In today’s world of portable electronics, recorders are no different. People who use recorders want them small, durable and efficient.
Two great pocket-sized, handheld recorders are the Sony PCM M-10 and the Roland R-05.
These two were evaluated on four categories for their overall recommendation from us. The categories used were: overall product dimensions, average consumer rating, target audience and desirable features.
Overall Product Dimensions
Since we are talking about portable, handheld recorders, size does matter.
The Sony PCM M-10 fits perfectly into most people’s hands. The dimensions on this model are 2 ½” x 4 ½” x 7/8”. The weight of the Sony PCM M-10 is also a great size. With two batteries in it, the overall weight is 6 5/8 oz.
The Roland R-05 product dimensions are so comparable to the Sony PCM M-10 that there’s hardly a difference. The only different being that it weighs less, at a total of 5 oz. The other dimensions are set at 2 3/8” x 4 1/16” x 1”.
Average Consumer Rating
The Sony PCM M-10 receives an average of 4.5 stars out of 5 by most consumers. A common compliment to this model is that it is good at recording voices. A concern by some is that it’s not so good in a large room setting where large bass sounds may be present, such as a live music event.
The Roland R-05 also receives an average consumer rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. This is often praised for music recording, podcasts, and interviews with multiple people. There are not a whole lot of consistent complaints about the Roland R-05.
Target Audience
While the Sony PCM M-10 is advertised for a variety of uses, most people that purchase this are using it for recording meetings, interviews or field reports. There are people who purchase this for music, and is understandable with the playback key control to change pitches on songs already recorded, but they are not as frequent and the people purchasing this for other non-musical reasons.
The Roland R-05, however, is certainly advertised for the musician needs. There are settings such as rehearsal mode and music-practice partner that make any musician jump with glee.
Desirable Features
Some of the Sony PCM M-10’s desirable features include, but are not limited to:
- Expandable memory options with dual slots for microSD or Memory Slick Micro options.
- Durably built
- Playback functions to change pitch
- Track marking
- Cross memory to continuously record between using internal memory and external memory
- Two color options: black and red
- Records in .WAV and .MP3 formats
- Editing software is included in purchase
The desirable features for the Roland R-05 include these, but are not limited to:
- Two recording options: .WAV and .MP3
- Slot for external SD card for additional memory
- Four types of reverb and speed change options
Overall Product Recommendation
CLICK HERE TO GET SONY PCM M-10 TODAY WITH FREE SHIPPING!
While both these products appear to be marketed to different types of users, the overall recommendation would go to the Son PCM M-10. It’s a well-rounded handheld recorder that can meet the needs of many. Useful functions, like track marking, help to accurately edit songs or keep time signatures on interviews and meetings. This feature, along with others, makes it ideal for any user, not just musicians.
Other Audio Recorder Comparisons
- Tascam dr-05 vs. Zoom h4n: Two Great Portable Recording Devices
- Tascam dr-100 mkii vs. Zoom h4n: Which portable recording device will help deliver your best recordings possible?
- Yamaha Pocketrak pr7 vs. Zoom h2n: Which portable recording device will you choose?
- Zoom h4n vs. Tascam dr-60d: Two Fantastic Portable Audio Recording Devices
- Tascam dr-22wl vs. Zoom h1: Portable Recording Devices
- Zoom h1 vs. h4n: What is the difference between these two Zoom portable recording devices?
- Zoom H1 vs. H5: Which portable recorder will fit your needs best?
- Yamaha pr7 vs. Zoom h1: which one will you use to record all your special tracks?
- Tascam im2 vs. Mikey Digital: Which one will you choose to turn your Apple product into a portable digital recorder?
- Sony pcm-d100 vs. Zoom h6: Battle of the heavy duty portable digital audio recorders!
- Tascam dr-40 vs. Zoom h2n: Two great portable recorder options
- Zoom h4n vs. Tascam dr-40: Portable Recording Device Options
- TASCAM DR-07MKII vs. DR-05: Two TASCAM portable digital recorders worth the look!
- TASCAM DR-07MKII vs. Zoom H1: The battle of the portable digital recorders
- TASCAM DR-07MKII vs. Zoom H2N: Two portable digital recorders that can go wherever inspiration leads you!
Other Sony PCM-M10 Comparisons
- Tascam DR-40 Vs. Sony PCM-M10: Which Recorder Wins Out?
- Sony PCM M10 vs. Roland R-05: Which pocket-sized recorder will handle all recording needs?
- Sony PCM-M10 vs. PCM-D100: Sony handheld recorders at their finest!