LP modes - Is it worth the hassle?

[Another MD fanatic]

Just wondered what others thought about this. My own experiments with LP4 were disastrous so I'm going to ignore that completely. But even LP2, where do I start.

Reduction in sound quality - There is but whether it's noticeable varies from one person to another. Listening through some studio grade headphones (that are renowned for being clinical) LP2 recordings don't have the sense of air and space at the top end of the frequency range that SP recordings have. Having said that, whether or not there's a noticeable difference listening through some earbuds on the bus to work is a different thing entirely.

Sonic Stage - You've only got to look through the postings on this forum to see the variety of difficulties people have with that. And now we've lost Gracenote as well making things more awkward.

Then there's compatibility. The couple of LP2 discs that I have I can only play on about a third of my MD collection.

Or am I the only one who still uses MD in the way it was originally designed i.e. as a replacement for the cassette? Everything (almost) recorded in real time in SP mode and always delighted with the results.

Any comments?

[PhilippeC]

I am with you. SP is not perhaps the best (Hi-MD 352 kbps & LPCM are) but give total compatibility with all units. This is also important for me.

[kieronkirk]

"Or am I the only one who still uses MD in the way it was originally designed i.e. as a replacement for the cassette? Everything (almost) recorded in real time in SP mode and always delighted with the results."

No you are not the only one and yes and I am delighted with the results after 20 years of recording SP.

Kieron.

[sfbp]

LP2 and LP 4 work brilliantly, here. They are actually better CODECs than the SP. Experiments have a tendency to backfire. The whole reason that MP3 won the day in 199x, when it should have been ATRAC.

If you don't do it right, yes, LP4 can sound awful. But I have a couple of thousand hours of classical music of all shapes and sizes that sounds great.

[freddyjollo]

LP2 is  fine. LP4 can sound  dull and ok for speech

[sfbp]

Depends if you did it by conversion of a higher bit rate. But for recording directly through optical, it works pretty good.

[PhilippeC]

Knowing the source is lossless, you want to make LP2 or a LP4 MD disc

What do you prefer (and why)

SonicStage (conversion + transfer)

or a real time recording (from a computer or CD player)

 

[trott3r]

I tend to record vinyl as SP and sports commentary on the radio in LP4.

LP2 is okay but there is no point to me with my usage.

[KJ_Palmer]

For 'convenience' I use this with CDs: rip CD > wav > Sonicstage > LP2 conversion > MD. 

Sounds fine to me and the LP2 MDs play on all my current equipment.

[LCQ428]

On 8/11/2018 at 12:34 PM, KJ_Palmer said:

For 'convenience' I use this with CDs: rip CD > wav > Sonicstage > LP2 conversion > MD. 

Sounds fine to me and the LP2 MDs play on all my current equipment.

I do the same and don't have a problem, LP2 is great for portables. I guess if one was sitting in front of their system for critical listening then put on the original source :-) Honestly I was listening to one I thought was SP but was LP2. I really believe sometimes we can already put a preconceived idea into our heads when we 'know' what is in the machine. Honestly for me I can say that but there are some that have a better discerning ear so they record in the SP mode. That is what makes the Minidisc such a wonderful format!