A440

I seem to remember reading somewhere--I can't seem to find it--that the Sony mics are extra low sensitivity to begin with. So you should feel free to set the manual recording level higher.

Sony was just covering itself against unusual computer setups--the less they have to support, the happier they are. But in most cases, SonicStage seems to work. The rootkit stuff is now old news. It was beyond stupid, if not malicious, and it cost Sony Music a lot of money, in addition to making their artist roster furious. But it was settled, and geeks who know a lot more about it than I do are satisfied. http://www.eff.org/sony/ Sony Music and Sony Electronics are two different divisions of Sony, and when the rootkit happened it was a Sony Music folly. I wish they were separate companies, because then Sony Electronics wouldn't have cripped minidisc in the old days. But that's how it goes. Minidisc is a Sony Electronics product, and lately, Sony Electronics has been gradually removing DRM from SonicStage and building in DRM removal tools. While we can't be ultimately sure that there's nothing bad in SonicStage--or in Windows, or in Realplayer, or in a lot of other programs--I would strongly doubt that there's any rootkit in there. There was a test for Sony's particular rootkit--I think it was naming a file to begin with $, like $Sonyrootkittest.doc, saving it and seeing if Windows Explorer could find it in a Search. I have Sygate firewall installed, and I like it better than Zonealarm. http://www.oldapps.com/old_version_sygate_firewall.php And like Syrius, I don't let apps "phone home" without a very good reason. That includes Windows XP, by the way, which likes to phone home at least once a week. The Automatic Update feature sounds like legalese, though. I've never had SonicStage try to connect back to Sony or update itself. I'm not saying that you should be complacent about every program on your computer, but SonicStage is not one that I worry about much.

If you still have the NetMD player, try Format, not just erasing the tracks.

Shipping mics to Australia from Sound Professionals might be prohibitive. I suggest consulting greenmachine, who makes them. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showt...mp;#entry103301 Here's his website: http://www.geocities.com/greenmachine_audio/ Or send him a PM. I'm not familiar with that Lectrosonics, but if it works in other mic jacks it should work in the MD's mic jack just as well. A new Hi-MD for $149 Australian is a steal. And you would know it was new, instead of used like the R900 is bound to be.

The BMC-2 and other BMCs are under stereo microphones at Sound Professionals--they're two separate mics on a cord. For about $150, possibly a bit less on Ebay, you can get the MZ-NH700, a Hi-MD unit. http://www.minidiscaccess.com/item.html?PRID=1553220 It's not as thin because it has a bulge in the back for an AA battery. But as greenmachine points out, it will record much longer in compressed formats. It also records in higher fidelity (PCM) and it uploads, which you may not think you need at the moment but is far more convenient and provides better sound quality.

Upgrade SonicStage to 3.4. You can get a full installer from Downloads (on the upper left). SonicStage 3.0 only allowed ONE upload of the material on the disc. It marked the tracks on the discs as transferred and would either not transfer them again or--unbelievably--erased them from the discs if you tried to transfer them a second time. SonicStage 3.4 no longer has that restriction. It's also better in a lot of other ways, small and large. I would not get your hopes up for transferring material from any disc if you have already tried transferring it with an older version of SonicStage. But try this: Take the disc out of the unit, remove the battery completely and let the unit sit without the battery for a few minutes. This resets the unit. With the newer version of SonicStage, connect the USB and see if you can see the tracks on the disc. If you can play them back, controlling the unit with SonicStage and getting the sound out of your computer speakers, you record them digitally (in real time) with TotalRecorder, which intercepts sound on the way to your soundcard and records it. It costs $18, but it's worth it. Standard Edition will do the job. http://www.highcriteria.com/ There's more information here. Search the page for "Total Recorder." http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=6330

MZ-R900 is small and very solid, and has a mic-sensitivity switch. You may want to invest in a new rechargeable gumstick battery--under $15 on Ebay, around $25 from stores--and you will definitely want to tape the battery latch shut so it doesn't open accidentally. With any minidisc unit, keep the unit a few feet away from the mic--put the mic on a cord, and put the unit in a pants pocket rather than right behind the mic in a jacket pocket--or you'll hear it whirring. The N10 has some custom parts, like a strange USB cable, and needs its cradle to recharge its battery. If you get one, make sure it has everything, not just the unit. Speech is very easy for a mic to capture, so you have a lot of mic choices. I have never used Giant Squid mics but the sound samples on their website sound awful. That's music, not speech, however, which should come through their mics just fine. I have had excellent results with mics from http://www.soundprofessionals.com . I use the BMC-2 and they make an even smaller pair of stereo mics that look like they're the size of matchsticks. But you'll have to figure out how to attach those to the groom--you can get clips for the BMC-2. One of their clip-on lapel one-point mics should also work fine. Make sure you are getting a stereo mic, not a mono mic, or you'll only record on one channel.

Just go to Downloads (upper left) and download the SonicStage 3.4 installer. It's much better than the version of SonicStage that came with your Aiwa. http://forums.minidisc.org/downloads/details.php?file=21

By tapes I am guessing you mean minidisc recordings. It depends what format they are in and what MD unit you have. When you play them back on the MD unit the format should show up on the display. If they are PCM, Hi-SP or Hi-LP--and you have a unit that can play them back--then you can upload them to SonicStage (connect via USB, Transfer) and convert them to .wav with SonicStage. (Under Tools, "Save in .wav") Soundforge can handle .wav files. If they are SP, LP2 or LP4 then the only unit that will upload them is the MZ-RH1. No other unit can upload those formats. You say you can play the files with SonicStage. If they are already in SonicStage's My Library, then just convert them to .wav files with Save in .wav. Or, another possibility: If they are already in SonicStage's Library, they are in an ATRAC format and you may be able to install the ATRAC plugin (from Downloads on the upper left of this page) to Soundforge and edit them directly. Since I don't have Soundforge, you'll have to figure out how to install the plugin, whether it's compatible with your version, etc.

When you're lucky enough to get a feed from the soundboard you should connect to Line-in, not Mic-in.

No. Even at maximum, the VC-1 cuts the signal somewhat. When I use an attenuator I leave the volume all the way up, at maximum. That still attenuates enough to keep the preamp from distorting. If you can do it without the attenuator, that's best. I don't know how sensitive that mic is. It's possible that with a low sensitivity mic (that has less bass response) PLUS Low Sens on the unit that you could avoid using the attenuator. If that works for you, and you're not getting the clipping, then don't bother with the VC1. But listen to your recording: It's possible that even at the low level, you still got distortion. If not, great. The attenuator is not a perfect solution. It provides less power to the mic, which makes it easier for the mic itself to overload in a loud situation. But usually the preamp overloads first, which is what the attenuator should prevent. Once you have a .wav copy you don't need any other copies. The .wav copy holds all the information in your original recording. You don't need to keep a copy on the disc or in the SonicStage database. Of course, if it is a very important recording, you might also want to make a backup copy--burn to CD, perhaps. That's really up to your ears. I do a lot of my recordings in Hi-SP for convenience. Do a test recording with your stereo and see if you can hear a difference between Hi-SP and PCM.

The only way to transfer recordings made with a NetMD is to use the MZ-RH1. No other hardware can upload NetMD recordings. It's not a software problem It is a hardware limitation built into every unit--NetMD or Hi-MD--except the MZ-RH1.

With a NetMD, you can't use SonicStage to upload. You can only upload to SonicStage with Hi-MD units. So stick to Wavelab.

What did you try to record with LOW mic sensitivity? The music you are trying to record is simply too loud, with too much bass, to record with high sensitivity, although that mic will not pick up the lowest bass. (Its frequency response is 100-15000 Hz). Even if it is playing unamplified, a rumba group generates a lot of sound. It is really essential that you learn to use Manual recording levels. REC-PAUSE, Menu, REC-SET, Manual Volume. My guess is that with AGC on rather than manual volume, what is happening is that the first LOUD sound makes the AGC drop the volume quite low, and it stays there for a while even when the music quiets down. But you still need low sensitivity. With high sensitivity, it will overload even sooner. You should just set the level once in Manual and leave it there throughout the concert. As smkranz suggests, just choose a level like 12/30, which is probably a bit low but will prevent overloading. If it is dark where you are recording, do all the settings for Manual outside, before the concert. Leave it in Pause, and then just push Pause to start recording. But my guess is that you are probably going to have to use an attenuator or battery module. Loud bass-heavy music is just too much for the built-in microphone preamp--which is in the circuit BEFORE the sensitivity setting or the recording levels, so once the preamp overloads, the recording is distorted. If you can't get a battery module, are you in a place with stores like Radio Shack or another place that would sell a Headphone Volume Control? And don't worry about airplanes or X-rays. My MD has flown around quite a bit.

The R500's adapter is 3V. Compare the small print on the two units right next to the adapter plug--where it will probably say something like DC IN 3V and <-> C <+>. The minus and plus are the polarity. You can also check the manual and see what the output of the new adapter is. Also see if the plug from your old adapter fits the jack without forcing. If it doesn't, obviously you need a new adapter; if it does, you should still do more research but it's a good sign. I would guess that you can leave the RH910 plugged in overnight. People generally do that with a lot of electronic devices--I always do. Sony has probably built in a safeguard. Again, look in the manual--if there is not a direct warning against leaving the unit plugged in overnight, you're probably OK. The most challenging thing for your RH910 will be to prevent the glossy case from getting scratched. Generally minidisc units stand up well under normal use. The clamp filters are probably unnecessary. Many people have removed them with no harm.

You may well be able to find the MZ-NH700, new and unopened, for half the price of the RH1 on Ebay. It will record through a mic, upload, etc. Mics seem to be expensive in Europe. You might contact greenmachine, who makes them, and see if he could assemble a mono mic for interviews or a stationary stereo mic. Look in post #20 for his current website. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=14388

The initial question was about a lecture. Since a lecture is speech, it's within a narrow frequency range. A noise removal effect might help to remove sound that's not in that range. Another way to do it would be to use EQ to bring out whatever frequency the lecturer's voice uses, or use filtering if you can figure out what pitch/frequency the lecture uses.

If LP2 (132 kbps) was judged to be nearly as good as the others in the comparison chart--which is really what that comparison shows--then Hi-SP (256 kbps), which not only has a higher bitrate but years of additional development, should be far better.

You've changed the question, Kuaan, from what's the best recorder to what will make you happy. You probably would be happy with the H120, and that's great. Whatever serves your purposes best is the gadget you should have. Different tools for different jobs. You don't need a Ferrari to drive to the grocery store. Drag-and-drop seems essential to you, particularly since you won't have your own PC at hand, and that's a thoroughly sensible reason not to get MD. You said at the beginning you were recording audio for videos. If I were making a video documentary, I would want to get high-quality sound. and I'd make room in my luggage for a stack of MDs. But if it's more as a souvenir of a trip, then it may not need that extra margin of fidelity. I mostly use Hi-MD to stealthily record concerts. It's very good for my purposes, not perfect. (And I long for a unit the size of the H120 that was designed specifically for high-quality recording.) You're going to be using your recorder to make recordings while traveling. The H120 might well serve you better. Sound quality is a funny thing. Most people listen to music through awful little earbuds and are perfectly satisfied. People also make concert recordings through mediocre microphones--like those Giant Squid samples I linked to--and think they sound great because they were there and their memory fills in the rest. I hear a lot of live music, so I'm more picky about what sounds realistic. My doubts about the Iriver are the ones I mentioned. When people who know and like the H120 say that, well, its audio quality is not so great, I would tend to listen to them. When people say they are using an external analog-to-digital converter with the H120 to get decent sound, then I'm personally not interested in the H120 because for me, the recorder itself should be the ADC. I immediately disqualified the H120 when it was released because of the well-documented clicking sounds during the recording. Now that those sounds have been eliminated it's a closer call. But the Iriver people are still saying that its audio quality isn't great. So it's still not for me. But it obviously does record and holds a lot of recordings, so it should do your job. As I said before, track down some recordings--preferably where you can see exactly what equipment was used--and see what you think of them. If they sound good enough, and they probably will, then that's your toy.

The Edirol R09 might indeed be your solution. Most users seem to like nearly everything about it except the built-in mics and a mic preamp (for external mics) that is noisier than the one with MD. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/01/27/n...e-usb-recorder/ External mics via Line-in--with a battery module (you'd have to try it and see) or a preamp--would bypass that problem. Read through the reviews, and you'll also see that some of the people wish they had the editing capability of MD units. But yes, there are imperfections with MD too. All MD units make mechanical noise periodically spinning the disc--a mic has to be separated from them. That's probably similar to the HDD noise of the Irivers. But the initial problem with the Irivers was additional electronic noises: the buffer/click problem that has been lately fixed, and the ticking sound they say you get if the remote is plugged in. As for AC, minidisc has a problem when recording with a mic using AC power: It adds a buzz. Most of us use them for portable recording, which is what it seemed you were planning to do. Are you going to be recording in a situation where AC power is always available? Then the fact that the Iriver has to be recharged regularly won't be a problem. It does seem that drag-and-drop is extremely important for you, and carrying around a stack of minidiscs would seriously increase your cost (20GB would be $140 list). At the price you saw, perhaps you should get the Edirol R09--if you don't like it, you could sell it for a profit on Ebay.

Are you uploading them from a minidisc to PC? Or trying to download them from your computer to a minidisc? SonicStage is very finicky about the tags on mp3s. Isolate the ones that are giving you trouble and try editing the ID3 tags: shorten the titles, take out odd characters, etc.

Bassoonlady, when you upload your recordings from your MD unit to your computer, SonicStage saves them as .oma files. .oma is Sony's own format and incompatible with other programs (unless you have SonicStage installed). Converting the files to .wav takes them out of SonicStage's clutches and turns them into something that just about every software and hardware player and sound editing program can read. The files on a prerecorded CD are .wav files, and when you burn a conventional CD for your CD player, you are burning .wav files.

Sorry to bring bad news, but unless you want to record them back to your new computer in real time or buy the MZ-RH1--the only unit that will upload from old minidiscs--then no, there's not.

Depends on what format the recordings are in. If the recordings are SP, LP2 or LP4--you'll see the format on the display when they play back--the only way to upload them is with the new minidisc recorder, the MZ-RH1. Otherwise, they are stuck on the disc. You can record them in realtime from the headphone jack. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=7070 If the recordings are Hi-SP, Hi-LP or PCM, you can upload them to a PC with SonicStage, available at the Sony website or from Downloads here. You have to install SonicStage and connect your NH1 with a USB cord. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=6330 Don't use the SonicStage disc that came with your unit. Use Version 3.4 (from Downloads) or 4.0 (from Sony). Once they have been uploaded they are in SonicStage's library and you can download them back again to new MDs, convert them to .wav and burn to CDs, etc.

Apparently that was the original Iriver firmware, alrose. Rockbox has eliminated the click and extended the file size to 2GB of PCM recording, which would be just short of three hours, followed by the seamless start of a new file. Here's what Rockbox says it can do. http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/FeatureComparison http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main...ures_of_Rockbox It sounds good--and boy, do I wish Rockbox would apply itself to Minidisc or make an alternative to SonicStage. But if the unit itself can't get decent recording quality without an external ADC, then what's the point?