Hi-md Vs. Jb-920

[blueridge]

Hi all,

I have previously recorded some vinyl records using my JB-920

deck (SP mode) with spectacular results. Could anyone venture a

comparison with same activity using new Hi-MD unit(s).

Thanks,

Ken

[ROMBUSTERS]

a HiMD unit (1st Gen) can still record MD discs in SP mode and may even do it better because it uses Type-R Atrac support (which is the best Atrac 1 codec)

Alternatively all HiMD units can record in HiSP which is very close to the quality of SP (most people cannot tell the difference between the two, or between it and a CD track) plus you it gives you the ability to upload these tracks digitally to your PC if you so desire.

Downside:

-2nd gen units can't (to my understanding) record legacy MD formats (i.e. SP/LP2/LP4) on the unit itself. They do however gain the MP3 compatibility.

-You cannot use both SP and HiSP on the same disc, and you cannot upload SP recordings.

-You cannot use SP on the 1GB discs

[Terence Kelly]

Hi all,

I have previously recorded some vinyl records using my JB-920

deck (SP mode) with spectacular results.  Could anyone venture a

comparison with same activity using new Hi-MD unit(s).

Thanks,

Ken

←

I have a 920 deck that I use for archiving my LP collection and recently bought an RH10. While recordings made with the RH10 are good, they simply are not as good as those made on the 920. I believe that is due to superior A/D converters in the deck. You can use the pass through feature of the 920 to feed it's signal into the RH 10. Unfortunately, the RH10 then assumes you are making a digital copy and limits your flexibility on those files if you upload them to a computer.

Sony needs to release a comparable Hi MD deck.

TK

[ROMBUSTERS]

have you tried this:

-record your LPs in PCM mode on your Hi-MD

-transfer the tracks to PC

-record transfered tracks to MD (in SP) via digital (if possible, may require burning a CD or other measures)

-compare that track to the one that was originally recorded straight to the MD in SP

So basically you would have the following

Track 1 SP recorded from the source

Track 2 SP recorded from the PCM of the source

see if you can tell a difference.

[dex Otaku]

I have a 920 deck that I use for archiving my LP collection and recently bought an RH10.  While recordings made with the RH10 are good, they simply are not as good as those made on the 920.  I believe that is due to superior A/D converters in the deck.  You can use the pass through feature of the 920 to feed it's signal into the RH 10.  Unfortunately, the RH10 then assumes you are making a digital copy and limits your flexibility on those files if you upload them to a computer.

You can't convert these tracks to WAV using SS, but HiMDRenderer will convert them just fine.

[Terence Kelly]

You can't convert these tracks to WAV using SS, but HiMDRenderer will convert them just fine.

←

That is true. I actually tried that and you do get a very good recording that way. However, the time element makes it hardly worth the effort. If he has a 920, he already has the best tool out there for easily converting LP's to digital media. In SP the minidiscs are indistinguishable from the original and can then be played back through your HI FI system. To get the same quality with HI MD takes many time consuming steps. Until Sony comes out with a deck, Hi MD is not the direction to go to convert an LP collection, at least not for listening through your stereo system. I don't mean to bash the RH10, it has a lot of nice features. It's just not the best for this particular task. It will do a very nice job of playing those discs made on the 920 for portable listening.

TK

[dex Otaku]

I think the more pertinent thing here is that, generally speaking, a portable simply cannot approach the quality of a deck - whether that be MD or anything else.

[blueridge]

Thank you to everyone for your thoughtful replies.

Ken

[nallyvaico]

Can anyone tell me if Sony's Hi-MD PCM is flexible or fixed only in 16 bit/44.1 kHz format? I am more interested in using 24 bit/48 kHz PCM...

[A440]

It's fixed at 16 bit/44.1 kHz.

If you want 24/96, take a look at Core Sound's PDA recording.

www.core-sound.com

[nallyvaico]

Thanx, A440

[blueridge]

I got lucky and found an open-box MZ-NH900 for $150 (US) at Crutchfield's!

I'm quite pleased with the quality recording I get at Hi-SP when

using my JB-920's A-D conversion.

The ability to upload to my computer for storage, and the higher capacity

of the hi-MD is worth the price of admission for me.

Ken

[1kyle]

I have a 920 deck that I use for archiving my LP collection and recently bought an RH10.  While recordings made with the RH10 are good, they simply are not as good as those made on the 920.  I believe that is due to superior A/D converters in the deck.  You can use the pass through feature of the 920 to feed it's signal into the RH 10.  Unfortunately, the RH10 then assumes you are making a digital copy and limits your flexibility on those files if you upload them to a computer.

Sony needs to release a comparable Hi MD deck. 

TK

←

Slightly OT but I've also compared a Hi-SP recording made on a NH1 (a good unit by any standard) and a MDLP recording made at LP2 on a JB980 deck --- in theory the NH1 should have been a lot better than the Lp2 recording --but actually I preferered the sound from the JB980 deck == even though it was at LP2.

The deck at SP is better than HI-SP on the NH1 without question.

The NH1 is a great portable --but still doesn't give as good result as a high end deck.

A decent High end HI-SP deck will certainly yield better results --but currently there's no such animal.

Don't throw your NH1 away yet --it's still very good --but just don't expect a portable to be in the same league as a piece of really good high end gear and the JB980 is really one of the TOP pieces of gear Sony ever produced for the MD format.

Cheers

-K

Edited July 25, 2005 by 1kyle

[blueridge]

Slightly OT but I've also compared a Hi-SP recording made on a NH1 (a good unit by any standard) and a MDLP  recording made at LP2 on a JB980 deck --- in theory the NH1 should have been a lot better than the Lp2 recording --but actually I preferered the sound from the JB980 deck == even though it was at LP2.

The deck at SP is better than HI-SP on the NH1 without question.

The NH1 is a great portable --but still doesn't give as good result as a high end deck.

A decent High end HI-SP deck will certainly yield better results --but currently there's no such animal.

Don't throw your NH1 away yet --it's still very good --but just don't expect a portable to be in the same league as a piece of really good high end gear and the JB980 is really one of the TOP pieces of gear Sony ever produced for the MD format.

Cheers

-K

←

Did you try recording on the NH-1 using the D-A decoder in your JB-980? To

accomplish, just press record on the deck with no minidisc inserted. Then run

an optical cable out of the deck to your NH-1.

Ken