Jump to content

Onkyo Hi-md Deck Available To The U.s.

Rate this topic


alpinexiv

Recommended Posts

thanks for the heads up alpine but it's not a US domestic site. there are other threads about when/if the onkyo himd line are hitting the US/Europe.

there has been no announcement of any release date outside japan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have I missed something here -- The original spec of this unit AFAIK had an Optical Out --this one doesn't seem to.

I hope this is a typo on the spec -- a High end unit without an Optical Out is just an expensive "Door Stop".

Given the the price it's likely to be sold in the USA or Europe I would have thought it inconceivable NOT to have an optical out. A High end unit doesn't need to be attached to a computer for copying recordings -- also a lot of decent sound amps these days have optical Input (even more important if and when 5.1 / 7.1 surround sound is available from your source) so this unit really should have an Optical Output.

Cheers

-K

Edited by 1kyle
Link to comment
Share on other sites

the specs on most estores are cut & paste. be brave & check the manufacturer's site

http://www.jp.onkyo.com/more_emotion/intec275/index.htm

still no wiser --can't read Japanese and there's only a picture of the front -- If it showed a picture of the rear end connectors I might have a chance to find out what I need to know.

(Also I have't got the Japanese character set installed on my machine so the text is garbled anyway even if I could read Japanese which I can't).

I'd assume that it WOULD have an optical out --but would be nice to have a confirmation.

I'm surprised that the other site made a mistake -- while I can afford the machine I certainly wouldn't buy it UNLESS it had an optical out so that's potentially one custome Audio Cubes could have lost.

Cheers

-K

Edited by 1kyle
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, Teac, Sony, Onkyo, Denon, etc. Have usually had two differently sized/quality mini-system devices like those decks. Usually the "better" one has more audiophile-quality transformers, dacs and all that kind of good stuff most poeple wouldn't notice were there unless it was pointed out...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's pics from their backs:

MD-105FX

[attachmentid=477]

MD-133

[attachmentid=478]

Definitely ther's no optical line-outs. You can download full catalogs at http://www.jp.onkyo.com/support/download.htm#full

Intec205 (lower-end model)

intec275 (high(er-)end model)

Well I'm passing on this then -- My JDB980 is still superb and for home listening changing discs (80 Min / 160 min) is not a problem so I can live without this HI-MD unit.

I'm sure the Onkyo deck is superb but a Home deck MUST IMO have an optical (digital) out. Can't understand why they omitted it.

Cheers

-K

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sure the Onkyo deck is superb but a Home deck MUST IMO have an optical (digital) out.

I'm with you!

Maybe that's the same reason why sony didn't want to include optical outs to their CD/ combo decks; MXD-D5C, MXD-D40 or MXD-D4? Only MD/CD combo seems to have Optical in/out is Sony MXD-D400.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a 105 ordered from AudioCubes the day they appeared.

I just got it yesterday. Haven't done much testing, but so far... it's a joy.

Expensive. No question there. But it unleashes the full potential of HiMD.

Until now, I plugged my MZNH700 to my tape deck using an RCA car kit (HiMD headphone out > cassette > tape deck > amplifier). At least it had higher volume than plugging the HiMD headphone out straight to the RCA inputs on the amplifier.

I first bought my MZNH700 last year, in late July. For a year I've been making compilations in HiMD mode and barely ever listening to them at home because of the sucky headphone output and my lame hiMD/tape deck setup.

The ONKYO sounds fantastic. I didn't expect Atrac3 at 132kbps to sound this good on a home system (I don't have an MDLP deck). I always found it very good for a portable player using earbuds, but it sounds really well on the Onkyo 105. Not quite CD quality, but close enough. Pop & rock sound really good at 132kbps. Classical/orchestral is the real surprise. So now I can play Wagner's 15-hour Ring cycle in one sitting with just one HiMD disc, no CD switching. biggrin.gif And if I can't finish it at home, I'll just pop it in the portable and continue on the road. MD rules, don't it?

User manual is all in Japanese of which I speak two words: sushi & sayonara, so I don't really know what the deck does yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gongrats for your purchase!

Maybe the reason why they didn't want to include optical line-out is because minidisc decks are known for their high quality digital-to-analog converters.

I read that some audiophiles uses their MDS-JA333ES extremely high quality DAC like external DA converter through other source components (yes, this is possible with 333ES).

Seems that after HiMD (and sonicstage 3.2) there's no necessarily need for optical line out. Personally I prefer more to md deck's analog line-out and their quality DAC converters than using optical out to AV-receivers DAC (when listening music).

And for copying MD's with deck's optical out (withDRM), I don't see any advantage why not use pc and sonicstage 3.2?

I really wanted to buy a deck when there's standard 17 inch sized one available...

btw.

They definately beat the other Hi-MD decks hands down, which is pretty easy, since there are no other decks

Onkyos new slogan should be:

Onkyo; like.no.other bigsmile.gif

Edited by L7R
Link to comment
Share on other sites

those things would be great, but if it lacks an optical out, than it basically defeats the purpose of owning one

Yes, if you don't own PC and want to copy md to md.

btw. You cannot copy Md to md through optical out if a md you want to copy has copied with optical out (from cd). DRM you know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, if you don't own PC and want to copy md to md.

btw. You cannot copy Md to md through optical out if a md you want to copy has copied with optical out (from cd). DRM you know.

have to agree, if you're recording in 256kbs sans drm via ss3.2 you not only get a very high quality codec, done way faster than realtime pretitled in digital. the dif. between optical hardware conversion & software conversion at that point should be minimal at most.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

have to agree, if you're recording in 256kbs sans drm via ss3.2 you not only get a very high quality codec, done way faster than realtime pretitled in digital. the dif. between optical hardware conversion & software conversion at that point should be minimal at most.

That's true, for atrac3+ there's no quality difference to my ear. Atrac3 is whole different story, at least older sonicstages.

I can't really recommend enough using MD deck analog line-outs when listening md's. If you have very, very high quality amp (over 1500$) you could try optical out, though. There are very few cd decks which have even near as good DAC's compared to MD decks.

It's like: what MD loses using lossless codec, it wins by build quality and high quality components.

I think this might be suprising:

Sony decided to use same brilliant DAC's with their High End SACD players, what they used previously in their high-end minidisc decks. Although, there were 6 of them.

Edited by L7R
Link to comment
Share on other sites

are very few cd decks which have even near as good DAC's compared to MD decks.

It's like: what MD loses using lossless codec, it wins by build quality and high quality components.

I think this might be suprising:

Sony decided to use same brilliant DAC's with their High End SACD players, what they used previously in their high-end minidisc decks. Although, there were 6 of them.

My £250 CD player sounds way better than my vintage JB920. Its got a Burr Brown 24bit DAC which is one of the best in the budget-midrange. I wish someone would build an MD deck (preferably Hi-MD!) with one in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My £250 CD player sounds way better than my vintage JB920. Its got a Burr Brown 24bit DAC which is one of the best in the budget-midrange. I wish someone would build an MD deck (preferably Hi-MD!) with one in.

Yeah I believe it. I think in 1998 it was very good unit with atrac 4.5. Unfortunately only JA333ES, and JA555ES at first, had 24bit Sigma-Delta ADC / 24bit current-pulse DAC's. They are the same what High-end SACD players had (and probably later models too?).

btw. I was surprised how good sounding machine MDS-JB980 really is when I listened it some time ago. I hope future HiMD decks will sound as good.

I cannot forgive myself I didn't have money to bought a used JA333ES couple of years ago. It was in real bargain 250€. cray.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see you've come "to the other side", theblueraja; welcome! The components within decks (especially Onkyo) are of very high quality, completely outdoing any Hi-MD portable in existance - it would be easy to discern the difference between a recording made on a portable in comparison to a deck. Have you ever owned a deck before or heard a recording from one, blueraja? tongue.gif

Additionally, it's no secret that Audiocubes marks up prices on most of it's items by a significant margin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see you've come "to the other side", theblueraja; welcome! The components within decks (especially Onkyo) are of very high quality, completely outdoing any Hi-MD portable in existance - it would be easy to discern the difference between a recording made on a portable in comparison to a deck. Have you ever owned a deck before or heard a recording from one, blueraja? tongue.gif

Hey, thanks for the welcome... I think this is actually the MD forum I started at?? Then I noticed the T-board had either more members or quicker responses, so I went there... what drove me here today was a link from the T-board which then led me to see the threads on the blue hi-MDs here, and then this thread biggrin.gif

I've never owned an MD deck, and honestly, I wouldnt even USE it to record... I just want to be able to POP IN an MD disc and play it on my main stereo without having to have a dangling portable w/ a miniplug. It's that simple... but for $500... way outta' my range I'm afraid.

Edited by theblueraja
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Audiocubes prices reflect the intitial price of goods. When the 133 was first out the cost was equivalent to 629.00 usd but four weeks later the price began to drop and now hovers between 440.00-500.00 usd in retail electronic stores. Catch a sale and you can get it around 400.00 usd.

This trend of maintaining initial price also included portable md units but that was changed late last month when AC dropped it's prices on all units...not to the level that is here in Japan but better than what AC had been charging before.

btw, what is the advantage/importance of having an optical out on a deck? If you intend to copy md to md, isn't the optical out to optical in equivalent to stacking codecs?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I believe it. I think in 1998 it was very good unit with atrac 4.5. Unfortunately only JA333ES, and JA555ES at first, had 24bit Sigma-Delta ADC / 24bit current-pulse DAC's. They are the same what High-end SACD players had (and probably later models too?).

btw. I was surprised how good sounding machine MDS-JB980 really is when I listened it some time ago. I hope future HiMD decks will sound as good.

I cannot forgive myself I didn't have money to bought a used JA333ES couple of years ago. It was in real bargain 250€. cray.gif

I was thinking about a 980 as a stop-gap measure. I can get one for about £210. But if I buy one I know Sony will announce Hi-MD decks shortly after....... unsure.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quicker responses may not be our speciality, but the quality of our responses are.

p.s. I'm moltar, and viva Radiohead! My favorite group for sure.

1 - Radiohead rules! Amnesiac & OK Computer are my faves

2 - I'll see if I can manage to keep a foot in each forum, for which I shall be all the wiser wink.gif

Edited by theblueraja
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi!

IMHO, the MD-105 model is pitched to be for a lower-package mid-width sound system which is sold at a cheaper price while the MD-133 is meant to be for a more-expensive "full-width" sound system. Often these decks are sold as being suitable for their particular systems, but could be hooked up to any receiver or amplifier.

For those of you who own Bang & Olufsen , Bose or other high-quality "lifestyle" music systems that oozes with style, they, especially the '105, may be worth investigating. They are small units that look the part when positioned by the main equipment of your lifestyle-oriented system,The only issue is that they won't work with the system's control infrastructure which means that you can't work them from another room via Beolink for example.

If you are to use them with a B&O system, you will need a 5-pin DIN -> 4 x RCA cable, which can be picked up from a B&O Service Centre or good electronics shop or catalog. The DIN end is to connect to the TAPE 2 inputs on your Beomaster, Beocenter or Beosound unit with the RCA connections to connect to the deck. Ask your dealer to tell you which cahle is which for recording and playback.

I hope that this is of use to you ,

With regards,

Simon Mackay

Link to comment
Share on other sites

btw, what is the advantage/importance of having an optical out on a deck?  If you intend to copy md to md, isn't the optical out to optical in equivalent to stacking codecs?

It's for connecting to the optical in on your reciever/amplifier, if that's on par with or better than your MD deck. Or if, like in my system, it's just about all digital (Meridian).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nope, I've seen both decks in person and neither are full size decks.

So do either have Optical out? I need a deck with optical out, i'll only buy one that has it. More so i will buy almost any Hi-MD unit that has an optical out......do they exist????

edit - Sorry was in a rush and didn't see the other 2 pages on this topic before i replied.....lol

The reason i need a deck with optical out is for exact lossless copying of digital data. i use my portable MD's for recording live music. So all the discs i have are 1st gen. Sonic stage is a *bitch* for uploading, only letting you upload any recording once and then deleting the master if you even try and upload a second time. If your first attempt at an upload dies, then your stuck with an MD than you can't digitally transfer, you can only make analogue copies. If i can get a deck with optical out it will let me digitally copy my recordings at CD quality, including preserving the trackmarks (which i *really* don't want to have to repeat).

Plus, it would let me make CD quality digital copies of discs i had recorded back with old MD, and then i can transfer them straight to my computer to burn onto CD.

All of this is only possible with a Hi-MD unit with optical out. Damn you sony, stop screwing with us and give us decent equiptment with decent useability / features!

Seriously, i can't think of any other example of a high end audio deck built for digital media WITHOUT digital out.....it's stupid, it's ridiculous.

Edited by not worth asking
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...