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24 Nov 04 - 01:47 AM (#1337312) Subject: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Mark Cohen I'm going to be at Camp Harmony in California next month, and would like to be able to record lots of songs. I know lots of people have minidisc recorders, but it's a technology that has completely passed me by. (I still have my Walkman Pro that I bought in 1987, for about $100. But when I took it to Singtime Frolics in 2000, none of my recordings came out because I didn't think to change the battery on the 12-year-old stereo microphone.) Any suggestions on a good minidisc recorder to get, and other tips on using it? I don't need state of the art, just one that will give pretty good quality from live recordings. What kind of files are recorded on these things? WAV? MP3? I'm clueless here. Aloha, Mark |
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24 Nov 04 - 03:21 AM (#1337340) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond I believe the file format is OMG... and if you want to be able to 'upload' them to your PC, the only option CURRENTLY is to 'real time' recored them using a program like CoolEdit or similar... IF you invest in a High-Density MD recorder, in a few months you will have access to software that will allow you to upload recorded files as quickly as dragging and dropping any file from any current 'external' source to your hard-drive... You will also, with Hi-MD, be able to record 1 GIGs worth of audio on a single disk (45+ hours I think...) Try here for more info on Hi-MD http://www.minidisc.org/hi-md_faq.html Good luck! |
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24 Nov 04 - 05:26 AM (#1337405) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: moocowpoo well, I could talk about the the minidisc (atrac) recording system but you'll find all that info from the site clinton suggested a look at...what is more confusing, is sifting through all the reviews and comparisons,,I'll tell you my experiences: Firstly, I have owned md players for about 7 years now and they're wonderful!, I have made recordings at folk festivals of great bands who have no cd, so nice to have this hardcopy to supplement the memory. I still have my first Md, (It only just died, it still works but the display has had it) It's a Sony (MZ-R70) It records beautifully, and you have control over the recording level. The bast thing is that it's quite easy to use....However, its biggest flaw is that it has a lot of motor noise. In July I made recorings at Kaustinen folk fest, in Finland, and I'm editing the last of it now and there are quite a few tracks where the "whir, click, vvvvvvvvfffft!" of the motor, is clearly audible. I use a long cable to bring the mic as far as possible from the machine but, the noise is still there. I also own a panasonic (SJ-MR220), It records beautifully live, is easy to use and it's motor noise is barely audible. The ONLY drawback is the playback volume is not very high. This is only because the headphone amp is just 3.5 Mw (instead of the usual (5.0). This is not a concern if you just want to put it on your computer, it's just a bit annoying when, listening to music on a train. The MD player I'm most satisfied with is my Sharp, (MT-99W) Like the panasonic, I bought this from ebay, It records nicely (all mds seem to reord nicely), the motor noise is minimal. The playback volume is amazing!, Sharp Md players have a reputation for being, generally the loudest in playback. One of the most important concerns, for recording is battery longevity. panasonic is one of the best, my one uses a gumstick battery, a recharge gives huge recording times. The panasonic also has a little screw-on, AA battery case for the option of battery types. For me, Ideally, it's best to have the choice of battery types, If I were to chose between an Md which took only AA and one which took only gumstick, despite the longgevity of the gumstick, I would always chose AA, they're just more readily available, should you have a OhNoIjustUsedupAllmyRe-chargables!, emergency. I hope this rave helps you, if you have any other questions please ask! moocowpoo |
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24 Nov 04 - 05:45 AM (#1337410) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: moocowpoo Oh, also, 'net-md' has been available for a few years, with a Net-md you can do very fast transfer to pc. The downside of Net-mds is, a lot of them dont have mic inputs (some do, the minidisc site will help with specs). Clinton also talked about HI-MD, well I haven't really looked into these, I think they can record music, compressed with mp3 format. They probably just use ATRAC to do mic recording tho, I don't know...it's worth looking into if you want a fast transfer to PC and huge disc storage, Me, I don't mind just plugging a cable from the Md headphone (or line out) socket, into my soundcard and just letting it play through. It all depends on how patient you are and what volume of field-recorded stuff you actually want to put on PC. moo |
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24 Nov 04 - 06:01 AM (#1337418) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: treewind Can you transfer from MD to PC with net-MD? I though one of the irritating limitations was that you can only go the other way. Has that changed recently? Like you, I just use the MD (mine's a Sony MZR-30, old but one of the best they made) like a cassette walkman without any of the noise and distortion. MD audio out -> PC audio in : sorted! You don't need to know about ATRAC. MP3 etc because you don't get access to the data in that form; it's just audio in, audio out. Most portable MDs with a mic socket supply electret power so a really simple electret mic without its own batteries will work, really well too. Whatever, http://www.minidisc.org is and always was the place to go for information. Anahata |
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24 Nov 04 - 06:06 AM (#1337422) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: BanjoRay Don't be afraid to use it at it's slowest recording speed to get the most time per disc - I used to record at fastest to get the highest quality, but experimented with the slowest and can't tell the difference, so now I spend a lot less on discs. Cheers Ray |
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24 Nov 04 - 06:54 AM (#1337451) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond "Can you transfer from MD to PC with net-MD?" You will be able to with Mi-MD when the software is released (A matter of a few months IIRC) And ya... make sure your unit will use regular old AA batteries (I get MONTHS of use out of one) Internal rechargable, short life batteries are one of the many down sides to I-pods... |
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24 Nov 04 - 07:00 AM (#1337456) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond "now I spend a lot less on discs" I never thought the disks were really expensive enough to worry about that... and with Hi-MD, one 10 buck disk will hold 33 (I checked) hours of music... Also with Hi-MD, the old disks can be reformatted to hold 10 hours.... How sweet is that???? :-) |
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24 Nov 04 - 07:11 AM (#1337474) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: moocowpoo oops yes treewind, you're right I got it the wrong way round. The current net md is only pc to md fast transfer..I sit corrected |
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24 Nov 04 - 07:36 AM (#1337497) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Dave Bryant MDs were first devised as as a way of allowing you to download tracks from CDs and to play pre-recorded MDs. They nearly all have optical digital imput, but to prevent pirating of tracks there was no digital output. Nowdays, pre-recorded MDs are defunct, and CD writers make the pirating of CDs a doddle, for downloading CD tracks MP3 is now the norm. I still don't know of any small walkman size CD recorders which have digital output (there are some full-size decks), which is a great pity as one of the main uses of MD recorders these days is for making live recordings. When will the manufacturers realise that the original reasons for not including this feature have been completely voided by modern technology and put the matter right. I have a Sony MZR-30 which has some great features, but which I find rather fiddly to use - especially if I want to use manual recording level. I recently bought a very cheap Sharp model, which is extremely light and compact, uses only 1 AA cell, and has manual recording level as a default. It also supplies "phantom power" for the microphone which means that I don't need an additional battery. I have been very pleased with the recordings that I have made with it. |
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24 Nov 04 - 11:56 AM (#1337772) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: treewind A very early Sony (MZ3 ?) had digital out but I have a feeling this used a lot of battery power and was discontinued in later models for that reason. The MZR30 also has mic power. Anahata |
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24 Nov 04 - 12:38 PM (#1337843) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Bernard My Sony Net-MD works in both directions (via USB), but the really annoying thing is the files are copy protected during transfer - they sit on the PC waiting for you to upload them back to the disc they came from, and nowhere else! Fat lot of use that is!! Added to which, the software is crap! For some obscure reason it has co-ax in only, but optical in and out (my Walkman only has optical in)... so I bought a cheap sound card with optical in/out and co-ax in/out, which makes life easier. It's still real-time transfer, which is a pain. What would be really useful (for me) would be an internal MD drive, but I doubt it will ever happen! |
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24 Nov 04 - 04:10 PM (#1338030) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca I would recommend going through the number of threads on the Mudcat that discuss the Minidisc. It's quite informative. I would recommend any of the minidisc models you like the look/feel of as long as it has a Microphone input. Most current Walkman type portable MD recorders don't have microphone inputs, and they do cost more. However, you CAN purchase one of the many which don't have such as LONG as you purchase a microphone (none of the ones I know COME with one), with a PREAMP to bring it up to Line Level. Apparently not ALL MD recorders have the Line-level in, so you might want to look and make sure. In one of the previous threads I posted links to microphones with preamps. |
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24 Nov 04 - 04:12 PM (#1338033) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond MD drives for PCs are about as old as MDs themselves... they just never caught on (I seem to recall that Zip-Drives won the marketing war...) They can be had... the tend to be very expensive... |
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24 Nov 04 - 10:36 PM (#1338379) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Mark Cohen Thanks, all. Lots of info to sort through here. I did do a forum search before posting (I am an old hand, after all), but didn't find anything. Nobody mentions that you're supposed to do the forum search while you're awake... Aloha, Mark |
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24 Nov 04 - 11:01 PM (#1338396) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Q (Frank Staplin) I believe the remarks George Seto refers to are in thread 33411: Minidisc recording At that time, several recommended the Sony Portable MD player/recorder MZ-B10. It has a flat mic. |
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25 Nov 04 - 01:06 AM (#1338457) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: harpgirl ...I am looking at this page for stero mikes which seems like a wise idea if one wants good recordings for making CD's of music one participates in: minidisc stereo mikes hg |
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19 Dec 04 - 09:40 PM (#1361539) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Mark Cohen Well, I got the Sony Walkman MZ-NHF-800, which, Clinton will be pleased to note, is a Hi-MD machine. It was $238, which seems to be a good deal, especially since that includes a "free" $75 stereo microphone (powered by the unit). The power is from a single AA battery or AC converter. The only problem I can see (or not see!) is that there's a multitude of tiny buttons, most of which have labels that are embossed or engraved rather than printed, none of which is very friendly to 50-year-old eyes. It comes with a cute little remote control device embedded in the headphone cord, with even tinier buttons. The remote control even has a built-in AM/FM radio! Now if I can just figure out how to use the sucker, and if I can find a little case with a strap so I don't drop it in the mud, I'll be in great shape for Camp Harmony. (Then after camp I can figure out how to use Audacity to edit the hours of music I hope to record... ) Thanks for your help, everybody. Aloha, Mark |
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20 Dec 04 - 11:09 AM (#1361566) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond Cool deal Mark! When you decide you no longer like it, I'll give it a good home! LOL |
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20 Dec 04 - 12:39 PM (#1361599) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Peter T. I had one of those and had to give it back, everything was too small on it for anyone other than a dwarf -- also it was far too complicated, it was too tiresome. yours, Peter T. |
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20 Dec 04 - 12:45 PM (#1361604) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Q (Frank Staplin) A Sony MZ-NH900 has external mike available, etc. Is it too small and fiddly as well? |
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20 Dec 04 - 01:09 PM (#1361619) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Peter T. Yes, it was a 900 I got. I sat down and tried to make it work for about three days, and gave up. The knobs are tiny, and the instruction book is enough to drive you completely mad. It makes learning how to fly a Boeing 707 child's play. I gave up, and instead wired up my G-4 Powerbook, with an external mic, which took like 30 seconds. I should have done that at the outset, but everyone told me how great Minidiscs were. yours, Peter T. |
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20 Dec 04 - 01:17 PM (#1361625) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond Mini-discs -are- great... Don't diss it cause you weren't sharp enough to suss out it's very simple functionality... I know 5 year olds who can run mini-disd players/recorders... |
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20 Dec 04 - 01:17 PM (#1361626) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Stilly River Sage These are certainly the way to go now. I have a cabinet full of my Dad's various approaches to recording at his music sessions. They're all analog, however, so I have to figure out how to convert tapes to digital to CD. If he were alive today, he'd be using the digital devices, I have no doubt. (He LOVED gadgets!) Sounds like you found a nice one, Mark. (My daughter had that kind of in-line remote you mention on her CD player and loved it, but it finally wore out and she had to go back to using the buttons on the player itself.) I've been dabbling at converting Dad's tapes, with mixed results. Meanwhile, I could start a museum with all of the high-end and (in their day) very useful but now out-of-date devices and peripherals. SRS |
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20 Dec 04 - 09:23 PM (#1361987) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Q (Frank Staplin) Mark, if you read this, when you figure out how to use it, let me know what you think about it. Like Peter, I always lose in the war with instruction books. |
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20 Dec 04 - 09:36 PM (#1361994) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Amos Peter T is being a curmudgeon and a tech-grinch. And this from one of his most constant fans. The Sony MDR is a terrific piece of equipment and works flawlessly ONCE YOU LEARN IT. This requires understanding four or perhaps even six buttons each of which has between two and six choices. Maximum, a 24-item decision tree, divided into subsections. It isn't apple pie, but it no harder than 2-pie-R. A |
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21 Dec 04 - 01:58 AM (#1362089) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: IvanB I have an older Sony MZ-R55 and I love it! My experience with all the Sony's at least, is that each button performs any of several different functions, depending on sequences, combinations or the like. No biggie, but it DOES mean one must read the manual to become comfortable with the operation. But I also found that I'm interested in only about 10% of the available functions, so, once I learned those, use of the unit is simple. I'm with Clinton on this one. I've been saving my pennies to buy a Hi-MD machine when my R55 gives up the ghost, but so far it seems to keep chugging along just fine. |
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21 Dec 04 - 08:43 PM (#1362661) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: MaineDog I'm looking for a mini-disk data drive that interfaces to a computer, via scsi or ide, and allows us to edit the actual data on the minidisk. Any ideas? MD |
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22 Dec 04 - 08:02 AM (#1363047) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Peter T. Like most of these things, it has an interface only a tecchie could love. We are twenty years into the human-centred design movement, and these people still have no idea. Not everyone is a twelve year old nerd. yours, Peter T. |
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22 Dec 04 - 08:22 AM (#1363067) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: treewind SCSI MD data drives for PCs (or Mac) did exist once but they're long dead now. You couldn't read audio data with them anyway - all you could do was start/stop record and play on audio disks. With data MDs they were like Iomega Zip and Jaz but slower and more expensive. Bit of a dead duck really. Anahata |
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22 Dec 04 - 08:57 AM (#1363095) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: ConcertinaChap There is a gotcha you hould know about on many (maybe all?) Sony MD recorders. There is a little button called End Search that you are supposed to press before you do any recording on a disk that already has something on it that you want to keep. If you don't, you run the risk of over-recording the material that was already there. The minidisk communtiy site has some sad sob-stories from people who have overwritten the only recording of their daughter's wedding and the like. Other makers apparently manage without this button. Chris |
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22 Dec 04 - 11:01 AM (#1363180) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond "End Search" Mine defaults to beginning recordings from the 'end' already... As a matter of fact, I think that's the default to all of them now... if you don't want it to do that, you have to turn that feature off... And well, given how inexpencive the discs are... if you don't want to record over something, use a new disc... Data Well, the new HD modles will carry data... but as to editing, maybe have a look around -Here- "it has an interface only a tecchie could love" So put it back in it's box, and mail it to me, techophobe... oh... wait... you already took it back... so what now? Yer just here to bitch and suck and whine and moan all over this thread? Get stuffed Here's a quarter... make a phone call to someone who cares, and have them come and build you a bridge so you can get the f#ck over it! |
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22 Dec 04 - 12:05 PM (#1363269) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: John MacKenzie That MDP500 looks the biz, anybody got a spare $1400? Giok |
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22 Dec 04 - 12:22 PM (#1363283) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: DebC This has been a great thread. My Sony MZ-R700 died when I was in the UK last year. Apparently (and I got this from the minidisc.org site) you need to use an AC adapter for the country you are in rather than use an adapter plug to convert the voltage. I looked into getting mine fixed, but it would have cost more than the unit was worth, So I researched the newer models. A mic input was essential, which the R700 had. With the exception of the Sony NZ-900, the later models dropped the mic input. So on the recommendation of a friend, I went to Ebay and bid on and won a Sony MZ-R50 that is in perfect condition. It really is a nice machine and you can bet that I'll be visiting a Tandy store when I am in the UK in '05 and purchasing a 6 volt adapter for use in Britain. BTW-the stereo mic I use is a ECM-ds 70 Deb Cowan |
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22 Dec 04 - 02:22 PM (#1363386) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: 12string growler DebC "Visiting a TANDY Store", Sorry to tell you that Tandy stopped trading in the UK around 3 or 4 years ago and sold their shops to Carphone Warehouse. You could try MAPLIN's, CURRY's, DIXONS, POUNDSTRETCHER's etc all nationwide chains. You could also try the first street market you come across. They will sell you the same gear with a different lable but cheeper. Expect to pay £3 to £5. Chris |
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22 Dec 04 - 02:57 PM (#1363421) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: DebC Thanks, Chris. Didn't know that Tandy was no more. Deb |
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22 Dec 04 - 03:03 PM (#1363425) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: 12string growler Woolworth's (Big W) or any of the Superstores like Tesco, Asda(part of walmart), Morrisons, etc also stock em with multi-way dc power jacks. Chris |
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22 Dec 04 - 04:14 PM (#1363494) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: John C. I bought a Sony MD recorder a couple of years ago and soon discovered that you needed a degree in computer science just to switch it on. After failing to record several things I consigned it to a drawer where it languishes still. Needless to say I will not be buying any more Sony equipment - ease of use is my no. 1 requirement for electronic/digital gear. As a sort of stop-gap, until something better comes along, I tried using an Olympus voice recorder with the Sony ECM-MS907 microphone that I bought to go with the MD recorder (that just has an on/off switch which even I can operate!). The recorder takes a 64 Mb SD card which can hold 22 hours of recordings (!). It is also possible to download the files onto a hard disk, via a USB cable, and convert them to WAV files. Obviously the quality isn't brilliant but, by coincidence, a friend recently leant me some reel-to-reel tapes that he made on a Ferguson recorder back in the 60s - the quality is at least as good as that (much better than I thought I had any right to expect). At least now I have a personal record of some of the great singing that I have heard during 2004. |
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22 Dec 04 - 04:25 PM (#1363505) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond PM sent John C.! :-) |
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22 Dec 04 - 04:43 PM (#1363511) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca ConcertinaChap Um, all the Sony MiniDiscs I have used or owned, are set to start recording AFTER the end of the last track. You CAN set it to start wherever it happens to be (like right in the middle of a track), but that's not usually desired. HOWEVER, you might drop the unit, and it is mis-aligned so it tries to start recording at Track 1. If you notice that it is starting at Track 1, you should NOT press STOP! Take OUT the Battery. It will keep it from writing a new Table of Content and thereby losing whatever else was on the disk.
John C (any relation to Deb? 8-) |
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22 Dec 04 - 05:22 PM (#1363542) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: MaineDog So who is going to build the recording gear of the future, if not the 12-yera-old nerds of today? I was a 12 year old nerd once, and it led to a 37 year engineering career. MD |
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23 Dec 04 - 06:39 AM (#1363935) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Peter T. Hey Clinton, go and have a drink, man. What happened, your Christmas shopping getting you down? I have a right to use my crappy experience to tell people that Sony makes products for twelve year olds -- we were asked for our advice. That was my advice. Am I supposed to be a shill for Sony? yours, Peter T. |
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27 Dec 04 - 05:28 PM (#1365365) Subject: RE: Looking For A Good Tape recorder From: GUEST,rob@multiplaymusic.com.au Hi, I'm looking to purchase a good quality tape recorder. I need a dual speed tape recorder with both 3.75 and 7.50 speeds. I can be contacted on 0412 367 059 or the email address is rob@multiplaymusic.com.au. |
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28 Dec 04 - 05:35 AM (#1365723) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: John C. Reading this thread I am struck by the thought that the world really is divided into those who can operate gadgets and those who have problems (I fall into the last category). I had to smile at one of the contributions above in which we are informed that the Sony MD recorder is easy and merely requires mastering a 24 branch decision tree (with subsections). I could probably just about cope with 5 options: 'on', 'off', 'record', 'stop recording', 'transfer files to computer' - I can't even imagine why you might need (at least) 19 more! |
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28 Dec 04 - 09:56 AM (#1365897) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond I'll happily take it off yer hands John C.! :-) |
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28 Dec 04 - 12:58 PM (#1366004) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Ebbie I am one of those people who 'has problems' with gadgetry. I can learn simple functions beautifully though! This weekend I'm embarking on a 30 day train trip. I don't want to take along a stack of CDs but I do want music. I'm told that iPod is the way to go, with MP3 that I 'rip' off the CDRom, and that it will hold all the music from my current collection of CDs that I could possibly want. Is this how I want to go? Any further advice? |
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28 Dec 04 - 01:05 PM (#1366014) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: John MacKenzie Minidisc Ebbie IMHO Giok |
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28 Dec 04 - 01:57 PM (#1366062) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Ebbie How many hours of music can I put on a minidisc, Giok? I have a friend who has a tech store, primarily featuring Sony. I know they sell minidiscs. Do I need a speacial feature on an MD? Thank you. |
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28 Dec 04 - 02:46 PM (#1366092) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond Hi-Density Mini-disc players can get 43 hours of music on one HD disc... |
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28 Dec 04 - 03:16 PM (#1366113) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: shepherdlass This may have been pointed out already - haven't read the whole thread as I'm in a rush - but I thought I should cover it in case no-one else had. If you're going to record with a mic, please don't make the mistake I did: I failed to check whether the MZ N510 had a mic socket - it only has a line in, which is great for transferring recorded music but doesn't give any kind of pre-amp boost for less powerful inputs. Therefore anything recorded with a mic sounds more than a bit distant. Other than that, it's a great bit of kit, lightweight and very reliable. Just make sure you get the full specs before buying!!! |
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28 Dec 04 - 03:24 PM (#1366117) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Ebbie Thanks, guys. Clinton, 43 hours might do. :) |
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28 Dec 04 - 04:12 PM (#1366147) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond Actually, according to the email I just got from Minidisco, it's more like 45 hours... :-) and at $6.78 a disc, would it hurt so much to have 2? LOL |
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28 Dec 04 - 04:50 PM (#1366183) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Ebbie Oh, Clinton, I will be going on public transport- where the weight of luggage is a factor. Actually I am just trying to avoid taking X number of CDs along. Dark comes early these days and when I can no longer watch the landscape panorama going by my window each day I will be doing a lot of sketching, etc, while listening to music. I will be taking some songs to learn and some just to listen to. With headphones/earplug, I'll be happy as can be. |
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28 Dec 04 - 04:56 PM (#1366189) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca Shepherdlass, I believe it is covered early in the thread. However, note that you CAN purchase a Preamp for your microphone that will work with the Line-In of your machine. Small and compact. See the information at http://www.minidisc-canada.com/. Look under Microphone Accessories. |
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28 Dec 04 - 05:02 PM (#1366198) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond "weight of luggage is a factor" I know.. that's my point.. a good HD mini-disc player and 2 HD Mini-discs with 45 hours of music EACH I'll bet you weighs I'd guss about as much as a portable CD player with NO Cds.... A great option! :-) |
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26 Sep 05 - 06:30 AM (#1570739) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: sian, west wales I'm thinking of getting a minidisc recorder in the very near future and am looking at the Sony MZ-NH1 which I should be able to get for around 125 UKpounds. Any thoughts on this machine? I see that Sharps and Panasonics are mentioned above, but I wouldn't know enough to make an educated decision. I also would need a fairly decent mic for recording sessions and lectures. All input greatfully received, siân |
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26 Sep 05 - 06:38 AM (#1570740) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: John MacKenzie I have one of these Sian and I think it's smashing,used in conjunction with a Sony ECM-MS907 Microphone I get outstanding results. The microphone is expensive, and a cheaper one would do for lectures but not for sessions. Giok |
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26 Sep 05 - 06:50 AM (#1570748) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: sian, west wales I've been generally advised to get a good mic, as this will be used for trac (www.trac-cymru.org) work as well as my own amusement. I'm OK with technology but when it comes to specifics I trust other people to point me and my charge-card in the right direction. That's just the sort of recommendation I need so, thanks, Giok. I'll look for that mic ... siân |
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26 Sep 05 - 07:14 AM (#1570759) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: John MacKenzie Mike info Giok |
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26 Sep 05 - 07:36 AM (#1570769) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: treewind According to the MD community's data page on the MZ-NH1 that looks like a very fine machine and not a bad price either. Sort of thing I'd get if my MZ-R30 ever breaks. I particularly like that it has a mic sensitivity switch, a feature that was dropped from many recent models. I always use it in the less sensitive position and the auto level control rarely kicks in The Sony mic isn't bad, but you can buy a small electret mic for less than £30 in cheap electronics shops, and they work well enough for most purposes - i.e. surprisingly good sound. If I really wanted much better I wouldn't be using minidisc! Anahata |
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26 Sep 05 - 08:12 AM (#1570789) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: GUEST,Dazbo I've got a Sony MZ-NH700 (High density) and think it's great. I thought the Sony microphones were a rip off but found a dealer on Ebay who made his own (stereo) mics for about 25-33% that Sony wanted and it works fine. |
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26 Sep 05 - 08:39 PM (#1571148) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: GUEST Sian I use an old Sharp MD-SR60 minidisc r4corder with a Jessops SDX-400 stereo mic designed for a video recorder. About £30. The results are excellent and, so far, no problems. There is no handling noise, which one often gets with handheld mics. I try to use my mic on a small table-top tripod, again from Jessops, about £5. Suggest you investigate mics designed for video us, as they can usually be found cheaper than those for audio. In the ususl surroundings of a folk club, singaround or concert the extranous audience noise will disguise any percieved deficiencies in the mic. Colyn. |
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26 Sep 05 - 10:59 PM (#1571209) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: GUEST,reggie miles Any of your valued opinions would be appreciated concerning the new recorder being offered by Roland/Edirol. Their R-1 WAV/MP3 Recorder sounds sweet and I like that it has USB2 connectivity. The battery options are 2 AAs or a wall wort AC adapter. There are no noise issues because it's solid state design records to a compact flash card. more here about R-1 specs Does anyone own/use one of these recorders? Are they truly the cool new tool to buy? Does the hefty $400 price tag make you shy away? Does the 2.5 hours of recording time and/or 5.5 hours of playback make this a poor choice compared to the MD players? Inquiring minds need some guidance. Brothers and sisters can you spare an opinion? |
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27 Sep 05 - 12:35 AM (#1571231) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Bardford Then, there is this gizmo which has features aplenty, including XLR input, and uses compact flash. I couldn't find a price, however. Marantz PMD 660 Portable Solid State Recorder |
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27 Sep 05 - 12:58 AM (#1571235) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Bardford A quick search finds price around US $500 for the Marantz portable. |
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27 Sep 05 - 04:02 AM (#1571280) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: treewind Edirol was expensive last I looked (but I haven't checked this new product out) and the Marantz recorders are also expensive but professional grade, though I've read some reviews by audio pros who didn't think much of it. Definitely a step up in price ftom a minidisc. Noise-free solid state is definitely the way things are going, and if it will plug into a computer and simply look like an external removable disk drive, like cameras do, that's a big selling point. (none of this "playback only" nonsense with Net MD, please...) Anahata |
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27 Sep 05 - 05:56 AM (#1571332) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: GUEST,DB I use an Olympus DM-20 digital voice recorder with a Sony stereo mic on a table-top tripod (from Maplin). I'm sure that audio buffs are curling up and dying at this but it works just fine for my purposes. The recorder gives over 4 hours of recording, in stereo mode, and the only criticism that I have concerns the fact that memory is built-in, rather than in the form of SD cards, as with previous models. The DM-20 can be connected to a computer via a USB cable. Files are in WMA form and can be burnt to CD. One big advantage, from my point of view, is that you don't need a post-grad qualification in IT to operate it - as you do with a MD recorder! For any consumer electronics marketing people out there - I'll trade slightly lower quality for ease-of-use any time! |
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27 Sep 05 - 08:22 AM (#1571385) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: The Fooles Troupe In case you didn't know, those solid state memory cards come in different writing speeds (at different prices of course). For cameras, this can affect performance, but I don't know if it would come into play for audio work. Ensure you get the right speed cards. |
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27 Sep 05 - 08:33 AM (#1571399) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: GUEST Mini-discs don't need any major training. It operates like a cassette recorder. I set the speed, then it stays there or I could have left all the settings alone. Like a cassette recorder, you have RECORD, PLAY, FAST-FWD, and REWIND along with Volume Up or Down. What could be simpler. |
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27 Sep 05 - 08:40 AM (#1571403) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Charley Noble We've been using the " Roland/Edirol. Their R-1 WAV/MP3 Recorder..." at a number of open sessions and festivals in the past two months and it performs extremely well. It can run for hours on its batteries. It's two stereo mics work well if they focus on a performer; you'll want external mics if you want to cover a wider area and that is possible. It records to flashcards which can be readily replaced and uploaded into computers. The recorder is compact, about the size of a cigarette pack, and appears to be pretty rugged. My wife JudyB knows more about its technical specs but I think it's vastly superior to what we've worked with before. It is expensive. Charley Noble |
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27 Sep 05 - 08:53 AM (#1571417) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: GUEST,DB Dear Guest, If only it were so simple! My Sony MZ-R909 does have a 'record' slidey thing on the front but it also has something called a 'jog-dial' on the side which, as far as I can ascertain, requires the operator to stand on his/her head whilst navigating some sort of 'decision-tree' (whatever that is!) which would put the Minotaur's maze at Knossos to shame! Needless to say I have rarely managed to record anything on it - except the odd occasion when there's been an 'R' in the month and I have got the permission of the session organiser to mount the 'decision-tree' on the wall so that I can consult it at regular intervals and 'phone-a-friend' when I get stuck. And, to add insult to injury, the damn thing hasn't got a USB port on it so that I can transfer what recordings I do manage to make to CD! Perhaps later models are more 'user-friendly'(?) |
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27 Sep 05 - 09:50 AM (#1571463) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Jeremiah McCaw Don't know if this has neen mentioned (I've gone through the recent posts, but not the 2004 & earlier) but . . . I've read an article recently about some techs who have "hacked" the iPod - the models with the 20-gig hard drives and added a mic jack. None of this crippleware nonsense about not being able to transfer the recording digitally afterward. Such an operation would void the warranty, of course, but imagine the possibilities . . . |
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27 Sep 05 - 11:15 AM (#1571507) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Clinton Hammond "you don't need a post-grad qualification in IT to operate it - as you do with a MD recorder" "I have rarely managed to record anything on it" Then put it back in the box, and send it to me... "hacked" the iPod" Hacked or not, the iPod sucks! |
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27 Sep 05 - 04:43 PM (#1571723) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca Guest, DB, Sorry about that, I must have lost my cookie somewhere. The Jog-dial, is basically like a joy-stick with 5 positions. Left = Reverse I thought your 909 is like my 707 and has a USB port at the Right side - Top Corner? |
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28 Sep 05 - 10:52 AM (#1571761) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: sian, west wales Thanks a lot for all this info, people. (I would have commented earlier, but I've been having some problems getting in to the 'cat.) I used a Marantz (the old reel-to-reel portables) years ago - it was standard BBC kit for 'street' interviewing. Didn't occur to me that they might be doing a minidisc, but anything above the 200 UK pound mark is a bit beyond my budget anyway. Good idea about the tripod. siân |
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29 Sep 05 - 06:43 AM (#1571950) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: Paco Rabanne Fabulous thread! I've been meaning to upgrade from crappy old cassettes for a long time, I have learnt a lot here. Cheers from sunny Hull. |
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29 Sep 05 - 11:10 AM (#1572113) Subject: RE: What kind of minidisc recorder? From: JudyB We've been using our Edirol R-1 in high-quality MP3 mode to record, and I'm pretty sure I've gotten over 4 hours on a set of rechargeable batteries, and I know you can put over 11 hours of music on a 1 GB card. I'm not sure about card speed (some of them say, others don't), but I did buy one that was recommended by the manufacturer and it's worked great! The built-in mics work very well if you're facing the recorder, and do a credible job of picking up people off to a side and a little behind - I was surprised. We're not looking for CD-quality (though I think it could do that in WAV format - but I'd want something easier to use with my big mics and board - it's more prosumer than pro) - our goal was easy to use and good enough that we'd get the words and tune clearly. I put the R-1 at the edge of the circle, turn it on and forget it for the next 3-4 hours. When we get home, I use a card reader to transfer the file to my computer (just takes a couple of minutes), then use CoolEdit Pro to find and copy any parts we want to pull out. Piece of cake! Let me know if you have any specific questions - I'll see if I have some answers. JudyB |