USB Recording Quality

[mr keys]

Hi,

I am transfering titles at 136Kbs from the connect website using USB.

I currently use a MDS-N910 walkman and a MDS-NT1 stand alone USB deck.

Will I get an improved recording quality If I buy the MDS-JB980 Top end deck?

Or I am correct to assume that there is no conversion when using USB (data is data) and buying a MDS-JB980 will not be any different.

Regards T.

[MDX-400]

I'm assuming you meant MZ-N910 and not MDS-N910 (because no such model exists)?

Anyway, no there will be no difference because encoding/transcoding when doing NetMD transfers is all done in SonicStage. The NetMD unit simply records the data to the disc, during a NetMD transfer. Any NetMD unit will produce the same recording quality when it comes to NetMD transfers.

As an aside, SP or "Stereo" should never be transferred via NetMD, it should only be done in realtime as SonicStage does not actually encode original ATRAC, it sends the data as ATRAC3 @ 132kbps and then has to be re-encoded by the recorder to ATRAC @ 292kbps resulting in substansial quality loss. For MDLP though, NetMD is the best way to go.

[mr keys]

Thanks Very Much for the great info, yep got my model numbers mixed up!

So If I want to transfer tracks from a CD and avoid quality loss using a pc, what would you recomend software wise to use.

Or should I purchase a CD/MD player recorder and go direct from that unit?.

Edited August 22, 2005 by mr keys

[MDX-400]

Thanks Very Much for the great info, yep got my model numbers mixed up!

So If I want to transfer tracks from a CD and avoid quality loss using a pc, what would you recomend software wise to use.

Or should I purchase a CD/MD player recorder and go direct from that unit?.

It depends on what format you want to record in. If you want to record in MDLP (LP2 or LP4) on an MD then NetMD is the best way to go--the only software you can use for that is SonicStage anyway. This is certainly faster and with MDLP you fit more on an MD. However the quality isn't as good as SP.

If you want to record your MDs in SP, however, you'll be better off recording in realtime from the digital output of a CD player to the digital input of one of your MD units. With SP you get better quality but less record time on the disc and it takes longer to record than using the faster-than-realtime NetMD transfer above.

[ROMBUSTERS]

or if its time for an upgrade switch up to HiMD, these units will still playback legacy MD formats (SP/LP2/LP4) but offer you the option to format the disc in such a way that you can store more data (although formatted discs wont work on non-HiMD units until they are reformatted back into MD-mode)

[mr keys]

Hi Guys, My main need is SP as my Cadillac factory head unit only supports that mode. I have been looking at an MXD-D3 for copying CD's in real time as suggessted by MDX 400. My other question is can you do a grouped recordings in 4x speed, or is high speed synchro only for a complete cd? I have looked at the manual and it does not say you can or cant. If no is there any deck out there that can do this?

[MDX-400]

Hi Guys, My main need is SP as my Cadillac  factory head unit only supports that mode. I have been looking at an MXD-D3 for copying CD's in real time as suggessted by MDX 400. My other question is can you do a grouped recordings in 4x speed, or is high speed synchro only for a complete cd? I have looked at the manual and it does not say you can or cant. If no is there any deck out there that can do this?

By "grouped recordings" do you mean actual Group mode or just recordings from different CDs? If it is the former, SP doesn't even support group mode, only the LP modes do. Furthermore not even every MDLP capable unit supports group mode either. If you just mean recordings from different discs, then yes I'm pretty sure you can still do the faster-than-realtime record on just certain tracks.

The MXD-D3 is a little dated though (well considering Hi-MD all the decks are really) but the D3 only had ATRAC 4.5 and did not support MDLP. The D4 onward supported ATRAC3/MDLP. The D40 and newer (as well as the D5C) supported ATRAC Type-R, though the D40 and D5C reverted to ATRAC 4.5 when recording at faster-than-realtime.

The only deck that seemed to be able to record ATRAC Type-R at 4x was the D400. It also had ATRAC Type-S (Type-S, however, was really only an enhancement for ATRAC3/MDLP playback and nothing else).

I guess if you are going to be doing only SP recordings and only doing them at 4x then you won't really get any benefit from the D4, D40, or D5C. The D400 would benefit you in using Type-R at 4x, but I guess that isn't that big of a deal. If you can find any of these decks cheap though they all fit the bill really. The D3 might be cheaper so that may indeed be your best bet.

[mr keys]

Hello, Wow that's some real good in depth info, thanks very much for that. When I mentioned goup recordings i probably should have been more clear, I want to select several tracks from a cd, by way of progam mode and then burn directly to the MD at SP 4X. all at once.

The only CD/MD up for sale in the UK at the moment is a D3 on fleabay I hope this will do the trick. If not is any one making a CD/MD HI-MD deck?.

Interesting to note that you mention ATRAC Type-S is only an enhancement for Atrac3/MDLP, I was under the impression that is was an improved compression method over Type R.

I am still reading the Tuts on here to get a handle on the Atrac numbering method

I have to say a huge thanks again to you all who have replied, I have just gotten the MD bug all be it a few years too late it's still a whole bunch of fun!!

Edited August 24, 2005 by mr keys