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Sony 640 or 940 wanted

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mick_t

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For all us, it has taken years to know well the MD market. Mostly members know a lot better about Sony than other brands. Everything begin with minidisc.org - specially the equipment browser - then all the topics that are pinned in this forum. I suppose that some MD forums like the MD Facebook page (I am not a Facebook member) can bring many more answers. Every country has also a little community with sometimes his own forums and blogs.

 

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I saw that PC3. Wondering if its worth the price.... I'm still new to the MD pricing scene.

​$30 it's a complete steal, if nobody bids it up. But you'll want to grab the remote from the other auction, and you will have to get a 9V PS, no problem there, looks like the guy simply doesn't have the bits or doesn't know what they are if he has them. That would tend to argue in favour of the device being intact. You can't fall off the floor.

The versatility of the PC3 is that you can use it as a D->A or A->D (and also D->D relay) as well as control it from the PC. So far it's the only one of that generation that works right with Gracenote to grab metadata of CDs (in the PC) that don't have CDTEXT already written on them.

 

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Would I need the PCLK-MN10 with the PC3? The gear browser says "uses the USB based PCLK-MN10 connection kit for PC to MD digital audio transfer and control." Does that mean the MN10 is internal or that it was included with the box but not included anymore and needing to buy separate?

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In point of fact, you could get that MDS-JE770 complete with PCLK. A bit more money, but it might suit you well if you want to manage with only one deck. Don't forget to order a 100V power converter. You can plug a lot of this gear into 120V but it will shorten its life something horrible.

Edited by sfbp
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OK. So I would proceed with plan A and get the PC3 and its remote in a couple of days.

Meantime, sign up for one of the other services and see if they can do it.

There's rinkya, and fromJapan.co.jp and quite possibly some others.

They have different rates and different policies. You may get lucky. Either that or find a friend in Japan willing to do the deal. I'm intrigued by the 770 myself, I just realised its the ONLY model to publicly advertise that it supports keyboard AND PC-Link. Looking at the circuit to see if I can reverse engineer that :)

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I've never had anything but good luck. 100% success, your friend is just a bit timid. This (Yahoo) is literally the only place you can get a lot of this more than once in a blue moon. If you have a friend in Japan they don't need to use Buyee or anything else, they can simply bid themselves.

I'm not subscribed to anything except Buyee.

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How easy is the MXD D40 to title and group tracks without the PCLK MN10. Is there any other way?

There's also a 780 and 980 on eBay... Didn't want to spend thus much but would be nice to just get what I need rather than waiting 8 months...

Update: just bought a PC3 with MN10 off eBay for $100. I'll keep looking for a playback unit as well.... Thank you so much for your help! I'll let you know how it goes.

Edited by mick_t
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Yup. Got the remote and batteries on the way! Im excited. Ill let you know how its all working out. Out of curiosity, you both have recommended the MXD D40. How does it compare to the D5C? I notice it doesnt have PC link, but it does have a keyboard link. Perhaps it would work as a standalone home stereo playback unit? while still being able to easily record cds...

or just stick to the idea of a 940...

Im unsure how to rate playback for a deck. Ive heard it has something to do with the digital filter...  

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Absolutely the best way to play back is through optical digital out, IMHO. The D40 doesn't have it, but I have added it (you can look and if not finding I will go in, resurrect my notes or whatever). The 940 is the ONLY one (except for the pro models) that has both coax AND optical Input AND Output. You will need a nice amp that upsamples, anything made by Sony in the last 10 years will probably do. For example the STR-DG1000, and there are also comparable models you can get second hand by Onkyo and Integra. The DG1000 is the only one with an optical OUTput but in most cases it still requires SCMS-stripping to be useful. However you've probably got the amplifier side nailed down already. If you ONLY have an analog amp, then you need the best cables money can buy and the best DAC in an MD. The latter is argued much but you likely won't find anything except the 940 that does MDLP (there are lots of very heavy very superior models with massive DACs that predate amps with optical input, but they are all SP-only decks).

My project is to make the PCLK work with 940/640/D5C. Currently stuck because the D5C developed an unrelated fault (in the stocker) which I hope may be nothing more than fitting new belts. The 980 and other units which do USB will NOT do PCLK because that technology replaced the keyboard/PS2-style interface to SIRCS (take time to read about SIRCS by googling it, all will become clear, I promise). The 980's USB interface is also very sloooooow, and to make matters worse they never released the unit outside Europe, so they are all 230V mains. Net result, if you want to use Sonic Stage (i.e. the USB interface to talk to MD), use a portable, preferably a Hi-MD portable, for best results.

Note that the D400 (which has optical out and Type-S) doesn't even have a keyboard socket, never mind PCLK or KBD capability. Come to think of it, the playback from this is very good (because of Type-S instead of Type-R) and if all you need is single MDs or single CDs then you could look for one.

You will have to get XP or the XP-box (ie Windows 7 Pro or better) working to run M-Crew and thereby the PCLK.

Glad you're getting your feet wet - welcome to the fun.

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I had to wait about 3 yrs from the time I learned about this unit to actually getting one, second hand. It's onscreen interface is horrible but apart from that this thing is a beast! BTW I am seriously tempted by the 770 and signed up for that other site - but I think I will content myself with figuring it out from the schematic. Looks like the critical thing is a buffer for the IIC data consisting of either a single chip or (in the case of the D5C) about 3 bog standard transistors, which allow everything to be connected to the IIC bus without it crashing, I guess.

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Oh wow, I found 2 JBS-940s on Buyee/Yahoo for less than $50 each, and - guess what - THE JAPANESE VERSION SUPPORTS PC-LINK! There's one in 4 hrs and one in 4 days which may easily go for more I guess.

Hahahahahah. They both need fixing so the main objective is to minimize postage. The fault on the first one merely requires a replacement loading belt almost certainly. The second one it could be something easy, as the PS is not kicking in. Depends on how comfy you are messing with that stuff.

I just remembered why I like M-Crew so much 'cos I got to use it this morning - it's the editing:

a. you can type in titles easily (including copy and paste) whilst music is playing (What happened, Sonic Stage designers!?)

b. You can fingertip-control where you want to cut off recordings for editing, with no wear on anything except mouse and keyboard of PC (eminently replaceable of course).

Edited by sfbp
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Good luck on the 770. About amplifiers... I also have a Technics SA-AX530. Its a great amp, but came out before digital inputs were really coming on. Do you think there would be a difference playing say the 940 analog into the amp versus playing it digital into an external DAC and then into the analog amp? Or Cameron's D5C that he moded to have digital out?

 

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My D5C (the one that's bust) does digital out and it sounds good. The only thing about external DACs is if they're not designed by Sony there's a possible mismatch of specifications. (probably rubbish but I tend to think that Sony always supported their own devices flawlessly). I am very happy with my other amp, an Onkyo TX-SR605, almost the first unit that sold lots which had all the digital inputs.

Let's see what happens if I bid on that one, then. Life's an adventure!

Edited by sfbp
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"The 940 is the ONLY one (except for the pro models) that has both coax AND optical Input AND Output."

This is true, I believe, of Sony MD decks, but my Kenwood MD-2070 had both opt/coax I/O. And it has the awesome AD1855 (Analog Devices) DAC. Its playback SQ is very, very good. ATRAC 4.5, though.

Edited by bluecrab
typo
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NO MDLP! I am sorry to say. For that I use either MXD-D400 or D40, depending on context.  The Kenwood serves mainly as an outboard DAC for Internet radio via a laptop. However, when I have used it for MD playback...excellent SQ. Its specs are true. Its ATRAC 4.5 is what it is. I did try recording and it seemed like I got a very good recording, but sounding a bit different, somehow, from the Type-R Sony machines i usually use for that. I haven't really used the Kenwood enough for recording that I can conclude anything.

I also find that its controls and settings take some getting used to, but that could be because I am so used to the Sony interface (varies from unit to unit, but there is a basic similarity). The Kenwood is full-featured, though, and looks good. Its power button feels a bit...I guess "loose" might be the word. I think that's just how it is, because my brother also has the 2070 and his is the same way. Not a really big deal, but a noticeably different feel from any of my Sony units.

For whatever reason, the 2070 is starting to appear on eBay occasionally. Until I got mine late last year, you almost never saw one. But I had always been entranced by its pic on minidisc.org, so when I saw a like-new unit for $150, I bit. So far, I consider it well-spent money. They seem to be going for $150-225 now.

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OK, this thread was starting to bug me a bit, I admit it. Definitively, based on machines I have or have had:

SP/LP + [opt/coax I/O] = JB940, JA333ES

SP only + [opt/coax I/O] = JA20ES, JB930, Kenwood MD-2070

It would not surprise me much if other opt/coax I/O models are out there; these are just the ones I know. Units that also include LP are few. FWIW, the 333ES(Type R) is, IMO, so much better than the MXD-D400(Type S), that even without the Type S it sounds better in LP playback mode.

 

 

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