bhangraman

You've formatted it as in FORMAT from the menu on the Hi-MD unit itself?

I was going to stick a DC socket where the power lead used to go but I left it as it is. The batteries are housed inside the lid. So to change batteries, you take off the lid. The control configuration allows single-handed operation of volume and power while holding the kettle. My next project was to house a META inside an UZI body (trigger as on/off, charging handle knob as volume control, batteries inside magazine) but I got bored. That would have been fun to take on public transport...

The last META I did any significant work on.

The ECM-DS70P is about £50 retail and is a versatile enough Mic which you can use for all sorts of stuff and is also highly portable (you can at a pinch leave it connected all the time).

I've got to change mine as it's terminally boring. It's the PCB layout of the NH1.

I've had one since the end of June. That's been quite thoroughly abused. Dropped a couple of times, ridden around in a bag with lots of other potentially sharp objects, etc. No scratches due to charging cradle. It was probably caused my frequent mishandling.

I know this isn't the done thing... ... but I listen to them :wacky: It sounds trite, but what I can do is to compare the headphones on a regular basis against another reference phone to see whether it is actually changing. Some phones to exhibit noticeable burn-in characteristics, others don't, while some simply undergo gradual continuous degredation as opposed to burn-in.

There is a certain crabhanded posture you must adopt for the 40ELK when using it one-handed and there are some gymnastics involved therein, but the scroll facility is useful for navigating through tracks. It is a minor thing though. I prefer it over the RM-MC3X's. My problem with the MC3X is that I was so used to the MC11 (1 year of very sparse MC3X use as opposed to near 3 years regular use of the MC11... I even swapped the remote on the D-EJ2000) that it always caused me frustration. Because the 40's totally different, I don't have the wrong-way-twist and stop-when-meaning-to-ffwd problems that I do with the MC3X.

In which case I ought to add some stuff I forgot to put in, such as the G74SL can pinch some ears and that the EM7 in addition to the problems listed suffers from some 'honk' in the midrange. I'm listening to the ER-6i at the moment and have got the E2c's back so I might add those too.

MP3 support is a big part of the deal for most MrToad, and Sonicstage sucks 200% in that regard. For the nerds, I suppose the software is over-simplistic. Like you, I find Sonicstage very straightforward and relatively user-friendly to use when transferring CD's. The ripping time is fast, and the quality (to Hi-SP) is good. No questions there. I think it's not a bad program to use if your Sony machine is your only player, and all you're doing is ripping from CD's. The problem comes when I try and do anything more with my music, such as stream it around my home and try and use my Sonicstage rips with other players... because I can't. Some people's objections against the current version of Sonicstage may be ideological than practical, but for me it's a definite practical problem. The way that Sonicstage treats music data that YOU have ripped, which YOU own in the form of a CD and converts it into something that's shackled by extensive DRM without you having a say in the matter is a real obstacle for getting more out of the music held on a PC. It's also about what else you have exposure too. In how it works and what it does, Sonicstage looks somewhat amateur when compared to iTunes. EDIT: MrToad, I have no idea what your set-up is. In my experience though, portable is how the Hi-MD machines should stay where their sound is if not top quality then very agreeable. The better the equipment you hook them up to, the worse they sound. With PCM data, connecting it up to the Stax headphones and comparing it to the iPod, I was truly surprised at how comparatively bad the Hi-MD's sounded from a detail / staging / other technical view. Worse than an iRiver, and that's saying something in my experience.

Have you thought about the Shure E2c in-ear phones? Maximum noise blockage and a sound that's very well defined for the money, and probably packs more punch than the V500. And being in-ear phones, very easily carried about. If you shop around, ~$70 shouldn't be impossible. The only downside is an invasive fit actually within the ear canal. Most users however get used to it and there are very few dissatisfied E2c owners to my knowledge. I'd start with iDealSound eBay store. I've ordered from them a few times (I'm in the UK) and they have been more than helpful. The E2c's are listed at $99, but that's the SRP. Call them to get a price.

I can be fairly uncritical most of the time. Some of my most entertaining recent listening has come due to relatively (relatively to what I have that is) lo-fi reproduction of the kit I happened to be using at the time. However I can just as easily slip into ultra anally retentive audiophile mode. I can be actually staggered by the 'poor sound' of PCM reproduction on Hi-MD (it's not actually poor, but when I put on my audiophile hat it is surprisingly bad given Sony's previous track record). You can sneak a new potentiometer for the volume control on an amp and I'll notice it immediately. I highly suspect that the anal retentive audiophile is my 'natural self'. However it is nice and useful to be able to put yourself in different 'shoes' in this regard. Being an audiophile all the time would be boring, not to mention impractical.

I was searching for a way to describe the V-surround modes. I was thinking up lots of descriptions like "radically altered soundstaging at the expense of detail and staging reality"... but clearly I didn't think simple enough. "listening through a drain pipe"... that's exactly it.

I've just been informed that you don't have to validate windows to download it. Sorry if it's caused any panic.

KB887811 deals with the problem. To download it separately, you'll need to 'validate' your copy of Windows XP and you must not be using non-IE browsers.

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=43756 A comparison I did, if it helps.

If I was being waspish, I'd say that no there's no difference given the quality of the sound that the NH900 puts out in Line Out mode :rasp: Being instructive however, I think quality cables help in practical terms... consistency of construction, etc... although there's no need to go overboard. IXOS and Profigold make consistent cables at affordable prices. Profigold Spain distributor Bandridge Spain Espai Electronics S.L. C/de les Moreres, 53 08820-El Prat de Llobregat Barcelona Spain T 0034 934 785 299 E espai@cconline.es IXOS Spain distributor Esmaes S.A. Fabricas 31 28925 Alcorcón Madrid Spain Tel: 003491 643 1140 esmaes@infornet.es

It's so that girls will say "Is that a Hi-MD in your pocket or do you just have an enormous shlong?". Or it's a combination meat tenderiser and ATRAC player... ...It's a JOKE. Sony may attribute removing the dock connector to heat issues, but the area for the heat to dissipate doesn't really vary a great deal with or without the dock. My guess is that there are power-based issues.

I'm a freakin' genius. Really.

Well, you're kind of right. I think that most usage patterns of the N10 / N1 will involve people ejecting the player from the cradle, swapping discs and sticking it back in again. I have asked about why they removed the socket and I haven't got a fully explanatory reply back. I think they rationalised it on the basis that the battery is not drained while the USB connection to the PC takes place. What I'm considering doing is to butcher the N10 cradle for it's socket, cut out the appropriate area on the NH1 cradle, solder in the socket and see what happens. It seems like too much trouble to be honest but I do find the entire plugging / unplugging / separate charging steps one step too much in comparison to my iPod Mini.

Regarding unintentional release, both MD/Hi-MD have locks on the releases to prevent ejects when it's not finished doing stuff.

On the production cradles, you'll even see the part where the cutout for the USB connector would have been. I think they realised rather late in the day that it was something of a disaster not being able to open the NH1 while in the cradle. The connector mount for the missing socket is still in the production cradles, as you can see. I can imagine the awkward silence in that product meeting :grin:

AFAIK, none of the Walkman products can be upgraded via firmware. I'm not even sure if the NW-HD1 supports firmware upgrades. I know that VAIO Pocket does (and AFAIK this plays back MP3's already), but this was developed by a different department. I'd say if Sony do release MP3-native-supporting portables, it's a fair bet that you'll have to ditch whatever you own.

If you think about it, since the program relies on an uploaded file it seems unlikely.

I use among others: Sennheiser HD25-1 Efficiency: Very high. Sound: Punchy, resolved. Undoubtedly one of the most practical portable full size headphones on the market. I know this because i've bought (and ultimately rejected) the Panasonic RP-DJ1210, Sony MDR-V700DJ (more on that later), Ultrasone HFI-650, Sennheiser HD280, Sony MDR-7506, MDR-7609, Beyerdynamic DT250-80, Pioneer HDJ-1000, MDR-D66SL and many others. The HD25-1 is closed, low mass, low bulk, and high efficiency. The sound characteristics are ideal for portable use being quite well resolved and also pretty punchy. It will work to decent volume (if not decent dynamics) with a 0.5mw source. Clearly many Londoners feel the same, as when I'm paying attention the third most popular phone I see after the now ubiquitous iPod earphones and the Sennheiser PX series is the HD25-1 (and not it's cheaper brother, the HD25-SP). Sony MDR-V700DJ Efficiency: High. Sound: Car-audio boom-boom-like Sometimes, I have to use these in a professional capacity... although I'm not a DJ. With the lean yet precise feeling iPod, the 'dumbing-down' effect of the V700DJ works to a reasonable level, and is actually even nice for portable use (especially with 'bass reducer'. With MD... well, the EQ should be brought into play once again for anything agreeable. There is absolutely no way I could call these great phones. They're too heavy for regular portable use, and fit me with some discomfort. Despite that, I still use them once in a while even when I'm not required to do so. Like the HD25-1, a high level of efficiency will help make up for volume deficiencies of lower powered MD portables, especially European ones. Sennheiser PX100/200 Efficiency: Medium. Sound: See below. These are very practical little phones. The PX100/200 both fold into a flat package which will slip into a shirt pocket, have a decent length cord which allows you to manageable use the phones whether with a remote or without, and both don't sound bad, although the more expensive PX200 actually sounds a bit worse. The PX100 offers a slightly 'dark' (i.e. not piercing) clear punchy sound and good detail. The PX200 sounds more muffled overall, yet still giving out a reasonably punchy but large bass. The PX200 makes up for that by offering genuine sound isolation within tiny 4cm-diameter earcups. The open PX100 are much less useful for commuting use, since they let all background noise through and vice versa, but nevertheless sound pretty good when you can hear them! One major issue for European portable owners: A notable lack of efficiency for a portable-use phone means that these phones can sound somewhat limited on a low-power portable. Sony MDR-G74SL Efficiency: High. Sound: Clear yet with a lot of bass, but prone to some problems in the midrange I was sent one of these and it sat around in my 'stuff to look at' cupboard for a while. I mean, a Sony neckband phone, it's complete crap right? As it turned out, no. The sound's inbetween the PX100 & 200 in that it's got the relative clarity of the PX100, the rapid bass punch of the PX100 with the bass volume of the PX200, it's more efficient than either, and is not isolating but at the same time it is not wide open. The 74 has some sonic problems, but they're liveable-with problems. The 74 gets a lot of use from me... maybe less than the PX200 but definitely more than the PX100. Shure E5 Efficiency: Insanely high. Sound: Very punchy lows, slightly cut highs, good resolution throughout Even more efficient than the HD25-1 is the in-ear Shure E5. Once again a punchy sound, but the punch does trade off some of the highs. Detail is as good as the HD25-1 if not better, but it doesn't always feel so due to the treble cut. Isolation is very high, comfort is very good for an in-ear phone and overall this gets the most use as far as I'm concerned. It's more of a compromise than some closed phones in terms of sound, but the portability, isolation and long-term wear benefits make it worthwhile. Etymotic ER-4P/S Efficiency: Medium-high(4P) to low(4S). Sound: Very clear feeling, but lacks convincing overall sound character. Possibly 'the phones' at Head-Fi, I nevertheless feel that although all the canalphones I've tried are in effect compromise items, the Etys have the highest compromise of all due to questionable comfort and questionable sound balance. Contrary to commonly held opinions, I don't feel that the balanced-armature drivers deliver the ultimate in detail, but the Etys nevertheless feel very detailed. When listening portably to solo violins and listening critically to classical performances, I'd usually opt in favour of the Etymotics. My main use for the Etymotics are as one of the testing instruments to evaluate new gear, since they let me listen with quite a technical ear. Shure E3c Efficiency: High. Sound: Very resolved for the money, but slightly below adequate lows, sometimes slightly unbalanced mids and slightly cut highs. These spend a lot of time being loaned, since they're broadly speaking comparable with the Etymotics so it's kind of redundant for me. While the Etys have a sonic edge in a more neutral sound and cleaner feeling highs, these facets are really only truly discernible if you're in a quiet room. In travelling situtations, the E3c offers higher comfort, higher efficiency (important for MD users) and better overall tractability. I do wonder how many who disparage E3c's have only given them a try in an office cubicle. While the E3c shares some compromises with the ER-4P, the E3c offers an enhanced mid-bass. The major fly in the ointment is a slightly raucous midrange which comes noticeably to the forefront with (alas) the best tips for general purpose use: The black ones. Audio-Technica ATH-EM7 Efficiency: High. Sound: Delicate and well resolved but lacks low end. My least used phones, usually only during summer. I find the clip assembly can cause some discomfort, but properly adjusted, the ATH-EM7 has an all-day wearability and they look pretty discreet but cool. Becuase they're discreet and because they don't isolate, I don't have to take them off during conversations outside. The sound is somewhat thin but I can appreciate 'soundstage-based' music such as for example Sigur Ros quite nicely with these. Efficiency is high and getting a decent volume will not be a problem. Getting a decent bass could be a problem.