Sony PCM-M10

Since I've purchased the M10 a few months ago, it's been my sole recorder for both outdoor field recording ambiances and also studio recording sound effects. It's also easy to keep in my pocket to carry around and record random sounds that I encounter while I'm on the go.

The first thing you notice about the PCM-M10 is that it's extremely compact, about the size of a small cellphone, though a bit thicker. It features 8GB of internal storage with a slot for a MicroSD card or Sony's proprietary M2 format for more storage and both a microphone and line input in addition to the two onboard omnidirectional microphones. The omnidirectional mics are actually quite usable and relatively quiet for cheap onboard microphones. They actually have a bit of wind protection under the casing, making them usable outdoors on mildly windy days without requiring a fuzzy wind protector. It's important to note that the M10 doesn't have any XLR inputs and it doesn't supply phantom power, so you'll have to use a phantom power supply or a separate mixer like the Sound Devices MixPre-D to power condenser microphones if they aren't battery powered.

The M10 is able to record in PCM format up to 24-bit/96KHz. It's also capable of recording in encoded MP3 in 3 bitrates: 64kbps, 128kbps, and 320kbps. One problem with the M10 is that even when using an external microphone you cannot record in mono. I do most of my recording with the M10 for one shot sound effects so I don't actually need stereo recordings too often, therefore I have to manually strip or downmix in my 2-track audio editor to get a mono recording. A mild annoyance, but an annoyance nonetheless.

The build quality is great. It's mostly plastic with an aluminum face, but it doesn't feel flimsy at all. There's no loose parts wiggling around and it feels very solid. There is some handling noise when you use the onboard mics, so you need to be careful with your hands while recording. The interface is decent, but you need to dig through menus quite a bit when it comes to enabling options and features as the front panel is very simplified with just the transport buttons and a few other utility buttons like changing what the display shows and an options menu button. There's a roller knob on the side that controls your recording level and a rocker switch on the other side that controls your line out volume.

The preamps are very quiet, especially for a handheld recorder in this price range. I use a Rode NT1A, NT3, and NT5 with a Denecke PS-1A as a power supply as my main microphones when recording sound effects in my studio. The results are clean and clear with low noise, definitely capable of professional quality recordings. I used a Zoom H4n briefly before buying the M10 and found both the mics and preamps quite noisy in comparison (though still usable!), so I returned that and purchased the M10. That said, the line out when using headphones is actually quite noisy, even when set to headphone mode, it's mostly only useful for simple monitoring.

The display isn't very big, but the backlighting is sufficient and the volume levels take up a good portion of the LCD screen so they're easy to see even in low light situations. When using the onboard mics, there's actually two LEDs on the top left and right corners that will light up green or red to give you a quick reference for your volume levels as well.

Two of my favorite features of the M10 are the exceptionally good battery life and the Cross-Memory recording. Sony handheld products in general are usually pretty good about battery life and the M10 is fantastic in this regard. Two AA batteries will power the unit for over 30-40 hours before you'll need to replace them. In real world time, this can end up lasting weeks or months unless you're doing very long recording sessions on a regular basis. The Cross-Memory recording will seamlessly switch from the internal storage to your MicroSD card once the internal storage fills up without stopping a take. A very handy feature that will give you some peace of mind during those really long recording sessions.

The M10 has a built-in limiter and low cut filter to help reduce some wind and low frequency ambient noises, but it's not as configurable as some other handheld recorders in this price range that let you specify the frequency you want to cut at, it's just a simple on-off option.

It's an awesome little recorder for not much money. If you can get past the lack of XLR and phantom power, it's an easy recommendation. It's small, has decent onboard microphones, quiet preamps, and some excellent quality of life features like the cross-memory recording and best-in-class battery life.

Pros:
+ Great build quality
+ Superb battery life
+ Decent omnidirectional microphones
+ Quiet preamps
+ Cross-Memory recording so you don’t need to stop a take and switch from internal to external storage
+ Small and portable
+ Affordable (about $200-250 USD new)

Cons:
- No XLR or Phantom Power
- Can only record in stereo
- Some menu diving necessary to turn on and off features

Very good recorder for your compositions by the quality of its converters and the quality of recording 96 report 24 / allows you to save and iron your records in your software edition lossless, to say that this is a very good sound card for your computer record, with good dynamics and sound spectrum very faithful or even better!

The more than 2 years used

Have tried sony dat long ago, qqs records as good as this one and 2 times more expensive at the time.

For some cons do not like recording outside, I do not use it for that, but hey when I even tried the sound is very good space so ... And anyway!

Perfect price quality ratio, the converters are very good so great sound reproduction

At the very least, the change of tone by tone halves mods for recording causes jumps especially in rhythm when the deviation of semitones are too large, otherwise the various sound settings are good (bass changemnts tempo) . So for the pitch point less, but we enter the details ...

I do not resell, it's sony and it is good, otherwise you will not find a resale, everyone keeps!

I use my M10 PCM to record natural soundscapes oriented I plan to buy a dish, it's my audiophile side, as well as recordings on the fly from all that may arise, nature, songs, music possibly conferences and notes.
I had a Sony TCD D8, H2 zoom, a Sony mini disc, a Fostex FR2 LE, a voice recorder Sony ICD UX200, and finally a Yamaha C24 Pocketrack.
In an external mic I Rode NT4, a Sony stereo microphone.
Everything is simple and easy with the M10 PCM. I had long before a Sony TCD D8, which I had read the record 50 times without retaining the management functions most useful (very complicated, we had to press multiple buttons to a single function). PCM with the M10 is just the opposite we do ask any questions so it's simple. No brainer not to complicate things.
Everything is there, indicating the level of reading and recording full details and legible screen.
Buttons and backlit separate property when recording or playback.
With the internal microphones soundscape is not present, little relief is difficult to visualize the orientation and positions of sound sources, too bad. I bought informed critics who have read through the forum of this site.
I keep my voice recorder Sony ICD UX200, which is half as wide and half as thick and I could keep on me at all times, the PCM M10 is too heavy and too bulky.

Advantage:

Menus-friendly and very intuitive to use, ownership and full understanding of the PCM - M10 in 5 minutes. No need to open the manual.
- 2x AA Ni-Mh 2.500mAh seem inexhaustible and give great autonomy.
- Low breathing barely audible with the internal microphones under normal conditions, cranked it records sounds completely inaudible to the human ear but with a lot of breath.
- Compact and Pocket, discreet, be confused with something else and go unnoticed (a little thicker).
- Small speaker to recognize useful records without a headphone.
- The balance, or metal-to-digital or stifled.
- You can listen to hours of MP3 music, sound and atmosphere always sweet, no aggressive sound, good harmony.
- Micros good enough.
- Complete with enough food and remote control.
- Not looking fragile confidence.
- Nut no small feet for Kodak photo.
- Good quality / price ratio.


Disadvantages:

- Listening with headphones is dangerous for the ears, too much power available, Sony should think of doing sth.
- No sound landscape, lack of stereo effects.


Regrets:

- It's a very personal opinion, but I wish more sound definition, the result a bit bland. It is not just a matter of definition but also stereo, precision of detail. This is not the slap or Whaaaa the first listen. A little disappointing if you have the equipment more upscale, compared to a Fostex FR2LE + micro NT4 for example, (I should not compare it to that material, I know. But you always hope to find, small, cheap and which is the largest hardware button). It depends on the material that we had before.
I feel that the bass is muffled, there is a lack of definition rather important at this level. The background noise of cars and city noise is indescribable and stifled a slurry, while the birds singing in the trees near perfect at the same time. This gives a smooth and quiet atmosphere, but not realistic for my taste.
The overall soundscape is not registered and that is unfortunate.
- Lack of a protective cover for transportation.
- Burn 1 to 10 of REC LEVEL knob located on the side, would be visible if engraved instead of knurling, front.
- According to other critics PCM M10 is worse than the D50 (pickups and preamp) which is itself less than the D1, a decrease of production quality. Production Sony recording devices is essentially dictating, it looks like Sony quietly leave the area Home / Audiophiles with the abandonment of high-performance.
- Small speaker, but this bit of sound power.
- Some items that appear on the chrome or aluminum plastic for me, even if the presence of certain metal is for the density of the object.

Repeat this choice?
I think I'm in search of better equipment, but I'll keep it can still make a good recorder with external microphone with preamp.