aeriyn

The fact of the matter is what can really alter the sound of a source (such as an MD player, for instance) happens to the audio signal after it's already converted from digital to analog, in which case it's no longer ATRAC data, but analog audio information. So, even if Sony DAPs were tweaked to play ATRAC better, it doesn't necessarily matter, because the tweaks take place on the analog side, and also, that Sony DAPs are ATRAC/3/3+ only. (At the moment.) Also, and you somewhat neglected to notice this: the only devices that use ATRAC/3/3+ is Sony/MD. No one else uses it. So how can MD be "tweaked" to make ATRAC sound better? Sound better than what? No other portable devices can play ATRAC.

When I buy a CD and I listen to it on my home system, I usually don't concern myself with the integrity of the recording; Redbook Audio is always 16/44.1 and generally sounds around the same, unless the master was poor. So I tend to look at Redbook as what I want my compressed audio to strive for. I agree that ATRAC/3/3+ tends to soften (muddy up) things, especially vocals. I don't like that; I prefer detail. Everyone else may like soothing sound, but hey, I like detail! If I'm going to spend 15-20USD on a CD, I'm going to want it to sound as good as it can sound--both at home and on the go. And I find that soothing sound usually depends on the artist I'm listening to, and not the codec or lack thereof. For instance, I'm listening to Bonnie Pink right now on Redbook (CD). It's very detailed; I can hear the instruments very clearly and her voice sounds distinct and crisp, almost as if she's in the room singing right next to me. However, the style of her music is soothing, and her voice is soft and sultry. Very relaxing. Now, if I were to take something else I have around here, like Nine Inch Nails, no matter how ATRACed Trent Reznor's voice and instruments were, it still wouldn't be soothing. :laugh: This varies from codec to codec. A compression artifact is defined by any noise introduced into the music as a byproduct of the encoding process. This can range from strange warbling, to pre-echo, to flanging and metallic noises, to hissing and fuzzed-up sounds. For instance, ATRAC is a "dirtier" codec (has more artifacts) than MP3, but many people tend to believe ATRAC's artifacts are not as annoying as MP3's, which can sound metallic. I tend to agree at the ~128kbps level; LP2 sounds less annoying to me than 128kbps MP3.

It's in the OT section, so it's fine. I mean, Skyther posted screenies of him pwning me at gunbound, so why can't I pimp my friend's artwork? :rasp:

I think I'll be pleased with 256kbps Advanced Audio Codec. :laugh: *waiting way too impatiently for her iPod Mini*

Lookit what I made in thirty seconds of Photoshop. :laugh: The artwork was done by my very best friend in the whole world, Nika. She's such a wonderful artist! The subject, btw, is me. (And a little fairy dragon.) "Kiseki" means "miracle" for those of you who are not Japanese inclined. It's the name of a song by the Korean pop artist BoA, and the song always makes me think of Nika. :happy: I lurv Nika. :love:

You seem to be out to get me. :laugh: Aye.

Most DVD players, especially cheaper ones, tend to come with coaxial digital outputs, which are not compatible. Even with a format converter in play, the recordings are not optimal--i.e. a coax PCM signal does not send the command to the MD unit to create track marks, and thus it creates marks every 2 seconds of silence. This is especially bad for gapless albums, in which case it will make no marks at all and you have to manually mark the entire disc. For an inexpensive solution to record music media--CDs, MP3s or other compressed and uncompressed audio--to MD, search Froogle or your favorite e-tailer that sells PC peripherals for a Chaintech AV-710 sound card. This card, while being very cool in its own right, has an S/PDIF optical output. From that you can connect the optical cable that came with your MD unit to the MS722 and record digitally using the method that watcher666 explained. Oh, and the AV-710 generally runs between 25-30USD. A very attractive solution to this issue, and to the general bad PC sound issue.

I've found myself wanting to do this a lot in the past, but not so much anymore because all my music is on CD now. (I don't have any music compressed at the moment, since I don't use UselessStage for anything anymore and I don't have a portable until everything sells off and I buy an iPod Mini.) Although, a catalog of my music would still be useful, since I listen mostly to Japanese music, and my Japanese is mostly bad. I can't read kanji at all, and I have trouble with kana. :laugh: Sony loses an awful lot. They pretty much lost me as a customer. *watches money add up in her bank account* Apple wins my money. :laugh:

If it works for you, that's wonderful, and you should be happy that you can enjoy your product as much as you can. For others, such as skyther and myself, it doesn't work for us, and so we don't use it. Honestly, though, I don't think anyone who would prefer Hi-LP over Hi-SP if there wasn't a chronic shortage of 1GB discs.

Honestly I'd recommend you against the E10/N10. Both units use the same internal guts (save for the E10 lacking the N10's recording mechanism) and both units have an awful headamp. They sound like mud, actually. :laugh: I'd recommend you more toward one of Sharp's Auvi offerings, such as the stellar DS8. (Price point is similar, about 230USD new and between 150-175USD used in good condition.) I owned one myself before selling it in favor of an iPod Mini. Also, you must remember that the E10 is a player-only unit and cannot record. If you have a separate recorder and/or a MD deck unit, this would be fine, but think about all this before just jumping in after hearing one unit. :happy: It's best to audition as many source components as you can before making a purchase. I didn't, and because of that I bought an N10 a while back, and I wasn't happy with it. Your mileage may vary, however.

By and by, Nero's the best CD burning software in existence. Roxio is awful.

I thought UselessStage prevented you from uploading any recording that was made via the S/PDIF optical input?

All the news that's printed to fit! :laugh: The reason, I believe, that PCM recordings are not bit-perfect when used over the optical input may have to do with the fact that Sony's optical in on Hi-MD units may do a similar thing to the signal that Creative Labs' sound cards with optical inputs do--mess with it somehow. Change the gain or do something to the signal to render it no longer an exact copy. 1411kbps ATRAC3+, I doubt. :rasp:

LP2 is indeed true stereo, while LP4 is in fact a very bad method of joint stereo known as Intensity Stereo (which is rather lossy). The Hi-MD modes all use Mid/Side Joint Stereo, which is lossless and does not affect the sound quality (or the stereo separation, afaik). I'm a girl, btw. :rasp:

To an extent. Sony seems to cling very, very tightly to its ATRAC code and the other alternative to SonicStage (BeatJam, which I've managed to find and install on my PC at one point) is just as bad. I believe that Sony probably hands its licensees a moldable version of SonicStage/OpenMG and only allows them to make certain cosmetic changes. Oddly enough, Sony still doesn't seem to realize this is economic suicide. Proprietary formats just piss people off.

High-speed dubs won't utilize the second pass-through filter (Type-R ATRAC DSP) and instead will just use the standard (ATRAC 4.5). I believe that is the case with this unit. The difference between ATRAC 4.5 and ATRAC Type-R is subtle; it is not the rather large difference between ATRAC 4.5 and ATRAC 4.

only problem with that, Jade, is paypal is so interlinked with ebay it's almost impossible to use anything else. no one wants to accept credit cards directly, and checks are out of the question. someone can still rip you off with money order and cash. you're really kind of screwed any way you go. this is why I don't buy anything expensive over ebay. Like, when I do purchase my ipod mini, it will be local or direct from apple. Over ebay, I only really buy CDs. if someone stiffs me, it's no big deal, I lost a whole ten bucks.

Uh, that makes no sense at all. :laugh: That's just transcoding with an extra step. Edit: Doh. *smacks herself*

iPod sounding quieter than MD makes absolutely no sense. iPod = 30mW+30mW @ 32ohm headphone amp. MD = 5mW+5mW @ 16ohm headphone amp maximum. There are MD units (Euro models and Panasonics) that have less than 5mW amps.

Of all the forums I frequent (which is a few), this one has the most number of intelligent posters and the least number of arguments and childish disputes. While I somewhat ignore t-board, I tend to frequent head-fi and I find arguments over there all the time. :laugh: Word.

impedance doesn't always mean lower volume. for instance. my beyerdynamic DT440 home cans are rated at 32 ohms impedance, yet only require one additional unit of volume (22/30 instead of 21/30) on an MD unit with 5mW output, than the EX71s I once owned did. and EX71s are 16 ohm impedance. efficiency varies between 'phones. ety ER-4Ps are rather efficient, and Shure buds are known for their efficiency. Shure E3cs are likely more efficient than the ety ER-6, and aren't quite as lightweight and lacking in bass either. AFAIK, E3cs are more efficient than E2cs despite the higher impedance.

You tend to do that, dex. :rasp: But at least your rambling is insightful, while mine is just a mess. :laugh: I just wanted to say, a properly recorded cassette tape on a Dolby S deck from an LP, with good ICs and a good turntable, and a clean LP, can sound much, much better than people tend to think about. and you're calling me more liberal, while you never listen as background noise? I usually listen in that fashion; while doing something else, and low bitrate encoded tracks STILL annoy me, even while distracted. Interesting that you pointed out that psychoacoustic principles work better on loudspeakers as opposed to headphones... 128kbps MP3 is almost unlistenable on my Beyerdynamic DT440 cans, but it sounds okay from my crappy PC speakers. (note that I believe most PC game sound effects and music must also be heavily compressed, because I can't play games with my headphones. the artifacts are too annoying. ) Meh, the soldering iron should be hot by now. Time to case up my amp! :grin:

The broken one's 10 bucks. :rasp:

DS8 sold.

For MD, being a removable format, a car deck type device makes more sense. A connectable adapter such as the iPod's BMW and Alpine adapters are only used because the media of the iPod can't be removed. :happy: