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Which MD recorder should I buy?

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andyneedham

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Hi there,

Hope all is well with everyone! I just joined the forum yesterday. Like another poster I'm a total newbie. I'm in Nairobi, Kenya at the moment, will be here for three months and I'd like to get a MD recorder to do some interviews/recordings for use in a media project/possible documentary for broadcast. I looked at a recorder before I left Ireland and they were around 360 euros - I'm afraid I don't know what model that was other than it was black! :) Anyway, the local electrical/audio/hi-fi shop has two models in stock - again I only looked briefly and will go back again to see what the model numbers are but they're way cheaper, working out at about one third of the price. Is it possible they could be counterfeit or is that the going price here? (I checked out the MD recorder in a Sony shop in Dublin so maybe they're marked up heavily there).

So basically what I'm asking for advice/help on is which model should I look for - just to make broadcast quality audio(voice) interview recordings etc. Also which kind of microphone I should get would be great to know also! And anyone who knows of a reputable Sony dealer in Nairobi would be great to hear from in case the models I checked out aren't the real deal!

Anyway, judging from other posts, all the experts are online here so I'd be really grateful of any advice.

Thanks in advance!

Andy

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There are so many MD and Hi-MD recorders that you really have to be careful about what they're trying to sell you. Please go to www.minidisc.org and look through the Browser tab, which shows all the units (latest ones are first in case you want to look at the most likely ones).

The best thing for you to do is note the model numbers and check back here. It is totally confusing otherwise.

Here's a longer explanation for once you've rechecked model numbers.

There are at least 3 kinds of minidisc units: original, NetMD and Hi-MD. Most are old and technologically outmoded, though some people here are fond of them.

MD was once by far the best bang for the buck for portable recording. It may not be any more. Look in your electronics stores there for the Edirol R09, now used by many journalists, or the Zoom H2. No idea if they've reached East Africa yet. Those are easy to use--built-in mics, CD-quality recording, drag-and-drop upload, flash recording with no moving parts.

By comparison, the best that MD can do is uploading through Sony software called SonicStage, which works pretty well now but is still an extra step. And SonicStage only uploads from Hi-MD--not from the vast majority of MD units. MD has other good features, including on-unit editing, and its mic preamps are a notch above the flash recorders, but it is not as convenient.

If you want to upload recordings directly to your computer as digital files--instead of recording them in realtime out of the headphone jack--your choices are reduced to Hi-MD units. There are only a handful of those, only Sony makes them, and you can see them all in the Browser.

Hi-MD and MD recorders are not being manufactured any more, so you are going to be limited to what you can find.

Among Hi-MD, to me the best choices boil down to two: MZ-NH700, the basic workhorse, and MZ-RH1, the pride of the fleet. The MZ-RH1 is the black one you probably saw. It's Mac-compatible; MZ-NH700 is PC-only. The RH1 uploads files from old MDs, which doesn't matter to you; MZ-NH700 doesn't.

But other Hi-MD models will also record and upload: MZ-NH900, MZ-NHF800, MZ-RH10, MZ-RH100, MZ-M200 (which is just the RH1 bundled with a microphone). Anything with a D in the model number is just to download music, like an iPod, and will not do realtime recording. There's an NH600, that only has a line-in jack (but no mic-in jack to power a mic), and an NH600D, which does not do realtime recording. Confusion for all.

Anything else--MZ-Nxxx- units, MZ-Rxxx units (both without the H), anything by Sharp or Panasonic or Aiwa or Kenwood, will only record in compressed formats and will not upload to your computer. The compressed formats can sound good, but you'd have to re-record in realtime out of the headphone jack.

Try to hear some benga and taarab music while you're there. You might even record it....

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There are so many MD and Hi-MD recorders that you really have to be careful about what they're trying to sell you. Please go to www.minidisc.org and look through the Browser tab, which shows all the units (latest ones are first in case you want to look at the most likely ones).

The best thing for you to do is note the model numbers and check back here. It is totally confusing otherwise.

Here's a longer explanation for once you've rechecked model numbers.

There are at least 3 kinds of minidisc units: original, NetMD and Hi-MD. Most are old and technologically outmoded, though some people here are fond of them.

MD was once by far the best bang for the buck for portable recording. It may not be any more. Look in your electronics stores there for the Edirol R09, now used by many journalists, or the Zoom H2. No idea if they've reached East Africa yet. Those are easy to use--built-in mics, CD-quality recording, drag-and-drop upload, flash recording with no moving parts.

By comparison, the best that MD can do is uploading through Sony software called SonicStage, which works pretty well now but is still an extra step. And SonicStage only uploads from Hi-MD--not from the vast majority of MD units. MD has other good features, including on-unit editing, and its mic preamps are a notch above the flash recorders, but it is not as convenient.

If you want to upload recordings directly to your computer as digital files--instead of recording them in realtime out of the headphone jack--your choices are reduced to Hi-MD units. There are only a handful of those, only Sony makes them, and you can see them all in the Browser.

Hi-MD and MD recorders are not being manufactured any more, so you are going to be limited to what you can find.

Among Hi-MD, to me the best choices boil down to two: MZ-NH700, the basic workhorse, and MZ-RH1, the pride of the fleet. The MZ-RH1 is the black one you probably saw. It's Mac-compatible; MZ-NH700 is PC-only. The RH1 uploads files from old MDs, which doesn't matter to you; MZ-NH700 doesn't.

But other Hi-MD models will also record and upload: MZ-NH900, MZ-NHF800, MZ-RH10, MZ-RH100, MZ-M200 (which is just the RH1 bundled with a microphone). Anything with a D in the model number is just to download music, like an iPod, and will not do realtime recording. There's an NH600, that only has a line-in jack (but no mic-in jack to power a mic), and an NH600D, which does not do realtime recording. Confusion for all.

Anything else--MZ-Nxxx- units, MZ-Rxxx units (both without the H), anything by Sharp or Panasonic or Aiwa or Kenwood, will only record in compressed formats and will not upload to your computer. The compressed formats can sound good, but you'd have to re-record in realtime out of the headphone jack.

Try to hear some benga and taarab music while you're there. You might even record it....

Hi, Im new to all this. Is there a minidisc deck that supports hi-md. I bought a MDS-JE530 but it won't record or play to hi-md. I want to transfer my lp's to my pc. I have successfully done it via a MZ-NH600 but its slow. I really want to use a deck connected to my hi-fi.

Can anyone help. Thans so much. sunnyandbow

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Hi, Im new to all this. Is there a minidisc deck that supports hi-md. I bought a MDS-JE530 but it won't record or play to hi-md. I want to transfer my lp's to my pc. I have successfully done it via a MZ-NH600 but its slow. I really want to use a deck connected to my hi-fi.

Can anyone help. Thans so much. sunnyandbow

get a USB turntable, or a turntable and preamp to your line-in

Bob

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi-MD and MD recorders are not being manufactured any more

You write well, but 'sorry'; that was simply not true!

The truth is

Sony is still manufacturing:

The MZ-RH1 (Silver&Black editions)

The MZ-N920 (Silver, Blue, and Red editions)

The HI-MD player models MZ-EH70 and MZ-EH50(all color/colours) are also still being manufactured as well MD/HI-MD decks and boom boxes.

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You write well, but 'sorry'; that was simply not true!

The truth is

Sony is still manufacturing:

The MZ-RH1 (Silver&Black editions)

The MZ-N920 (Silver, Blue, and Red editions)

The HI-MD player models MZ-EH70 and MZ-EH50(all color/colours) are also still being manufactured as well MD/HI-MD decks and boom boxes.

Mikami san , do you work for Sony ? ............

I also live in Japan , Yokohama , I have eijyuken . Sony isnt manufacturing , They DO have stock , a lot of unsold stock , and they are getiing rid of it little by little . But Retailers aren't putting it on the shelves . At the SONY Outlet in Shibuya , there is an NH3d NEW , with 50% off marked on it . I asked them about the RH1 , " Mo nai desu "

even the SONY outlet , said they are not going to carry it . It is sad , but it is there , it is a fact .

Kenwood =yes

Onkyo =yes

panasonic=yes

SONY =no .

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I just ordered the MZ-200 myself. This thread helped me make my decision.

THANKS A440 for educating me on the various MD's!

I am intently watching Guitarfxr's reveiw of the new TASCAM DR-1 and was close to purchasing that one, ( thanks Guitarfxr ). Maybe in the future, but I only have budget for one device.

And...I have an old MZ-R37 that has begun to make strange noises so decided to get one of these last models as not to loose my archives and to use for upload to computer files.

BEST WISHES

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  • 3 weeks later...

So, what does Kenwood, Onkyo, and Panasonic make in the way of HI-MD? I've seen a few Onkyo shelf stereo models, but haven't been able to get much information on them. What actually has optical outs and can be used as a component deck since no one seems to make one? (shame on Sony!!!!!) I'm tempted to someday when I've finally gotten my degree in electrical engineering to get an old standard home deck, rip out it's insides and figure out how to put the internals of a portable HI-MD unit in there to make my own home HI-MD deck, if it's even possible. Heck, I'll make it possible. (insert manic laugh here, followed by hacking cough) Anyway, any light you can shine on this bleak quagmire would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone.

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