10 replies to this topic

[mv45]

Hi all,

I am pretty new to Minidiscs, but have acquired recently a JE530 deck and can use a Sharp MD MT15 for field recording.
I'd like to upgrade to a better deck (without breaking the bank) and am considering either a 7xx or 9xx series. Have been reading manuals for quite some time now, but I would also like to understand how you experts rate these decks technically: are the higher numbers always better (within ether the 7xx or 9xx series)? From some of the posts here I recall that for instance in the JA series the build quality was not also improved over time.

Any advice is highly appreciated!

Mark

[philippeb]

My favourite is definitely the JB-920QS. Better built than the ES decks in the same family. (I know it is difficult to believe, but this is what I have experienced). My ES decks, JA-333ES and JA-20ES, have proven more fragile than the QS one. Got my JB-920 for $75: unbeatable return on investment. Try it.

[mv45]

My favourite is definitely the JB-920QS. Better built than the ES decks in the same family. (I know it is difficult to believe, but this is what I have experienced). My ES decks, JA-333ES and JA-20ES, have proven more fragile than the QS one. Got my JB-920 for $75: unbeatable return on investment. Try it.

Hi PhillippeB,
Does that mean you also rate the 920 above the later 9xx models? The manuals tell me about new functions and looks, but not about build quality and sound.

In addition, on the minidisc.org page for the 920 it seems a serious issue is reported for (at least early versions of) this deck. Has this been resolved for later copies of the 920, and what should I be looking for to avoid buying a 920 with this problem (maybe serialnumber)?

Tnx,
Mark

[philippeb]

Let me elaborate.

About the new functions: firstly, the legacy codec ATRAC 4.5 (SP or MONO) is all I need. The newer decks add LP2 and LP4, but at a cost:

1. the editing accuray degrades from 1/86 sec to 2/86 sec
2. the MONO record-ahead buffer shrinks from 12 sec to 6 sec

As I mostly record on the fly in MONO, and edit a lot, I miss these features on newer decks. I understand that Sony made compromises to add LP2 and LP4 - but your Sharp MD MT15 will not play them anyway.

About the ES series. The decks are mechanically more fragile:

1. I had drawer problems on two ES decks (drawer will not open)
2. I have AMS button problems on all ES decks (button behaves erratically)

As I do not use the remote, this is a real nuisance. The AMS button works like a charm on all my QS (and lesser) decks. Also, newer decks have smaller buttons than the 920.

About the new functions. IMHO, the only relevant innovation is scale factor edit (to change the recording level after the recording has ended). But:

1. it is real time (takes as long as the original recording)
2. it does decode/reencode the signal (as a plain copy would)

Therefore, it is mostly useless for me (I can as well copy from one machine to another, or better between the two minidiscs of the MDS-WD1) except for fading in/out a recording.

About the reported 920 issue. I have never heard of it, or met it. The 920 is the most convenient and reliable machine I know.

[zokuchou]

My Sony MDS-JB980 is 10 years old and still going strong. Used to record on it on a weekly basis for years and then it sat in storage for a while. Powered back up without any issue and I'm again recording with it on a weekly basis. The only trouble I have is that the display sometimes dims but it's still a solid deck. Hopefully I haven't cursed it now but it's been pretty reliable. Also tried 'timer record' for the first time ever last month and it worked fine.

The only thing it can't do is erase minidiscs that have been recorded with latter day portables. So I have to use my RH1 for that and then I can record on the disc without issue.

Z

PS. I used to own a 920. The titling via a PC keyboard was superior and I preferred the remote but bought a 980 as it had MDLP.

[sfbp]

I used to own a 920. The titling via a PC keyboard was superior

Huh? There's no keyboard connector. I know what you mean about the superior remote - there are more keys, one per letter for starters, but the addition of a PS/2 keyboard (on the 980) is admirable compensation for that. The trick I used (before I defected to M-Crew which doesn't actually work on either of these decks) is to have the MD deck hooked to one keyboard output of a KVM (multi-PC peripheral sharing device). Of course now you can't look at the PC screen to copy information, but with a laptop, it's possible to make a work around for that.....

Maybe you had an MDS-JB930?

[zokuchou]

Yep, it was a 930 after all.

[sfbp]

Yeah, the 930 is a quite significant upgrade from the 920 as it has Type-R (CXD2656R) and keyboard control. Also S-link/A1 but not sure that's any use with a PC - it won't work with M-Crew, I think. Nice machine.

[mv45]

Luckily I managed to buy a JB920 last weekend, however quite some pixels of the display do only light up at a relative low level; is this a 'known' feature with (hopefully) a straight forward resolution?

Rgds,
Mark

[bluecrab]

I'm not sure why this topic is in Classifieds, but there is related information here:
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/cdfaq.htm
This information is intended for CD decks, but the "very dim" part could be applicable to MD decks, too.

[mv45]

I'm not sure why this topic is in Classifieds, but there is related information here:
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/cdfaq.htm
This information is intended for CD decks, but the "very dim" part could be applicable to MD decks, too.

I guess the discussion shifted from the question for the best 7xx or 9xx deck to an (minor) issue I have with the purchased jb920 - apologies for that! ;-)
I checked the link you provided (wow! that has a lot of information on CD players....) and I decided to live with the situation: I'm not technical enough to do the checks and potential repairs mentioned in that document.

Cheers,
Mark