sudden

It's a nice idea but can that realy make up for the weak 1.2mW+1.2mW headphone amp? Besides, max volume on a weak amp is not the same as normal volume on a stronger amp. Even though the decibel are the same. The bass dies at the top of the scale.

Have you tryed to record from a audio source? Like out from a CD to line in on md? (a normal analog recording). And if so what gets on MD? If nothing, then there are something wrong with your MD.

Yes a few Sony have mic switch but certenly not the MZ-R700 model (nor does N707).

On the fly is that you can adjust rec level while recording, with Sony you have to pause then change level. Natuarly this will leav a gap in the recording. Idiotic if you ask me and totaly unnecessary as there can't be any pros to this system. On the other hand, Sony have other priorities than to make userfriendly products. Just like the stupid software with there NetMD's and one way transfer only. Not have optic out. Poor mic in. List can go on and on if I include other Sony stuff also.

The mic you got is just fine. It's the MD that causing your problem. Many (if not all new ones) Sony's have a poor mic in. It's suited for recording speeches and very low acustic music prehaps. Anything that goes above normal conversation level is to loud. Sharp MD's on the other hand have two mic settings, high and low. With low you can record right infront of the loudspeakers at a Motorhead consert without dist. Soultion to your problem might be to use a mixer. Plug your mic into it (must have phantom feeding but most mixer do if you want to use your Sony ECM-DS70P) and then plug in your Sony via the line in. Another way is to get a Sharp MD, second hand or new.

When I record some live event I allways use Sony 80min discs. The extra cost is worth it. Just in case I get that perfect live on disc only to find out that the bleeding disc is skippy, no thanks.

Different colour and standard accessories (like car kit, remote and so on).

It must it then, 8mb. I did a quick search in google and found this link right away. http://fcc.feo.hvu.nl/Conferences/Software....0/ce2kmain.exe

Get a second hand Sharp, any model with mic and MDLP (check http://www.minidisc.org/equipment_browser.html.

Setup file? I have that program, my install files is "ce2kmain.exe" is it that one you mean?

Well if you are only recording in your own studio you can use a mini mix deck with inputs from main mix deck and a mic. Plug this into line in on MD. In this way you get best sound possible. If you also wanna record stelthy a small neat mic are what you want. Sony makes some great mics, see this page: Sony Digital Mics Two top mics are: ECM-719 ECM-DS70P Note that ECM-DS70P comes in variants, one with cord and one direct plug in. Get the cord one (avoid getting MD engine sound on your recordings). Now when you know what mic to get, finding it is another matter. Btw, if you wanna record live on location get a Sharp unit. See second hand market as well, most MDLP from MT99 to present will do the trick. Only make sure it got mic in.

You have to be a little more specific here. The volume on what from what to what?

My Sharp MD-MT99 are also made in Malaysia.

Ops, me and mAjEsTiC are tumbling over each other I think.

You can't transfer stuff from MD to PC trough NetMD. This check in/out is just a copy protection that Sony have put in. Preventing multiple MD disc copies. Only way to transfer from your MD to PC is via analog line out (headphone) to line in on PC in real time.

It's a good quality mic you got. If you didn't pay alot for it or are desperat short on cash I say keep it. Never know what's around the corner, a cheap Sharp MD with mic in prehaps? Then with that mic you can make good sounding recordings.

It's not a question of money here, if someone knows what to do I'm sure they help you. Doubble (or tripple) post will not make it go faster.

The MZ-N505 don't have mic in, if you plug into line in you get silence. Just like plug a mini cord into it. Most mic get the electric current trough mic in with something called "plug in power". The MD provides the mic with it's own battery power. Only way for you is to get a battery box (phantom feeding), get a different mic with built in power or a MD with mic in.

Well an old (1996) deck without MDLP is not worth much I guess. New you said, have it been sitting on the shelf at the store that long? I wouldn't pay more than 50 Euro or so for it. Only feature that makes it worth someting is optic out.

I read these desperat "hack faling" posts just to often, why hack it? The extra fetures are not worth having. I relize this don't help you but may stop some other before trying. Btw I don't know how to fix your problem.

Check the Decks section at minidisc.org http://www.minidisc.org/equipment_browser.html There you can see what models have optical out (not so many).

First of I have only bad experience when it comes to live recording with Sony MDs. So bad I got a second hand Sharp (MT99) and my god what a difference, Sharp design is everyting that Sony isn't, userfriendly. Now I only use my MZ-N707 as NetMD recorder only. However the MZ-N710 have some important improvements that just might make it usefull. Such as mic sensitivity switch and on the fly adjust. A real new low is the weak output amp it got, only 1.2mW per channel. The 707 had 5mW and my Sharp 10mW. Literally you can hear the difference. Sony ECM-MS907 mic have internal battery, when using that plug into line in. When battery out use mic in, mic sensitivity on low. Why you should use manual rec level is during a recording session volume can be very low and extremly high. All those ups and downs make the automatic control go lika a jo-jo. Very annoying. Better to use manual and a bit to low so that peaks don't distort and afterwards this can be maximized when transfering to PC and remastering. The mic should be placed high up. On you head is best but not allways or never practical. Remember that making live recordings is "cumbersome and annoying", specialy if you are doing a stelthy recording. I have a much smaller mic and clip it onto my shirt, standing still it works fine for me. With a larger mic as yours hodling it is probobly the best soultion. Bottom line is trial and error, turn up your stereo and test recording with different settings such as mic+battery to line in and only mic to mic in. Go to the pub when a band is preforming and test manual vs automatic rec level and so on.

Some MD decks have optical out, must be that they mean.

Yes this is one thing that's keeps bugging me. Everytime I starts to transfer a album I must replugg my MD, otherwise SimpleBurner can't find it. Every single time.

My PC have optical out from the soundcard, doesen't that kinda replace the need for this Xitel MD-Port I/O device? I can hook it up from PC to MD with my oplical cable and record, those recordings should be a direct copy just like the one made with Xitel. Don't wanna sound lika a partybuster but isn't it more cost effective to get a soundcard with opical connections (if you don't have one already) instead of Xitel? If you get a card with optical in as well as out, then you can record copy protected Audio CD from a CD deck with opical out (in real time).