Sony's MZ-R501 MD Player/Recorder

[upiper71]

I just purchased a Mini-Disc recorder/player off Ebay to record live band music e.g. violins, banjo's, guitars.. will this unit: Sony MZ-R501 work with a ECMDS70P microphone directly plugged into the 'Line In' jack or do I need a power amplified mic?

Best regards,

upiper71

[Richard]

* Moved to Live Recording

[A440]

Unfortunately, you can't just plug the mic into the Line-in.

http://www.minidisc.org/part_Sony_MZ-R501.html

A mic jack has a preamp behind it to boost the signal from the mic. Line-in has no preamp and needs a stronger signal. For instance, if you have a mixer output, you would plug that into Line-in.

A mic with a little button battery in it probably also won't be loud enough.

Depending on how loud the music is--if it's amplified--you may be able to get a strong enough signal with a battery module like this one:

http://www.microphonemadness.com/products/mmcbmminminc.htm

But acoustic music, other quiet sounds, etc., may not be loud enough. And the DS70P is not the most sensitive mic around, so it may give you an overly quiet signal anyway. Even worse, preamps start at about $100.

It would be best to start over and get a unit with a mic jack: the old MZ-N707 or even the MZ-R700 if you are satisfied with not being able to upload your recordings directly to your computer. Or get the MZ-NH700 (around $180 from www.minidiscaccess.com, cheaper on eBay) if you want to be able to upload your recordings digitally.

And by the way, if you don't already own the DS70P, look at www.soundprofessionals.com (and Microphone Madness as in the link above) for some comparably priced, higher quality mics.

Edited November 27, 2006 by A440

[upiper71]

Unfortunately, you can't just plug the mic into the Line-in.

http://www.minidisc.org/part_Sony_MZ-R501.html

A mic jack has a preamp behind it to boost the signal from the mic. Line-in has no preamp and needs a stronger signal. For instance, if you have a mixer output, you would plug that into Line-in.

A mic with a little button battery in it probably also won't be loud enough.

Depending on how loud the music is--if it's amplified--you may be able to get a strong enough signal with a battery module like this one:

http://www.microphonemadness.com/products/mmcbmminminc.htm

But acoustic music, other quiet sounds, etc., may not be loud enough. And the DS70P is not the most sensitive mic around, so it may give you an overly quiet signal anyway. Even worse, preamps start at about $100.

It would be best to start over and get a unit with a mic jack: the old MZ-N707 or even the MZ-R700 if you are satisfied with not being able to upload your recordings directly to your computer. Or get the MZ-NH700 (around $180 from www.minidiscaccess.com, cheaper on eBay) if you want to be able to upload your recordings digitally.

And by the way, if you don't already own the DS70P, look at www.soundprofessionals.com (and Microphone Madness as in the link above) for some comparably priced, higher quality mics.

Thanks a bunch!Much appreciated! I'll have a look at those options. I do own the DS70P already had it a while.

Cheers,

upiper