Review: Marantz PMD620 Handheld WAV Recorder
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Field Work

One evening as I grabbed some firewood, I heard a coyote hollering on a hill nearby. I snatched up the recorder, maxed the gain, and headed outside. The wind was blowing through the pines at a good clip and I figured the recordings would be ruined without a windscreen. Listening back, I was happy to learn I was wrong; even without a windscreen, the PMD can handle moderate amounts of wind. As someone who has had many festival recordings ruined on calm days, this alone warms me to using the PMD620 for field recording. Again, the noise you hear is due to the wind and the fact that I had the levels as high as they would go:


I also took the recorder along when I sat in with some friends at a gig in Salem, Oregon. Because I wouldn't be able to start and stop recording before each song, I selected MP3 at the HI setting (see the "Recording Formats" sidebar) and set the recorder to create a new file automatically every five minutes. Instead of navigating one huge 60-minute file, this option let me quickly zero in on a section of the set. Played continuously, the individual files flowed together with inaudible transitions.



The following Sunday found me in Seattle playing at a weekly kani kapila (jam session) held at the Kona Kitchen. I slipped the PMD620 into its plastic tripod adapter, screwed in a mini tripod, and listened to falsetto champion Gary Madeiros blast into the outer limits:

Marantz PMD620 Remote Control
The clever RC600 remote control ($89) mounts on an external microphone for one-handed recording. (Click to enlarge.)

Home (Studio) Work

To round out my testing, I wanted to hear how the PMD620 sounded in more controlled conditions. Here is a sample of me practicing flailing … errr, frailing my oversized gourd banjo. I recorded this as a 16-bit, 44.1kHz WAV but converted it to MP3 for faster web playback.

As with most portable recorders, setting levels can be tricky when the display is pointed away from you. Here's where the Marantz's two LEDs come in handy. I set the green LED to light up at –12dB; by taking care that it stayed lit without slamming the red peak LED, I knew I had a decent level.

My final test was one I have done for each of my recorder reviews here at O'Reilly. I recorded my big ol' Taylor flattop with the mics about 14 inches away and pointed roughly at where the neck joins the body. This is essentially the same method I have used each time, so you can readily compare how each recorder handles similar material. I have uploaded the example both as an MP3 (for fast playback) and in its original uncompressed form.

More Rants

Standing out in a crowded field takes some doing. One way is to do a little of everything and blow people away with the sheer number of features; another is to excel at one thing. The Marantz PMD620 takes the middle ground. Like its forebears, it is positioned as a solid tool for everyday use.

For me, its strong suit is as a voice recorder. Handling noise is quite low, and engaging the low-cut filter practically eliminates it. Mono recording is a plus, as is the ability to record at both MP3 and WAV formats. I really like one-touch recording, and it is particularly well done here. I am not a fan of automated level control or limiting on most small recorders, but the features are there if you need them.

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