how long a disk can be used?

[c864fd5d]

Is the hi-md can be reusable or rewritable?I think it is expansive if I record each time and have to have a new hi-md each time.Is there limit time of rewrite in the life of one hi-md?(as is the charger)How much can it use before it wear and damage?What sign can I notice is the disk still can be used or is unusable when the time go on?if repeated recorded on the same disk ,would the disk degrade overtime?

If record in hi-sp (256),approximately how much hours one hi-md can hold before have to changing the disk?And the battery,how long it can record it this format,the manual says approximately 8-hours,is it true actually?

[A440]

Sony claims you can rewrite the MD a million times. If it's even half of that, you should do pretty well.

Hi-SP records just under 8 hours. On my MZ-NHF800, I have recorded for more than the length of a disc on one AA battery. The rechargeables may not last as long, but the only way to find out is to try it. Why not put it on record overnight?

[c864fd5d]

Hello:

Thanks your reply.I have bought Iriver H-140 ,but I find I have to raise the gain in rockbox to the extreme(45.5)and raise the volume to the highest when listening back the record.Therefore some people suggest me buy preamp and good mic,preamp.

I want to know is it is worth to buy a preamp ,would you think buying Rh1 would give me more quality of record like less noisy and higher signal volume than this, as good preamp and mic is expansive .Have anyone know does rh1 be a better choice ,that I do not need to buy external preamp ,for recording quite speech (the speaker is very gentle and small voice usually,and far away from me).If it can definitely achieve good result than h-140 with good preamp(preamp class like the links given above) and mic.I only use up to 192 kbps in Iriver,for speech it is not too high bit rate,but only problem is when the gain raise to the 45.5 ,then the overall noise will also raise!

Edited October 6, 2006 by yst

[sector001]

Hello:

Thanks your reply.I have bought Iriver H-140 ,but I find I have to raise the gain in rockbox to the extreme(45.5)and raise the volume to the highest when listening back the record.Therefore some people suggest me buy preamp and good mic,preamp.

I want to know is it is worth to buy a preamp ,would you think buying Rh1 would give me more quality of record like less noisy and higher signal volume than this, as good preamp and mic is expansive .Have anyone know does rh1 be a better choice ,that I do not need to buy external preamp ,for recording quite speech (the speaker is very gentle and small voice usually,and far away from me).If it can definitely achieve good result than h-140 with good preamp(preamp class like the links given above) and mic.I only use up to 192 kbps in Iriver,for speech it is not too high bit rate,but only problem is when the gain raise to the 45.5 ,then the overall noise will also raise!

i haven't kept track of how long an MD is reusable, but i did have 1 crap out on me. i use one for daily radio recording.

[1kyle]

i haven't kept track of how long an MD is reusable, but i did have 1 crap out on me. i use one for daily radio recording.

I still have some of the old 60 Min discs (donkeys years old) -- They STILL work. There's no reason why discs shouldn't last indefinitely if they are reasonably handled.

I don't think I've EVER had to get rid of a MD. I shouldn't worry about the lifetime of a disc --if you do get a bad one you are very unlucky indeed.

Cheers

-K

[sector001]

I still have some of the old 60 Min discs (donkeys years old) -- They STILL work. There's no reason why discs shouldn't last indefinitely if they are reasonably handled.

I don't think I've EVER had to get rid of a MD. I shouldn't worry about the lifetime of a disc --if you do get a bad one you are very unlucky indeed.

Cheers

-K

yes, but did u write to the disc everyday like i do for 4 hours each? i record a daily radio program everyday except weekends for 4 hours everyday.

[1kyle]

yes, but did u write to the disc everyday like i do for 4 hours each? i record a daily radio program everyday except weekends for 4 hours everyday.

I'm sure any piece of gear will eventually wear out given enough constant usage - however these discs are cheap enough --why not buy a few more and "rotate" them say use a different one each week.

You only need a few -- a pack of 10 (easily obtainable cheaply) will probably last you longer than the minidisc recorder itself you are using to record your radio programs with.

Cheers

-K

[MDGB2]

They will last a helluva lot longer than CD/DVD-RW, Flash memory, or HDD.

Pretty much bullet-proof, and by far one of the most durable formats available.

Such a shame that the people who control it (Sony) are idiots.

Edited October 7, 2006 by MDGB2

[sector001]

I'm sure any piece of gear will eventually wear out given enough constant usage - however these discs are cheap enough --why not buy a few more and "rotate" them say use a different one each week.

You only need a few -- a pack of 10 (easily obtainable cheaply) will probably last you longer than the minidisc recorder itself you are using to record your radio programs with.

Cheers

-K

i dont need to rotate the discs, cuz they last quite a while b4 they do crap on me. but they do crap out......

and i do have a lot of discs.

besides, the radio programs, after i listen to it i just delete it. i dont keep it.

[greenmachine]

Dirt and scratches will reduce the theoretical 1.mio cycles quite a bit. No disk case is perfect.

[A440]

I have bought Iriver H-140 ,but I find I have to raise the gain in rockbox to the extreme(45.5)and raise the volume to the highest when listening back the record.Therefore some people suggest me buy preamp and good mic,preamp.

I want to know is it is worth to buy a preamp ,would you think buying Rh1 would give me more quality of record like less noisy and higher signal volume than this, as good preamp and mic is expansive .

The H140 has a line-in jack and isn't made to record with an external microphone. That's why you need the preamp. Most minidisc recorders are made to record with an external microphone, and have a built-in preamp at the Mic-in jack.

A minidisc unit will record nearly exactly what comes through your microphone. It will not add noticeable noise unless you are trying to record something as quiet as birdcalls. What your ears hear (and your microphone detects--I don't know what microphone you are currently using) will be recorded through the mic jack.

You don't have to get the RH1 if you can find the NH700, which wouldn't cost you much more than a preamp alone (around $150). It has the same recording quality, microphone input and ability to upload your recordings, though the RH1 has some other nice features.

[c864fd5d]

Thanks all of the reply

I have email to sound professional to get the answer

(Q;which one is quieter and with less noise when recording low volume voice and environment?(H-140+preamp vs RH1)

:He reply me:

The combination of the SP-PASM-2 and the H140 would sound better than the

MD

recorder.....but not much better.

SP-PASM-2

(but I am afraid the $3o included mic would be noisy as well)

As you said,the mic in of Rh1 have preamp also,I wonder is it in better quality than previous sony model.( the same hardware or improved one?)As I searched through taperssection,someone said sony md player also have noisy recording quality in quiet voice,etc.I hope it would not need to go to line in and get preamp after buying Rh1 again(that double my budget).As I use it to record the lecturer who is really quiet person and very often I just get a seat have a long distance from him,and the speakers in the ceiling often is not straight above my head!( in other words,I think it is to some extent like birdcalls then ,does this will add noise?but do you think preamp also will amplify the noise if in this situation?)

But I use stock mic in H-140 ,therefore the quality of course is average.

What the mic you think is sensitive and quiet enough to use with Rh1 ?or with H-140?If I can find one mic that can use on both player that would be most economic.I ask someone they recommended me the sound pro and audio technical mic to be very good,but exactly what model do you think is good?

One mic is the mic included with preamp pack,(SP-PASM-2)it only $30 ,

High Sensitivity:

Signal To Noise Ratio: >62 dB, 1 kHz at 1 Pa

Dynamic Range: 95dB

Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 Hz +/- 1dB

Open Circuit Sensitivity: -35 dB (5.6 mV) re 1V at 1 Pa

Maximum Input Sound Level: 113 dB SPL, 1 kHz at 1% T.H.D.

May be it is enough or not?I assume reading the signal to Noise ratio(higher is better)and open circuit sensitivity(lower is better) to determin how well a mic can record quiet sound without noise added?is there anything to read about other than that?Please let me know if it has.

I also find spec in Rh1 :

Spec link

Line Input Signal To Noise Ratio 96dB

Mic Input Signal To Noise Ratio 85dB

Line Total Harmonic Distortion 0.05%

Mic Total Harmonic Distortion 0.08%

SP-PREAMP:

Signal to noise ratio: 115 dBu EIN unweighted (quieter than built-in Walkman preamps)

Harmonic distortion: 0.06%

I think it can compare both spec. to get the s/noise ratio,however,in sp-preamp it base is dBu but int Rh1 is dB,therefore,not the same unit and hard to compare it noise level.Is it the really preamp can get quiet record if only see the above spec?

I think use external preamp plug the line in is better than mic in jack anyway.Therefore it definitely better to use preamp than mic in of Rh1.If using line in in Rh1,it might get the same problem as Iriver,is it true?(very low signal with noise?)

But it seems that the first one cannot clip at my handbag then it may difficult to stand on floor either,isn't it?

Thanks your input!As I have too much questions !

Edited October 8, 2006 by yst

[greenmachine]

There was a test a while ago somewhere in these forums [i don't remember where], which compared the noise performance of interal and high quality external preamps. The conclusion was that the internal preamp [of a Sony Hi-MD, i don't remember the model, but there shouldn't be much difference] performed astonishingly well.

[c864fd5d]

Hi:

I find the link:link

I have heard the sample,really cannot find difference between preamped and mic in,I think this link is very informative,thanks.

preamp(testing in link)Reactive Sounds Boost Box:

S/N ratio 92 dBv

SP-PASM-2(which I want to buy)

Signal to noise ratio: 115 dBu

I cannot compare their noise since dbv and dbu I cannot understand.

I just want to ask would SP-PASM-2 have better s/n ration than the boost box,therefore more worthing?

I find some reference as below from a site,but I still not understand.

(Note: 0 dBv is equivalent to +2.2 dBu, where "v" is referenced to 1-volt RMS; "u" is ref'd to 0.775 Vrms, and, when applied to a 600-ohm load, yields 1 milliwatt, hence the "m" ref, which is based on the ye olde telephone standard.)

Anyway,if the second preamp have the same result as the first one,then I think Buying Rh1 will be more worthwhile,as I think it playback is also very good quality in Hi-md unit.

[A440]

Don't let your bad experience with the H140 confuse things too much. The H140 wasn't made for what you wanted to do. Because the Line-in input doesn't have a preamp, it was as if you were recording from 10 times as far away as you were sitting. When you played back your H140 recordings, your microphone signal was only a tiny part of what you were amplifying when you played it back--like a tiny person in the corner of a giant painting. With a mic-in jack or preamp, your microphone signal will be the main part of what you are recording, in the foreground.

A unit with a real mic input, whether it's the Iriver IFP 799 or a minidisc unit, will work for you. At least it will record the sound where you are sitting, and if you have a decent microphone then it will pick up the lecture as you heard it.

There are a lot of different kinds of noise in your problem as you describe it.

One is the ambient noise in the lecture room itself, where the lecturer sounds so quiet. No mic or preamp is going to cure that, although a directional mic might help. You will get a clearer, louder recording but the room noise will still be there. The cure for that is to get closer to the lecturer or closer to a speaker.

Two is the noise introduced by the gain of your recorder. That CAN be cured, either by getting a unit with a real mic input or by getting a preamp. A sensitive mic and a preamp will let you get a recording with far less gain from the recorder.

Three is noise introduced by your microphone. That is unavoidable, but probably very minor. Microphone noise should not be louder than your lecturer, or you wouldn't be able to hear the lecture with your own ears. It only becomes a factor when it is hugely amplified. I use the same kinds of microphones as the ones in the SP-PASM2, and they aren't noisy.

Four is noise introduced by the preamp. Compared to the others, this is probably undetectable. All those S/N ratios--85, 92, 115--are extremely high. A difference of 85 decibels is the difference between silence and a vacuum cleaner up close.

http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS...und/u11l2b.html

What, actually, are you hearing in that classroom? Is the lecturer really just barely detectable at the threshold of hearing, like a distant bird? I doubt it, because you managed to get some level even through the line-in of the H140. Is there a lot of other noise in the classroom? Does rustling paper or the sound of people taking notes drown out the lecture? Or can you make out what the professor is saying pretty clearly?

A microphone, with or without preamp, is going to pick up the sound where it is placed. A directional (also called cardioid) microphone pointed at the lecturer will help eliminate sound behind you. But if the lecturer really is quieter than the noise around where you are sitting, then the microphone is going to pick up the same noise. Get closer, or closer to a speaker.

If you really want to get a microphone and preamp, I think a better combination would be a cardioid microphone and a separate preamp. The Sound Professionals combination unit is omnidirectional and will pick up sound all around it. If you face one mic toward the professor, the other mic is going to be picking up everything behind you. If you face them to the sides, then you're going to be getting the sound all around the room rather than the one sound you want.

And please don't put your microphone on the floor. Try listening with your head near the floor--it sounds terrible, muffled by all the desks and people in between you and the lecturer. You need to put your microphone up near where your ears are.

Seriously, I still think you should consider a little Iriver T30. It's the size of a lipstick and you could probably ask someone in the front row if you could just leave it on their desk and pick it up after the lecture. Second choice would be a minidisc unit plus cardioid microphone--search for a MZ-NH700, which would only cost you as much as a decent preamp. Third choice: preamp plus cardioid mic plus H140. But that's a lot of gadgets to be carrying around.

As for preamps:

I had the Boost Box and sold it. It is a weird, bulky design with a long, heavy curly cable (like a wired telephone handset cord) that just gets in the way everywhere. Sound Pros are much better designed, and they have better specifications too. If you are determined to get a preamp, get one from Sound Professionals.

Edited October 9, 2006 by A440

[c864fd5d]

Thanks for your reply

I bought H-140 have the purpose to record teachings,but I think I have not thoroughly knew that it has this shortcoming as a recorder.

Not know is it cardioid or omni of the stock mic provided by Iriver,it is ordinary computer mic.That if I buy the combo from sound pro,then I would have to buy another mic (compare to mic only $30 included!)

The T-30 have been complained very much in Iriver forums of very low volume recording,and I also do not like the 1-2gb capacity,therefore will not consider it.

The overall voice can be listened clearly afterward,but I think in case if the lecturer suddenly lower his voice,then even raise the highest volume will difficult to guess what he said(only occasionally problem).

I have no choice but to place the mic near the floor(clip at my bag that is on the floor,because there is no desk ,we all sitting on the floor),therefore this will pick these noise.

I have heard the testing preamp link above,it seems that the volume of internal mic preamp of Hi-md is comparable to preamp of Boostbox at the max gain,is,t it?(That mean I do not need to worry it would not get enough volume signla in case I cannot sit behind the professor!)It also stated Hi-md mic has -118 dbu preamp,that is even better than the preamp of SP-PASM2,isn't it?Might be the A/D converter would also better than H-140,I think it would be a very good recorder compared to H-XXX.

Also,I am more fond of Rh1,therefore I will wait the stock to arrive ,our local store said it have twenty persons before me on the row of waiting!

Thanks for your reply,I will weight the pro and con and my MONEY seriously .

Edited October 9, 2006 by yst

[c864fd5d]

I find the MZ-NH700SHERE really economic.

I suddenly want to buy it,but is there any difference in recording quality than the Rh1?I think Rh1 have better mp3 playback ,but does it also has better recording specification or hardware that is compare to 700s?( I am attracted by the AA battery ,does it have shorter recording time than Rh1 battery? )Any other shortcomings?

Thanks

Edited October 18, 2006 by yst

[62v8]

I find the MZ-NH700SHERE really economic.

I suddenly want to buy it,but is there any difference in recording quality than the Rh1?I think Rh1 have better mp3 playback ,but does it also has better recording specification or hardware that is compare to 700s?( I am attracted by the AA battery ,does it have shorter recording time than Rh1 battery? )Any other shortcomings?

Thanks

Recording quality is identical ... & battery life is great (especially with large capacity rechargeables)

The only shortcoming with the 700 is that unless you are happy with AGC it will not recall your manual recording set ups (mic level). There are plenty of threads re the pro's & cons.

Oh and being Gen 1 it will record on standard MD discs in HiMD mode or MD mode.

You really cannot loose.

Regards

[c864fd5d]

Thanks,I found a lot of info in the forum.

Since I have already bought a new H140 ,therefore my money is tight now,so thinking buying NH700 that has the same recording quality as rh1 would be a good idea(the not remembering setting is minor ,it doesn't matter to me)I will use Iriver for playing audio and use Hi-md for recording purpose.

But do you think Rh1 is worthing ,may be it has playback which quality that is even better than my Iriver hXX?If it does,adding money will be worthing however.If they are similar,might be NH700 will be sufficient.

Edited October 18, 2006 by yst