SeineSeeker Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Can I use a Hi-MD recorder to record my vinyl records, then upload them to my PC and preserve them forever in any format I choose e.g. mp3, wma, wav? If so which is the "best" Hi-MD recorder to get the best quality for this, and will converting to wav, mp3, wma significantly degrade the quality? Sorry if this is an old question, my searches on this alluded to this without giving a definitive answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linzq Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 You can, but you can also go Vinyl (stereo) to PC direct... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeineSeeker Posted November 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Yeah I know, but the line-in on my (Sony) laptop is really crap. The sound always comes out pretty dodgy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dex Otaku Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 I'm with linzq on this: if you have a decent sound card in your computer, it's better to transcribe your LPs there first, do any editing that might be needed [clipping beginnings and ends, for instance], then convert them to whatever formats you prefer. Once it's on your computer, you can write CDs, make mp3s or FLAC or OGG or whatever other compressed files you like, as well as import the tracks to SonicStage to put them on HiMD. Incidentally, high-quality USB sound adapters can be had for less than $100USD that would blow the performance of $5,000USD recorders of 10 years ago right out of the water. Also: loss of quality after transferring from HiMD -> computer depends on what format you originally recorded in. If you plan to record in a compressed mode [HiSP most likely] then you will be incurring multiple generation loss by decoding to WAV on your computer, then re-encoding to another format. I do not recommend this. The recording quality of all HiMD units with analogue inputs should be equivalent, as they all have the same DSP. There might be minor differences such as what input buffer/amps are used, sure. I have the lowest-end recorder [NH700] with both mic and line inputs and have found that it consistently surpasses my expectations in terms of recording quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linzq Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Did you want to get a Hi-MD anyway? Because you might do better financially by getting an external sound card! I have an 800, which I'm madly in love with. It's pretty much the 700 with the tuner remote. I've been doing vinyl stuff through it, and it sounds better than going directly to my laptop... I like it because the batteries are AAs, so if my rechargable ones run out I can just put in regular ones... I think all of the "higher end" models have batteries that can't be swapped... which just doesn't work as well for me! The 800 doesn't have a line out (it's headphone out... which is ok, but not fantastic), but I've been transferring by USB (digital) and then converting with Marcnet's program to wav. Hope that helps... good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeineSeeker Posted November 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Thanks very much, now I'm getting somewhere! So you think the better way to go would be to get an USB external sound card (any recommendations?) instead? Record onto my PC with that and then go from there. I need a new MD player, well a new portable music player, because my NH-910 keeps sticking after 2.5 tracks, and I've been into MD for about 7 years. I wanted to record my vinyl for a long time, and I thought this would be a good method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeriyn Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 I wanted to record my vinyl for a long time, and I thought this would be a good method.I suggest that you buy the USB sound card to record your vinyl collection to your PC, and buy a more user-friendly DAP to use for portable listening if you don't plan on any sort of live recording. I was an MD nut myself too, but now I use an iPod because UselessStage is just horrible. 80USD usb soundcard + 250USD iPod Mini = 330USD, still cheaper than an NH1. :rasp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dex Otaku Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 I'm kind of with aeriyn on this, except for on one point - a hard disc player is not permanent storage, and should never be considered permanent storage. If what you really want is to back up your LPs, I'd suggest using CDR or DVD+/-R. Example: you could make 24-bit/96kHz recordings of your LPs, compress them losslessly to FLAC or the format of your choice, write several albums to DVD+/-R, and use those files at any point you wished to create mp3s, AACs, WMAs, audio CDs, MDs, HiMDs, or if you happen to have a cutting lathe, even new LPs. If archival is your goal, uncompressed or losslessly-compressed audio is definitely the way to go. To MD's credit, it's the most durable portable removable media I can think of that isn't solid state. [How's that for vague?] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeineSeeker Posted November 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Yeah I guess youre all right, I was loosely trying to justify buying another MD player. It's hard to give up on them even if commonsense says they are no longer the best solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeriyn Posted November 24, 2004 Report Share Posted November 24, 2004 dex, I'm surprised at you. :laugh: You think I'd use my iPod for storing tracks for any other purpose than listening? Not a chance! FLAC+CD-R is my friend. :rasp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted November 25, 2004 Report Share Posted November 25, 2004 80USD usb soundcard + 250USD iPod Mini = 330USD, still cheaper than an NH1. :rasp:Pardon? [remember to do the "get latest price" = $309] Booyah. :rasp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeriyn Posted November 25, 2004 Report Share Posted November 25, 2004 Bah, NH1 sarks! iPod Mini > Hi-MD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeineSeeker Posted November 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2004 Yeah but don't people say the batteries on your Ipod is a bit crap, plus I've stuck with MD this far I might as well see it to the end. Plus it's nice to have multiple 1GB selections than just a big, big, chunk of stuff which might die on me sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xeroxide Posted November 26, 2004 Report Share Posted November 26, 2004 Bah, NH1 sarks! iPod Mini > Hi-MD.Depends. * Ipod has much better software * no atrac protection * and mp3 support... * but I was repeled by the $100 fee to replace the battery (compared to my mznh700 which uses AA batteries) * the amount of play time is also shorter on the ipod (so batteries are more replacable - can carry spares and last longer as well!!!!) * I need it to record often for over 2 hrs at one sitting so IPod mini = worthless for me! also, having had worked in pc-warrenty dep for quite a while, I know how fragile hdds can be. A little bump can loose data also not to mention the fact that all hdd wear out much quicker than disc drives They are both good players and both are good quality. If you can get over the protection and accept the atrac3 format (a lot, i know) and finally accept the sonic stage software (difficult as it may seem) the NH1 (and any md for that matter) is actually a decent piece of hardware. line in means I can skip this completely. I don't mind listening to the music as I record it. In fact, I enjoy it... If I'm rushed, I've got the sonic-stage or simple-burner option. In terms of protection, I own the originals of all the music I backup. My only honest concern is that of live recordings being only able to transfer once to pc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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