Mini-disc recorders

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 5 Nov 2001 9:47 pm

Am thinking about getting a mini-disc recorder. Recommendations, please?
Also, can you transfer music from the mini-disc to a CD-R? to tape? What's involved?
Thanks,
jc

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Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 6 Nov 2001 6:33 am

Jimbeaux,

I've been using both a stereo and multitrack minidisc machine for years. I recorded a CD on mine and the quality (of the recording, at least

) was excellent. I prefer MDs to CDs for some applications and the compression algorithm (called ATRAC) has gotten better and better. Early versions colored the sound and produced warbly artifacts, creating somewhat of a bad first impression that the medium never conquered in the states.

The Sony line is excellent. Very little difference in quality (maybe NONE) between the less expensive models and top of the line. Just more features. One feature that's included in many models is S/PDIF digital in/out, either using the optical (called TOSlink) or coax (just like an RCA cable). If you have a soundcard or CD burner that accepts S/PDIF (the most common stereo signal digital protocol) you will be able to transfer to your other devices.

Drop me a note if you've still got questions.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 06 November 2001 at 06:36 AM.]

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 6 Nov 2001 7:00 am

About 6 months ago I was in a Best Buy and asked about them. The guy there kept trying to steer me to the MP3 players.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 6 Nov 2001 7:27 am

Thanks, guys. Larry, I'll email ya some further questions on that. Jack, I don't understand why he'd try to steer you to mp3 players... they don't do live recording! Unless, of course, all you want to do is put mp3s on for playback. Not my plan.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 6 Nov 2001 9:29 am

Minidisco is the best site on the web for buying a MiniDisc recorder and accessories. I highly recommend it.
The MiniDisc Community Portal includes many user reviews and recommendations.
I own a Sharp MD-SR60 and love it. It's amazing how well it records.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 6 Nov 2001 10:59 am

Hi Jim,
I record all our shows with a Sony Mini Disk player. I don't record them to CD's but if I can figure out how to do it on my computer I probably will at some time.
I use a Sony Stereo mic that was $99.
Buzz Evans son James Bassilion showed me some stereo mics that clip on your collar and they sounded awsome.
I also have a Yamaha MD-8 which is a 8 track mini-disk recorder. It works well but I wouldn't reccomend MD for multitrack recording because it didn't really catch on and other hard disk recorders seem to be the way the industry is going. On the other hand, used mini disk recorders are getting cheap. Also, the data-disk MD's required are $10-$15 each, and in 8 track mode you only get 18 min per disk. Regular MD's only record on 2 tracks.

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 6 Nov 2001 11:58 am

I have a Sharp mini-disc recorder that fits in a shirt pocket, and makes amazing recordings, thanks mostly to the microphones, which are a small stereo binaural pair about the size of pencil erasers. They have small clips that can attach to most anything. Most any mini-disc recorder is capable of great recording quality, especially if you're willing to spend a little more on microphones than the recorder. The ones I have are made by Core Sound. Another company, Sound Professionals, has a similar product line. There is a very unfriendly rivlalry between the two companies, I'm not really sure why, but I'm very satisfied with my Core-Sound mics.

My recorder has optical s/pdif in, but not out, which is a feature I would want if I ever get another one.

Bob Carlson · Post by **Bob Carlson** » 16 Nov 2001 8:28 pm

When the Mini Disc first came out, I read quite a few reviews on then. The reason, they said, it can be smaller than a CD, and still hold the same amount of information, is it only records 20 to 20 since thats all the human ear can hear. In tests they ran, very few people said they could hear any differance between it and a CD.

I would love to have one and have gave one the sound test to a CD and I couldn't hear any differance.

I like it being in the hard case, so you don't have to put it back in the jewel box like a CD.

BC[This message was edited by Bob Carlson on 16 November 2001 at 08:32 PM.]

Larry Beck · Post by **Larry Beck** » 17 Nov 2001 7:03 am

I could be wrong on this, but my bet is that you'll be able to find them cheap in about two years at garage sales next to the 8 tracks.

The technology may be good, but I don't think it will have the "critical mass" needed to survive. Think betamax.
lab

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 17 Nov 2001 8:51 am

Larry,
Did you know that minidiscs have been around since 1991 and prerecorded minidiscs far outsell CDs in Japan? While it's true that there isn't much interest in the US, there is SOME. I believe that NPR replaced DAT with minidiscs for remote reporting of radio news, etc. There are more of them in the US than you might think. Sony has been selling them for 10 years and I'll just bet if you go into a Circuit City (or one of those kind of stores) you'll find a minidisc player. They are also more popular in Europe than in the US.

Also, Jim wants to record stuff live using the minidisc (as I understood him above). How would you recommend getting a (near) CD quality stereo recording for $150 or $175? Minidics can do that. With a s/n ratio WAAAAAAAY better than any cassette -- dynamic range is about 105dB -- pretty impressive for cheap technology.

For what it's worth.
LTB[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 17 November 2001 at 08:58 AM.]

Larry Beck · Post by **Larry Beck** » 17 Nov 2001 6:53 pm

Larry:
Thanks for diminishing my high level of under-education on Mini-discs. (and with nary a flame!)
I looked at the Yamaha 4 and 8 tracks at 700 and 1,000 so I didn't know the technology existed in a more reasonable price/performance level. Since the future of the mini-disc is a swag, I'll stay with my opinion on that.

I chose a Fostex HD with no data compression for well under a grand. I have used it live with good results. On a smaller budget, I would certainly look at mini-discs now.

Cheers

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 18 Nov 2001 3:00 pm

Jim, I have been using Mini-Disc for years now and love them. I have a sony desk top and a Mini-Discman. Both are made by Sony. I think they have the best out right now.IMHO. I use the desk top to play music at home or to play tracks for practice. It is great for this purpose. You can set it so you can repeat one part of the song. This is really nice when learning a new song. The Discman is great for recording live music. I have used it at the convention a few times and it did just great. Much better than tape. The reason the sales guy wants you to buy an MP3 player he doesn't know what you want it for. Some of your mail order music catalogs may have a better price for the desk top models, but the Mini-Disc can be found at Circuit city, best buy,ect. Make sure it is a player recorder if you want to record live music with it.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 28 Nov 2001 5:03 pm

Went shopping today and couldn't find any models with digital output; only digital input to record from your computer. In fact, all I could find was two Sony models, the MZR500PC, which has no microphone input (!) and the MZR700DPC, which does have a mic input, but no digital output.

Does anyone know of a model WITH digital output? If not, if you have the 700DPC, how do you like it? Will it still sound good if I take the analog signal out of the MD recorder/player into my soundcard, record it as a wav file, then convert it to mp3 on my computer and burn a CD-R with it??

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 28 Nov 2001 5:30 pm

I don't know of any portable units with digital output.

Will it still sound good if I take the analog signal out of the MD recorder/player into my soundcard, record it as a wav file, then convert it to mp3 on my computer and burn a CD-R with it?

That's what I've done, except on a Mac. I run a cable from the MiniDisc player to the audio input of the computer, then adjust the levels until they sound good. I then record the audio and save it as AIFF files, and use Roxio Toast to burn the results to CDs.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 28 Nov 2001 11:22 pm

OK, guys. The deed is done. Here's what I did today:

1. Bought the SONY MZR700DPC.
2. Downloaded the MusicMatch Plus interface for $19.99
3. Hooked a tape up to my soundcard input jack and, via MusicMatch, recorded it into mp3 format on my hard-drive
4. Burned it onto a CD-R
5. Successfully played it on a portable CD player.

That's enough for one day. I'm going to bed (happy). Tomorrow, I'll record my band rehearsal with the MD recorder and then burn it onto CDRs for the band to listen to prior to our live recording. Just in the NICK of time!

Thanks for all your help and consultation, guys. It really was helpful.
jc

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