jmsla

Point well made and taken. Thanks for the caution. I do try to be cognizent of using too much volume in a very noisy environment. Really though the amp. is because the Grados are a bit ineffecient and I don't set very high recording levels when I make an analog or optic line in recording...23 at most. And for me listening to music during my subway commutes is always better than not listening. Like even a bad day of sking is still way better than a great day at the office. -J

Grado model SR 60i or SR 90i for me. And when needed in a noisy environment I boost the volume with a FiiO E6 Headphone Amplifier- (1.5x1.75x.25 inches and practically weightless).

-I have used Peter Maksymiuk's hack, (See 11/21: Wild MZ-R700/R500 Hack), to add speed control to a G755, an N505 and just this week on a newly acquired N707. The activated speed control on all of these models does change the pitch along with the speed but, happily for my purposes, also produces very high quality, clear and articulate audio. Nothing like the smeared sounding result of slowing a tape as it moves across the pickup head. Another difference from the speed control on the Hi-MDs is that speed+pitch feature on the ATRAC units slows to a maximum of 20% as opposed to 50%. The music editing program 'Audacity' has a speed+pitch feature in its "Effects" drop down menu that produced the exact same sounding result as on the ATRAC units. Audacity also has Tempo, (changes speed but not pitch) and Pitch, (changes pitch but not speed a/k/a tempo), but the results are a degraded hollow echo and chopped sound like the Hi-MD feature. My first MD unit was a MZ B-100 that I got specifically because of its speed control feature. (My last cassette machine that had a very good pitch/speed control, (a portable mono Sony/Superscope), finally died after 25 + years of use). That's when I first "discovered" minidisc..around mid '03 I think. I remember that it's speed control also lowered the pitch but, the overall sound was much cleaner than the B-10 that was also available at the store. I've since lost that B-100 through theft from a motel room, probably because I had it in what looked like a case for a point and click camera. After the loss of my B-100 I moved right on to an RH1 which I love but, was disappointed by the sound degradation of it's speed control. That's when I acquired a much used N505 and took a chance on Peter Maksymiuk's hack. BTW, many thanks to MDCF and all the smart technical contributors who allowed me to learn about this stuff and apply it. Of course I

Thank you, Since it is one of three 755's I have, I may just do some research and experiment. If anyone has knowledge of and usefull tips on the G755 please pass them along to me if you're so inclined. -J

Thanks. too bad because the other is so much more usefull and would be very convienent on my Hi-MD units. BTW, I went back into service mode on my 600 and tried the two settings in Raintheory's hack for adding seed control to the MZ-R 700/G750/N707/N505 and N710. Those changes, ("7B' and"75" in place of the 00), both worked to add spepped control to the NH600 but, alsa it was still the Hi-MD version with degraded sound. -J correction: I meant Peter Maksymiuk's hack for adding features not Raintheory's. Sorry

Hi there, Just an FYI to all before I try this hack on my NH600 purchased in the US. I do a lot of live recording in my music practice studio, mostly with my MZ-M200, a/k/a RH1 and a AudioTechnica 822 stereo condenser mike. This is a self powered mkie by way of a single AA battery. Not too long ago I wanted to record my practice session but, only had my NH600 with me. I plugged the mike into the line in, set manual record levels at 23 as recommended and volia!...a beautiful recording indistingusable from those made on my M200. So, the line in on the NH600 functions as a mike input as well. At least on mine and with a powered mike. Cheers y'all, Jim _________________________ Well, I'm back already having just successfully performed the hack on my NH600. It took about 30 seconds. Mainly I was after the Speed Control as I use it to help me transcribe complex jazz drumming. Sadly, however, the Speed Control activated seems to be the version is in all the Hi-MD models with that feature. It lowers or raises the speed while attempting to maintain the pitch. The result is a terribly degraded overall sound. the Speed control in older ATRAC models may lower the pitch somewhat along with the speed but, the sound of the instruments remains accurate and articulate. Is it known if this alternate Speed Control as is in the ATRAC models also is in the circuitry of the Hi-MD models and could be activated instead of the one that maintains pitch?

Interesting "discussion"...Arvin may I ask a question about this laser maladjustment? I have some ATRAC models, specifically a G755, that makes quite a racket and often can

Hi there, Just an FYI to all before I try this hack on my NH600 purchased in the US. I do a lot of live recording in my music practice studio, mostly with my MZ-M200, a/k/a RH1 and a AudioTechnica 822 stereo condenser mike. This is a self powered mkie by way of a single AA battery. Not too long ago I wanted to record my practice session but, only had my NH600 with me. I plugged the mike into the line in, set manual record levels at 23 as recommended and volia!...a beautiful recording indistingusable from those made on my M200. So, the line in on the NH600 functions as a mike input as well. At least on mine and with a powered mike. Cheers y'all, Jim _________________________ Well, I'm back already having just successfully performed the hack on my NH600. It took about 30 seconds. Mainly I was after the Speed Control as I use it to help me transcribe complex jazz drumming. Sadly, however, the Speed Control activated seems to be the version is in all the Hi-MD models with that feature. It lowers or raises the speed while attempting to maintain the pitch. The result is a terribly degraded overall sound. the Speed control in older ATRAC models may lower the pitch somewhat along with the speed but, the sound of the instruments remains accurate and articulate. Is it known if this alternate Speed Control as is in the ATRAC models also is in the circuitry of the Hi-MD models and could be activated instead of the one that maintains pitch? -Jim

Well, I just popped over to MDCF for a quick browse and the board is down..."Merge In Progress". It felt a bit like Invasion Of the Body Snatchers. 'You can't wake up your wife right now, she's being merged into a pod but, soon you'll see, she'll be even better and so will you.'

Yes, nice to meet you as well. I was over at the MD Community Forum and followed the link over here to see what the situation was. I guess this new forum has really just started. I'm a member at MDCF under the same user name. Not a lot of posts but, I check in and learn as much as I can on a regular basis. "Retired from the music biz"...so many of us are but, we can ever really give it up. The death, after 20 plus years, of my last portable-(ha, 4lb at least)- cassette unit that had a speed control, a SonySuperscpoe, led me to minidisc about four years ago. I happened across a B-100 in a display case and had no idea what 'minidisc' was but, that wheel sticking out on the left side peaked my interest. Now I'm hopelessly hooked. So what is your insturment and are you really retired? By the way I got my Grados on line at a place in Washington State called the Jazz Loft (www.jazzloft.com). They are an authorized dealer, great turnaround, the owner answers the phone and they sell mostly LPs. it's worth checking out the inventory. -Jim

TC, I suggest that you buy your son a pair of Grado SR60 or SR80 headphones and you'll be sneaking his if he ever takes them off. And just got the Fiio E5 headphone amp to use with my Grados...very cool and it really hepls on the subway. I also use an AT 822, (recently discontinued I believe), for recording on my various minidiscs. And as well continue to keep and buy new much of my music, mostly jazz as I am a jazz musician, in LP format. I don't mean to put down the Sennheisers but, you may enjoy what Grado has to offer, and the price can't be beat. I often get a sense of three dimensional sonic space, and that while listening to recordings made in the 60's. Cheers, -J