craftech

I sent the unit back for a replacement. I have been unable to get an acceptable recording out of it despite various manual settings. The AGC (which I don't like as a concept anyway) fluctuated more than most and was totally useless instead of being semi-useless. The digital copies were not recorded properly and were distorted to boot. The unit also didn't shut off properly. Pressing stop worked sometimes, but other times it just changed tracks. Hold it down for 2 seconds and it started beeping and wouldn't stop until I popped out the disc. Hopefully the second one will be better as most of yours seem to be. I really do not like the current trend in consumer electronics toward flimsy construction. My MZ-R37 could substitute as a jack stand. John

I don't know if you all saw this post last time: http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=7665&hl= Electronic Goldmine has reduced the price even further for this battery to $3.49. http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prod...aitem=4&mitem=6 When they were $7.95 I bought two of them. They were brand new and worked very well. I have also dealt with them several times and can tell you that they are reputable. John

Michele, A "regulated" power supply should work much better. Here is one from Radio Shack that comes with various size plugs. One of them will fit your MD. If it doesn't work you have 30 days to return it. http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?cata...D1662&hp=search This one is of higher quality, but larger: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=120-536 This one is of MUCH higher quality, but you have to assemble it and use another 28volt AC PSU to drive it: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=320-216 John

If you're digitally copying something, and you're not processing it in any way, the digital level will be identical on the source and the recording. ======================= False. On mine it is absolutely not the same. That was the point I was trying to make. Perhaps I didn't make that clear enough for you in my previous post. My older unit was NOT like that. Maybe I got a defective one. No surprise considering the internal quality. Maybe you should open one Dex before you make condescending statements. John

Your dilemma is the same one I have encountered so far with these units. They record at too low a level and rely too heavily on cheezy menu driven settings to fiddle with. Even when digitally copying a CD I have found that the recordings are at a significantly lower level than the original when I play them both back through a stereo system using an A-B switch. My older unit didn't suffer from this problem to the same degree as these newer HiMD units seem to. John

Dex is 100% correct. Sony used a cheap power supply for these units. I have heard the hum when using AC power myself on my NH900. It varies depending upon the mic you use. My "cheap" mics hum noticeably, but my more expensive mics do not when using AC. With batteries none of the mics are a problem. I also opened the unit after I got it (arguably a bad habit of mine) and I can tell you with confidence that there will be no "previously owned" units in the future available on Ebay that anyone in their right mind will want. Unlike the units (MZ-R50, MZ-R35, etc) of a few years ago, these units are built like most of today's consumer electronics. That is, to self destruct in 1-3 years with moderate use. John

I ordered them from Crutchfield using the link here for free shipping: http://dealcoupon.com/merchants/crutchfield.html I bought 5 of them. Right now, unfortunately, they are out of stock. John

What I would strongly suggest is for you to read the User Reviews at Amazon.com for the various headphones. They have the best collection of user reviews of consumer electronics on the internet. Unfortunately, they don't have that model listed. Epinions is also good: http://www2.shopping.com/xPR-Sony_Sony_21283557 In that price range, I would listen to the Koss headphones. The KSC35 (if you can find one) has been extremely popular. John

Get a plastic water or soda bottle and cut off the bottom. Use a heated wire to melt a lot of holes in the sides of the bottle then cover it with speaker grill cloth (available at Radio Shack). Fake fur over that will dress it up. and add more wind resistance. You may have to drill out the neck of the bottle a little depending upon the diameter of your mike. To hold it in place just wrap friction tape or electrical tape around the microphone body until it becomes a press fit. into the neck. John

Jack, I should have asked you sooner. Do you have the MKE 44P? The one that comes with a 5-pin XLRF to dual 3-pin XLRM adapter? Forget the RS balanced transformers. They will cost you more than a simple Hosa adapter. Hosa YXF-247, YXF-302, or YXF-305 which are 1 foot, 2 feet, and 5 feet respectively all of which sell for around $13.50 Examples: http://www.midi-classics.com/c/c28589.htm http://www.bananas.com/productdetail.asp/p...)---2XLR(F)-5ft You could try a guitar shop, but they may not have those particular Hosa adapters. Beyerdynamic makes adapter cables that are 5-pin XLRF to 3.5 stereo for their MCE 72 and 82 stereo mics, but they are all special order and relatively expensive: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...u=313875&is=REG John

Sony ECM-719 http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B...7089333-7296651 Sony ECM-360 http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B...7089333-7296651 Do you know someone in the UK or Ireland who can buy from Amazon and ship it to you. Or maybe this store?: http://www.mgmi.fr/SONY/AUDIO_PORTABLE/MICROPHONES/133_21_6/ John

Manufacturers often never mention what is common to mechanical recording devices such as MD, cameras, etc....that internal mechanical noises are picked up by microphones that are close to or built into the devices. Microphones have to be moved away from the devices to reduce or eliminate it. Often only a few inches will do the trick. John

4- and 5-pin XLR [single-connector stereo] to dual 3-pin XLR adapter cables are commonly available just about everywhere that sells pro or semi-pro audio equipment. The last time I saw one being sold was at a Long & McQuade shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - for about $20-$30 Canadian. ============== The AT822 uses a standard XLRM with THREE pins, not 4 or 5. It has the following configuration: Pin 1 is Gnd. for both channels Pin 2 is Left Channel Pin 3 is Right Channel It is intended to feed an unbalanced piece of equipment such as a minidisc, camera, or DAT. That is why the XLRF to mini cable is supplied with the microphone. The other advantage of this setup is that the 3 pin XLR on the mike allows you to use standard XLRF - XLRM mic cables as an extension to quite long lengths. As I said, No adapter cable is available commercially so one must construct one. This is done by sending the hot signal from each mic channel to pin 2 on each XLRMs. One for left and one for right. The Common (Gnd) on the mic's Pin 1 goes to Pin 3 on each. Pin 1 on the two XLRMs that go to the mixer may or may not have to be tied to Pin 3 depending upon the mixer's op-amps otherwise it may be noisy. If the mixer has a transformer input it has to be tied. A block diagram of the mixer usually comes with them for reference. Don't tie 1 and 3 at the mic end. The sleeves of the XLRs may be optionally tied to Pin 1. Phantom on the mixer must be turned OFF. Batteries only. The AT825 on the other hand is the one that is intended to be used with XLR's. Unlike the AT822 it is a balanced mic. The output connector is a 5-pin XLRM giving you two balanced lines plus a common ground. Adapter cables are supplied that branch off into the standard 3-pin XLR's for balanced left and right signals. No mystery there. The AT825 will operate with the internal battery or with phantom power. The capsules on both mikes are aimed at 110 degrees and use studio grade capsules taken from the AT4031. That's why they sound so good. John

There is also a lot to be said for beat up looking used ratty cases that no one looks twice at and could care less about what's inside. John

Mr Soul, If I am not mistaken you have an AT822 stereo microphone. If you want to use it with a mixer you will have to construct your own cable to interface it as the supplied XLR to dual 1/4" adapter that came with it can only be jacked into the 1/4 inch line inputs which won't give you enough volume. The XLR inputs on mixers are all mono so you will have to make an adapter that will convert the "Stereo" XLR configuration AT uses to dual XLRMs and hook it up to TWO XLRF mic inputs on the mixer. I have done this myself so if you need wiring instructions I'll be happy to give them to you. Nothing like that is available commercially to my knowledge. John

I don't doubt the differences when it comes to music and that is where this entire thread has been counterproductive to the original post. When you are asked a question about quality you immediately think MUSIC. The original poster was asking for a device for his JOURNALIST wife. Clearly your suggestions are overkill as well as they are overkill for videographers who are recording something other than stage productions or music concerts. A journalist needs simplicity, portability, and clarity. The Olympus recorders fulfill these needs beautifully. Moreover, when used at the highest quality level those recorders will hold their own with half the fiddling that MD requires especially on today's menu heavy poorly built units. John

Basically this would be suitable for anyone who is accustomed to dictaphone/microcassette recordings. [off topic:] My first portable was microcassette - the quality was terrible, but it worked well, and I still have the tapes. I collected soundmarks when I went to France/UK in 1993 - and only got around to either listening to or transcribing them [to CD] two summers ago. It's sort of interesting to hear them, though. The quality is such that [even having tweaked the player] it sounds like the recordings were made over a mediocre-quality analogue long-distance phone line. So yeah, they almost sound like they're coming from overseas. ======= That is clearly not the case with this recorder. I know fellow videographers who use this device for soundtracks INSTEAD of minidisc and they cannot tell the difference. Another device some of them use is the RCA LYRA 20 gig recorder although it is not as well made as the Olympus: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...882362?v=glance They use a DAT for archive, but record wav straight into the Lyra from a splitter that feeds the DAT and the Lyra at the same time. Virtually no capture time to get the .wav file into the computer, which is what they like, of course. John

Now all we need is a bargan batteries for the MZ-NH1 and NH900. ================ It does fit those recorders. John

I don't know what you are using for a microphone, but usually when you use mikes that depend upon the "plug in power" of the mic input on the recorder they can't handle high SPL's. That is where the modified mics using the battery boxes are useful. They can usually handle higher SPL's. However, you need to use manual gain rather than AGL (which happens to be really poor on the Sony units anyway). John

Looks like they have a good resellerrating, too. Very nice find, craftech. ========= I ended up with two batteries and a bunch of other electronic parts. It was around a $52 order and the shipping was still $6.00 Got two confirmations to boot. John

That device only has 64 MB of built-in storage, are you sure it's wise to keep recommending this? ======= Yes. If you look at the recording times/mode above it is adequate for a journalist. In my fiirst post I did mention that the next model up was only $65 more and that it DOUBLES the recording time. It is the DM-20 with 128MB of internal memory. # Recording format: DSS (Digital Speech Standard)/WMA (Windows Media Audio) # Recording media: 128 MB built-in flash memory # Recording time: SHQ mode: 4 hours 20 minutes; HQ mode: 8 hours 45 minutes; SP mode: 20 hours 55 minutes; LP mode: 44 hours 45 minutes http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...46&vi=tech-data John