The PCM-M10 has been available since this summer with a list price of $399, but you can now get it for as little as $290 from Amazon
.The folks at Wingfield Audio have posted one of the first reviews of this digital audio recorder that I've seen.The recorder is clearly not quite as full featured as the larger, more expensive models in the series. For instance, the Divide button has been replaced with a T-Mark button.
But Wingfield reports that the new model is just as easy to use as its predecessor, and includes a couple of features missing from earlier models including the ability to record in MP3 format and a built-in speaker for monitoring recordings.
The PCM-M10 also reportedly runs for more than 40 hours on a pair of AA batteries and Wingfield says the audio recording quality is almost as good as what you would expect from the Sony PCM-D50 even though the updated model has smaller, cheaper microphones. You can hear audio recordings and judge for yourself at WingField's recorder noise test page.
Another major update is support for microSD flash media cards. The Sony PCM-D50 only took Sony Memory Stick media. The PCM-M10 also has 4GB of built in storage space though, so you might never need to use removable storage.
Like other Sony recorders though, the PCM-M10 lacks XLR inputs and phantom power. You can only plug in an external mic using the 1/8th inch jack. Still, for $290, if I was in the market for a digital audio recorder today I would seriously consider this one.
