Topic: Sanyo Xacti ICR-XPS01

[Lonman]

I know this is not the best recorder but bought it and tried it last night with Chris' CAFS. The recorder recorded for just more than 2 minutes and then stoped with error message " card write speed too slow". I was using sandisk 8gb class 4 which should be adequete. Anyone else had this issue? I bought the cards from newegg in single retail packaging so they should be real. I will try the same card in my M-10 tonight and see if it stops or works fine just to double check. The sanyo info does not specify class for the micro sdhc.  I was recording less than 6 feet from the stage and it was an amplified acoustic show not very loud at all. What was taped each time I restarted sounded surprisingly good.  Any thoughts?

[bryonsos]

hypnocracy has one and has made at least 2 nice recordings with it:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=150644.0

[Lonman]

Thanks I did read those last night after my poor pull. No mention of "card write speed errors" though which makes me wonder if it is the unit itself or a bad card since no one else has mentioned it. I will try it at home with other cards and see what happen before it hits the road again. I didn't see any firmware updates other than the version 1.1 that came installed so ?

[Hypnocracy]

Lonman...I have had the unit stop on me once...unfortunately it was on stage in a bag...and I wrote it up to not putting the Hold on...but it could have been another type of error...

I have no other issue to report...I am using the Two Gig card that came with the unit

This is the first show I've done with the Sanyo...the others have been mixed in as a Matrix

http://www.archive.org/details/bs2011-11-10.FLAC16

Are you using a Battery box or not with the CAFS?

[zowie]

Never had write speed problems with supplied 2G card.   

[Lonman]

Thanks for the comments. No battery box with the CAFs, levels were easy to dial in and it wasn't a loud show so the little bits that were recorded sounded pretty good. I think the CAFs, no battery box, acoustic electric show and close to the stage is perfect for this application. No headroom needed and no worry about brickwalling or high spl. I replaced the original 2g card right away when I got it so maybe it works using that one but I could not find the 2g one last night to try it out. I tried 4 different sandisk 8g class 4 cards last night and it gave the same error message before stoping abruptly. The message is so quickly gone if you not looking carefully you will miss it (2 secs on screen max). All 4 same cards work fine in sony m-10. I will try and find original 2g card and try that. BTW it also does it without an external mic and just using the onboards......maybe it just doesn't like the cards or 8g card is to large even though they say 4 and 8 work also. I kinda like the little guy and if I get it going I will also try CA-11s. Both should work fine in this unit for acoustic shows up close. The other night I could have had my feet on the stage lip from where I was sitting and with the little deck and CAFs shrinked to my glasses no one would have known I was tapping (or trying i should say). At the time I just keep restarting it since I missed the message each time. At set break I went over every menu item and all appeard to be fine but same thing happened second set.

[F.O.Bean]

That's a bummer bro

[TimeBandit]

if happens to every memcard you have i think the unit is defective.
or does the included hcard have some different specs (why that worked you said)

or does that thing not like SDHC cards above 4 gigs ?

You formatted the card in the device (!) before taping?

[Lonman]

Yes it is suppose to work with 4 and 8gb memory cards after 2010. Prior to that only up to 2gb cards. Yes I format in the device itself and yes it doesn't like the 8g sandisk sdhc cards.....none of them work. Last nite i found the original toshiba 2 gb card and that works fine! Also the 8gb cards do work if recorder is set to mp3 196 so PCM (wav) writting is the issue with the larger cards. Since i would only use 16bit 44.1 for any music recording the write speed using mp3 setting of any kind really doesn't matter to me. I did a search on Toshiba memory cards and didn't see any class speeds listed on them like other cards have. I found some toshiba 4gb cards and ordered a couple to try (17.00 for 2 including delivery). They probably are making them themselves and don't know anything about the quality of these cards but thought I would try them. I will try the CA-11s soon and update this post and will also try the 4 gb toshiba cards when they come. I perfer 24bit and love the sony m-10 but really think this sanyo will have its place for specific low pro applications. I also attend classical concerts in an old chapel on a university campus and will try the on board mics there to see how they perform. Since I have played music for 40 years and am half deaf sound quality is not the goal but rather coming away with something listenable. I will soon need to explore post processing using a visual sound wave approach since I will not be able to rely on my hearing even wearing headphones.
Bottom line, test the card first with the sanyo so you know ahead of time if it works! If anyone finds a firmware update for the sanyo please post the url if possible. I don't see one on sanyo's website.

[Hypnocracy]

Last nite i found the original toshiba 2 gb card and that works fine!

Lonman...I hope you have found the root of the issue...but it is sad if this unit is that picky on SD cards...keep us informed on the Toshiba SD cards...

I'm amazed that the CAFS work without a BB or Pre...that configuration is one LOW PROFILE unit!

[Lonman]

Low pro big time! Chris has mentioned in other posts that if you don't need high SPL and get get enough gain without a pre then CAFS can do the trick on occasion. I believe I was able to adjust the gain using the << or >> keys while it was recording too. There is no real trim as others have mentioned but I tend to have my deck on record pause when I walk in the door, grab levels from the pa or tunning warm up stuff when the band enters the stage and then record and HOLD and away we go. I will update this post as I go since I will be using the sanyo xacti for the next three months guiet a bit. Just in case anyone missed it in the earlier post: the card writing speed too slow error message shows up on the bottom of the upper screen that shows the rest of the currect settings and only for 1or 2 seconds. If the recorder is in your pocket then you won't see it so it will just appear to have stoped. Also, this write speed error happens just around 2 minutes. If you test your card you will definitly know by 2 1/2 minutes and definitly if over 3 your card works. If the 4g cards work than that will be a real plus since 2gb is good for only 3 hours.....some encores might be missed with only 3 hours worth of tapping and we can't have that can we?
Happy 2012 to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bryonsos]

I've been resisting the urge to pick one of these up to pair with my 9200 + CA-11s. Been awfully slutty lately, and I keep reminding myself the M10 is already pretty small, and I'm seldomly running lowpro...we'll see. A positive 4G card report would probably tip the balance.

[Lonman]

I here yah about buying stuff!!!!!! Truthfully, I would wait and see if the 4gb work. This deck probably will pan out to not be anywhere near the m10. Plus Chris' stuffs works so great that having it falter on the deck end would be tragic. I use the 9200 as much as I can when using CA14s >m10. Also use 9100 with franken naks>m10. I don't think there is any better options for anywhere near the price of Chris' gear. The sanyo though cuppled with the cafs is soooooo slick I think it is worth the 70 dollars just for the time when if they bust you it will be embarrising!!!! I am often right in the front and the performers can call you out. Ah, if Steve Earle comes at me with his steel toed boots and swinging his guitar then......bad scene. So I will report back as I try this thing in different venues and with different configs. I will not be using it with any pres or battery boxes though. Too many other good choices available that are tried and true. The sanyo's on board mics some say are better than any of the other small recorders though so I will try that as well.
Stay tuned and fell free to pm me if you looking for more info on the xacti.
You know alot of pros on this board see no issues using the m10 in untra stealth mode so I don't think the sanyo will have much value to many here. Plus 16bit.......?

[Lonman]

OK the Toshiba 4 gb HC micro SD cards arrived today and they work. Made is Taiwan and appear very close to original 2gb that came with the xacti. They say HC and the OEMs don't but that is probably a capacity namer for the larger chips 4gb and up. I can still use the HC Class 4 8gb micros in the m10 so not too bad. I will also try the sandisk 8gb class 4 cards in my Nakamichi NMP300 flac/ wav. player which would be even better since I use 16gb in the sony. Not a total waste if they work in the Nak NMP. So xacti at 16bit with a 4gb toshiba micro sd card should do even long shows which makes it more useful IMO. I know 16bit?? but CAFs and Xactic together turned on before walking in and you can record leaning on the stage!!!!! Works for me since I don't go to loud shows due to hearing loss after 30 years of live music! A word to the wise for the new year! Happy Tapping all.

[Hypnocracy]

That is great news on the SD card....I hope you are gonna post something form that CAF Xacti combo...soon