1kyle

Once you've listened to music at really high fidelity you'll feel sick at even hearing the word MP3. Fine for youngsters (and maybe not so youngsters) on the move for their first foray into small compact portable music and provided the bit rate is high enough it can be better than the old cassette walkmans that many of us "grew up with". Remember these also could RECORD as well so MD wasn't the first cheap portable recording format In fact if you had a unit that could record TYPE IV METAL tapes (rareish but did exist) you could actually make some quite passable recordings too -- the limitations were tape being a Sequential medium meant that it wasn't easy or quick to find a specific track and friction (Tape over the heads) would cause wear and "dropouts". MD being a Disk format meant you had Random Access so finding a track is quick and easy --also being laser / optical there's no friction between the recording medium (the disk) and the laser. However once you start wanting better quality sounds you'll soon discover that MP3 is a pretty horrible codec for music containing large transients and above all a high dynamic range. MD will provide you quality --the 256 and 352 will certainly satisfy all but the most discerning audiophile and a single disc will give you around 7 hours listening --so 2 disks is more than enough even for people who wear their headphones all day long. I certainly like the look of the new unit --but like others have requested PLEASE A HI-MD DECK with an optical Out. A car unit is not so important as I've got the AUX IN cable now. Cheers -K

Query with SS transfer to Hi-MD @ 352. Assuming you start with WAV in your library does the new 352 kbs transfer option really transfer at that rate or is it a "Fake" / Pseudo Hi-SP @ 256. Looking at the file properties on the MD itself it definitely says 352 kbs and the file size is somewhat larger than that transferred @ 256 (albeit not by a HUGE amount). I'm curious to know if this is REAL data or just padding as in the case of using SS to create legacy SP on the older formats. Actually playback into a decent piece of gear from a Computer (laptop) audigy 2 ZS card (optical out) to the optical in on the Hi-Fi gear gives a pretty impressive sound -- I'd be really hard pushed to tell the difference between the MD and the CD original. Cheers -K

Ok you've filled the 4GB with PCM --that's approx 4 - 5 hours. What next. Even if you could pop in a new card (at around 70 USD a pop) you've got the problem of labelling, retrieving info etc etc apart from the fact that these small devices are easily mislaid --I know I have enough problems with these cards when I'm using professional photographic gear on assignment. What do you do if you haven't got a computer with you and you are at an all day event or at a rehearsal which might need several "In situ" recordings where you haven't got time to delete part of the stuff to make up more space. With MD just pop in another (cheap) disc. You can do all your editing conveniently AFTER the event. The only current feasable alternative IMO at the moment would be a Hard Disc recorder where the HD would have to have something like 40GB of space on it. If I were out in the field I'd rather take 2 portable MD units rather than a HD unit -any computer user knows hard disks can and do fail. Hard disks by their nature are sensitive devices which aren't designed to get really rough treatment out in the field. MD's are more than rugged enouggh to withstand the rigours of field recording. Cheers -K

Oh dear Sony --You've done it again --Your Marketing "Reptiles" wouldn't last 30 seconds on Alan Sugar's TV program "The Apprentice" Sorry to non UK readers but basically this guy Alan Sugar (a real Business entrepreneur) has a load of Youngsters on a TV program trying to complete an assignment. The winner will get a large job with a decent salary in Alan Sugars organisation Each person is literally taken apart on TV if their effort is anything less than perfect and then they are summarily dismissed rather like Anne Robinson's The Weakest Link --however at least she says Goodbye to her losing candiates. Alan Sugar is a very demanding person. Absolutely Compulsive viewing --if you ever get the chance to see it on Cable TV do watch it --I know Holland and Belgium get BBC on their cable systems. Literally just after Ce-bit -the most important Electronics show possibly this year all we get to see of the new HI-MD unit is via a "Sneak preview". Great though the new unit is is why on earth should we only get a glimpse of this via an "Un-official" or "Semi-Official" source --especially if the product is due to ship in April / May or even as late as July --not really that far away for a new product launch. Here was a PERFECT opportunity to launch the new model in a BLAZE of publicity. What did we get --Cathedral like silence from Sony. It's not even necessary to actually exhibit at the show -- new decent product announcements will always get a load of publicity at these type of shows / trade fairs. I think the product will be great as people on the other thread have already indicated very positive responses. BUT SONY PLEASE FIRE SOME OF YOUR USELESS MARKETING "REPTILES" for wasting such a golden opportunity. Cheers -K

May well be --however we are talking here of PRO / Studio / Broadcasting stuff which sometimes does need to get recovered so I'm sure there are these sort of facilities available at the Professional level which never come into the "Consumer" domain. Cheers -K

In the USA prices are always shown EXCLUSIVE of state / city / federal taxes which often gives a false indication of the relative prices over there by as much as 15%. Say the equipment costs 300 USD -- you'll have to add probably another 30 - 40 USD to the price. This actually compares reasonably with Europe where VAT/ TVA/BTW/MWT etc ranges at around 15% to a mind boggling 22% in some countries (at least not in the UK --Yet). Sony aren't responsible for the Tax regimes in different countries --we blame Sony for a lot of things but we can't saddle them with this problem. If you think the tax rate is too high in your particular country GO OUT AND VOTE at the next election --that's the only thing politicians worry about (apart from their fat salaries and pensions) is keeping their seats. Anyway from preliminary sneak previews --nice one Cheers --K

It does have OPTICAL IN according to the German site Anschlüsse (Connections) 3,5 mm Kopfhörerausgang (headphone Out) 3,5 mm Line-in (line in --self explanatory) 3,5 mm Mikro-in (Mike in) 3,5 mm Digital-in (Digital in ---optical) USB 2.0 Schnittstelle (USB2 --partly --suppose this depends on what speed they can force a disk write --this might not be too much of a problem if the hardware has an internal buffer / cache You won't get true USB connectivity --but it should be faster than USB 1.1) Cheers -K

This looks good -- I'm sure it will sell really well --Hopefully the EU model (if there is a separate versione) won't be volume capped --especially if Sony are trying to flog this as a PRO recording device. Optical In would be nice. Recording @352 will suit me just perfectly. I hope this machine will still PLAY legacy formats (SP and MDLP). Shame though about no Hi-MD deck appearing since this means I'll just have to keep legacy MD's around --would be nice to have everything the same. I'm not too bothered about a Car unit since I have the Kenwood cable which converts the MD/CD changer to an AUX line in. Wonder what Marantz and Tascam are doing with their professional gear --I can't really see journalists etc relying on Hard Disc based gear when they are out in the field --especially in hot humid places. As for the remote --why not use the remote that comes with the NH1 --this works brilliantly on my RH10 and probably will work on this device as well. With a decent screen you might not need a large remote anyway. Cheers -K

For the pros out there (Sorry Students and hobbyists) this app might solve all your Minidisc woes --at a hefty price though. It's designed for Professional use so don't expect to get it at a student / budget / consumer price --however it might still be of interest to people out there. I'd be interested in any PROS out there who have actually used this type of stuff and would love to know what they think of it. http://www.esdl.co.uk/index.htm Cheers -K

That's what most people would do of course. With older Cd's which themselves were probably re-mastered from the wax masters (which were used when pressing Vinyl discs) you can't help getting some of the old "vinyl" type scratches and low gain etc. I've got some CD's (transferred to MD of course) made from 1920's recordings which were certainly produced on less than stellar equipment (may have even been WIRE recorders - I don't know). I still enjoy these scratches and all. That's what the Volume control is for!. Just enjoy the music --and if you can't have it loud enough to compete with a Pneumatic Road Drill --never mind --just enjoy anyway and listen a bit harder. Cheers -K

Depends on what it looks like and what features it has. I'b buy one in a shot if models had most of these features. 1) Upload, download of SP in true SP mode 2) All Net-MD restrictions to be abolished (upload / download like Hi-MD) 3) Optical IN AND OUT (although provided the transfer restrictions were lifted a USB cable would do if they couldn't provide an optical out. 4) Volume restriction (EU models) only applies in France -- An easy user option to bypass the restriction outside France (EU models) 5) Nice El display like the RH10 6)Portable models --more robust construction --Battery levers that don't break easily 7) Decks which INCLUDE a built in HD -- could be useful for ripping CD's etc without needing a computer and then transfering to MD --or just as a staging post for transferring music to MD's. 8) True Drag 'n Drop support 9) Mac support 10) really wishful thinking --Linux support. 11) DRM for non downloaded purchased music to be GONE so OMA filese were really OPEN --still can't think of how they called it Open OMG --it's been the format most resistant to any sort of hacking that I've been aware of --so much so I think even the most "Geekish" hacker has long since abandoned the effort of trying to break the encryption. We won't get all of these of course but I'd still buy a 3rd gen if some of these wishes were implemented. Cheers -K

The trouble is that at ANY bit rate the MP3 Codec just won't hack it -- even at 320 -- OK MP3 is universally recognized and for a lot of people "acceptable" but it's not a particularly good codec --especially for music containing a lot of "Transients" and passages with a high dynamic range. Depending on the CD's you are trying to "Recover" it might be better to try an alternate codec --especially if you want to re-burn back into CD's (If you re-convert back again from MP3 you've got an EVEN WORSE problem as the algorithms to recreate the CD PCM file have to make best guesses on how to create the missing data from the MP3 file and insert it back into a PCM file. (Rather like trying to print a 2MP picture from a mobile phone camera on paper 16 ins X 20 ins --- would look pixellated and horrible). Converting to MP3 in the first place is to a lot of people not all that good --but converting that MP3 file back to PCM / WAV is just compounding the crime -- a lot of music done like that won't sound in any way like the original composer / musicians intended it to be heard. Cheers -K

But you will have lost "fidelity" or quality. One of the effects you'll often find when converting Lossless format music to a "Lossy" one such as MP3 is that it will often sound louder. Your only real chance at reproducing the original quality is to rip in WAV and with some judicious editing with some pretty sophisticated sound editing software you *might* be able to increase the gain --otherwise you are just introducing "noise" and above all artifacts into your MP3 version. You can get some idea of this at work when watching a lot of TV programs -- Haven't you often noticed how the commercials always seem to sound MUCH MUCH louder than the film / other programs. --This is not due to any "conspiracy theory" of "waking you up so that you will buy the products in the commercials" but simply that the sound in the commercials is hideously compressed. (I know a lot of terrestial TV has completely compressed sound --but Surround Sound movies watched from SKY via a decent Optical cable and with a decent surround decoder are of reasonably good sound quality). Cheers -K

Please can we have a library system that can span Multiple Disks. Otherwise I'm satisfied with SS 3.4 (Other things like Drag 'n Drop and DRM issues have been discussed elsewhere -- but IMO it's a serious flaw not allowing the library to span multiple disks). Cheers -k

But the problem is you are starting with a compressed format in any case so converting it to PCM or wav won't improve the base quality of the music --even if it does allow you to then make a CD or other option. Recording in Real Time will always work -- my main beef is having to pay for a product which 1) won't sound like the original musicions / composers intended it to be heard (AFAIK all music download services only offer Lossy / compressed formats) 2) Without a lot of "jiggery Pokery" severely restricts where and how you can play the music 3) If you get round the irksome restrictions you get another level of quality degradition ( The compressed format ===> D/A converter to Analog out ==>speakers / phones ==> Ears) Now if you capture the analog out with total recorder etc. then you've got ===analog ==> A/D (reverse of the Digital to Analog when playing) ==> transcode to Atrac / mp3 or whatever device you are playing on. I'm not sure at what point the transcode is done --probably just after the A/D conversion --but I'm sure some of the Sound Engineers on this board will put me right here. You really are much better off getting CD's (whilst they still exist. At least you can rip in LOSSLESS and do what you like with the music. Cheers -K

The N1 is very similar and looks just as nice --I'd be extremely happy if I'd had that unit instead. Now wouldn't something like these units in Hi_MD format with the gorgeous screen of the RH10 be an absolute Winner and real IPOD cruncher. (Can't really agree about the N10 being plasticy however it looks VERY similar to the N1) Also it really is the THINNEST and Smallest model produced --quote from spec Even smaller and lighter!! 30 grams lighter and 2.6mm thinner than the MZ-N1. The first recorder less than 100 grams! --end quote Cheers -K

some of these "music downloads" won't even allow you to burn a music CD at ANY bitrate --so a total waste of time even bothering with these sort of music services. Cheers -K

Ik ken dat winkel heel goed. OEL display --Uitsteekend. Prettige weekend. (I go to Holland a lot on P&O Ferries Hull===> Europoort Pride of Rotterdam / Pride of Hull. Great Country --always fun in spite of weather --like the UK and traffic jams). Cheers -K

It's quite easy really -- As it's a RECORDER you can say you are recording lectures / demos / instructions on the unit. --As such it's an "Educational Item". Even in Dour Scotsman's "Gordon Clown's (Brown)'s Britain you'll still get relief on Educational Items --The one thing the Scottish Mafia who currently run the ENGLISH parliament at Westminster would never dare do is to inhibit Educational Progress --the Scots for Years and Years have always (and actually with some reason) advocated that their Educational system is much better than that found "South of the Border" --and even me as a 100% biased Englisman would agree with that. Cheers -K

I've just fished out an old MZ-N10 unit. I was going on a longish train ride and took 2 MD's @ LP4 on which I'd recorded the Da Vincii Code audio book. Great for listening in a train when you don't feel like actually reading the book. I couldn't believe how small, strong and even 'Cute' this was and the display was sufficiently readable and informative to be useful without needing the remote. It's totally different from the Ipod plastic look and I got quite a lot of interested people delighted in it's "Retro" look. They couldn't believe that it was an "Obsolete" (actually "Deprecated" is a better word since the model still plays current MDLP formats) model of a few years vintage. OK I know it had a built in battery (easily removable)--that was to keep the unit really thin --it's actually thinner and smaller than the very nice NH1. You could also can attach an external battery with the supplied case. --Built in Battery technolgy has improved in any case since that unit was released and it avoids flimsy battery opening compartment levers which break easily (see previous post about potential problem with RH10). I'd love to see a new HI-MD model based on this but with say the type of screen used in the RH10. The "titanium" look of this unit is really chique and looks expensive. This would certainly appeal to the "fashion crowd". --I've never seen so many people curious about a piece of gear I've been using. When I'm only using MDLP disks this unit is certainly going to be brought "out of retirement". --I didn't even know I still had it until I was doing a Studio spring clean. So Sony -- let's get a nice Metal "Retro" style new HI-MD unit. --The market out there is bigger than you think. No more of the plasticky NHF 800 type of units. For the RH10 --some other colours as well might be nice such as Red or deep blue. I'd also really love an All Metal RH10. Cheers -K

I know I might be like King Canute trying to prevent the tide from coming in but until Downloadable Purchased Music is available in UNCOMPRESSED WAV (or other UNCOMPRESSED / COMPRESSED LOSSLESS) formats which I can play on WHATEVER piece of equipment I care to choose (like CD rips etc) then I'm NOT going to touch this type of music with the proverbial bargepole. I'd really advise other people to do the same --some of the DRM issues now are so stupid it's a joke. I'd be quite happy to buy CD downloads in WAV format --broadband is perfectly fast enough for this --but once they start adding DRM restrictions --forget it --I'll stick to "Dinosaur CD's" / Real time recordings from Satellite radio,concerts etc etc. Just look at this type of download nonsense from one of the UK's bigger supermarkets OK say you want to download an album -- well here's the STUPID restrictions you'll get. ----Quote You will need Windows 98 Second Edition or above Windows Media Player 9 or above If using a digital music player, one that supports Windows Media files with Digital Rights Management encryption Note This service is not compatible with Apple iPod Check your system --Endquote What a load of Dogpoo --if I want an album I want to play it on any high quality decks I have in the house, OR a portable CD / MD player if I'm out in the Garden, Or any other type of portable music player --especially if I'm in the car or train etc etc. I certainly don't need to be stuck in front of a computer on a nice sunny day. I certainly don't need restrictions on what devices I can play it on or how many times I can copy the music to another device --I don't have but I could be mad or eccentric enough to have 500 CD players in the house --my music should work on EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. It's like buying a book with the restriction it can only be read while doing your business in the loo. In addition since the book will be in "Compressed Format" you will have to use a HUGE magnifying glass to be able to see the text and it's possible one or two paragraphs may be unreadable. This whole Music download nonsense has taken everybody for a BIG BIG RIDE. BTW look at the nonsense with regional DVD encoding -- who even needs hacks anymore when you can get a second DVD player for as little as 20 GBP (Tesco's the other day 19.99 GBP). Cheers -K

Certainly doesn't look like a re-furbished one to me --boxes wrappings etc 100% perfect --- even if it were, and if I couldn't tell the difference between it and a brand new one it wouldn't matter. To get the VAT back in the UK is very simple providing you are running some sort of business. On Services and goods YOU supply to customers you add 17.5% VAT to their bill. On services and good you PAY for keep a note of the VAT you've paid on each transaction (even things like Petrol). Every 3 months you make a VAT decaration to HM Customs and Excise. YOU PAY the customs the VAT you've received / collected from your customers. YOU GET BACK the VAT you've paid for goods and services. You SEND to the HM customs and excise THE DIFFERENCE between what you've received from your customers and what you've paid for in VAT. If you've PAID more in VAT than you've RECEIVED then you'll get a REFUND (and it's usually paid pretty quickly --rare for a Governmnet organisation of any sort). Simple. For any more details see an accountant --but it's quite easily done (100% legally). Now you know why when you go into shops in the UK like PC World they often ask you at the check out tills if you would like a VAT receipt. Cheers -K

Yes --do the following BEFORE UPGRADING to SS 3.4 (Only 100% solid if you've got no "Purchased" misic --i.e ripped CD's etc). 1) Backup your library using the Backup facility. 2) NOW uninstall SS 3,3 or whatever version you have. 3) Install the new SS 3.4 4) using SS 3.4 use the RESTORE library facility --Note you will need an Internet connection for a few seconds before the restore starts. If you've got purchase music the restore *Should* authenticate the recovery if it's going to be restored to the same computer it originally was downloaded to. I've never purchased downloadable music so I can't verify --but for CD rips etc this method works 100% everytime. Added --note for backup you will need disk space equivalent to your current library --an external USB HD disk is often a good place to store the backup. --Once you've restored you can get rid of the backup to free disk space. If your library is only 1GB in size you could could use a USB stick or a "Card reader for CF cards" to store the backup on --but re-ripping only 1GB's worth of music shouldn't take long --at atrac3 256 that's only around 5 CD's !!. Cheers -K

just don't have a mains adapter for the minispeakers anywhere near the bath !! Actually the FM transmitter and radio seems the best idea as far as safety is concerned Cheers -K

If you want the ULTIMATE in great listening quality with a set of cans that are not too heavy, don't need an external amp and which isolate you totally (or as near as possible) from external sounds try a pair of these http://www.bose.co.uk/noise_reduction/qc2_...es/features.asp Not cheap but IMO worth EVER PENNY / EURO CENT. You'll never have to bother with the horrible chh chh chh sound of other people's equipment when you are on a bus, train etc and you won't be bothered by people's inane Mobile Phone conversations either --you know the typical rubbish "I'm on the train" etc etc. Just don't get carried away too far --With these you can hear just what decent recordings are MEANT to sound like. Pure listening heaven. --OK not the cheapest but if you have the money worth paying for. I'm surprised how little people mention BOSE --after all there are lot of Sennheiser fans out there --my problem with Sennheiser is that the phones are generally too big and heavy for portable use and I find the Bose far more comfortable to wear. I can't use the bud phones any more. Just to add --these cans will drive any of the current players without needing an external amp -- the volume hack might be needed on some MD models but the sound cancelling property of these cans means that you can hear the music better anyway without any background / extraneous noise distractions. Now if an IR / Bluetooth or other Wireless solution with LONG LASTING batteries could be implemented --even better --but I suppose that'll be in the next generation of Cans. Cheers -K