pinkribbonscars Posted June 18, 2004 Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 Hi. I'm new to the MD world and am currently looking at the Sharp IM-MT880. I was just wondering what the general consensus on this model is compared to other Sharp models that are available. I would like to use it for recording live performances. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted June 18, 2004 Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 Hello there, pink. Welcome. :happy: You've chosen yourself a nice unit to begin with, and it even has NetMD functionality. Will you be downloading tracks from the computer onto the MD? If not, then maybe you should look for a non-NetMD unit so you can focus on recording. Will you want to upload your recordings to the computer? If so, you won't be able to do it through NetMD [you'd have to upload it in a 1:1 scenario, either through an analog or digital configuration - I can explain more about this later]. What color were you going to get? heh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkribbonscars Posted June 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 Thanks for the welcome kurisu! I am buying an MD player primarily so I can record, but at the same time I was also hoping to use it to replace my discman (it's so cumbersome to carry around) and mp3 player (it only holds 128 mb!). And yeah, I've been reading around about uploading recordings onto the computer and so far it sounds a bit complicated, which is why I'm not sure which model would be best for my needs. Ideally I want to be able to use it for recording and as a player. Since I'm just a beginner, perhaps I should just focus on one thing at a time? The sister has spotted the Sharp IM-MT880 in HK for about $300 CAD, which, from looking around online, seems a bit pricey. A lot of people on this board seem to like/recommend the Sharp IM-DR420? There have also been a few posts recommending people to wait for Hi-MDs as well. But maybe that's getting ahead of myself there. As for colour...hey, are you implying that because I'm a girl I care about what colour my MD player will be? :ohmy: I jest. I don't really care, but silver (or if it comes in black) is a safe choice, I'd say. Oops, sorry for the rambly post. To echo the sentiments of many newbies on here, there are so many models with different features to choose from that it's hard to decide what's best! Thanks for any advice you can give me. It would be much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted June 18, 2004 Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 Maybe you should chill a bit and wait for Hi-MD. The recording functionality [and allowance for digital uploads via USB] and high storage space will give you the best experience with Minidisc in general, at least moreso than what we have now. If you had to buy something now, get something all encompassing. The DR420 is a good buy and is really packed with the best features that a MD unit can deliver - except the lack of LCD remote. What's your maximum budget? You put forth a jest towards me! Hah, I like ya already [i don't get jested too often :rasp:]. Oh yeah, the Sharp IM-MT880 comes in pink. It's a very keen pink at that. :happy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkribbonscars Posted June 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 That's sounds like a good idea. I don't forsee that I will be recording any performaces in the immediate future. Hi-MD sounds good, but I guess I'll have to see. I think something in the $200 - $300 CAD range is what I'm willing to part with. I'm not sure if that's realistic though, to get something that's reliable and good. I will be back to hassle you for Hi-MD advice when the time comes :happy: You put forth a jest towards me! Hah, I like ya already [i don't get jested too often :rasp:]. Oh yeah, the Sharp IM-MT880 comes in pink. It's a very keen pink at that. :happy:Heh. Good pull! I had a feeling you were leading up to that :laugh: I should have seen that coming, eh? And you don't get jested too often? Well, people don't know what they're missing then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted June 18, 2004 Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 Hehehe. :happy: btw - There is a Canadian Minidisc e-tailer, appropriately dubbed "Minidisc Canada". Here's a relevant portable MD unit page: http://www.minidisc-canada.com/shopdisplay...rtable+MiniDisc It's a damn shame the DR420 costs so much in North America, but that's because of the dollar being absolutely crummy. Maybe if you tack another $17CAD on your budget you could swing the NHF800? You may just want to stick with NetMD for now, but it's really up to you. It's just not very user-friendly to upload tracks you've recorded with a NetMD machine, and I rather not see you get dissuaded by the format because of such. Take your time is all I can recommend, you'll figure out what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkribbonscars Posted June 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 Thanks for the link, will check it out. It's a damn shame the DR420 costs so much in North America, but that's because of the dollar being absolutely crummy. Maybe if you tack another $17CAD on your budget you could swing the NHF800?Aye, it is a shame. Hm, I don't know, $17 is a big investment :rasp: From what I've read, most people recommend Sharp over Sony, if one is looking to use the player for recording purposes, in terms of user friendliness of the recording process itself (as well as sound?). I'm not too well versed in this, but that's why I was leaning towards a Sharp. In all honesty, I'm quite confused by the whole MD area. Mostly in terms of why it's not more widely used or available. Is it because it's difficult/expensive and not very user friendly? Personally, I like that it's smaller than CD players and I'm really interested in it's recording capability that most mp3 players don't have or do not do as well in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted June 18, 2004 Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 Sharp does seem to give the best functionality with recording, so perhaps a good NetMD recorder will suffice for now. Maybe if your ambitions strengthen you can then go for Hi-MD. So, how much are you going to hypothetically snag that MT880 for? You should probably indeed get that unit, as it seems ideal for this scenario. It's a very favorable unit, actually. Why isn't Minidisc more popular? Poor advertising, lackluster reviews by the consensus [giving it the overall "It's dead" feel], and now the competition from portable music players like the iPod and such. Players like that have options far beyond Minidisc's capability, such as multi-format codecs, louder headphone amps and much more. The true advantages of the MD format are waning these days and people can see that. MD truly belongs to a niche group of people who can see light in MD's unique [but respected] live recording ability and the overall "cool" factor of discs and tiny devices. I still think it's great for a budding enthusiast and definitely should not be overlooked as a portable solution. Hi-MD will strengthen MD's game a bit - if you can't tell already then just wait, you'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkribbonscars Posted June 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 The sister says that she saw the MT880 for about $300 CAD. I'm, uh, not too confident in her bargaining skills, so it probably won't be for much less than that. Is that price even reasonable for that player? I've found the DR420 on ebay for around that price, but again, not sure if that's reasonable. Although I'm hesitant to buy it off ebay as well. I don't doubt that the MT880 would be good, but I'm still worried about the uploading part. I'm not really in much of a hurry to get an MD player, but this came up because the sister is in HK and looking around for me. I could probably wait another couple of months, as I won't be needing it right away. Unless the price is reasonable, I'll probably continue looking. Is Sharp coming out with Hi-MD? I assume that they will eventually. Or have they already? It's too bad that MD hasn't really caught on. I think I'd really like it once I get one. I've been thinking about getting one for a few years now, but never got around to it. The recording ability is what draws me in the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted June 19, 2004 Report Share Posted June 19, 2004 Sharp will probably come out with Hi-MD units late this year or early next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkribbonscars Posted July 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2004 Thanks for all your help so far, kurisu! I've decided to hold off buying a MD player/recorder for now, as I've just inherited this old thing, which is just a player and will suit my needs at the moment just fine. The only problem I have now is to figure out how to put music onto the discs, since it's only a player. Ha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted July 2, 2004 Report Share Posted July 2, 2004 Hehe, that thing is ancient! I don't even recognize it myself. What's the model number? ..and you know that you cannot record onto it since I'm assuming it's a player-only unit. All the more reason to get a MT880. :happy: <3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkribbonscars Posted July 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 It is a Pioneer PMD-P3-L. And yep! I'm aware of the fact that, alas, it is a player-only unit! But I can wait a bit before buying a new one. :happy: I'm still coveting the Sharp IM-DR420 though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.