md user

Yes, apparently you can buy genuine MD-holders for attachment to the dasboard - then it is no different to pressing a fixed unit. Also, I do not have line-out - so adjust volume to suit => no noise or distortion at all heard! Battery life? I mean, I ain't driving for more than 6 hours without a stop (or a change of MD!). [44hours on my MJ75 when it was new!] Skipping? Haven't had one yet! (OK, I'm no off-roader). Still, won't argue that a nice dedicated unit is better - it's just that I can't be bothered to change my headunit again - too many cars had! Regards all, mdmad.

Right, well I'm going against the flow here, but I like simply plugging in my portable! The disc is already loaded; no discs laying around the car (in pouch instead) requiring two sets; can take it with you when you get out! Yes, a dedicated unit is kind of a good idea, but I've got on fine with a portable! Seems either way is OK. Regards, mdmad.

Right. Seems reasonable! I suppose you mean by 'accessories', the MDs themselves. Overall, it seems that the Sony software was the real hindrance. Ah! for simple USB copy-pastes! Regards, mdmad.

Quote: "Has anybody done a decent ABX test with 352 compared to 256 staring with a WAV file to avoid multiple encodings." I've said it before on this forum (elsewhere), try here for the general public's view: URL is here. Not ABX per se, but a general guide as to 'rating'. Why (out of interest)? Did you hear artefacts or didn't like the balance anymore &c.? Regards, mdmad.

I'm intrigued! (As I am new to MD, seems rather ironic!) What was the final reason for moving on? Some convenience? Sound quality? Also, you say it is your second time of leaving MD. What was your first reason? Why did you return? Really interested to know. mdmad.

My best experience? Well, as you may know, I'm very new to MDs - but I can say that MDs really do provide an opportunity to audiophile-like quality and versatility to modern media. I find them to be a good cross between the new (mp3, freeview, iTunes ...) and the old (LP, FM), and also live recordings, microphone dictations etc. Yes, they are now redundant technically to the retail market, but being cheap second-hand they still offer (me) a GREAT way to FUN. Best experience? My first listen to Funk downloads, with Technics headphones, bass and environment tweaked - for a 128kbit/s [- a bit crazy after all the criticism MD received?] download it really DID seem like I was in the recording studio! (Ignored artefacts). Better than a (cheap) CD portable that I had been using for years! mdmad.

Now that's what I call priorities - sending your love letters of MDs to your wife! And to keep copies in case they got lost ... OK, I know what you mean really ... mdmad. (But not THAT mad.)

Sorry, made a presumption - the freeview box I have includes hard-disk. My timed recordings are STORED on the box for playback at my leisure. No need to time the deck. You can get my freeview box for less than

As others say - download completely; save file. Open file in a media player. Adjust volumes according to VU on MD recorder. (It may be better to maximise player voiume and only to lower soundcard volume - test noise levels doing it both ways. It may make no difference - depends on software design methinks.) Don't be too fussy if in lossy audio ... it didn't cost much did it? Buy CD quality if really good? Whatever. Enjoy! Regards, mdmad.

Look forward to reading about your impressions! Especially as you already have some nice decks/players &c.! Regards, mdmad. BTW - I reckon models come in groups because people see what one fetches on ebay and then decide to sell theirs as well ... reasonable guess? e.g. I was looking for a particular md portable, about 5 came up over one month - since then I haven't seen ANY for 4 months! OK, otherwise it must be just pure statistical chance ...

Although not Hi-MD, I did carefully compare my DR410 to an SR-50 - and could not tell the difference. (The former model was sold on the benefits of digital amps.) I even converted a set of old headphones to genuine 4-ring jack for the DR-410. My old analogue <=0.1%THD minidisc player vs. digital amp[~0.01%] - no difference; EQ settings an order above in effect. (Wikipedia claims that a THD of less than 1% is high fidelity and inaudible to the human ear - through speakers, I presume.) Atrac1 has general artefacts of order -36dB - making the 0.01%THD necessity questionable. Stereo separation on 3-ring headphones - no obvious improvement to my ears. HiMD is obviously better. OK, so I haven't had the pleasure of Hi-MD or the last Digital amps; but we must remember that EQ and spatial settings on different models are not always the same? Then there's the headphone's THD/Response curve ... anybody got 0.01%THD headphones/speakers? Well I haven't yet My 2cents-worth and not necessarily authoritative - just my gut-reaction so far; I will gladly hear from someone who is thoroughly convinced/can demonstrate otherwise. Whatever - ALL minidiscs are GREAT FUN!!! (And all later models really are good anyway, methinks.) Regards, mdmad.

Easy, Get a freeview box with optical and/or rca-out/Scart cable. Play into PC's soundcard. OK, it's realtime - but then otherwise you'd use internet radio? Hope it helps. Mind, you probably knew all this anyway? Regards, mdmad.

I have just managed to make a an old pair of cheap (£10!) sports clip-ons sound 'as good as' my £40 Technics! - by Equaliser tweaking in Audacity. This pair had very little Bass response (as expected), but after whamming up the low frequencies, and compensating for 'holes' - they really are getting my toes tapping! I mean they really ARE convincing now (relatively, of course, according to type of phone). Soundstage is excellent - I can even 'feel' the producers adjusting the song's balance, and one percussion event I even thought was in the room on one song! (They already had great mid-range accuracy.) There you go - you may be able to rescue flawed phones - to some extent - thanks to MDs (and Audacity)! (Mind you, this does mean that my MDs become specific to an headphone setup.) Bespoking indeed! Hope this gives you some, err ... hope. If not, I'll rescue the Bose's if they're going cheap! Just thought I'd pass this on - they really are cheering me up [thought that they were no use anymore]; might help someone. mdmad.

One answer is to get a mono-to-stereo adapter from Maplins/Ebay &c - but make sure it's the correct type! I think, but requires demonstration to remind me, that shorting together L & R will give you no sound at all - because the 'second ring' on the mono jack is going to signal ground.. Giving zero impedance!?! Look up the jack alignments on Wikipedia to prove this to yourself and verify whether I'm correct. Ether way, I have sucessfully used my first answer for my own purposes. You can also, btw, simply asign audio tracks in Audacity instead &c.? (Although it is not good to short the mic-in on one channel, presumably.) Hope it helps! mdmad.

Ahh!, you've deflated my discovery! Still, can't say that MiniDisc didn't give it a go, can we? Now, where's my MD-coffee machine ... mdmad.

Is S/PDIF not as good? Regards, mdmad.

And sign together in blood ... Really? I mean do you know how many units were sold? Fact is, like Compact Cassette, LPs, VHS &c., they will all be in charity shops and ebay eventually. You won't need to buy them up - just buy them as you need them. Like it as we may, we are in the old (better?) ways. Soon, the iPod will be copied by Chinese &c., and sold for peanuts - the money is in the music downloading. After all, this is what Sony was looking for all along with MDs, just that it didn't take off. I get your point, though, we need to stick together - being out of their customer profile - like banished exiles It's access to recordings that will be key, not the units themselves - you can record onto any mp3 player using PC. Still, I'm with you: ATRAC OR DEATH! (to the infidels) <- [just a joke in case somebody thinks I'm being political .. . ]

HTPC??? H* to PC ? Sorry, I'm not up with this new lingo :-) Just guessed HDMI to PC ? Please confirm. Ta.

Yes, I bought two of these from ebay - one a fake, the other 'real'. They are very cheap, good for interviews, but not up to the mark for concerts, when compared to Linkwitz wm-61a's. The latter, with some DIY, for

Not so funny, after all! - See my other thread in the main forum - just started it; thought it was April 1st too, until I read further ... Maybe Sony WILL use its HiMD technology after all! The laugh's on us .. mdmad.

Quite right, listening opinions are what matter, not 'cold numbers'. See Here for some public perceptions of quality for these kind of codecs.. mdmad.

Anybody know what happened to ... wait for it ..... minidisc video? See Here. Am I reading correctly? mdmad.

Now, furthermore, I am finding that there is a 'sweet spot' at a PARTICULAR VOLUME. Have you noticed? I used to TURN UP the volume when I enjoyed my music - MISTAKE! By using audacity, and profiling, I am finding that because the human ear responds to bass (relative to treble) differently as volume goes up, that, according to taste, you will find an optimum ratio at a certain volume. (Depends on mood &c.) Maybe this is why higher quality phones can present better balance at higher volumes - due to power handling at the lower frequencies? Hope it helps, MDmad.

U're Right! I'd forgotten, I bought a cheap mini-hi-fi on ebay with 3xMD slots (Aiwa XR-560), it's brilliant! It times just like a VCR - and records up to 3 MD's in series. Only thing is, there's a 6-second gap between each. Doh! Still, perfection takes longer ... and it's not Hi-MD ... Just hope that they don't switch off FM! Regards mdmad

Totally agree, they did need to become as 'cheap as chips' by, say, 2004 (in the ORIGINAL format) - essential to get Atrac as the de-facto standard. [The technology costs had matured by then?] Does this reinforce their mistake? [Concentrating on Atrac3, Atrac3+ and Hi-MD format development instead of CHEAPER SP-minidiscs and solid-states flooding the market.] I dunno, just a wonder ... Regards, mdmad.