Sony Professional Portable 24-bit Linear Audio Recorder

Sony Professional Portable 24-bit Linear Audio Recorder Review

Sony Professional Portable 24-bit Linear Audio Recorder Feature

• Offers solid-state storage - free of drive mechanisms
• Built-in high quality electret condenser stereo microphones
• MP3 playback and digital pitch control
• The PCM-D50's electret condenser microphones have exceptional high sound quality and offer a selection of 2 operating positions, X-Y and Wide Stereo
• The PCM-D50 is designed with four separate circuit boards to separate analog audio, digital audio, digital recording and power supply circuits

Sony Professional Portable 24-bit Linear Audio Recorder Overview

The Sony PCM-D50 is a 96 kHz/24-bit recorder fitted with two-position (X-Y or Wide) stereo microphones, 4 GB of internal flash memory and a Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo slot (for additional storage). The body of the D50 is constructed of lightweight metal (aluminum) and it's built rugged to withstand the demands of pro applications, plus it offers long battery life using conventional AA alkaline batteries. The recorder includes a USB high-speed port for simple uploading/downloading its native .WAV format files to/from Windows PC or Macintosh computers. Other unique PCM-D50 features include digital pitch control, dual digital limiter (inherited from the PCM-D1), low-cut filter, Super Bit Mapping, A-B repeat and MP3 playback capability. To complement the D50 recorder, new optional accessories include a remote commander, tripod stand and microphone windscreen. Additionally, the D50 offers compatible mounting and use with the recently introduced XLR-1 wide-bandwidth balanced XLR microphone adapter.

Sony Professional Portable 24-bit Linear Audio Recorder Specifications

The latest addition to Sony’s family of portable audio recorders, the PCM-D50 recorder adopts many of its features and style from the highly acclaimed PCM-D1 model, including rugged construction and cool design. It’s the ideal choice for making live musical, nature sound and field recordings. The PCM-D50 is a 96 kHz/24-bit recorder fitted with two-position (X-Y or Wide) stereo microphones, 4 GB of internal flashmemory and a Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo™ slot for additional storage. Operating on four AA alkaline batteries, it provides 14 hours of record operation at 44.1kHz 16bit recording. Unique features such as a two-position stereo microphone, a prerecord buffer that records five seconds of audio before hitting the record button, digital pitch control, and A/B segment/ repeat offer great portable possibilities for songwriters, musicians and journalists. To complement the PCM-D50 recorder, new optional accessories include a remote control, tripod stand, and microphone windscreen.

Features:

• Superb Recording Quality
  The PCM-D50 is a 96kHz/24 bit linear recorder that records in standard .WAV file format and surpasses standard DAT sound quality. A low signal-to-noise ratio provides virtually noise-free recording quality.
• Expandable Memory
  With a 4GB built-in memory, the PCM-D50 records up to six hours when recording in 44.1kHz 16bit CD quality mode. And the Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo Slot provides up to 4GB memory expandability.
• Built-in Microphones
  The PCM-D50 recorder comes equipped with a high sensitivity, built-in, two-position electret condenser stereo microphone with flexible rotation for either X-Y or Wide stereo positions.
• Playback Functions
  The PCM-D50 recorder provides MP3 playback, a special Digital Pitch Control feature that slows down playback without changing pitch, and an A/B segment repeat feature that allows you to mark and repeat segments.
• Versatile Recording Functions
  The Dual Digital Limiter feature helps prevent distortion, a pre-record buffer records five seconds of audio before hitting the record button, and Super Bit Mapping technology helps achieve, wide, dynamic range.
• PC/Macintosh Compatible
  The PCM-D50 utilizes a simple drag and drop file transfer via high-speed USB connection.
• Rugged Construction
  Constructed of lightweight metal (aluminum), the PCM- D50 recorder is built rugged to withstand the demands of pro applications.

Specifications

• Built-in Microphones -- Electret Condenser microphones. High sensitivity -35.0 dB/Pa 1kHz (typical); Maximum input level 120 dB SPL; Self noise level 20.0 dB SPL (A); microphone frequency response 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
• Recording Media -- Built-in flash memory 4 GB, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo (Not Supplied), Stereo Recording. The PCM-D50 is compatible with Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo MS-EX4G (4GB), MS-EX2G (2GB) , MS-EX1G (1GB) and Memory Stick Pro Duo (High Speed) MSX-M2GNU (2GB), MSXM1GNU (1GB)
• Sample Rates -- 22.05 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz and 96 kHz
• Quantization -- 16-bit linear, 24-bit linear
• Recording File Format -- Linear PCM Stereo .WAV
• MP3 Playback -- Compatible bit rates and sampling frequencies; MPEG Version 1 Layer 3: 32, 44.1, 48kHz with 32 to 320 kbps (VBR). MPEG Version 2 Layer 3: 16, 22.05, 24 kHz with 32 to 160 kbps (VBR).
• Maximum Record Time using Internal 4 GB Flash Memory:
  • 22 kHz 16-bit Recording Mode: 12 hours and 55 minutes
  • 44.1 kHz 16-bit Recording Mode: 6 hours and 25 minutes
  • 44.1 kHz 24-bit Recording Mode: 4 hours and 15 minutes
  • 48 kHz 16-bit Recording Mode: 5 hours and 55 minutes
  • 48 kHz 24-bit Recording Mode: 3 hours and 55 minutes
  • 96 kHz 16-bit Recording Mode: 2 hours and 55 minutes
  • 96 kHz 24-bit Recording Mode: 1 hour and 55 minutes
• Frequency Response (Line Input to Line Output) -- For Fs = 22.05 kHz: Frequency Response = 20 Hz to 10 kHz; For Fs = 44.1 kHz: Frequency Response = 20 Hz to 20 kHz; For Fs = 48 kHz: Frequency Response = 20 Hz to 22 kHz; For Fs = 96 kHz: Frequency Response = 20 to 40 kHz
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Line Input to Line Output) -- 93 dB or greater (1 kHz IHF-A) when set to 24-bit
• Total Harmonic Distortion (Line Input to Line Output) -- 0.01% or below (1 kHz, 22 kHz LPF)
• Wow and Flutter -- Below measureable limit (less than +/-0.001% W. Peak)
• Microphone Input (stereo mini jack) -- Input impedance: 22k, rated input level: 2.5mV, minimum input level:0.7mV. Supports external mic plug-in power.
• Headphone output (stereo mini jack) -- Rated output level: 400 mV, maximum output level: 25 mW +25 mW or more, load impedance: 16 ohms.
• Line Input (OPT) -- Analog input - Input impedance: 40k ohms, rated input level: 2.0V, minimum input level: 450 mV. Optical Digiital Input - Input level: -24.5 dBm to -14.5 dBm, Absorption wavelength: 630 nm to 690 nm.
• Line Output (OPT) -- Analog output - Output impedance: 220 ohms, rated output level: 1.7V, load impedance : 22k ohms. Digital optical output - Output level -21 dBm to -15 dBm, Emission wavelength: 630 nm to 690 nm.
• USB -- Hi-speed USB, mass storage class
• Power Requirements -- DC IN 6V, Four AA (LR6) alkaline batteries (supplied), Four nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries NH-AA (not supplied)
• Power Consumption -- 0.75W
• Dimensions -- 2 7/8" x 6 1/8" x 1 5/16" (w x h x d) not including projecting parts and controls
• Mass -- 12.88 oz (including batteries)

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