Solution (budget hardware device) for registering track numbers on Minidiscs

[DanMD]

Hi

 

Been reading this forum for a while and found so many helpful tips to help me so now I have decided to post a tip of my own. One of the issues I see a lot on the net and one I had problems with myself is getting the discs to register track numbers. I have now found a hardware solution that works even with tracks that dont even have a silence between tracks. Basically it copies the track marks like a CD.

 

I use VLC media player with a Macbook pro mid 2012 no longer getting updates (which can be used with a Windows 10 partition on the drive). I use flac files as my sound medium I dont use Sonic Stage or Webmd pro, Sonic wont do Flacs and in my subjective opinion I believe the sound quality suffers a little with Webmd pro. I have tried other media players with little success.

 

I use this little converter from Cubilux: USB A to TOSLINK Optical Audio Adapter and it records track marks perfectly every time. Just plug into the usb port (its plug and play) of your PC and plug the optical cable into the Cubilux and your MD unit. Set the Cubilux as your default audio device and disable all other sound devices to be sure you get no interference.

 

The Cubilux can be found here

 

https://www.cubilux.com/products/usb-a-to-s-pdif-optical-audio-converter

 

There are other versions of this converter with different output and input ports that may be more suitable to your PC needs also its available on Amazon.

 

You can set the numerous sampling rates in the Cubilux properties/advanced tab in the Sound Panel Windows (the panel is the one with the little speaker icon)

 

Turn the volume right up on the VLC media player to 125% it helps I have noticed a slight decrease in playback volume if this is not done.

 

The recordings are brilliant to be honest I use 24 bits/44.1 of course this is more than the MD will use but I like to give it the choice of picking the best bits when run through the Sony MD encoder.

 

I always record in SP on the Sony MZ N510 which uses ATRAC type S for long play but records in ATRAC type R for SP recordings.

 

I playback on the Sony MZ R70 (mine is not noisy) and the volume and sound are excellent on this unit and I just love the button lay out for playback so simple no need to go near the menu.

 

 

 

 

[BearBoy]

Hi @DanMD, welcome to the forum!

 

Thanks for the recommendation; looks like a useful little device. Do you know if it works with recording from streaming services as well as files stored locally on your PC?

 

The USB-C version would make a useful way of connecting a tablet/phone to a MiniDisc recorder.

 

4 hours ago, DanMD said:

I believe the sound quality suffers a little with Webmd pro.

 

That's interesting. I was going to ask which encoder you had been using (I know the default "atracdenc" encoder is generally believed to be somewhat substandard) but then noticed that you said you only recorded in SP so your MZ-N510 would be doing the ATRAC encoding anyway. I wonder what's going on that is resulting in an impact to the sound quality?

[DanMD]

Hello BearBoy

 

Im pretty sure it can be used with a streaming service if you can get the streamed music to ouput to usb all the Cubilux does is convert it to an optical signal. It works fine with my locally stored Flac files.

 

I have the usbc version with a usba adapter its also available on Amazon

 

https://www.cubilux.com/products/usb-c-to-s-pdif-optical-audio-converter-1

 

There is also an input version

 

https://www.cubilux.com/products/spdif-to-usb-a-receiver

 

I would not like to critique Webmd Pro its an excellent program and makes recordings easier but as always sound quality is a matter of opinion.

 

VLC media player is simple and handles Flac files very well. I dont need track titles just the track numbers. On some of the MDP screens the title scrolling would give me a headache

 

ATRAC Type R was the last MD recording codec and according to various sources it improves recording with an updated chip.

 

[BearBoy]

31 minutes ago, DanMD said:

I'm pretty sure it can be used with a streaming service if you can get the streamed music to output to usb all the Cubilux does is convert it to an optical signal. It works fine with my locally stored Flac files.

 

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I meant with regard to track markers, rather than just being able to record the audio. I've had mixed results using my current solution. Seems to generally work okay when there are gaps between tracks but not when the music transitions from one song to the next without any silence.

[DanMD]

It will put track markers on a Minidisc even if the audio source does not have any gaps between songs(dont ask me how it does it but it does).

 

I have Flac files of an album called Oxygene by Jean Michel Jarre it has no discernable audio gaps between tracks it marked them all!  It marked all the songs correctly on Pink Floyd The Wall as well all 26 of them.

[sfbp]

Doesn't the PCLK-MN10 (and MN20) do this by default? You still need the LS(Sync) setting on your deck, can't remember what the default is on N510 etc.

 

It's the difference between NO SOUND but an active connection (S/PDIF), ie silence, and NO CONNECTION. I think it is the latter that reliably makes the track mark. Check?

[DanMD]

Those Sony machines are bulky the Cubilux is tiny, usbc, needs no power, no software its just plug and play. It puts track marks where there is no silence of course this means the song jumps in nevertheless the tracks are handy for navigation. Where there is a silence of some sort it inserts the track numbers perfectly.