skyraider

I've encountered the exact same problem with my setup. I've used 2 portables for recording: an MZ-R70, and the MZ-R500 I replaced it with when the battery compartment wouldn't stay shut. I've also used 2 decks: an MDS-JE700 I got to make optical-out copies, and an MDS-JE520 i got to do TOC cloning. Results are the same: discs that play without difficulty on both portables encounter location-specific playback problems on both decks. I thought initially it might be a backward-compatibility problem, since the decks are older than the portables, but everything I've been able to find about ATRAC indicates that the playback function is unaffected by revisions to the ATRAC standard. Like you, I bought the decks on Ebay, and I'm wondering if this is something that can be cleared up using Test Mode. Anyone? Help!

I'm trying to make a digital copy of a minidisc using a MDS-JE520 minidisc deck and a RCD-W50C standalone CD burner. I know I have to set the burner to record from the "optical" source, but beyond that, are there any menu options or settings on either the burner or the MD deck that will help produce the best results? Thanks in advance!