[FenderP]

All I can say is wow. I got this little portable recorder in the mail this week and I can finally say that I have a true DAT replacement. I got the Edirol/Roland R-09 awhile back and it's definitely small and portable, but feels cheap and I always struggled to get a good recording.

Having owned the PCM-D50's big brother, the PCM-D1, for like 5 minutes (returned it because I really couldn't justify $2k on it ...) I was hoping the PCM-D50 would be close. The built-in mics in the PCM-D1 were really, really good (so were the pres).

In some ways, the D50 is better than the D1. There are more output options (optical in and out, not just mic or line), there's an option for a limiter as well as a low cut filter (like on the R-09)

The mic configuration is a bit different than the D1. With the D1 the mics were basically fixed but you could tilt them. With the D50 you can change the angle, but not tilt the mics.

I gave the recorder a trial run last night at my band's practice using the built-in mics (and not my AT-825 stereo mic) and it sounds very close to the D1's output. I'm impressed.

The build quality blows away all other recorders in the market at that price - it's basically the same housing as the D1 minus the VU meters.

I haven't tested the rated battery life but in typical Sony fashion, the battery life is phenomenal. The D1 shipped with rechargeable AAs, the sleeve to put 4 batteries in the unit, and a spare so you could easy swap out if you ran out of juice. The D50 comes with regular AAs (the kind made in Japan which last longer) and just the one sleeve, but the cost is also much less here.

Unlike traditional DAT recorders, some of the more modern portable recorders that use SD cards or some sort of flash memory have been a pain to use and sometimes counterintuitive. Not the D50. If you have to read the manual, you've never used a portable DAT recorder. It's just dead stupid to work and the controls I think are directly from the old SOny DAT decks.

The D1 allowed you to adjust the levels separately for L and R, but the D50 is one big level knob adjusting both.

Oh and the best part? 4GB of built-in memory plus you can also get Memory Sticks for additional storage/recording. To hook it up to a computer is easy - just stick a USB cable and it shows up like a drive. It works with both MAcs and PCs.

You also don't get any kind of screen for the mics (the D1 comes with one). You can buy one. There's also an optional remote (not an option on the D1), tripod, and leather case (the case is Japan only I think; easily found on the 'bay).

At $500 (I got mine for $440 with some coupon and had it preordered about 2 months ago), you can't go wrong. I would bypass all of the other options (M-Audio, Edirol, Zoom) and go straight for this one. It's nice to see Sony doing what they do - pioneering with a very cool piece like the D1 and then finding a way to make it mass market at an affordable price.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenderP /img/forum/go_quote.gif All I can say is wow. I got this little portable recorder in the mail this week and I can finally say that I have a true DAT replacement.

Thanks for the impressions. Sounds like a really good unit for amateur recordists such as myself. I'm currently using an RH1, but it's coming up on two years of a sometimes rugged existence, and I expect to be in the market for a replacement soon.

Thing is, I am on a limited budget, and in the past I've tried to combine the attributes of a good field recorder and a good audio player in a single purchase. So my question is whether you would recommend it as a listening device for everyday portable use.

Since it ships with 4Gb and has a MemStick slot, capacity is not an issue for me (I'm not interested in carrying around an entire record library in my pocket.) Support for WAVs means that I can choose to economize on space with MP3 or go for the best sound by using WAVs. I'm not real picky about style or features; don't give a rat's patootie about playlists, dumb-aXX EQ settings, cover art, etc, etc.

What I care about is sound, so...how does it sound through the headphone jack? Do you think it might pair well with a portable amp?

My only other question, aside from SQ, is about size. I went to Minidisco and checked the specs after I read your review, and the unit is more than 6" in one dimension. Is this thing at all pocketable?

 

[shigzeo]

that indeed is inticing. i too started with dat and then md recording and loved the latter for having none of the defects of an anaolgue medium but... some sony units suffered from loud mechanisms that affected the recording - this solid state would make a huge difference there. however, since voltage is needed to be increased over md units for instance, how does noise in the recording manifest if you listen with sensitive phones? my minidisc recordings never had any sort of problem noise introduced into the recording but every flash recorder i have used (under 400$ usd) has had some sort of trouble there.

 

[pmartel]

I am looking at gettng ba into recording again next year. For years, I used a hi-fi vcr as my recorder & got superb results as I was recording choirs mainly. I used my old Sony SLHF400 Beta hi-fi machine before VHS & got stunning results. I plan on using my Sony MZ R55 MD recorder with a Behringer mixer & the results should be interesting. Oh, I stll have the Beta machine & yes, 21 years later it still works. DAT recorders are worth checking out, though.

 

[FenderP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBenway /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thing is, I am on a limited budget, and in the past I've tried to combine the attributes of a good field recorder and a good audio player in a single purchase. So my question is whether you would recommend it as a listening device for everyday portable use.

It's more of a recorder than portable music player. I have no designs to use mine as such so I couldn't say if it'd work for you in that capacity. You and I have very different things in mind when it comes to these devices. I never buy a recorder with casual listening in mind. I am not sure the PCM-D50 supports MP3 for playback; I didn't crack the manual.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBenway /img/forum/go_quote.gif What I care about is sound, so...how does it sound through the headphone jack? Do you think it might pair well with a portable amp?

I don't use portable amps with any of my equipment and don't see the need. As far as how it sounds through the headphone jack, I ran my ES2s and they sounded fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBenway /img/forum/go_quote.gif My only other question, aside from SQ, is about size. I went to Minidisco and checked the specs after I read your review, and the unit is more than 6" in one dimension. Is this thing at all pocketable?

[/quote]

It's not Minidisc small or R-09 small, but I'd say still pocketable. MUch moreso than the D1. It's more like my old portable Denon DAT in size, and I used to put that in pockets.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenderP /img/forum/go_quote.gif I never buy a recorder with casual listening in mind.

I'm not casual about listening <g>. I'm just spoiled by the RH1, which I've used to good effect as a field recorder (PCM format) and have also thorougly enjoyed as an everyday portable. I haven't seen anything recently that looks like it would do both as well as does the RH1, but the D-50 seems like it might do the trick for me.

Thanks for the input! I've got a few months, I figure, before the RH1 goes to consumer electronics heaven, but sooner than later I'm going to have to settle on a replacement.