Tech: Sony minidisc - snap, crackle, & pop

Subject: Tech: Sony MD recordings - snap, crackle, & pop
From: bsumner
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 01:19 PM

I have a Sony MZ-RH10 Hi-MD minidisc walkman, with a Sony MS-907 microphone.

I have tried twice to record a friend playing her fiddle, and it records fine, but there are unexplained pops and blank spots in the recordings. The same thing happened on two different mini-discs.

The microphone was attached to her music stand with a gooseneck connector and she stood about two feet back while playing. She is a concert violinist and plays _very_ loudly, so I asked her to back off the volume a little for the recordings. The first time I recorded her, the volume control was set to 100% and there was enough noise on the recording to make me want to try again. The second time, I tried setting the volume setting to (roughly) 75%, 50%, and 25% before different songs. The unexplained noises decreased somewhat as I got down to the 25% level, but they weren't completely gone.

Is there anything else I can do to eliminate this problem?

Subject: RE: Tech: Sony minidisc - snap, crackle, & pop
From:
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 04:38 PM

What mode are you recording in? LP or one of the newer Hi-Density modes?

I've never encountered such a problem with fiddlers before.

I use the ECM-S5 for my MZ-N707 recorder.

Subject: RE: Tech: Sony minidisc - snap, crackle, & pop
From: Bernard
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 04:50 PM

It sounds more like you've a dirty jack connection on your microphone.

When you insert the mic plug, twist it back and forth a few times to give it a clean - every time you plug it in.

The microphone is an electret, and needs a small voltage to make it work, you see. The pops are from the electrical connection making or breaking, and the blanks spots are when the connection has broken...

If it's an ongoing problem, try gently spraying the plug with WD40, then plug it in and give it a few twists.

Jack plugs (especially the mini-type) have a very small contact area, so microscopic amounts of dirt can be quite drastic!

Subject: RE: Tech: Sony minidisc - snap, crackle, & pop
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 05:52 PM

Before I went twisting any thing around in my MDs jack-hole, or spraying anything into it, I'd try a new mic...

Subject: RE: Tech: Sony minidisc - snap, crackle, & pop
From: GUEST,FolkieFrank
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 09:09 PM

I've got a Sharp portable that did that on me on a live recording, and it's never recorded since.I only use it for playback now...but I always make sure any MD is protected before putting it into the damned thing now, after losing a couple of recordings for no reason that I could make sense of.