wildsound

Unit: MZ-RH10 + eight 1gb discs daily use: listening to language lessons, recording ambient sound for background use in film productions, making voice notations favorite use: recording wild sync dialogue and ambient sound for Super 8 and 16mm film production in PCM mode professional use: none alternatives: Marantz PMD670, 1/4 inch tape, DAT, etc. for recording and film production use, but at much higher cost, bulk, and complexity than HiMD request: professional grade cable connections, dual XLR mic support with 48v phantom power via a companion mixer unit designed to couple securely to the MD device, improved battery life, line-level output, improved A/D conversion, metal enclosure, studier build, improved menu logic, no DRM.

Hmmmm? OK, I agree that electronic gizmos made today, especially MD recorders, are unlikely to last 10 years. But that is not true of all past electronic gizmos. 40 year old Nagra's still work just fine with the occasional CLA and even more occasional replacement of the tape transport parts.

I shoot large format sheet film cameras that are 100 years old. I use a WWII 35mm Leica that is a fabulous camera. I use 8mm, Super 8mm, and 16mm film cameras. Film. Not video. Other people still use reel to reel tape recorders, and I think that'll be my next step toward pro-audio. People also still use cassette and DAT recorders. Just because a technology is old doesn't mean it isn't useful. Radio is old, and we still use that too, don't we?

I won't be too surprised if Sony ditches the Hi-MD format. The latest players are poorly made, fragile, and difficult to use. My first MZ-RH10 came direct from the retailer with a non-functional mic port. I sent it back to Sony under warranty and they sent me an entirely new unit. I used it for a week, then put it aside for a couple of months. I tried to charge it a few days ago, and the gum stick battery appears to be completely dead. It won't take a charge. I can run the unit off of a AA, but I suppose I'll need a new gum stick battery to replace this non-functional new one that I can't charge. All-in-all, I'm not impressed with MD technology. I'm thinking about going with a Nagra for my sound recordings. Totally different type of gear, I know. Much larger, much heavier than an MD unit, but very rugged, very reliable, and repairable.

I was able to record from my computer over the USB connection. I transferred some WAV files of voice recordings I'd made a couple of years ago. That worked fine. They play back beautifully on the minidisc. The very first time I tried to record, the REC status indicator came on and it appeared to be recording. But there was no sound on playback. Then I erased the disk and tried to record again, and it wouldn't even go into REC mode. That's when I decided to download some audio tracks from my PC. That worked. So I plugged my mic back in and, strangely enough, I was able to start recording again, but like before, no sound on playback. Maybe it is defective, then.

Well, I got my RH10. I can't get the darn thing to record from a microphone. Do you have to have a certain type of mic? I'm trying to use a Realistic 600 ohm cardoid mic model 33-992D. It has a 1/4 inch mono plug but I bought a 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch adaptor. I can't even turn on the record function on my minidisc though, so I don't know if the mic is the problem. Any ideas how I can record with this mic?

I ended up ordering an RH10. Should be here in a few days. Yippee!

Hmmm. Bigger price difference between the MZ-NH1 and the MZ-RH10 than I would have thought, considering that the MZ-RH10 is newer. The MZ-RH10 can be had for $226, whereas the cheapest I've found an MZ-NH1 was $449. Heck, for another $50 you can get a Marantz PMD-660 1GB compact flash recorder and have dual XLR mic inputs with phantom power. The main appeal of an MD or HiMD for the sort of live recording I want to do compared to a flash recorder is price. That distinction sort of disappears when comparing the MZ-NH1. I'm thinking the MZ-RH10 or MZ-RH910 is more what I'm in need of.

Thanks very much for the info, A440. After reading on the equipment browser, it seems like the RH10 would be a nice HiMD unit. What about older MZ-R50 and similar? They are often available pretty cheap on ebay. Do you lose anything going that route compared to the RH-10 in terms of sound quality and microphone support? One thing that appeals to me about the R50 is that it is magnesium, which seems like it might be more rugged than the newer plastic units. On the other hand, all R50 will be old and possibly worn out...

I'm looking for low cost recording to accompany my silent film movie cameras. I shoot 8mm and Super 8 home movies strictly for my own pleasure. I'm not a pro. A synced Nagra and camera setup is way out of my league. I want to shoot with wild sound and sync in post. If I could afford it, I'd go for the Marantz PMD-670, but it is about double what I want to spend. I think a minidisc or Hi-MD recorder would be a good alternative and would serve my needs, but which one? I need one that is physically rugged and also not overly susceptible to jolts caused by walking with camera and recorder. That is a key characteristic for me, because I'm often shooting handheld and on the move. As long as sound quality is good, upload to PC speed is not really a factor. I won't normally be recording more than about 30 minutes of sound at a time. I want a recorder that can I use with a good quality microphone. I don't know much about microphones either, but I think I need a unit with mic-in and not just line-in. I don't want to have to lug about a separate pre-amp. I don't know much about audio recording, so I welcome the collective expertise of the people on this board. Thanks!