mikerophone Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 All --While I've been recording to Minidisc since 2000 (I still use my trusty MZ-R37 for live recordings and my MDM-X4 for recoding music performances) I just recently purchased a MZ-M100 Hi-MD for live recording. The idea of being able to download recordings directly to my Mac without having to do it in real-time through the audio-in was just a bit too alluring.I'm trying to get a handle on which recording modes to use. I know the PCM is the best it gets, but the downloads to my Mac are deadly slow (USB 1.1...what was Sony thinking?), so I was considering using the Hi-SP mode. Can anyone tell me how the quality compares with the old Minidisc format (ATRAC whatever?) that my MZ-R37 records in?Thanks in advance for the assistance -- and my hats off to the site creators...it is always a big help!Mikerophone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 All --While I've been recording to Minidisc since 2000 (I still use my trusty MZ-R37 for live recordings and my MDM-X4 for recoding music performances) I just recently purchased a MZ-M100 Hi-MD for live recording. The idea of being able to download recordings directly to my Mac without having to do it in real-time through the audio-in was just a bit too alluring.I'm trying to get a handle on which recording modes to use. I know the PCM is the best it gets, but the downloads to my Mac are deadly slow (USB 1.1...what was Sony thinking?), so I was considering using the Hi-SP mode. Can anyone tell me how the quality compares with the old Minidisc format (ATRAC whatever?) that my MZ-R37 records in?Thanks in advance for the assistance -- and my hats off to the site creators...it is always a big help!MikerophoneYou'll probably find that you won't be able to tell the difference for most recordings using HiSP VS PCM. To me PCM would pnly be used when I had the time to make sure everything was perfect, and then probably on a line in recording. Best advice try a couple of different recordings and see what suits youHave fun and enjoyBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmp64 Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 Can anyone tell me how the quality compares with the old Minidisc format (ATRAC whatever?) that my MZ-R37 records in?Thanks in advance for the assistance -- and my hats off to the site creators...it is always a big help!MikerophoneI think the consensus on this board is that "old school" SP (292K) recorded in real time trumps HiSP (256K). Though that may just be for sentimental reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 All --While I've been recording to Minidisc since 2000 (I still use my trusty MZ-R37 for live recordings and my MDM-X4 for recoding music performances) I just recently purchased a MZ-M100 Hi-MD for live recording. The idea of being able to download recordings directly to my Mac without having to do it in real-time through the audio-in was just a bit too alluring.I'm trying to get a handle on which recording modes to use. I know the PCM is the best it gets, but the downloads to my Mac are deadly slow (USB 1.1...what was Sony thinking?), so I was considering using the Hi-SP mode. Can anyone tell me how the quality compares with the old Minidisc format (ATRAC whatever?) that my MZ-R37 records in?Thanks in advance for the assistance -- and my hats off to the site creators...it is always a big help!MikerophoneWhen you Import to a Mac it will all come in as WAV regardless of what you record in , I am on a Macbook Pro , have the RH1 and 10p anything Imported from a HiMD gets converted to WAV , so PCM will be the best quality SP will just be a Lesser Quality WAV , and you really wont ( unless your an absolute Audiophile ) know the difference . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dural Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 I'm pretty fussy about sound quality, and don't think twice about spending a fair bit on Hi-Fi kit/cables etc... and in my opinion, Hi-MD SP (256kbps) sounds a little TINY bit more clinical than old SP (292kbps), which sounds to me a fraction more analogue-y.However, I ran a frequency analysis test using SoundForge and Izotope Ozone mastering software, on the same track via an old SP recording, and a new Hi-MD SP recording - and believe or not, the Hi-MD one came out having a better frequency response (despite being short 36kbps!).So in the test I ran, Hi-MD won, and to my ears I think I prefer it too. Basically, you have nothing to worry about using Hi-MD SP mode, unless you actually want the placebo effect of KNOWING that it's recorded as PCM.Hope my thoughts help you a bit.Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzilli Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 I go back and forth and won't be of much help except to say that I agree that Hi-SP is fine as is MD mode. I never use the other modes after months of A-B "tests" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcou Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 for me hisp atrac 3+ is far better than old sp atrac, especially in the high frequencies range: much more clear, best transitory.Just try miles Davis "Kind o Blue": old sp artifacts on trumpet have disappear with hisp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 for me hisp atrac 3+ is far better than old sp atrac, especially in the high frequencies range: much more clear, best transitory.Just try miles Davis "Kind o Blue": old sp artifacts on trumpet have disappear with hisp.Not on an MZ-R50 they dont , The R50 has a dedicated Line out that is seperate from the Headphone jack , goes thru a completely different driver , and it is VERY clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 He wasn't talking about that "cleanness" TC, but artifacts created by the compression algorithm of SP Atrac.He has a Hi-MD deck with VLSC circuitry and gold-plated RCA line out for his A-B comparisons... so the cleanness you're mentioning shouldn't be an issue.Sony improved ATRAC's compression algorithm with ATRAC3+ supposedly; I say supposedly as I admit I haven't yet done any serious testing.I must admit I'm very impressed with the Hi-SP rendition of Miles' Ascenceur pour l'échaffaud, I so far can't tell the difference with the original CD. But I'll do a recording of it and Kind of blue in SP to see what all the fuss is about Well Wiz , if you do not have an R50 , then you wont understand , and any unit that has an integrated Headphone/Line jack will NOT let you hear what I am saying , the R50 was a special unit . and the Line out was direct representation of what was on the disc , also do not forget that I am a recording engineer , so I am speaking on a different level here, the R50 circuitry would be needed to have to proper comparison made , between HiSP , and true SP . just defeating the Headphone settings , doesnt do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Analouge signal "Purity " , ...... you said it , There is a video on you tube somewhere of an interview with Tom Sholtz of the group Boston , and he gives a fairly accurate summation , of what he hears when he put on a CD for the first time . See if you can find it . the Gold Plating on the RCA , amounts to very little, if the rest of the signal path is compromised . to really hear the difference , it would have to be pristine from point A (the source ) to point B ( the final output) but lets not turn this into a Debate , If I ever find another good condition R50 , I might send it to you , and let you play with it for a month ( unless you have something to swap me for it !!!! ) But I have the RH1 , and have the R50 , and I have A/B compared them on many occasion . The line out on my R50 and Line out on the RH1 , ............. I like them both , but the R50 , holds its own quite comfortably . Just my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzilli Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 When you Import to a Mac it will all come in as WAV regardless of what you record in , I am on a Macbook Pro , have the RH1 and 10p anything Imported from a HiMD gets converted to WAV , so PCM will be the best quality SP will just be a Lesser Quality WAV , and you really wont ( unless your an absolute Audiophile ) know the difference .So are you running it into a MAC through ITunes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 So are you running it into a MAC through ITunes?no using the MD Transfer 2.0 , then importing to iTunes to library it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcou Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Well Wiz , if you do not have an R50 , then you wont understand , and any unit that has an integrated Headphone/Line jack will NOT let you hear what I am saying , the R50 was a special unit . and the Line out was direct representation of what was on the disc , also do not forget that I am a recording engineer , so I am speaking on a different level here, the R50 circuitry would be needed to have to proper comparison made , between HiSP , and true SP . just defeating the Headphone settings , doesnt do it.We wanted to compare 2 lossy codecs atrac SP(292kbps) and atrac3+ hisp (256kbps).For this purpose it is necessary to play on the same hi-end harware (for example Onkyo MD-133 deck), the same track (for example "flamenco sketches" on miles davis Kind of Blue), recorded both in SP atrac and hi-SP atrac3+.As R50 cannot play atrac 3+, you cannot make this compairison...(MD-133 has no headphone output, which is a downside for me! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Ok ,... that point accepted , but I still think my R50 sounds better . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 tss... you haven't even heard that Hi-MD deck...You're just sentimental with your R50. Like your first love." Burnin Love........ comes ONCE in a LifeTime ,..... Golden Girl ,.... I'll Keep you FORevERRRR!!" She wore Blue jeans , She loved life , ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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