SP over NetMD - Quality?

[Earl]

Hi there!

I was using Minidisc extensively a couple of years ago. After a period of abstinence for about 6 years (due to the lack of need for mobile audio accomodation), I now rediscover the excellence and advantages of MiniDiscs. While reactivating my MiniDisc equipment, I plan to expand that by buying additional devices. After studying manuals and several internet sources (among that, this forum, of course!), some questions remain open and I would like to ask you for help.

1) In the german part of wikipedia, it says "SP mode over NetMD is restricted to a bitrate of 132 kbits" - is this true? Is there any possibility to transfer the whole 292 kbits to a SP-mode MD over USB (e.g. whith a Hi-MD device)? Is there anyone using S/PDIF based recording from PC to a MD device due to this reason? (I would like to use standard SP-mode for compatibility reasons, but it's annoying me to reduce audio quality to 132 kbit, while using a 292 kbit capable mode!)

2) Is it possible to transfer audio to a computer using S/PDIF (from a S/PDIF output capable MD deck to a S/PDIF capable soundcard)? Or is it restricted by copy protection (e.g. are only analogue recorded MDs capable for this action)??

Okay, I think, that's it - for the first part!

Thank you very much for your help!!!

Greetings,

Earl

[sfbp]

welcome to MDCF!

Question 1: simple answer NO. However -

a. if you get a HiMD unit you can actually transfer up to 352kbps Atrac3+.

b. if your unit has Type-S playback (look in the specs, OR any HiMD unit does as a matter of course) then 132kbps should be easily adequate for portable listening.

It IS possible to record SP into any MD unit (they all have optical in except the ones with D for downloader in the name eg DH710, NH600D). Many people agree that this is superior. However I am beginning to be sceptical. As long as you are careful you can get excellent quality at LP2. The critical step is NOT to try importing CD's as WAV using SonicStage. Almost any other route works great (Simple Burner LP2, Atrac Advanced Lossless import into PC) but the WAV file you get from a direct import is hopeless.

Question 2: depends on the soundcard. I use the Terratec Aureon Fun 5.1, and I can do exactly as you say. Of course there's still titling to do.

[bobt]

bit rate is way overused, you hear what you want to hear, nothing more, nothing less. Case in point, I work in a noisy environment (Power generatin station) with a twelve cylinder Cat diesel 20 feet and a wall away from me. I use my B10 to listen to music, not loud enough to drown out the diesel, but enough to hear the music, quite often I will look at the display, and see the disc has ende, when my mind has been telling me I have been listening to something, try it, don't focus on the job of listening, just listen, and see if it works for you.

As I have continually posted through the years, only your ears can tell you what sound good, LP4 is good enough for the plant, for serious listening it may show some defects, but especially with MP3's you won't be able to tell the difference unless you have reference standard headphones, and incredible level matching, if on is even 1 db highr in level it will sound better.

Bob