guymrob

There are some disadvantages of using Flash cards and HDD as compared to MD, the followings must be take into accounts: 1. Though flash card are small and getting smaller, the technology behind flash card is still lagging behind in term of data retain time and re-write cycles. The re-write cycle is limited less than 10,000 write and data retain time is less than 10yrs. MD has more than a million write cycle and more than 30yrs data retain time! 2. Though it can store a lot more than any other recording media, HDD based storage are prone to data loss due to vibration and shock. Its limited storage time of about 3 to 4yrs, it is not suit if you want to store songs permanently. Until Flash cards are perfected to the level of what MD can offers, MD is still the best media for recording, playback and long term storage.

For Flash cards, there's a limited to the storage life and the write cycle. For NAND flash based are less than 10,000 write/cell and less than 10 years storage time (retain data time). MD is more than a million re-write cycle and more than 30 years of storage time!

Hello guys, Have anyone own the Onkyo MD-133 Hi-MD home deck? Can the set make bit perfect copy via optical input from a CD player. Onkyo stated 'Direct Digital Pass', does it means that it can bypass the sample rate converter? Can the digital input volume control in the manual set to 0 or neutral? I want to copy DTS, HDCD DVD's and CD's soundtracks and want to retain these information so I decode later. Thank you. Guy

'Physical Size has nothing to do with Quality -- just take computer hard disks -- a tiny disk can hold nearly 300 GB of data and it's a lot more reliable than a disc which was probably 3 times it's physical size, manufactured a few years ago which could only hold around 20GB' Well, physical size does have an effect on quality. Manufacturers not only squezze as much songs into a tiny MP3 player as possible by using the highest compression ratio, they reduce the size to the point it is virtually impossible to reproduce the a quality sound of a decent portable CD player. A portable CD player can sound better than MP3 player coz the size; the electronic ciruits are not constrained, good quality components can be used. Unfortunately nobody use that. Talking about hard drive has a storage, the average lifetime is about 2yrs or less easily 'crash' when drop or subject to high vibration. Many of ipod user buy extended warranty just to cover the hard drive, the most expensive part of ipod. In a removable media like MD, CDR, they have very high reliabilty and with proper treatment they can outlast any hard drives, at least 20yrs and above. And still able to playback after many years. Even solid-state flash type memory have limited read-write capability, and worse, their data retention is less than a few years. So the best media to do achieve is MD, CDR, and they are cheap!

The fact the new generations have come to accept MP3 sounded good enough for them. This is alarming, coz they may not have heard a quality CD player playing through a high quality amplifier and speakers. Some don't even buy CDs anymore coz they can download songs from internet, like i-tune into their ipod and played through a high quality headphone. Most said it sound great! Some even buy docking stations to play through their Hi-Fi system! What I trying to bring up this forum are more than just compressed or uncompressed audio. It is the equipment we play on. High quality recording and playback system are getting hard to come by. For the masses, tiny MP3 players hook up to a PC is what they do. The introduction of SACD and DVD players never make it to the masses; only a small handful of people who believe true fidelity can only come from good quality system. Unfortunately, this figure is dying off slowly... coz the big boys no longer make them! I was waiting for Sony to come out a Hi-MD deck for years and it never materialise The world has changed, audio compression has become a way of life and it is a very sad thing. I used to play LPs, CDs, SACD, DAT and Hi-MD, if they don't make these anymore where are all my collection goes to? I close my case. Thank you.

Hi guys, Many years ago manufacturers made great Hi-Fi separates, including recorders like MD, DAT and CDR. Now they are gone, Big boys are now making tiny MP3, squezzed as much song into a given size. Including ipod find it way into hifi system that using USB connection. Where is the quest of Hi-Fi? Is there any audiophiles who want to make a statement? I starting to treasure all these components i owned and when they are gone, who will make them again? The future for high fidelity is slowly dying off... Your comment pls. http://guymrob.tripod.com/hi-fi.htm Guy

Yes, they r still selling them. They plenty of them in Sony Square at Wisma Atria in Orchard Road. Guy

Who is Bing Lee? A dealer in singapore? How can reach him?

Here in singapore, the price of Hi-MD is increased from $12 to $13.

The problem may be due to the sample rate converter. The sample rate converter reformat the incoming signals even though the sample frequency is 44.1kKHz, it does not bypass the sample rate converter so bit to bit recording is not possible in PCM mode. Try recording a HDCD encoded CD via optical digital to HI-MD in PCM mode. Then download the file and burn it to CD-R. Play it on Windows media player 10 and observe if the HDCD logo appears. If it doesn't it means information is lost. The second factor is the digital gain level control. This will digitally add or substract the digital data if the the gain control is not set to neutral (centre). In Hi-MD there's no neutral in manual setting. However, The Onkyo MD-133 may able to do bit to bit recording accuracy coz it may have a 'Direct digital pass circuit' which bypass the sample rate converter if the frequency is 44.1kHz. (Anyone can confirm this???) As for jitter, sample rate converter is notoriously bad, it induces high rate of jitter into signal and may affect the sound quality.

Hello, Have anybody try HI-MD in 352kps using sonicstage V.4.0? Compared with 256kps record via optical and 256kps via sonicstage V.4.0? What is sound quality? Note the recording is done on normal MD formatted to 300MB in Hi-MD mode. Thank You.

Yes, there's no reply either after more than one week. Can try minidisco.com, but they are temporary out of stock. I'm still waiting for the stock to arrive...

Hi, Where is best place to order ONKYO MD-133 Hi-MD deck and shipped to Singapore? Do they accept international order via credit card? Guy

Hi, I'm going to purchase a Onkyo Hi-MD decks, what are difference in the two. There's a big price difference!

My ext. batt on my rh-10 i achieved the following playback time (both batteries fully charged to 100%, playback PCM format on 1GB Hi-MD with 30 tracks songs in repeated mode until batt display flashing) Playback time: Sanyo Ni-MH 2500mAh + Sony NH-14WH approx 27hrs Sanyo Ni-MH 2500mAh approx. 18hrs Sony NH-14WH approx 9hrs Engerizer Alkaline 1.5V AA batt + Sony NH-14WH approx 30hrs