sfbp

That one is $0.99 for 2 units.

it's actually just a stoopid piece of plastic that converts the end of an OPTICAL cable into something shaped like a 3.5mm jack. All the MDs that record can do optical OR line in (no coax, ever). Worth about threepence. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-Digital-3-5mm-Mini-TOSlink-Fiber-Optical-Digital-Audio-SPDIF-cable-Adapter/391739772419

PS you could record to optical in on the MZ

You might be surprised how good the original (free) Sony earbuds sound. They don't use up nearly as much energy and I suspect this may have a slight effect on the output amp in the recorder. However Sony's later NC headphones (such as the XBA-H3) may do quite well indeed. I have a pair of those. This is the first example I've run into where playing back with a different codec from that used to make the recording make a difference. Some expert will probably contradict me but assuming the items in the list at minidisc.org are in historical (reverse) order, then the MZ-R909 may have been the first Type-R portable. Like most software programs, backward compatible but not forward compatible (how could it be?). So trying to play something recorded using the later Codec may never equal recording using the matching codec. Thank you for this observation. You will notice you can track the ATRAC changes by the CXD26nn chip type. Stephen

R35 has the one-button "megabass" which one unlamented departee from these walls(!) used to chunter on about. Experiment, YMMV. Also I would definitely turn OFF the AVLS (microswitch slider on the bottom). What headphones are you using? Anything without gold connectors on the 3.5 mm jack will give terrible results. And you cannot expect the R35 or most of the portables to drive anything over-the-ear, IMO. You'd be better with Sony's originals. Either that or a headphone box which kinda defeats the portable aspect. I think it might be a case of impedance mismatch, rather like plugging microphone into a line in socket (hence the battery box suggestion). Also the R50 has the rep of being the top of the line aurally and mechanically. Before they went to the later more compressed codecs. A really cool piece of gear is the MZ-R5ST (sorry, that one is grossly overpriced, like 10x too much) which is a specially modified R50 with a docking station and (tada!) optical OUT, the only portable to manage this particular feat. I'm doubtful it's the codec version # - but anything is possible. Cymbals are notorious.

if you are comfortable taking it out of the chassis, I would be inclined to use some contact cleaner. But that stuff leaves a really bad smell so you don't want to do it in situ, ie. without taking it out. Whilst you've got it out, you can see what sort of a switch it is (Sony's part numbers don't convey much as to the real part, you'll have to look on the schematic) and see if it needs/is worth replacing. These AMS dial connectors (1-475-643-11, note: i looked at the contemporaneous JE630 so you will have to check) have only 4 connections. Two for signal, ground and rail. So if you can find one it might be worth doing. I'm not sure it's worth trying to buy the part, as this still doesn't tell you who made it. Don't forget it has the push function too. Hope this helps! Stephen PS if you're seriious about MD, you might want to start amassing used or broken machines as a source for parts like this.

I think you did really well as these things are really quite tricky. Ever considered a career....?

Forgive my curiosity, but how do you know what to write there? Will the cut-and-paste mechanism even work with a US English version of Windows? This sounds like a most interesting challenge...... For me an impossible one since I cannot read Japanese at all. There are definitely people around here who may be able to help you. I need also to recall their names and send you a PM.

You're probably right, the OW head laser power setting is 10x the power of the read head when reading. It is the READ headpower (ie the laser) which absolutely must be calibrated within very fine limits. Conceivably differently resistive OW heads might cause slightly different results but all in all, if it works, you're in shape. Well done! From your post which I skimmed in my usual haste, I thought you had replaced the whole laser assembly. (updated as I must have been dazed when writing that).

Wait a second... you plugged in the NetMD and it said "ok", but no disk. Did you put a disk IN the aforesaid NetMD? All bets are off unless the medium is actually present....

There's a download of the Japanese successor to SS, which Avrin managed to get some updated modules from when he assembled the version we have here (don't ask me, that's completely beyond what I know how to do). I did download it (you can search for X-App) a long time ago, but as I don't read Japanese it didn't make a lot of sense and I have no idea what I did with the pieces. I didn't realise you are Japanese, sorry. You might have more luck in a forum over there. good luck!

OK, that's good, you verified that the switch works. Next I'd be inclined to force a reinitialization (like what happens after you've serviced the drive). Ah.... I know, you replaced the head but you didn't align the drive yet. It's not automatic. You're going to need some gear. If you don't adjust the laser power for that laser, you will blow it (literally). Just as well it's smart enough to know it needs servicing. Time to get the service manual . https://elektrotanya.com/sony_mds-j3000_mds-j3000es.pdf/download.html There isn't one here or at minidisc.org. They're all the same in outline, only the details. When you're ready to move, please keep asking....

I think the two switches are: "present" and "protect". It's normal for one to be shorter, I don't recall which is which. You can tell which is the write protect by looking at the location of the protect slider on a writeable disk. It's just possible there's a sense for CD vs MO (the precorded disks), I am not able to look right now so relying on my memory. There's a THIRD sensor hole on 1GB Hi-MD disks to allow the HiMD units to detect that medium. There's an interlock mechanism on portables, but I don't think you have to worry about that on a deck. If you are not that famliar with MD, perhaps you didn't know about the write protect setting on each MD disk. OPEN means protected, CLOSED means writeable. Keep the questions coming, I have a hunch this is solvable easily.

I don't understand why you have to use Japanese at all.

If it plays ok, the problem is certainly with the write-protect mechanism, which is mechanical, and relies on the detection of the gap in the MD case. You will have to make sure that the closure of the microswitch does its job in the circuit. Sorry I cannot be more specific than that but you'll need some electronics experience with voltmeter and/or soldering iron, most likely.

You'll probably need the NETMD760 64-bit Windows driver, although I don't know about your Windows install since you didn't give details. There are a number of things you may have to do to get rid of the drivers installed by SonicStage (but only if you have to, know what I mean?).

I have no idea what's going on here, but you do not mention a device that can be connected to USB. The only one that will work is the NF810. I trust that means the adapter arrived safely!? Stephen

Try here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?ul_noapp=true&_nkw=rm+u306a+remote&_sop=15 I think as long as made by Sony, the "generic" replacements would be fine.

The second link wasnt working originally, so I fixed it

Don't even think about sending it by courier. I was absolutely assuming you might be heading this way some time - and if you are, you'd be welcome to drop by. I think shipping a heavy unit would be a. expensive and b. possibly injurious especially when we don't know exactly what's wrong with it. Stephen

Assuming you mean the Japanese one, I read the translation of his notes about what he does (this is not a one-off). It sounds like he stands behind them, and was until recently in the business of fixing machines like yours with a stock he'd purchased. The details presented make it seem likely he's in control of the situation. If it was the one from Greece, that will be a very interesting story! Either way, I'm intrigued to see this machine in action so if your guy there isn't 100% sure, I volunteer to take a look at it. Stephen

<flame on> Honestly I don't see the problem. If you take the view that you prefer SP (and it's well documented in these pages that SP is actually an inferior codec possibly backed up by very expensive hardware and some tweaks) then any SP-only recording device will allow you to delete these pesky tracks. At the time, they didn't want people yelling at them because after deleting them there was no way to correct checkout counts. Their idea was "check it back in, and all will be well". The whole number-of-copies thing is arguable - Amazon does it, Apple does it (I assume) and the law provides for it under the term "fair usage". If you recall, Sony's history was that they faced the first ever trillion dollar lawsuit for inventing the VCR - MPAA were as mad as hornets, and that likely almost cost Sony their existence. As for the other ways that they made it hard or impossible to clone digital music, who can blame them when half of their business was supporting real artists and recording contracts? And all of this is now relaxed with a. the MZ-RH1 and b. the File Conversion Tool and c. VLC. So complaining about trackprotect seems to me to be an Aunt Sally (or Straw Man if you prefer) to be set up in order to rubbish Sony. I feel I must be blunt here. There's one more (odd) reason to be grateful for Sony's "protection". In many other industries, people will sell copies of things that are only 90% functional (low rate MP3 recordings come instantly to mind). If you can actually decode the sound from an MD, it's very likely to be un-tampered-with. In the long term this builds perceived brand reliability. <flame off>

Tough

Search in ebay and you'll find the Greek guy immediately. I'm surprised the package would be that expensive. From Japan is frequently cheaper for the same deal. But you could buy that MDS302 for $ 68.....

I finally checked... yes the one I bought against a rainy day is a KMS260E Here's the good news: https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/h381715357 18 Hours to go. Time enough to get registered with one of the Japanese shopping services (such as Buyee) Good luck! One more thing, assuming Philippe is correct, you can buy an MDS-302 here PS. someone may have mentioned this but there's a guy in Rhodos (Greece) that has lots of them (KMS-210A), removed from ?dead equipment. I suppose you might get lucky, or simply contact him to ask what it might take to repair either the one you have or the one he would sell you.