MXD-D400 : why should I buy one ?

[PhilippeC]

phamcu has one to sell for 3T2 = $151

Please feel free to give me good reasons to jump on it !

[sescoscuba]

I, at that price, would buy it

[PhilippeC]

Ok Sergio, but that price does not impress me that much because I bought my Sony MDS-JB980 for 65€ plus shipping.

I would rather wait for some functional, technical or audio qualities.

[sescoscuba]

You re right,

but use only a machine to register 4 x a blank....

Atrac S...

mmmmmhhhhhhhh

[bluecrab]

I have two MXD-D400s (One US, one JPN). They have been excellent and reliable copiers and will copy LP at 4x, unlike prior models (D40 et al.). They are easy to use, too and have Type S. I copy MD > MD using an MXD-D400 and a MDS-JA20ES, digitally, using scms stripper. Those, for me, are the major pluses.

On the other hand, the unit's digital I/O is limited to one optical each for I/O. And the playback sound is nothing to get excited about (via analog out), to say the least, although it is superior to the MXD-D40 (I have two of those, as well) in that regard. However, you can improve the output SQ by using the digital out.

Ultimately, I rarely use the MXD-D400 for playback. It just doesn't sound as good as an JA20ES, JA333ES, or JB940. As I said, though, it's a great and full-featured copier. Were I in the market for one, I'd definitely pay USD 151 for it, assuming excellent condition.

[PhilippeC]

bluecrab, what is SCMS "stripper" ?

[bluecrab]

It is a device that alters the copy-protection bit when you're copying a digital copy in digital mode. For example, suppose I copy a CD to MD digitally on the MXD-D400. The MD is now copy-protected and cannot be copied digitally again, unless you change or remove the copy-bit. This applies to all standalone consumer-grade equipment. That's what the "stripper" (sometimes called an SCMS-killer) does.

Here's a fancy one that also does much more: http://www.minidisc.org/part_Behringer_Ultramatch_SRC2000.html

The one I have has only the one function of altering that copy bit (I think it is the Hucht MK II Copyprocessor).

[PhilippeC]

It is a device that alters the copy-protection bit when you're copying a digital copy in digital mode. For example, suppose I copy a CD to MD digitally on the MXD-D400. The MD is now copy-protected and cannot be copied digitally again, unless you change or remove the copy-bit. This applies to all standalone consumer-grade equipment. That's what the "stripper" (sometimes called an SCMS-killer) does.

Here's a fancy one that also does much more: http://www.minidisc.org/part_Behringer_Ultramatch_SRC2000.html

The one I have has only the one function of altering that copy bit (I think it is the Hucht MK II Copyprocessor).

I have already noticed that Behringer Ultramatch for its astonished audiophile sound (so they said on the web). It is as so a good DAC both for recording and listening (PC or CD ---- recording ----> MD... or PC or CD ---- listening ----> Ampli). This is common thing that professional units allow digital copy, as my Sony MDS-B5 is supposed to do with another B5.

To get around that, phamcu in Vietnam sell (who sell the MDX-D400) a modified Sony MDS-W1 deck witch allow COPY (not only transfer of tracks from one MD to one MD).

You "think" you have a Hucht MK II Copyprocessor... because it has been built inside ?

I don't know HOW phamcu suppressed the transfer-only of his W1s and I wonder if he could find something similar than the Behringer device between my JB980 and a MXD-D400, just because the W1 is SP only. Maybe the modified W1 allow the copy of MDLP tracks (even if it cannot read them).

[philippeb]

To get around that, phamcu in Vietnam sell (who sell the MDX-D400) a modified Sony MDS-W1 deck witch allow COPY (not only transfer of tracks from one MD to one MD).

[...]

Maybe the modified W1 allow the copy of MDLP tracks (even if it cannot read them).

The MDS-W1 does lossless copies of MONO or SP tracks. The MDS-W1 cannot copy MDLP tracks: like all pre-MDLP decks, it recognizes and plays MDLP tracks as silent SP tracks, and copies them as such.

[bluecrab]

PhillipeC asks:

You "think" you have a Hucht MK II Copyprocessor... because it has been built inside ?

No, because I forget if it is MK II or MK III.

Edit: It is neither. It is the Hucht CDQ1-IHF.

http://www.brelektronik.de/ERRMO-EU/cdq1info.htm

(Text is in German.)