MD noob

[jiddu]

hi, hope someone has spare time to help me out because I'm a complete newb. I'm thinking of getting an MD player, a cheaper one like the MZ-N510CK or if there is anything better for around the price if you guys want to recommend but I have some questions:

1. I read something about a check/in/out system that limits you to 3 rips onto your discs? If thats the case its completely unnacceptable for the way I listen to music lol, if there is any way around this though I'm sold.

2. Also I've read people complaining about not being able to get mp3's onto their discs on review sites or something like this.. I don't know whether its because their lack of knowledge or is this a common thing? I don't have problems converting between formats and audio editing and things like this so I don't know wether I should worry about this.

3. Lastly, whats the best bitrate I could record my music on one of these, I read somewhere 132kbps which seems a bit low I'm used to at least 192 with mp3 format but if it sounds good I'm ok with that.

I need a replacement for my cd player and all those CD's are taking up too much space in my room so minidisc would be great as long as it works, HD mp3 players are way too expensive and the flash memory ones are useless if you're gone from your PC for a while.

thanks

[aeriyn]

Moving to correct forum...

hi, hope someone has spare time to help me out because I'm a complete newb.  I'm thinking of getting an MD player, a cheaper one like the MZ-N510CK or if there is anything better for around the price if you guys want to recommend but I have some questions.

Sure, I'm really bored anyhow. Waiting for MDs to record! :laugh:

1.  I read something about a check/in/out system that limits you to 3 rips onto your discs?  If thats the case its completely unnacceptable for the way I listen to music lol, if there is any way around this though I'm sold.

With the newest version of SonicStage, which can be downloaded from connect.com, the old check-out limit has been removed. You can transfer tracks an unlimited number of times.

2.  Also I've read people complaining about not being able to get mp3's onto their discs on review sites or something like this.. I don't know whether its because their lack of knowledge or is this a common thing?  I don't have problems converting between formats and audio editing and things like this so I don't know wether I should worry about this.

MiniDisc does not use MP3; it uses a different compression codec called ATRAC (Adaptive TRansform Acoustic Codec) which is proprietary to Sony. However, SonicStage automatically transcodes MP3s and unencrypted WMAs to ATRAC3. I strongly suggest you record the old-fashioned way, however, for ATRAC3 is not nearly as good as old-school ATRAC 4.5R... which sounds very, very close to CD-transparent to me.

3.  Lastly, whats the best bitrate I could record my music on one of these, I read somewhere 132kbps which seems a bit low I'm used to at least 192 with mp3 format but if it sounds good I'm ok with that.

SonicStage is very limiting on your bitrate choices. If you go with standard MD, you get LP2 and LP4 (132kbps Normal Stereo and 66kbps Intensity Stereo respectively). LP4 just plain sucks, LP2 I wouldn't recommend either unless you're used to 128kbps MP3s, which is about what it sounds like. If you go Hi-MD, you get a choice between PCM Audio (1411kbps Normal Stereo, uncompressed audio), Hi-SP (256kbps), Hi-LP (64kbps, utter crap) and 48kbps (even worse). Also, you can use LP2 or LP4 or even ATRAC3 105kbps.

Personally, if I were you, I'd go with Hi-MD to get more recording space and the ability to use SonicStage for 256kbps encoding. Doing it the way I do it (via optical input) is real-time and slow, but the sound quality is much better than anything Soniccrap can do. :whatever:

I need a replacement for my cd player and all those CD's are taking up too much space in my room so minidisc would be great as long as it works, HD mp3 players are way too expensive and the flash memory ones are useless if you're gone from your PC for a while.

Actually Hi-MD units, except for the very lowest end models, are on the same price point as HDPs. If you've always got access to a PC, I'd say go with an iPod. But if you are away from your computer a lot, I'd say MD, either legacy or Hi-MD.

The N510 is actually not a bad unit, especially for the price. It doesn't have wow sound quality... for that you'd have to spend a little. I've seen N510's for as low as 45USD in places like Wal-Mart or the like, on clearance while Sony plugs their (much crappier) downloaders at a higher price.

For sound quality, I'd suggest Sharp. I personally own a Sharp MD-DS8 (player only unit) which I'm listening to right now, and it sounds lovely. Really brings out the energy of the music I listen to (mostly J-Pop). For a Sharp recorder, try hunting around for an IM-DR420, or if you want the uberMD, try for an IM-DR80. Both of these support the NetMD standard. If I had my pick of Sharp recorders, however, I'd bag me one of those pink DR7s... so very pretty. :grin: I'd recommend the DR7 as well, but it is non-NetMD. All recording has to be done in real-time, and maybe that doesn't appeal to you.

Sharp units are a little expensive because they aren't marketed in the US, and they are generally high-end (Sharp doesn't make the plasticized units that Sony has been cranking out so much, save for the DR420), but you can get lucky sometimes. I found my DS8 for $125, used but in mint condition, while a new one would run $240.

I mean, if you're on a shoestring budget, go with the N510. But if you have some cash to play with, look at the Sharp Auvi units. The sound quality will not disappoint!

Hope this helps. :happy:

[jiddu]

yeah, you've helped a ton.. christmas is coming up maybe I'll treat myself to something more expensive then