in the M10 manual that the mic-in minimum input level is 0.9mV.  That seems like a plausible explanation for the trouble you are having getting adequate levels...

[reburns]

record 24 bit 48 Khz and aim to have the levels reach -12 in manual mode, wave of course.

To shorten boot time, don't turn the unit off and let it go to sleep after 10 inactive minutes. When you're ready to record, hit the record button and there's virtually no delay. Please note that if you're using the 5 second pre-record feature, you will need to press record twice: one to wake up from sleep & two to start recording. I would make backups of the audio...keep it on the card, save it to your computer, save it to a flash drive, save it to the internet, I'm sure you already do this with your photographs.

just remember to update us when you get back.

Thanks!  So the sleep mode doesn't appreciably drain the battery?  Would you leave it on all day long that way?  If so I'd compare it to my big DSLR cameras, which I never turn off as they are so very power efficient. 

Set me straight on levels:  so do I keep the gain low enough that no peaks exceed -12?  Or how about the majority of peaks at -12 with occasional peaks at -6?  I'm thinking that it's just sinful to saturate but more signal to the same noise is good.  Or is there poor accuracy whenever exceeding -12?  I did a quick casual check and only ascertained that low gain sounded much more natural, leaving high gain a last-ditch compromise.

I'm also wondering how to hold it for interviews.  I could stick it on a camera tripod, but it's much easier and less obtrusive if I just hand-held.  I'm also wondering if I just prop it up on a table ideally with some soft article of clothing.  Yessir, I'm unprepared but c'est la vie and I'll learn!  Later I'll need to do some editing... I have a old copy of Goldwave (PC) .. another photographer recommended Audacity.

[rastasean]

I don't think letting it sleep will drain the battery too much but do take extra batteries with you.
Saturation with digital doesn't happen very often so having it peak at -12 to -6 should be fine since you can always drop it down in post.
Whatever way you choose to use it for an interview, it would be best if it could be quiet since the mics are omni directional and pickup sound all around the recorder; it is also advisable to not move the recorder in your hand or on the table but rather hold it still since noises on the recorder will be picked up.
If you have a minitripod, like a small table top bogen, I would recommend using that to have it on the table.

[jbell]

Traded in the D50 for an M10!!     I need to get out this weekend for the maiden voyage. 

[rastasean]

Traded in the D50 for an M10!!     I need to get out this weekend for the maiden voyage.

Nice going & good luck.
What is the main reason you're selling the D50?

[jbell]

I keep if for the optical in/out and I'm running analog out of an  MP2

Traded in the D50 for an M10!!     I need to get out this weekend for the maiden voyage.

Nice going & good luck.
What is the main reason you're selling the D50?

[F.O.Bean]

I keep if for the optical in/out and I'm running analog out of an  MP2

Traded in the D50 for an M10!!     I need to get out this weekend for the maiden voyage.

Nice going & good luck.
What is the main reason you're selling the D50?

Smart move

[whiskybob]

O.k....My M10 has just arrived from the U.S, looking good except one small question.

The AC Power adapter is a U.S two prong unit
Input : AC120V / ca120V
            60Hz/cc3V  5W
Output : DC3V/cc3V  1A

I also own a Sony Md Nh700 and the AC power adapter has the same fitting plug (yellow) and fits the M10, the info on the plug is as follows

Input : AC100-240V ~
            50/60Hz 5W
Output : DC3V  1A

Both adapters came with the original Sony unit Here's my question.......

Can I use my MD adapter with my M10, I apologies if this is an obvious question but before I plug my beautiful new unit into the mains I want to be sure I'm not gonna fry it!!!

Thanks in advance

David.

[F.O.Bean]

It *should* work, since theyre both 5W/1 amp. Anyone else agree?

[Chazz]

Update--I ordered the Hosa XVM-105F cable from Sweetwater and it fixed the problem! Thanks so much tgos3 !!!!

I think it should work. 

I checked the wiring diagram for my D200E AKG, and like your Shure, it has pin 2 and 3 as hot and return, with pin 1 to ground, so the same adapters that work for me should work for you.... However, the AKG diagram does not illustrate pin 3 and case connected, so that may remain an issue.

It looks like the Shure is set up to ground the XLR case and pin 3 together.  I don't know if that is appropriate for your situation.  You could try looking inside your current cable at the end that goes into the mike, and see if it the XLR is set up that way in the cable as well.  If you decide to try another cable you could experiment on your current one, and try desoldering the connection between the XLR case tab (the little bar in the diagram) and pin 3.  A bunch of old Neumann mikes were also set up that way on purpose, since it helps prevent environmental noise pickup on such mikes (but not all mikes).

 If you do ground case and pin 3, i think it has to be that way at both ends, and I don't think the Sony is set up that way.  You can do the experiment and find out, if you are able to put your current cable back the way it used to be.

Here's another issue that might be relevant.  On my Sharp minidisc recorders, it is possible to engage a true MONO recording function, which i used to do when using one mike going in via TRS.  This can not be done on the Sony M10.  I don't know if your current adapter cable made use of the minidisc electronic summing to mono, and is failing to ground one side of the M10....I have my suspicions.

good luck