Sound Blaster audigy 2 nx vs minidisc on live recording

[johnmar78]

After spending some money on mini disc, a friends told me that sound balster audity card provids a BETTER sound recording which is closer to cd quality than minidisc.

I am talking about the liv epiano recording in home.

Can some one out there and tell me is this true???? or some one has tried already??

Thanks

[A440]

In the numbers game, the specs for the Soundblaster claim 24-bit recording, which is slightly better than Hi-MD (which is 20-bit), as long as you have a computer with Windows XP and USB 2.0

http://www.soundblaster.com/products/produ...=9103&nav=2

It's not a portable recorder unless you are planning to carry your computer around along with it. But it might do your job for home recording. You will have to make sure that your microphones can't hear any noise the computer makes, like its fan or its hard drive spinning up--so you might have to put the microphones in one room and the computer in another.

Meanwhile, in the real world, you would have to have incredibly acute hearing and serious high-end equipment to distinguish a 20-bit recording from a 24-bit recording. Most ordinary people and even some recording engineers can't tell the difference.

What you can recognize immediately is whether you're recording with good mics. (And playing back through good speakers or headphones.) Mics are crucial. A 24-bit recording made with a bad mic--or a good mic in the wrong place--will not sound good.

The most important investment you can make is to get good mics, and once you have them you'll have to experiment about where to place them to get the best piano sound. (Google ["microphone placement" piano] for some ideas.)

It's hard to know what you consider "CD quality."

Listen to some of the Live Recordings from the Gallery.

I'll immodestly recommend one of mine:

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?act=m...si&img=3080

That is NOT CD-quality in numerical terms, because it was recorded at Hi-SP, which is compressed--not PCM, because I wanted to make sure I had enough space on the disc. The microphones were itty-bitty SoundProfessional BMC-2 mics, about $50. But it sounds mighty good to me.

If you go to Live Recordings link (upper left on this page) and list the recordings by date uploaded DESCENDING (not the default, which is Ascending) you'll also see some other piano recordings right near the top. Try them and see what you think of MD recording.

There is no recorder that will magically turn your piano room into a recording studio. But Hi-MD with the right settings will give you a recording that's just about as good as what's coming through your microphone.

[greenmachine]

I thought Hi-MD, like CD, was a 44.1kHz/16 bit format? I agree that a high defitition digital section isn't worth much if you don't feed it with a high quality analog signal.

[A440]

I thought Hi-MD, like CD, was a 44.1kHz/16 bit format? I agree that a high defitition digital section isn't worth much if you don't feed it with a high quality analog signal.

I was basing the 20 bits on this link, to the Analog-Digital converter in the RH1,

http://www.analogzone.com/avp_0804.htm

from this post:

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=16220

If it's only 16-bit I stand corrected. And if CD's are only 16-bit then there is no question that MD is "CD-quality."

[johnmar78]

I was basing the 20 bits on this link, to the Analog-Digital converter in the RH1,

http://www.analogzone.com/avp_0804.htm

from this post:

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=16220

If it's only 16-bit I stand corrected. And if CD's are only 16-bit then there is no question that MD is "CD-quality."

I listned to my recording(pcm) converted to WAv last night. The sound quality is good as compared to a profeesional piano cd(by Yundi lI)....except, my recording is much closer but TOO much bass????

Do you guys got any idea that what sound soft ware I should use that can improve the treble end before the final version.

Thanks

[Ferenc]

I listned to my recording(pcm) converted to WAv last night. The sound quality is good as compared to a profeesional piano cd(by Yundi lI)....except, my recording is much closer but TOO much bass????

Do you guys got any idea that what sound soft ware I should use that can improve the treble end before the final version.

Thanks

Experiment with microphone placement.