Customer Reviews

Sony PCM-M10/B Portable Linear PCM Recorder, 96 kHz/24-bit, 4GB Memory & USB High-Speed Port, Matt Black

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a journalist who does interviews. I don't record "voice," much less music. I've used Sony's EV500 mono tape recorder--the high-end standard for print journalists--for over 20 years. My colleagues thought it was overkill to switch to stereo. When I showed them my new Sony PCM-10 (purchased in October 2009), they thought it was pretty cool, but when I told them the price, they thought it was too expensive (journalists are congenitally cheap; goes with the salary).

The PCM-10 lets you record in 10 modes, including uncompressed LPCM and compressed MP3, so we did a test recording (that is, an interview) in the highest-quality stereo mode: LPCM 96kHz/24 bit. Well! Let me tell you: Eyebrows arched. The sound was spectacular. One guy grumped--beforehand--that he didn't need interviewees to sound like Maria Callas. Mono was good enough. Then I played it back. He listened. He stroked his chin. "How much did you say that was?" he asked. Because, if you listen to a lot of recorded sound, you can clearly hear the difference.

The bottom line is this: If you record regularly--and seriously--whether it's rock concerts, garage bands, opera stars, birdsong, or interviewees, you want the best sound you can get. The PCM-10 delivers it.

There are many other things to like about this new Sony unit. It has a (mostly) aluminum case. I don't know about you, but I just hate cheap plastic cases. It's about the size of a deck of playing cards. The buttons and menus are so intuitive, I figured everything out without once cracking the manual (which, incidentally, is fairly well-written as these things go). The buttons and switches on the device are intelligently laid out and a cinch to master. And believe me, I'm no genius when it comes to this sort of thing.

The PCM-10 comes with a pair of excellent built-in omnidirectional mics. I also tested it with a Sony ECM-MS907 stereo cardioid mike and a Sound Professionals SP-BMC13 Two Channel, Boundary Style, High-Sensitivity Conference Mic, which I use when a group of interviewees are seated in a living room, at a long conference table, or a classroom. I gotta tell you: transcribing recordings of interviews has got to be the world's most tedious enterprise, but when the sound is this crystal clear, it's a lot less tedious, and far fewer sounds get smudged, which would otherwise require lots of replaying to figure out what was said. Since I use a portable rig, I find the PCM-10's powered mic jack an important feature.

Oh, and the display--black and white LCD, not color--contains all the information you need, including the all-important battery status indicator (the unit runs on two AAs for about 15 hours at 96kHz/24 bit, the highest-quality setting, and over 40 hours on a compressed MP3 setting, which is pretty darn good). Uploading sound files to a PC via the USB port is a cinch.

And yet there are some design peculiarities with this otherwise splendid unit. The case is described by Sony as aluminum. Well, sort of. The faceplate feels like aluminum, but the sides and back feel like plastic. The battery lid is definitely plastic, and the little lid that covers the slots for removable media--Sony Memory Sticks or SD Micro flash cards (up to 16 GB)--is not only plastic but incredibly flimsy, very easy to snap off. Is it really such a design challenge to design a lid that is sturdy and not apt to break? I guess it is.

But let's keep things in perspective. At this price point, the PCM-10 blows the competition away (and competing models are not any better-made, although that is not a reason to let Sony off the hook). The unit admirably does what it was designed to do: produce beautiful, portable, professional-quality recordings. And, except for the cheap battery and removable media lids, the PCM-10 is a class act.

I had a Zoom H4n for about a week, and I returned it, and got the Sony PCM-M10. It ended up being a nice trade for me. The mics and preamps on the Zoom were fantastic, but the Sony's are as good, if not better, quality than the H4n. The H4n is a multi-tracker, and has XLR inputs, etc., making it a different type of device than the Sony, and the H4n was very large in the hand, making it a little too big for subtle hand-held recordings, and other situations where you don't want the recorder to be the center of attention. The mics on the Sony are fixed in place at 90 degrees, unlike the Zoom where you can change from 90 to 120 degrees with a twist function. I didn't change to the Sony necessary for the functionality as much as the form-factor. The Sony is compact and is a little more discreet, making it almost (visually) pass as an MP3 player in appearance. It is the same size as an iPhone, but a little thicker, and it feels nice and solid in the hand.

Another thing I might add is that in the description on this item page, the package contents aren't mentioned very thoroughly, so I would like to put them here. It comes in a nice looking box, and you are definitely buying the retail item as it ships from Sony, which includes everything that it is supposed to (the item page almost makes it seem like you are buying just the recorder itself). Anyway, here is what comes in the box:

Sony PCM-M10
Sound forge audio studio LE software CDROM
AC power adapter AC-ES3010K2
USB Cable
Hand strap
2 x Alkaline batteries (AA size)
Operating instructions
Wired remote control

Also, for information purposes, I thought I would mention that there IS a STANDARD TRIPOD MOUNT on the back of the Sony PCM-M10, which for some reason was difficult information to come by for me in my research. I found pictures of the rear of the device, but even then it was hard to verify that I was actually seeing a mount.

I recorded last night with a friend, two acoustic guitars and vocals, side by side with the Sony PCM-M10 and an Equitek E-100 Condensor Mic, running into a mixer and computer software, and the Sony sounds as good if not a little better. Low noise, clean, and full frequency response from the Sony. It has meter (green) and peak lights (red) on the areas above each of the stereo mics on the body of the Sony, so monitoring is visually possible, without having to look at the screen on the front. The H4n didn't have that.

The Sony PCM-M10, with 2 NiMH AA batteries (2500 MaH) will record for 50 hours (yes, it's true), and recording @ 320Kbps, 44Khz MP3, the 4gb internal memory will hold 27 hours of sound. The Zoom H4n could record for 7.5 hours using NiMH batteries (the same ones I am using in the Sony), and had no internal memory of its own. There is a MicroSD slot on the Sony PCM-M10, and can hold the currently available 32gb cards if necessary. I could find no indication anywhere I looked that it wouldn't hold even bigger cards if they become available in the future. The Zoom takes full size SD cards, but also supports 32gb cards.

When you power up the Sony PCM-M10, it is up and running, and able to record, in around 5 seconds, which is phenomenal, and was an added bonus for my purposes...
The Zoom H4n wasn't "ready to record" for over 15 seconds. The Sony also has a record-ahead buffer, which will start recording a 5 second cache, before the record button is pressed, so you don't lose the beginning of something, if you weren't able to hit the record button in time. That is sweet.

The two input jacks (mic and line) are on the top of the device, in between the microphones, which is a good location, and the speaker is on the bottom (yes there is a monitor speaker for quick playback review).

The buttons feel solid and responsive, even for my stumbling fingers, which is remarkable, and the remote buttons are more of a "soft dome" sort-of depression style, but same thing, very responsive and solid feeling. The screen is big and very clear, with all the information laid out logically and vividly. It supports ID3 tag, so if you put MP3 music on the device, it will show you the information on the screen.

There is a tight and precise REC level wheel on the right side of the unit, and a rocker style output level on the left side of the unit. The functions available directly on the outside of the device are (if you are facing the display screen):

1. Below the screen:

Folder, Menu, Delete, playback functions (A-B), Display (I really like this feature, being able to turn the backlight on, etc., with a single button)

2. Transport keys:

Fast Forward (shares with menu up), Fast Reverse (shares with menu down)
Pause
Stop
Play
RECORD
T-Mark (marks tracks for splitting)

3. Left Side:

Volume (output level), DPC (Speed control) (on/off)

4. Right Side:

Mic sensitivity (Low / High), REC LEVEL WHEEL, REC LEVEL Switch (Manual/Auto), Power switch (it is a slide, and has a HOLD function)


Besides the physical adjustments mentioned above, the Menu on the device is replete with features, and very very easy to maneuver.

The Zoom H4 is the benchmark portable digital recorder, and Sony's M10 blows it away.

The M10 is a very small recorder, roughly the same shape as an iPhone but as thick as a deck of playing cards. The buttons are firm, and the recording level wheel stays where you leave it. You get LEDs for -12db and overload for each of the two microphones.

Sound quality is noticeably better than the H4. There is very little handling noise, unless the recording gain is cranked way up. If you do need to turn up the gain, just use the included wired remote to start and stop the recorder. The noise floor is present when you are recording quiet sounds with the gain up, but it seems easier to avoid than with the Zoom.

A tripod socket is built in to the bottom of the M10, just above the twin AA battery bay. You can record to the built-in memory, or to an M2 or MicroSDHC card. The screen is large and easy to read. The menus are just as easy to navigate.

You don't get a wind screen, and you will wish you had one as soon as you encounter the slightest wind. There is no option for digital input, and both the line and microphone port are 1/8".

In addition to a wind screen, you should also pick up a Gorillapod mini-tripod.

Somebody finally got it right. This recorder sounds great, with very low self-noise and wide frequency range from the internal mics. It is easy to setup, and super-easy to use.

Other reviews cover general features. Here are some remarks about stereo recording in particular:

Stereo recording:
The two built-in omnidirectional condenser mics give you nice stereo separation when the recorder is in the midst of a sound field. I was a little surprised, as you wouldn't expect to get decent stereo imaging from omnis so close together, it's why stereo recorders/mics typically use two cardioid pattern mics. The downside of cardioids is less sensitivity for low frequencies, whereas an omni will capture those lows. Sony has a neat trick here: the omnis are set into the body of the recorder, shielded from each other, so each effectively sees its own half of the room (plus reflections of the other half). You get a nice stereo separation (though not the kind of imaging that lets you pinpoint sound sources). And you get the wide, flat frequency response of omni microphones. If anything, the bass can be a little boomy when you're too close to a sound source -- and the recorder has a low-frequency cutoff you can switch on if you want to lose some of that low-end rumble. They are nice-sounding mics.

Using your own mics:
If you want to use your own microphones, you will need a female XLR to mini stereo cable (eg, Hosa 2' Right Angle Mini Stereo Male to 2 XLR Female Breakout Y-Cable) to plug them into the recorder. The recorder is advertised as having plug-in-power (eg, phantom power) for external mics. But that's the 2V variety of phantom power for little electret condensers, not the 48V you need for your nice condenser mics. You'll have to power them separately, either using a phantom power box like the Rolls PB223 Dual Mic Phantom Power 48 Volt Power Supply or an external pre-amp. The recorder will accept both line-level and mic-level inputs.

A case!
The recorder does not come with any sort of protective case. It's an odd size, but I've found that a PSP Go Soft Carrying Case works beautifully, will also fit the official Sony windscreen, and has an extra pocket for the remote control.

I've been using minidiscs for interviews and language learning/research for 10 years. The PCM-M10 is at the same price point with the same onboard editing features (for the most part). I agree with everything Neil A. Chesanow "Hotwriter" wrote in a previous review here. The only thing I would add is the nice editing features (adding track marks, dividing--also batch divide according to track marks, and moving/reorganizing recorded tracks). I will miss the minidisc editing features of renaming on the unit (the PMC-M10 allows you to via the computer), and rejoining divided tracks.

Interfacing with the computer is just like any external drive, and so super easy (both PC or Mac). And finally the sound quality is amazing. I read many of the reviews prior to purchasing a month ago, and it was a consensus that the PCM-M10 blows the competition away in it's price range.

I bought the Sony PCMM10 to record semi-loud live music, and also myself playing guitar at lower volumes at home. I also own an Olympus LS10, but have started having problems with it (my own fault) after dropping it a few too many times. When the Sony recorder arrived I took both it and the LS10 with me and recorded a few music sessions simultaneously with both recorders. I set all settings as close to the same as I could on both recorders, recording WAV files at 44.1kHz/16bit.. Compared to the LS10, the Sony produced a dull somewhat lifeless recording, and it seemed like the stereo field is somewhat flat. It may be because of the choice of onboard microphones on the unit, not sure. And maybe this can be remedied by using outboard mics, but I need portability w/o lugging extra outboard gear around with me. Simplicity and great recordings are what I need.
So, for what I am doing, the Sony didn't work out for me, although I'm sure it is perfect for many applications. I sent it back and ordered the new Olympus LS11, which I am very happy with in all respects.

I got this unit to replace a beloved iRiver h120 that was stolen. It lacks some of the iRiver's features (optical digital connections, FM radio) but this unit is so much better for its intended use that I'm almost glad I was robbed. I am a musician and use this unit to record my practice sessions. Until recently I was loyal to Minidisc for the feature I loved most: record a run-through, hit stop, hit play, and listen instantly to what you just recorded. I had not found another format that offered this immediate playback until now. I have recorded using an external mic and the internal mics and am very, very pleased with both results. The adjustable speed feature works ok, but slower playback has a weird echo added to it which reduces clarity. Nevertheless, the option for slow playback (useful for putting technical musical passages under a microscope) is instantly accessible, easy to use. Not true with the Minidisc deck I was loyal to for so long. It's hard to think of ways that this Sony M10 could work more easily or perform better. I am completely satisfied.

I bought this recently and started recording loads of songs thru the internal mic, external mic (SM58 & Beta SM58) and thru Yamaha mixer (using line-in on the PCM-M10).

Everything about the PCM-M10 is awesome:
- Build quality
- Feature set
- Recording quality (the A/D converters)
- The pre-amp
- The display
- Super long battery life (I don't know how they managed to do that, hats off to Sony)
- Connectivity options
- The included accessories (manual, cords, A/c power adapter)
- The simple user interface
- Auto on feature when you connect it to a PC thru the USB cable
- Internal memory of enough capacity
- Recording modes (mp3, wav, 16/24 bit recording)
- Realtime monitoring thru headphones while you record
- The manual mode that gives you flexibility of setting the recording level (including low-pass filter)
- And I don't think it's too expensive for what you get

Wish I had bought this long ago. I never knew such a great recorder was in the market.

I suggest you use the Pearstone LMT100 low to high impedance transformer if you wish to connect an external mic like SM58. That little cord is expensive. Hosa offers a similar product for a cheaper price but I couldn't find it in stock.

I also suggest you try recording thru a good quality mixer (makes the portability void though). Basically you won't need to turn on your computer. Just mic -> mixer -> PCM-M10. You can later download the files to your computer and do the edits/processing. If your mixer has the effects, then you pretty much get the final product straight out of the PCM-M10.

Thanks a ton Sony for building a great portable digital recorder that is so so so professional grade.

Further updates:
It's been over 6 months now since I've been using this great digital recorder. The battery is not dying!!! It still shows full battery. This is unbelievable. I wonder how Sony managed to create the circuitry that takes so much less battery power. Truly Amazing!
Thanks Sony!

Lots of reviews out there that outline the general specs. I liked the good aspects in the review enough to buy this, and I am happy with the purchase.

Especially good things:
- amazing battery life. Record for 10 hours or more on a single set of AA batteries.
- Good fidelity, though I have not tested it for music, only conversation and/or nature sounds.
- Relatively intuitive interface (for which Sony is ordinarily not known).

I've had mine for a few weeks and it's pretty good. Sound quality is excellent, controls are logically laid out and easy to figure out, easy interface with the computer, and it fits in my shirt pocket. My little microcassette recorders are finally heading for the storage drawer. I would have liked a case to come with it, but you can't have everything.