iMac to Minidisc

[Linnovice]

Hi,

I have an iMac desktop pc connected to my Sony W1 MiniDisc via the Optical Out (iMac)to Optical in on Toslink. Would I gain any quality by connecting via the USB out on the iMac? If so, how can I go about connecting to the W1 which only has Optical ins and outs.

Can anyone suggest a viable method please?

Regards

Mike

[PhilippeC]

A connection using an USB cable is called Net-MD connection. The MD (deck or portable unit) MUST be Net-MD (see minidisc.org 's browser).

Using a Net-MD connection you can

- record in real time (aonly way to get a real SP quality)

- transfer files to the MD unit in MDLP +/- Hi-MD formats (depending of the unit but NOT a Net-MD unit), even SP standard format that you are using now (but it is NOT SP quality like I said, a fake SP with the LP2 quality)

- transfer from the unit to the Mc, is alsop ossible but this is another subject

For NOW, you only can record from your Mac using your MDS-W1 (fantastic unit) only in real time, using a stereo RCA cable (minijack to RCA). The recording quality can be done with a digital quality (this is your choice as you wrote) also if your Mac (or an external DAC) has a digital out (SPDIF toslink) that you must connected to the digital in of your W1, knowing that the maximum quality acceptable is 24bit/48kHz (if you want to record Hi-Res quality music files in real time : record in analog OR downgrade the sound quality to 24bit/48kHz).

Note that with your W1 you CAN record TWO MD at the same time (two different sources) !

Where are you living ?

 

[Linnovice]

Hi PhilippeC and thank you for your response.

Are you saying I need to get an external DAC to go between the USB out on the iMac and the Toslink in on the W1? 

The optical out on the iMac I’m using at present is ok but nothing special. I want to record in real time from the BBC website (320kbps) and sometimes from Quobus flac files. 

I would not have thought the analogue out of the iMac through an RCA splitter would be of a sufficient quality.

I’m based 40 miles outside London in the U.K.

Regards

Mike

[PhilippeC]

External DAC : no, except if you want a better sound quality, you can use the SPDIF Toslink out directly. But if you have an external DAC, typically the connection is PC/Mac USB - DAC - DAC SPDIF Toslink out - W1 SPDIF Toslink is possible. For what you want to do, recording in real time in 320 kbps MP3 to MD, your Mac sound card is good enough. External DAC is advised when you record lossless music, specially Hi-Res quality. The analogue out (specially the one from a good DAC) is usefull when you record HI-Res quality files because this is the only way to catch (or rather try to catch) the quality sound upper than 48kHz (SACD/DSD,etc), unless that your ears cannot listen the difference (a high-end audio system make it possible). Note that you have cheap 24bit / 96kHz or 192kHz DACs for 50£ on the market which are rather good - even with an analog connection - for the king of recording (radio) your are doing. I would advised you nethertheless to invest in a Cyrus or Arcam or DragonFly external DAC as you live in UK (ones with very good analog out) or DACs with also a SPDIF out, 150£ is a good starting price.

Naim or Linn DACs would be one of my dream choice. I just love the english audio sound (i am french and being loyal to Cyrus audio and Arcam audio all my life). Just not having not enough money to buy Naim and Linn !