Sparky191

Hes not describing data glitches. IMO. Can you explain how you did a USB transfer, had glitches then optically transferred the same data without glitches using the same equipment.

No offence but, all of that is completely misleading. Hes already said hes using PCM on a HiMD. Its nothing to do with ATRAC or older formats.

I've never had a problem with any USB cables cheap or otherwise. They either work or they don't.

Scenerio 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a) HiMD > AMP > Speakers = ok b ) CD (of MD) > CD Player > Amp > Speaker = not ok ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Scenerio 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ c) CD > CD Player > Amp > Speakers = ok d ) CD (Copy) > CD Player > Amp > Speakers =ok ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maybe I'm wrong but IMO hes comparing Scenerio 1 vs Scenerio 2. Because the CD is the same in C & D he thinks that A & B should be the same. But in C & D the source data, the DACs and Amps are all the same. But in A & B the source data is the same but the DACs and Amps are not. The difference is the extra DAC and Amp internal to the HiMD. You could bypass the DAC and AMP on the HiMD if it has a digtial out. But it doesn't. Using the PC doesn't help because you'd be using the DAC on the PC sound card. The only half valid test you can do is by using optical line out of the PC to optical line in on the HiMD then your avoiding the USB connection. It will still sound different to the same CD via the CD player, as the difference is still the DAC and Amp internal to the HiMD. Scenerio 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ e) CD > HiMD (optical in) > HiMD > AMP > Speakers (same as f data & chain the same) f) CD > USB (SS) > HiMD > AMP > Speakers (same as e data & chain the same) g) CD > CD Player > AMP > Speakers (different to both e & f as no HiMD DAC and AMP inthe chain, data the same though.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IMO the CD copy of the HiMD recording is the true recording, uncoloured by the DAC and amp of the HiMD.

I haven't seen any detail on how it works, if its just in the file itself or needs hardware support. So no idea if its snake oil.

Well I'm baffled, how did you get the recordings on the HiMD?

24 bit rate conversion of what?

But your not comparing like with like. A home recording vs Commerical CD.

The only difference in the chain is the HiMD and the CD player though isn't it. Power amp and speakers are the same. Source material is digitally the same. Could you put the HiMD between the CD and Power amp as a preamp. CD to line in on HiMD and line out level on the HiMD to power amp. Put the HiMD into record and on pause. Thus the output of the CD is going through the DAC and AMP of the HIMD. Can you hear the difference between that and not using the HiMD as a preamp. Make sure levels are the same. Apparently people often hear a difference in level as a difference in quality. TBH you haven't thus far compared like with like. Comparing a home recording with that of a CD isn't a valid comparision IMO. Unless I'm not understanding what you've done thus far. I agree with Guitarfxr I think thats what happening here too. I think its natural to prefer one voicing over another.

Maybe I'm mixing this up. You prefer the sound of the HiMD though the analog out instead of the digital copy via the USB? The USB doesn't add or detract anything, thats a blind ally. But the DAC and the AMP of the HiMD will certain add something to the sound. So what you are saying is you prefer the DAC/AMP than you do DAC of the CD player. If you rip an original CD to PCM and listen to that via the HiMD and then the original CD via the CD player which do you prefer. I suspect you might need to do some blind ABX with someone else controlling it to see if you are really hearing wehat you thing you are hearing. Its not that you can't lose them, it just the effect of losing them would be immediately noticeable, there would be gaps, drop outs, garbled sound etc. Not the sutble difference you are hearing.

I'm a novice at this but IMO thats the difference. Your comparing the DAC & amp of the HiMD to your modified CD player. Even if the source material is digitally the same they'll still be a difference, unless you were using a digital line out from the HiMD/CD to the amp maybe there wouldn't. But you are using analog line outs, so it goes through a DAC and AMP.

DAC's amps and who knows what effecting the sound.

Can't say I've specifically tried my own recordings. But I've had no problem with rips from CD's and I would have assumed I would have my recordings in the same library too. Maybe not. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=16048&hl= I don't use SS for my library any more so its not something I'm come across. I convert my recordings to WAV then burn them in a CD before ripping them to MP3 or whatever.

If there was a problem with the I/O like that I think you would see major data problems not the subtle difference you are talking about. Perhaps theres a problem with the HiMD you are using. Can you record direct to the PC and compare recordings? That should highlight differences in the DAC. I don't understand what recordings are you comparing. CD's VS live recordings made on the HiMD? It is. I don't think the problem jonfinlayson is describing sounds like interference though. I've only basic recording knowledge. This topic might be better moved to the recording forum where the recording experts would see it.

Its a standard connector. I sure you can buy more expensive cables even gold plated ones but I don't believe theres any difference, I use any auld cable I have handy. In theory the Sony one should be the best one filters. I don't think it makes any difference though. Perhaps your cable is faulty. What problems are you having? Try it on another computer with a difference cable then work backwards to eliminate all causes.

I didn't think you have DRM on your own recordings. For importing CD's I turn it off in SonicStage. http://picasaweb.google.com/McCoogy/SonicStage42

Yes. Personally after converting them to WAV I'd then convert them to FLAC as its lossless and compressed. Much much smaller file size than a WAV. But same quality. Be faster to upload and download. Whomever gets them can convert them back to whatever format they want.

Only if you choose to also save them as Wav's aswell. If not you right clicking in SS should give the option to save as Wav.

This Rumor has no basis in reality as far I as I'm concerned. You might as well said Mini Disc of 100GB.

To retain the same quality of the the original CD you need to convert from CD > PCM All lossy compression formats MP3/ATRAC lose quality. But most people only hear the loss at very low bitrates say under 192kps. Especially if you don't have good earphones and equipment. Converting from one lossy format to another is always worse. Say 192kps MP3 to 352kps ATRAC is worse than the original 192kps MP3. Only you can decide what bitrate you hear as the same as the CD. For me its 192kps and higher. For other people its 320kps.

No. Are you still getting the same error?

In Windows Xp your user should be administrator or have administrator rights.

Yahwhosiewotsits?

You need to identify why your CDR's & DVD-Rs are having problem. Could be...Bad media, bad drive, bad data or bad storage. I've CDR's that are almost 10yrs old and still work fine. Theres nothing wrong with the media in the short term. As a general rule though you should have your backups on more than one type of media.

You need to get that sucker pimped. BTW dare I ask. A gallon of milk?