My NetMD player vs my RH1

[Sony_Fan]

After transfering music to my NetMD player using LP2, it seems that music from the 60s, 70s and 80s sounds much better on it than music of the 90's to present. I would transfer music by Simon and Garfunkle, The Beatles, ABBA and The Biggies in LP2 format. These CDs are not as loud as present day CDs and therefore after the transfer process, they exhibit little to no distortion when played back on my NetMD player. On my RH1, using MP3 @ 192, I would transfer music by Madonna, Michael Jackson, alternative rock and other loud CDs. The music sounded great on the RH1 but when this same music was transferred to my NetMd player, there was noticeable distortion. In conclusion, I will use my NetMD player for soft music and my RH1 for louder music. Anyone else agree or noticed similar results?

[Ral-Clan]

In conclusion, I will use my NetMD player for soft music and my RH1 for louder music. Anyone else agree or noticed similar results?

Or you could just set your encoding software to normalize all the audio files to the same, lower volume level during conversion to MP3 format.

But really, I suspect a change to headphones that have a diaphragm that can handle louder volumes will result in less distortion.

[sfbp]

Are you starting with CD's for the modern stuff? The reference to MP3 has me confused. Maybe SS is using the "wrong" encoding if there are multiple "optimized files" in SS, I have seen this. Try deleting everything for one track and reencoding.

[netmduser]

i think with nedmd you are using cds and with the hi-md mp3s.

Cds as a source will always sound the best.

[Sony_Fan]

Yes, I'm using CDs for everything. I use Simple Burner to transfer to NetMD and I use SonicStage to make MP3s of my CDs and then transfer to the RH1. Softer music sounds better on NetMD and louder music is best on the RH1. And I do normalize my MP3s when the volume is 98dB or higher.

I transfered Madonna's "Hard Candy" to NetMD unit (LP2) and to the RH1 (MP3 @ 192). The MP3 music sounded more like the original CD.

Edited December 8, 2008 by Chris G

[sfbp]

Yes, I'm using CDs for everything. I use Simple Burner to transfer to NetMD and I use SonicStage to make MP3s of my CDs and then transfer to the RH1. Softer music sounds better on NetMD and louder music is best on the RH1. And I do normalize my MP3s when the volume is 98dB or higher.

I transfered Madonna's "Hard Candy" to NetMD unit (LP2) and to the RH1 (MP3 @ 192). The MP3 music sounded more like the original CD.

1. Why would you willingly involve MP3s on Minidisc? For one thing the encoders are not all the same quality as each other.

2. Where is MP3 creation built into SS? Or do you mean their free-exit-from-Atrac-converter MP3CONVERSIONTOOL.EXE?

My point - you are comparing apples to oranges if you insist on using MP3 in one place and Atrac3 in another.

[Sony_Fan]

1. Why would you willingly involve MP3s on Minidisc? For one thing the encoders are not all the same quality as each other.

2. Where is MP3 creation built into SS? Or do you mean their free-exit-from-Atrac-converter MP3CONVERSIONTOOL.EXE?

My point - you are comparing apples to oranges if you insist on using MP3 in one place and Atrac3 in another.

You can rip music in SS in MP3 format. The reason I use MP3s is because of MP3gain. I can't normalize ATRAC3plus files because there is no ATRACgain (but there should be). Since the music transfered to NetMD is not very loud, it does not need to be normalized, and the soft music is enhanced by the units Type-S playback and the stronger bass output.

[netmduser]

sounds like there is an extra conversion to atrac after mp3 192k conversion, which is lowering the quality. Try to rip to mp3 @ 320 instead and the problem should go away. Also software gain can affect sound quality. I personally listen to netmd and never found volume to be an issue, how loud do you want your music to be?

Edited December 9, 2008 by netmduser

[sfbp]

You can rip music in SS in MP3 format. The reason I use MP3s is because of MP3gain. I can't normalize ATRAC3plus files because there is no ATRACgain (but there should be). Since the music transfered to NetMD is not very loud, it does not need to be normalized, and the soft music is enhanced by the units Type-S playback and the stronger bass output.

If you need to turn up the (digital) gain, there are two ways to do it:

1. use CD to optical out and add some oomph on the input to a MD deck

2. rip the files as WAV (you don't need SS at all to do this, though I do in fact do it this way because it saves typing time). Use a wave editor to normalize them, I recommend 90% rather than 100%, this is based on a limited sample of cases and may not be the best.

[Sony_Fan]

sounds like there is an extra conversion to atrac after mp3 192k conversion, which is lowering the quality. Try to rip to mp3 @ 320 instead and the problem should go away. Also software gain can affect sound quality. I personally listen to netmd and never found volume to be an issue, how loud do you want your music to be?

MP3 @ 320 sounds like crap on the RH1. I don't know why, but it does. For some reason MP3 @ 192 is ideal for the RH1. The unit enhances the sound quality of lower bitrate music.

Volume is only an issue if a song is very very soft or it's too loud. Then I use MP3 gain to give it some extra volume or I use to bring the volume down to avoid clipping.

If you need to turn up the (digital) gain, there are two ways to do it:

1. use CD to optical out and add some oomph on the input to a MD deck

2. rip the files as WAV (you don't need SS at all to do this, though I do in fact do it this way because it saves typing time). Use a wave editor to normalize them, I recommend 90% rather than 100%, this is based on a limited sample of cases and may not be the best.

I know there are WAV gain software out there, but none of them are as easy to use as MP3gain. If there was a WAVgain that you use exactly like MP3gain, then I would definately use it.

[BIGHMW]

I simply use the "S.F. Edit" menu on my MDS-E10 pro deck (set for "Track Level" to add gain) on very low signal recordings, such as from older (non-remastered, circa 1985-95) CDs, whenever I rip them to MD (at SP stereo mode) for upload to SS 4.2 CP with my RH1 and NW-HD5, knowing I only have 5 mW to use on my arsenal of MD/Hi-MD/HDD Walkmen.

As for the remastered CDs (post 1995) I just leave them as they are when I am recording them direct to MD SP Stereo (same tools/modes used).