Topic: Sony PCM-A10 (Part 2)

[DMLiveWiki]

I also use a USB extension cable to charge the A10. Don't want to chance damaging the USB port which seems rather fragile.

Access to files is so slow through the Sony via USB that I always take out the microSD card and use a microSD -> SD adapter to access the files via a laptop.

There was one instance where during recording, the A10 thought it was full and stopped recording. Had to restart the device to be able to restart recording, and a few songs were not recorded in the meantime. That was using the device's internal memory recording to 24/96. It hadn't been formatted since a couple recordings prior to that, I'm not sure if it got confused or what, there was still plenty of free space available.

Now I always use a Sandisk Extreme PRO microSD card and format it on the device before every recording to minimize the chance of that happening again.

It’s also a good idea after downloading recorded files from the internal memory to always format it rather than simply trashing the contents.

Yeah, I'll do that going forward if I ever use the internal memory again in the future. I've wiped it regardless, but it'll sit empty in favor of the microSD card.

[robgronotte]

I use a USB A extension cable similar to this one

https://www.amazon.ca/AmazonBasics-Extension-Cable-Male-Female/dp/B014RWAMWC/ref=sr_1_1_ffob_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.47enbUY4n_9D-fJLMZV7o1DyRJC9enmwxaOJTepCcIfPm0vfvoe2r4HNJWi03_3hkz6iInFaUceobt2Y1P3yn3TG2_KCKgCgPy3RVJJbrE-fOpGEjL2Rl4Lhml_rVQwG6npPjabV1khUrfST4RKHGZ4zkK5iny7VekQFouUfpLuyVOy1sVSlqO2KRPQPBJEs35CrcBwjfN-2yfQbu74XZjgMR4lHlXimhGzOKNDxOPxLSPhH5oHOJIE39xcOadbQpijPZVDQLM9HXqG_Zkxvl5nD4IT5JJbcPTj2scpd0g0.FD7DX3W40A4fhwnk9IS7XRjGaaSGaHUGexQ2PWlCStg&dib_tag=se&keywords=USB%2BExtension%2BCable&qid=1757126494&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=

Is that easier to plug into than a laptop?

Definitely a firmer connection from the A10 USB-A male connector to the Extension Cable's USB-A female input. Then the Extension Cable's male end plugs in easily to the laptop USB input. Less worry about any stress on the A10 USB connector. And I haven't had any problems downloading files.

When the A10 is plugged into a computer through the extension cable, does it charge as well?

[dogmusic]

I use a USB A extension cable similar to this one

https://www.amazon.ca/AmazonBasics-Extension-Cable-Male-Female/dp/B014RWAMWC/ref=sr_1_1_ffob_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.47enbUY4n_9D-fJLMZV7o1DyRJC9enmwxaOJTepCcIfPm0vfvoe2r4HNJWi03_3hkz6iInFaUceobt2Y1P3yn3TG2_KCKgCgPy3RVJJbrE-fOpGEjL2Rl4Lhml_rVQwG6npPjabV1khUrfST4RKHGZ4zkK5iny7VekQFouUfpLuyVOy1sVSlqO2KRPQPBJEs35CrcBwjfN-2yfQbu74XZjgMR4lHlXimhGzOKNDxOPxLSPhH5oHOJIE39xcOadbQpijPZVDQLM9HXqG_Zkxvl5nD4IT5JJbcPTj2scpd0g0.FD7DX3W40A4fhwnk9IS7XRjGaaSGaHUGexQ2PWlCStg&dib_tag=se&keywords=USB%2BExtension%2BCable&qid=1757126494&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=

Is that easier to plug into than a laptop?

Definitely a firmer connection from the A10 USB-A male connector to the Extension Cable's USB-A female input. Then the Extension Cable's male end plugs in easily to the laptop USB input. Less worry about any stress on the A10 USB connector. And I haven't had any problems downloading files.

When the A10 is plugged into a computer through the extension cable, does it charge as well?

Yes, it begins to charge almost immediately. Then it mounts both its internal and microSD card memories on the computer desktop. The charging continues until the A10 is disconnected.

[Brian Emerick]

been using my A-10 to transfer some cassettes today and was getting some static in the headphone jack.  Now I'm getting no sound at all.  Is this common? broken solder?  I wasn't sure if I accidentally pressed a wrong button or what.

edit:  don't know what was up but it's fine now.

[yltfan]

Is there any consensus on the A10's internal mics?
I used them once for a quieter acoustic set, and then the other night for a louder full band set. I think both sounded fine, but did not have any other tapes to do a real side-by-side comparison. I did a search on here and saw conflicting opinions. I think I might record more if I can stick this thing somewhere good, use the internals, and control it with my phone. I have some AT853's and a CA9100 that I would normally use, but the internals are so much more convenient...

Thoughts?

[dyneq]

Bring both to an open show, record the opener with one setup and then switch. Compare them on your reference system, making sure that you listen at identical loudness.

[yltfan]

Bring both to an open show, record the opener with one setup and then switch. Compare them on your reference system, making sure that you listen at identical loudness.

If I'm doing that, I'll probably just do two recordings of the same band. But I was hoping someone else had done a similar experiment.

[morst]

Is there any consensus on the A10's internal mics?
I used them once for a quieter acoustic set, and then the other night for a louder full band set. I think both sounded fine, but did not have any other tapes to do a real side-by-side comparison. I did a search on here and saw conflicting opinions. I think I might record more if I can stick this thing somewhere good, use the internals, and control it with my phone. I have some AT853's and a CA9100 that I would normally use, but the internals are so much more convenient...

The only consensus I can think of is to use the built in mics in the spread wide configuration, not crossed X/Y.


I make sure to run them with the limiter ON and record level set to exactly 6.


Great reliable backup system, and good enough to use when the A rig fails, or fails to attend!

[nulldogmas]

Is there any consensus on the A10's internal mics?
I used them once for a quieter acoustic set, and then the other night for a louder full band set. I think both sounded fine, but did not have any other tapes to do a real side-by-side comparison. I did a search on here and saw conflicting opinions. I think I might record more if I can stick this thing somewhere good, use the internals, and control it with my phone. I have some AT853's and a CA9100 that I would normally use, but the internals are so much more convenient...

Thoughts?

I haven't done a side-by-side comparison that I can recall, but the A10 internals have done a fine job for me when I've used them — maybe not quite as good as AT853 cards, but close.

The main reason I don't use them more is that it's hard to place the A10 so that the mics are pointing at the stage. (In the configuration where they're each angled 45 degrees away from each other, they provide a decent stereo soundstage, but you have to point the recorder forwards.) If they could rotate forwards, or if I had shirt pockets on my shoulders or listened to shows while lying on the ground, they'd be much more convenient.

[morst]

I haven't done a side-by-side comparison that I can recall, but the A10 internals have done a fine job for me when I've used them — maybe not quite as good as AT853 cards, but close.

The main reason I don't use them more is that it's hard to place the A10 so that the mics are pointing at the stage. (In the configuration where they're each angled 45 degrees away from each other, they provide a decent stereo soundstage, but you have to point the recorder forwards.) If they could rotate forwards, or if I had shirt pockets on my shoulders or listened to shows while lying on the ground, they'd be much more convenient.

Get close enough and under the PA hang and place recorder in shirt breast pocket pointing up at PA.
If level 6 with limiter is peaking hard, it's too loud for the mics.
I was front row for Mudhoney and it overloaded internal mics of both A10 and M10 sharing same pocket. Not a total loss but not one (two) of my better recordings.
https://archive.org/details/Mudhoney2022-05-22.PCM-A10

[Brian Emerick]

Is there any consensus on the A10's internal mics?
I used them once for a quieter acoustic set, and then the other night for a louder full band set. I think both sounded fine, but did not have any other tapes to do a real side-by-side comparison. I did a search on here and saw conflicting opinions. I think I might record more if I can stick this thing somewhere good, use the internals, and control it with my phone. I have some AT853's and a CA9100 that I would normally use, but the internals are so much more convenient...

The only consensus I can think of is to use the built in mics in the spread wide configuration, not crossed X/Y.


I make sure to run them with the limiter ON and record level set to exactly 6.


Great reliable backup system, and good enough to use when the A rig fails, or fails to attend!

yup, exactly what happened to me.  My mics stopped working and I just used the internals

[Brian Emerick]

Is there any consensus on the A10's internal mics?
I used them once for a quieter acoustic set, and then the other night for a louder full band set. I think both sounded fine, but did not have any other tapes to do a real side-by-side comparison. I did a search on here and saw conflicting opinions. I think I might record more if I can stick this thing somewhere good, use the internals, and control it with my phone. I have some AT853's and a CA9100 that I would normally use, but the internals are so much more convenient...

Thoughts?

internals from a couple weeks ago:

https://archive.org/details/fruitbats2025-10-25.flac24

CA-14 cards, same location:

https://archive.org/details/jk2012-05-17.ca14.flac24

[colargol]

I have had my sturdy A10 since 2019, and have never had any issues with it... the only thing I can remember is a few times when the disconnecting from my mac has not worked great, and it has said that "needs formatting". The solution has always been simple, reconnecting to the mac and try disconnecting again.

So after a worrysome incident with my PR2 (which now is my go to recorder), I was checking to make sure the A10 was working properly, and was a bit distressed to get the error message "card needs to be formatted" when I turned it on (it had been off for quite a while). So I took the SD card out of the A10 to check if it would work on internal memory, and got "Internal memory needs to be formatted" (which I do not think I have ever seen before). So I connected the A10 to my mac, and tried the disk utility first aid option on the internal memory - no change. Then I tried to disconnect it from the mac - no change. I tried a number of times to reformat the internal memory from the A10 menu - no change...

I was starting to accept that maybe the A10 was bricked, but left it for a few days. I was planning to ask here if anyone had any ideas, so I turned it on to take a photo of the error message. Then miraculously it just worked! And also it worked with the external SD card... I am not an engineering person, but I would think this is quite weird... does anyone have any idea why something like this could happen? Maybe it was related to the unit being turned off for a long time, and charging it while it being connected to the mac made everything work again after a few days...?

I am starting to wonder if maybe my mac is having issues with the disconnecting of the disks (especially since I had weird, related issues with the PR2). So maybe from now on I will only take the SD card out of the A10 and connect it with a card reader...?

-colargol

[morst]

My A10 has a battery that doesn’t last very long anymore, less than two hours


since I noticed the battery issue, I’ve also noticed that it’s becoming increasingly likely that I’m not able to safely dismount the A-10 from my Mac without restarting the computer. I don’t know if that’s connected, but they both seem to be happening


I have seen the must format warning on the SD card once or twice as well. And it resolves with either a restart or coming back a few days later.


my original A-10 had one channel of the line input, which was bad, and this machine is one which was sent to me as a replacement by Sony service in New Jersey.


I am able to work around the short battery life by simply stabbing it into a power bank while I tape, but the whole thing is just getting flakier and flakier.

[yltfan]

Is there any consensus on the A10's internal mics?
I used them once for a quieter acoustic set, and then the other night for a louder full band set. I think both sounded fine, but did not have any other tapes to do a real side-by-side comparison. I did a search on here and saw conflicting opinions. I think I might record more if I can stick this thing somewhere good, use the internals, and control it with my phone. I have some AT853's and a CA9100 that I would normally use, but the internals are so much more convenient...

Thoughts?

internals from a couple weeks ago:

https://archive.org/details/fruitbats2025-10-25.flac24

CA-14 cards, same location:

https://archive.org/details/jk2012-05-17.ca14.flac24

Both sound good to me. Which way do you lean?