vore Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 I was wondering if anyone has done a comparison between the manufacturers of mini-discs.Other than the quality of the shell and mechanism, does the actual spinning disc differ in quality from one manufacturer to another? I have an assortment of discs from different manufactures and I've detected no difference hearing the audio in SP, but would it be detectable to hi-tech equipment like oscilloscopes? The best discs I've seen are the ones from Sony, Neige 74 or 80 minute discs. Even the case has enough texture to it so it doesn't slip out your hand when stacked together.Do professional audio techs prefer one brand from another? Does one company make just the disc and then ship it to different manufacturers that incorporate it into there case?Silly question I guess but I got nothing else to ask at this time...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raintheory Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 (edited) I don't think there would be any difference in sound quality between manufacturers. Some brands may outlive other brands so in the end errors they may develop because of poor manufacturing may reduce the sound quality, but not as long as they do what they are designed to do (store digital data).I could be wrong, but in my experience with MiniDiscs (since '93) I have noticed no sound differences between discs. I also haven't had more than one or two die out on me, and I assume these were the result of a manufacturing flaw.I have noticed though that some brands are made much better than others. I have even seem some with plastic shutters instead of metal, which is a horrible design IMO. Edited September 17, 2007 by raintheory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGHMW Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 When I joined the MiniDisc Revolution in 1998, I originally used nothing but Sony Prism 74 and 80-minute MD's, then a few years back my management suggested to me that I should try the Sony Premium Gold Series MD's, and today I continue to use both then and the 2nd-generation "Blue" Series (HMD1GL) Hi-MD discs exclusively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vore Posted September 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 (edited) I don't think there would be any difference in sound quality between manufacturers. Some brands may outlive other brands so in the end errors they may develop because of poor manufacturing may reduce the sound quality, but not as long as they do what they are designed to do (store digital data).I could be wrong, but in my experience with MiniDiscs (since '93) I have noticed no sound differences between discs. I also haven't had more than one or two die out on me, and I assume these were the result of a manufacturing flaw.I have noticed though that some brands are made much better than others. I have even seem some with plastic shutters instead of metal, which is a horrible design IMO.I guess the fact that what all the discs really do is store digital information you are correct sir. I have to keep remembering it's all ones and zeros with pits and flats (peaks and valleys?). The mechanism would be the key ingredient for professionals and serious home record-ists. I have a few of the discs with plastic shutters....Awful...lol Rain...I finished the draft on cloning the TOC...you might want to check it out.When I joined the MiniDisc Revolution in 1998, I originally used nothing but Sony Prism 74 and 80-minute MD's, then a few years back my management suggested to me that I should try the Sony Premium Gold Series MD's, and today I continue to use both then and the 2nd-generation "Blue" Series (HMD1GL) Hi-MD discs exclusively.I would assume your management had a good reason other then differing disc sound quality. It must be the casing and shutter around the disc that would be less susceptible to breakage or jamming. Makes sense. Edited September 17, 2007 by vore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzilli Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 (edited) Gotta go with the flow here, the discs all sound the same and its seems, so far, they hold up equally well. I would agree the casing is the difference. The holy grail being the Hello Kitty Mds ...not Edited September 17, 2007 by SourMilkMoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THIS SUCKS Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 mo disks do not use pits they use magnetic field differences for the ones and zeros! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superbaldguy Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 I have heard horror stories of plastic shutters breaking and destroying the unit, so I'd avoid those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiberiusbeekirk Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 which brands have plastic shutters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raintheory Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 (edited) mo disks do not use pits they use magnetic field differences for the ones and zeros!From MiniDisc FAQ:"...Prerecorded MD's are read exactly like CD's (the player focuses a laser on pits and valleys within a transparent polycarbonate substrate backed by a coating of aluminum thus reflecting or dispersing the beam).Recordable MD's are similar, but a pre-groove replaces the pits and valleys and an MO coating replaces the aluminum one. When recording, a laser is focused from one side of the disc onto the pre-groove and heats a spot on the MO recording layer to its Curie point while a magnetic field from a head in contact with the other side of the disc aligns magnetic domains within (read: magnetizes) the heated spot on the MO layer (the N/S orientation corresponding to 0s and 1s in the data). During playback the MD machine focuses the laser on the pre-groove again, but at lower power, and the data is read back by measuring changes in polarization of light reflected from the previously magnetized regions (the Faraday effect)."which brands have plastic shutters?Probably a few manufacturers.Here is a photo of a Maxell 74min MiniDisc w/plastic shutter: Edited September 17, 2007 by raintheory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vore Posted September 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 Recordable MD's are similar, but a pre-groove replaces the pits and valleys and an MO coating replaces the aluminum one. When recording, a laser is focused from one side of the disc onto the pre-groove and heats a spot on the MO recording layer to its Curie point while a magnetic field from a head in contact with the other side of the disc aligns magnetic domains within (read: magnetizes) the heated spot on the MO layer (the N/S orientation corresponding to 0s and 1s in the data). During playback the MD machine focuses the laser on the pre-groove again, but at lower power, and the data is read back by measuring changes in polarization of light reflected from the previously magnetized regions (the Faraday effect)."When you think about the mind (s) that came up with all that, it boggles mine....Simply amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
culp4684 Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 Actually, I've never had a problem with the plastic shuttered MD's made by Maxell. On the other hand, some metal shuttered MD's made by companies such Memorex sometimes get easily bent or off track... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGHMW Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 On the other hand, some metal shuttered MD's made by companies such Memorex sometimes get easily bent or off track...That's why I pay a bit more for Sony MD's and Hi-MD's. Hey, they invented the format, so it's almost expected that they be top quality.As for Memorex, both they and their blank CD's and MD's suck now at these days, that company is nothing compared to their cassette-tape heydays in the mid-late 1970's (remember their old slogan, "is it live, or is it Memorex?") I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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