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Old School MD user looking for help....

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Zyvek

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I just joined this forum, looking for information on upgrading my old MD equipment (I skipped Net/MD MDLP mostly because at the time Sony's NetMD software could not hanldle the size of my music collection ~9000 songs, plus using old MD in MONO has been good enough for me!)

However now I'm on the fence about upgrading at all. I have been a huge MD fan from the start, to this date I still use a TON of MD Gear:

Sony CD/MD Deck MXD-D3

JVC 3CD/MD Deck

Sony MD in dash car stereo

Sony portable MD recorder

3-4 other Sony/JVC Portable players

I primarily started with MD for my somewhat active lifestyle (running, biking, motorcycling) and with so much of my music on MD it seemed logical to add a car player. Even with the old stuff I have today MD is the only thing I use when I need portable music.

But right now I'm not sure if I should upgrade to HI-MD equipment or switch over a few Sony HD5/3 Network Walkmans.

Even if MD is in decline for the mainstream, I think the most important thing we that came out of MD is AATRAC3plus (or whatever the latest version is), I'm of the opinion that there is no point in considering any portable digital player without it.

I think the only thing I can think of that is a minus w/Hard Drive based players is putting all by eggs (songs) in one basket. Although with Hi-MD it seems that it would pretty much be the same thing as the cost of 2 Hi-MD units wouldn't be that much less than two network walkmans.

It seems that vibration and shock are no longer the issue that they were (for running, and motorcycling)...currently my music collection is about 12GB in WMA format...In the past smaller HD units had me worried that I would outgrow capacity, but I think that's no longer going to be an issue...

Any thoughts, comments or guideance would be apprecitated....

If I go the Network Walkman route any idea if the old equipment is worth donating to any charity (can't imagine anyone would want to buy it)

Thank you for your help!

-Z in the USA

old school minidisc.org fan

Edited by Zyvek
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I just joined this forum, looking for information on upgrading my old MD equipment ..

But right now I'm not sure if I should upgrade to HI-MD equipment or switch over a few Sony HD5/3 Network Walkmans.

Even if MD is in decline for the mainstream, I think the most important thing we that came out of MD is AATRAC3plus (or whatever the latest version is), I'm of the opinion that there is no point in considering any portable digital player without it.

Any thoughts, comments or guideance would be apprecitated....

I've just changed my trusty MZ710, for a Hi-MD NH900, and this week an HD3 as well.

Firstly, I really noticed the improved sound quality from the 900, and of course, it's backwardly compatible with my existing LP2 recordings. So from this alone, I would say get a Hi-MD unit, and enjoy the best of old and new.

I've also found that Simple Burner program can transfer those annoyingly copy protected music CDs over to MD, in either LP2/4 or Hi-MD ATRAC, which is very handy!

As for the HD3, the 20gb capacity is astonishing, and the unit itself is second only to the 'Pod in clean design, smaller than a Pod too. I've found it to be very well made, as can be expected from Sony, though the feel of a hard drive spinning up, and working, is a little stange. Downsides are the lack of remote, the required little docking adaptor for charging and usb connection, and the sound quality which I find just a little less 'rich' than that from the MD.

I find that I like having 'compilations' of artist or music style on minidisc, and also having lots of favourite music on the HD3, and I use each depending on the circumstance, eg the HD3 for work when I don't want to carry discs around, and the NH900 when I do want to have my compilation discs, and have bag to carry them in.

Don't forget also the recording capability of an MD unit, whereas the HD3 is just a music player and no more.

Enjoy your new MD and/or HD3!

Andrew

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Any thoughts, comments or guideance would be apprecitated....

-Z in the USA

old school minidisc.org fan

Well I have both an HD 3 and an RH10 Hi Md recorder. I too would give the sound edge to the RH10 although the HD 3 can be tweaked to sound very good. The HD3's volume output is a bit small for classical music (which I listen to), so I'm always pushing the limit of the amplifier. I think there is some slight distortion because of that. If you listen to mainly pop music that won't be a problem. I don't think I would choose to jog with an HD unit although I ride dirt bike trails with mine without problems. They're good trails though. If you went Hi MD, you wouldn't have to convert any of your old MDs. They'll play just fine on the RH10 or any Hi MD unit. If you do your own recording you should be aware that editing of the minidisc has not been well implemented on current units. Users of 1st generation units have reported instances where editing their MD's has scrambled their discs. The RH 10 will edit properly, but edited files cannot reliably be transferred to a computer. The latter is true of all current HI MD units. I have had no problems downloading from a computer, however.

That's just more information. Until Sony addresses the editing bugs, I would stay clear of HI MD unless you only intend to download from a computer.

TK

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Thanks for all the help so far. Last night I tried out a MDLP unit using LP4. Ick.

I'll try LP2 tonight. Since Hi-MD dosen't do LP2 maybe MDLP is the way to to go? I noticed the Network Walkman does ATRAC3Plus 64K, this should also be the same as LP2, right? It's a shame that the Hi-MD wont let you use LP2 on a Hi-MD 1GB disk....

Decisions, Decisions...

It also seems that perhaps I should keep MD for my off road activites & running at the very least, I'm not sure a Network Walkman would keep up...

I'm sure this is an old thought for the MD experts, but I would pay double for being able to record MDLP that my old units could PLAY, I know too much to ask for.

Thanks again...

Edited by Zyvek
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Thanks for all the help so far. Last night I tried out a MDLP unit using LP4. Ick.

I'll try LP2 tonight.  Since Hi-MD dosen't do LP2 maybe MDLP is the way to to go?  I noticed the Network Walkman does ATRAC3Plus 64K, this should also be the same as LP2, right?  It's a shame that the Hi-MD wont let you use LP2 on a Hi-MD 1GB disk....

Decisions, Decisions...

It also seems that perhaps I should keep MD for my off road activites & running at the very least, I'm not sure a Network Walkman would keep up...

I'm sure this is an old thought for the MD experts, but I would pay double for being able to record MDLP that my old units could PLAY, I know too much to ask for.

Thanks again...

1st generation Hi MD units could record in MDLP modes but only on standard discs. You can download MDLP modes to either a standard minidisc or a Hi MD with any Hi MD unit. So if you want to put CD's on old format discs you can do that with all HI MD units. If you want to record old format analog, you need a first generation unit with a line in. 2nd generation units play MP3 format as well, although folks have documented some lack of response in higher frequencies with MP3 files.

TK

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Thanks everyone for your help! Today when out shopping I found a Hi-MD MZ-NH600D at Sam's Club for $125.00 I figured this was a much better deal than a 20GB MP3 Player, since I could reformat all my old MDs with much higher capacity... Maybe I'll take another look at MP3 players when Sony has a 60GB model...

In the meantime I'm still hanging with MD.. The only downside for me is that I have a lot of 1st Gen MD equipment.... Is there anyway (other than standard MD mode) that an old player and playback MD's recored in Net MD or Hi-MD?

The one thing I don't like is that SonicStage wont let me record a standard MD in mono. I've been doing this for years to double the capacity of my standard MDs

Thanks!

-Z

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  • 5 weeks later...

yo z,

im very old school. got the mz1 back in 1992 for a little over 900 bucks. still have it to this day and prefer to use it over my nh1 and n1 (cause im old school)

i dont use SS for anything except to get music off the sony conect store. i still real time record to my mz1 and prefer to take itout on the road in the rental car over the others (i have 2 mz1 also).

i am glad to see another old timer to the format.

Edited by marctronixx
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