blockflute

Hmm . . Having listened very carefully A - -B - A etc That is : original live recording on HiMD, versus same original recording after transfer into SS and back from SS into HiMD. I also compared an original recording with that same recording after transfer thru SS into my PC and then back into SS and onto the same HiMD as the original! (Got that? sounds much more complicated than it really was). The differences here were marginal. Of course there should have been no differences but I think there are. However I would not be making a fuss about them. Whereas the CD copied from the same WAV files is dictinctly less good so - contrary to earlier belief I now have to look at the transfer from WAV to EAC and burner. Thanks to all who have contributed to this topic. I feel I am now making progress. Jon

Yes - just done that very thing. Havn't yet listened to the result. 'Will report back in the morning!

No. please read the text again. WE are not comparing a commercial CD with a home recording!!

No its not "voicing". Its more like the difference between CD & SACD but much greater than that. The burned CD sounds more muddled, less spacious, less delicate, less brilliant. However commercial CDs sound superb and so do the copies I burn of them using the same gear!! So its not that. Anyhow, I am grateful for your interest and the other comments. Regards, Jon

I get that - it makes sense.

Yes I did air it on that Forum a few weeks back but generally people didn't think it possible. "You can't lose digits!" Hmmmm.

If this is the problem then the analogue route thru the PC is the only answer.

Yes - good point - I must look up how to read the file size in the MD. I'm not using compression in the MD unless I've misunderstood what Linear PCM is about. It claims to be compressionless. The playbacks I'm comparing come from the HiMD in the NH700 as recorded by me with v.g. condenser mics. lineout to my TVC, amps, speakers. All high end. the CD copies go thru an excellent modified Pioneer deck with balanced o/ps to TVC etc Jon

Thanks to both for the comments. The problem is that the CDs I can make, whilst OK, simply miss important detail that gives depth, transparency, and fine audio quality. Its not the monitoring equipment which is valve amps/electrostatic hybrids etc etc all DiY. Its not the burning because I can burn perfect copies on EAC from other CDs. I import to PC using Sonic Stage 4.2 thence WAV files into Audition or direct to EAC. And, I'm using PCM. After weeks of consultation and discussion I was about to abandon the digital link for an analogue alternative & then I gazed at this bit of commercial cable and thought . . . hmmm? The cable looks undamaged - I doubt it's faulty in that sense. But I do wonder whether the tiny contact area of the pins or the shielding could be a weakness, or the fact that the cable is dragged round the magnetic blocks . . but no - either the wire is intact or its broken in which case - presumably - no signal. What do the strands do BTW. That would be useful to know. Jon

It was heart warming to read that thread - it makes MDCF really worth while, thanks. Jon Finlayson

Hi Guys, Some of you may know I've been trying to find out why I can't make perfect CD copies from some excellent live recordings on my NH700. Sonic Stage seems to be the culprit but looking at this 1M length of standard USB cable with a tiddly Sony type mini USB at one end and various magnetic clip on filters, I'm thingking perhaps this is the cause of my losses. Is there such a thing as a "High-End" or "audio" grade USB cable and is this "mini" USB socket a Sony special or a generally available item? There certainly are differences in digital coax cables so why not on these too? I'd be grateful to hear members views and experiences. Jon Finlayson

Which "other forum" was that? JF

Thanks very much. The clue was I had to highlight HiMD to find the advanced option. Easy when you know how! Now I'll try to make more progress. Thanks again, JF

My previous attempt at a reply doesn't show so here goes again: Thanks for your advice. I know I should get a perfect WAV. file, but something ain't right. I may have a perfect WAV.file but I'm not getting a perfect copy onto CD and there's nothing wrong with EAC or my other CD copies. So I'm chasing shadows just now. I should try what you suggest but find using Sonic Stage is problematic. Certainly the Sony instruction book doesn't tally with my experience with NH-700, but that may be because I've now got 4.2. Where do you find the "disable option" you mention above? Again I can't stop SS from depositing the WAV & PK files into "My Documents" on the PC whereas there should be an option. Best, JF

Has the Phantom PSU solved the problem? Yesterday I recorded a recital at London's Handel House. A small room with 28 people (well smallish). Same group I had trouble with last time. Strong Soprano voice which overloaded in earlier attempts when using Manual Level @ 17/20. This time I went down to 13 for the vocal items and risked 16 for the instrumental ones with the mics very close to the ensemble. - Very pleased with the results. The harpsichord solo sounds a million dollars - at least as good as any commercial recording I've heard, but those level meters are so misleading. I could have done with more rehearsal time for trial & error. I spent most of the day before ironing out a few little problems with the mics. - like a wiring error in the cable which left the HT screened but not the signal lead! (previous owner, let me say in defence) and I removed a thick cotton woven disc which previously protected the diaphragm. Now it has to be protected with special covers except in use but I think the HF will have benefitted. I may not have mentioned that these are old Hammond M100 Nuvistor amplifies condenser mics. with fully regulated mains supplies. Best, JF

If you hav'n't got the instructions you can download them from the Sony website. I did this for a friend who had an RZ 70. Setting "Manual levels" is fiddly but essential for serious music recording. JF

I'm new to this forum. I just tried to post a "Fast Reply" but it seems to have gone awol so I'll try again. The site is a bit daunting. The age old problem of huge dynamic range with soprano voices topping a full chorus & orchestra used to confound all engineers. I've recently started to use an NH-700 with my old Hammond condenser mics. to record barock ensemble both here and in City churches. I found that a single soprano voice overloaded on peaks even when the bar indicators suggested all was well. (very different from my old A77 and the Nakamichi). Next time I'll set the level quite a bit lower than -12db and report back. About mic. placement: Its all about the room acoustic, the sound source, the mic. pattern and the effect you want. I'm interested in the suggestion of high at the back of the room because it's not what I would have thought of! I might try it though, here in my music room. When I recorded bach cantatas in a large city church recently I couldn't get close enough to the ensemble. The reverberation was around 6 seconds. - Result - too much ambience and not enough detail. Re AGC on the MD. For me this is a no-no. You can clearly hear the limiter working & releasing on the recorded sound. Not good. Even the instruction book warns about it! 'Hope this uploads OK, JF

Wow. Yes I've had exactly this problem for some months and no-one has yet come up with an answer here. I thought at first it was something connected with "Audacity" but when the same thing happened in "Audition" I realised it must probably be PC related. My guess is there's some device checked somewhere to exclude background noise from voice recordings. I got it straight from the off on replay after importing good tracks and monitoring that transfer. Loud passages jump forward, quiet ones dissappear. If anyone knows what the answer is, there are at least two of us keen to hear it!! JF

Thanks very much for this information. Carlos asked the question partly on my behalf. I have been puzzled by the fact that I cannot reproduce the same fine audio quality on burned CDs (using Audition to edit & EAC to collect & burn) as I hear on the HiMD original recordings I made at a concert and here in my music room. (Normally my CD copies are virtually identical to the originals). Here, I imported the tracks from MD using the USB link into Sonic Stage 4.2. They get transfered to the PC automatically by SS. It had been suggested that when SS imports and converts into WAV. all in one hit, degradation may occur. That's how I came to import without SS and found the HMA files in the PC. Yes I've looked at HiMD Renderer but it didn't seem to answer my problem and the warnings worried me! I've seen doubts expressed about the quality of the Sony USB link. Is this a view widely held? My mics. are old Hammond M100 condenser which use Nuvistors behind the diaphragm in the capsules and stabilised PSUs. My HiFi is DiY Electrostatic hybrids, direct driven by various valve amps. Any further advice would be much appreciated. JF