md user

Ah, those were the days of ES. Anybody know what is ES these days (for our future)? After all, I'd hate to keep soldering in electrolytic caps forever more ...

Yep, love old posts ... :-) Anyway, I agree, that ATRAC SP (especially) has the edge over (to my ears) any <= 320kbps encoder. Yep, I know that aac at 256kbps has better accuracy. I still wonder whether the approach of Sony and its then-director was music-based for minidisc; now it's computer based. Then, Sony was trying to get serious in the audio market and so probably was optimising with the ear; now we optimise by statistics. Put it this way: I am still more 'blown-away' with ANY transcode (>256) onto ATRAC SP using a bespoke external-amp-headphone kit than any dap at native WAV (without external amp). Obvious? Then why did I buy a load of dap's, headphones, different encoders, different md units (with excellent statistics) ... and in total costing more than THE MUSICAL ASPECTS of amp-headphone match and less-feedback? :-D Oh well, it all amused me ... mdmad

Yep, for smaller phones, I haven't found a better output amp on-board than my MDs; albeit, I can't afford a COWON to compare. I second that! go on Jimma, do a rapidshare! pleeeaase! (if convenient).

- yep, I put that phrase in quotation marks; I think I mean '(frequency) spectrally-precise' amplifiers optimised for headphone use; 'wide' meant precise in the frequency domain, dynamic meant precise in amplitude, 'band' implied also high bandwith. also, dual mono's give a final touch (in stereo separation, if not cross-feeding). BTW. I should have said "external amplifiers" - none of my MD's have sufficient power to drive my larger headphones accurately - when not out-and-about, of course! - (3) crossfeeding to simulate external speakers on headphones. All in all, though, I'm trying to say that to perfect the end of the chain makes the encoding shine; I'm not an authority on the technics, so am using language poetically in the hope that I might be right!. Anyway, I am now convinced by ATRAC SP musically, on my arrangement; and need no more (stereo) encoders! With Regards, mdmad

Yep, I haven't posted for a while, but I'm still 'investing' in minidiscs! After some other 'excursions' I thought that I'd share some knowledge (well, that worked for me!). I've gone through many dap's now, and headphones, and amps ... my findings are: 1. the output amp is MOST important! (ok, presuming that the headphones are at least reasonable). - I find that only 'wide-dynamic range' headphone amps can start to hide low bitrate (LP2,4) artefacts, from a listening experience point of view. 2. ALL dap's are all a muchness (i.e. good enough) in terms of sound-quality (as a line-out) nowadays. 3. crossfeed is a good idea (but not essential). I know that the above revelations may seem 'lame' but so much of the discussion on this forum is about sound quality of the MD vs. daps (and its demise) that I now feel that the FORMAT itself was not really to blame - perhaps sony designed and tested it all with the very best amps in order to refine their algorithms What do you all think out there? Agree? Whatever, enjoy MD's, I am! BTW, I'm still interested in downloading an ATRAC 1.0 recording ... doesn't anybody out there have an MZ-1 (or R2 say)? (I'd love to know how good sony's first attempts were.)

Done. Added that SuperAudioMD is the future of recording! :-D

Now that I'm totally convinced by md's, I am on an history trip: does anybody have an old recorder on (say Sony) SP version 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0? I'd love to hear the progression of quality in minidisc, but can't afford to buy old decks (collectors are bidding them up on ebay). GO ON someone! - make an MD fan happy by uploading one song (in wav/flac) and the old ATRAC (on rapidshare or something?) Thanks in advance ...

Sounds TRUE*, but unachievable. That is to say, I have bought a load of (cheap and second-hand) DAPs as well as good-ish headphones - and have now completed my 'research' of the portable audio scene (to my tastes). My conclusion is now: without going to SuperAudio standards, my Sharp (pre-1Bit type) and Sony MD players ARE SUPERB and SERIOUS DAPs! But is that good enough to market the format again? So, even though MY heart is still with these solid players and the format - **who can NOW be converted en-masse to buy them? No-one wants discs, I think, except us, 'the Converted'. And how are we going to get the masses to go the same route of research? None. My IPod Touch is an excellent all-rounder and is a source for getting music (which was its intention by Apple); it's just a shame that Sony's earlier attempt at this failed through software and over-restriction - *why repeat the mistake and against Apple now? What can MD offer more for this purpose? Enjoy the history of MD's contribution. It WAS (and still IS to me) great! **But that's where it'll remain, methinks, even with your suggestions going in the obvious right direction. Regards all, mdmad. I'm still mad about 'em! [Offtopic, but whilst I'm here]: does anybody know how to enter Service Mode for a Sharp DR400/10/20 series? I just need to tweak EQs on these 1bit players (to make them sound as good as my earlier models). Please Message me to keep it off the thread. Thanx!.

Right, after much support ;-) I've managed to come to my fair assessment of md and modern and future (probable..) players. My view: MDs were a unique period of development for digital music; and i really appreciate their occurrence in the history of player tech. They could not continue in the face of solid state tech; but the world would, curiously, be a poorer place without them. I now use the iPod (now admitted :-) touch (even to write this) but am still entertained by listening on an md player - a 'touchy/feely' thing? in the evening - like a well-crafted old car for an afternoon drive. And they can still keep up with the 'flow of traffic' to my ears. Anybody else come to a similar view; or other attitude to mds? Anyways regards to you all! I'm still lovin mds!

e.g. Has any modern player pursued the 4-pin amp output? Did md tech really surpass modern offerings? Just more food for the discuss ...

Ok, my md obsession continues; I've just bought 2 sharp dr400's (cheap, as they should be). My question is, now with hindsight and knowledge of what the best solid-state mobile players can do; and that I'm probably treading a well worn path of md collecting; are they truelly a pinnacle of mobile sp development? What's your view? Are you running the last products when sound performance counts vs. earlier products' normally stronger build? Probably discussed previously, but I'm interested to know a consensus of views/stories of collecting (rather than a debate ... And for a fun discussion ... Md( very?)mad :-}

I'm still intrigued ... Btw just bought some mdr-7506 headphones; now some recordings showing artefacts on my other phones have diminished. Is it still a frequency profile issue?

why bother ripping if one is intending to record RealTime to an md unit? I personally just PLAY the music using either a low-level pc utility or a dedicated player (both) having optical out. Transfers are then as perfect as possible. Do you agree? (still) mdmad :-)

Oh no! It gets MUCH worse ... Guess what I received for my birthday from several members of my family jointly ... (a total surprise). Give you one guess. Yes, an ipod! Will i be turned from md's?

Right. I've had a look at some pages; even seen that you've dabbled with a CF mod. [Did it go well?] My only question is - is it worth it? It's just that I bought a refurb. 1Gig Sansa Clip cheap; it supposedly has a flat response &c. with no capacitance limitations; however, without an headphone amp it STILL doesn't sound as good as my Sharp SR50! The equalisation on the Sansa &c. is clearly at the 'pre-amp' stage! The punchline: the SR50 is NOT a perfect flat response in amplification! And yet it IS the one I would take to a 'desert island'... Maybe it's my 'over-used' ears ... Regards! And keep supporting MDs! Real men do ... :-} [ref. a thread elsewhere] mdmad.

In a sense, if we, as a minority group, are 'worshipping' the MD format in spite of later edition technology, then yes, we are. However, look at how many are ACTIVELY using this forum. OK, multiply by 10,000 - I'd say we are only 'a bunch of individuals worldwide' who share a similar enthusiasm for MD - you know, where you buy more than one, then a deck, then talk about them to friends &c... But that's all. The big picture is ... everybody ELSE is doing the opposite - selling the MD tech for iPod/flash/HDD tech. And, since buying my iRiver - I can see why. I must be mad to pursue MD ... As you say, though, I run my M-reg (1995) car - it's cost too much so far to let it go. (I wish I could afford the throw-away/buy new way of living.) One wonders whether we are actually an economic/character group forced to love MDs, rather than true MD fans - if we had started all over again TODAY ... [be honest! I'm not provoking, just doubting it myself.] Yes, controversial - but, hey!, what else we got to talk about concerning MDs? Keep listening to MDs! mdmad. PS. all said and done, I STILL haven't found a portable player to sound better than my MD setup ... (after much investment in time to perfect EQs, headphone responses &c. for the MD players). Doubt I ever will - not without 10x budget level (

Good news, then! I can't remember where I originally read about 1,000 cycles for flash (some years ago, and probably in a device manual) - I 'rounded down' (halved) to 500 and used the word 'min' to be on the safe side for the forum purposes. I've certainly believed in this figure for a long time now, and it was fairly authoritative at the time). The player that has write errors is quite an old player (early model), maybe flash has improved by several magnitudes since then, or it may be some other cause. Anyways, your information encourages me a little more to use flash; the only thing is: they said in the 1980's that CDs (and later, DVDs) 'would last forever' - now we are regularly told that they deteriorate over time and to only expect ~10+ years! I tend to be rather cautious of H/W claims these days - and backup CDs, HDDs &c. Oh yes, and 'plastic' and 'fibre-glass' were also supposed to last 'forever' when first introduced. (He said, looking past his computer through the window at a rather cracked and faded [i.e. falling apart] fibreglass caravan - from the 1980s!) Nevertheless, my MD players still work (and, of course, I have several just in case :-) ), and I tend to have the same view as Bobt on this one at the moment. And then there's the NON-replaceable batteries (I wonder why...), cheap click buttons, display crystals ... Still, no point in being too pessimistic, it's all rather more affordable now and capable of good music! It's just that as the years go on I become less trusting in 'thinner' technology ... Regards all! And keep using MDs! Somehow, they 'seem' more robust :-] mdmad BTW Anybody else found flash reliable/unreliable under a lot of use? Would be informative to know of a 'real world' experience on this.

An interesting slight digression this - because I used my iRiver for the first time the other week, for the purpose of RECORDING. Yes, I put Linkwitz mod's mics into the line in, and hey presto! Recorded live music. Advantages? Yes, very small overall package, as sfbp suggests this was convenient compared to my normal MD setup (R410) and, no need to swap MDs after 80mins (if SP)! Disadvantages? Yes, the flash is supposed to only be re-writable 500 times (min.) Although this is a big number, I have already bought a 2nd-hand flash player which constantly has write-errors (may be over-used). The iRiver does not have a VU meter (let alone a big accurate one) - being a player in emphasis. Sound quality was similar, although as discussed by you all, if I record interviews in the field the MD is preferred for editing purposes and 'feel'. (i.e. I can see it happening). Still, is all this going to revive MD/HiMD? Manufacturers are going to invest in flash technology - have they already released Pro Recorders for fieldwork yet? It's not in my knowledge, but I would be surprised if they haven't introduced editing features yet ... Anyway, I'm enjoying MDs for the above in an amateur way! Hope you all are! mdmad.

Are you thinking of headphone amps here? If not, I'd be interested in knowing what/where these mods are! (any website addresses?). Makes sense, especially 10 years ago, for digitizing purposes. But, why did you aim to finish the 'production cycle' in CD (instead of stopping at MDs)? Just wondered. mdmad.

I voted yes, but that is with my 'wishful mind' in place. From a business point of view, can we guarantee > X million units-per-year sales to justify the manufacturing start-up costs? One wonders whether only the Chinese &c. can do this - you know, where you can buy a portable tape player for

Sorry, haven't followed the discussions on LPEC; [i've been involved with family issues of late]. What is it? Another Sony proprietory? Sounds intriguing. Is it supported on other flash players? Totally agree with your view on MP3s - I find 256kb/s rate is needed MINIMUM to avoid all artefacts; 320kb/s is near to the original, but is relatively 'heavy' on the small flash players that I have. It is strange that some of the higher bit rates that you mention are actually worse than this 128 mode! Must be optimisation of the sampling frequency windows ... ? Regards, mdmad.

A good question, and one that I tackled about a year ago. Deciding to use MDs as my 'final' music technology, and they being legacy items, I decided like many others to buy several whilst they are relatively cheap and available. After starting with two R410s (cheapest Type Rs for recording), I ended up with several Sharp SR50+ (cheap yet sturdy with good bass for playback), and a Panasonic deck for digital out. Price was my motivating factor - able to buy several units for the price of one HiMD unit - a requirement for 20 years (hopefully, if I am not being presumptuous) of enjoyment. Overall, less than the price of ONE upper-market portable when new (excluding discs). This last point has been key, though. Disks. At ~171MB each only - I started to look at cheap (again ) mp3 flash players for non-critical listening. The logic is now to record long-lasting HQ music with MD technology at ~

Thanks, SamD. Useful.

OK, some samples are needed, methinks! Using a portable (DR410), and my deck as ADC, I achieved the following on, to my mind so far, the hardest music category: opera. http://rapidshare.co...ta.v3.flac.html MD5: 00C304042B4D8C19E9210F1A438838C9 Can you hear the artefacts? (Of course you can.) Can you improve upon it? The wav original is here if you can - but do tell us how you achieved you're recording! http://rapidshare.co...alwav.flac.html MD5: CA2E2A171C02BAD45441683321AB8E54 Go on, give it a go: especially JB/JA/pro-deck owners! mdmad. Aside: no copyright intents made here, they're only 5mins samples! (Nobody's going to lose money by it.)

Personally, I share by encoding to lossless, say FLAC, and then going to http://www.rapidshare.com/. FLAC should be available to download for free, for Windows, on the net. I use Linux, and it comes 'out of the box', yahoo! It's all pretty obvious from there: I suggest no more than 5mins sample though, otherwise upload takes too long. (~20MB). You can do more if willing to wait ... YouTube, in my experience, always transcodes and will not be fair to your recording. Nevertheless, you can try it, but set the highest bitrate. If you don't get anywhere with the above, PM me for help. Regards, mdmad.