MiniDisc Recorders: Suggestions?

For business purposes I find myself in need of buying a portable recording device. From the little I know, a MiniDisc recorder seems the perfect solution. Beyond that, I don't know where to begin how to make a choice. In terms of requirements, all I know is that I need the capability to record via microphone, and price should be around $200.

John K.

 

Most Sony portable units with the really nice ATRAC compression as well as mp3, WMA and PC download ability can be had for under $200 easy.

I own several portables. The Sony's are IT.

 

The Sony MXD-D40 is a great pro deck that even has a built-in CD player and that's the one I have and recommend.
Search for MiniDisc at an electronics store online and you will find the list of players available which consist of basically 2 decks in the US and lots of portables which do have just as many features and sound just as good as a pro deck.

 

http://www.jandr.com/JRProductSearc...D&SearchType=allproducts&SearchValue=MiniDisc has players and discs for decent prices and decent service.

Sony's retail website is www.sonystyle.com

Or you can check Crutchfield for an MD recorder as well.

 

I have had great luck with a company called Minidisco.com

here is the link to their portables page

http://www.minidisco.com/portables.html

 

Minidisco's page for the decks is http://www.minidisco.com/home-pro-car-home-car-md.html

 

But since you want portable, go for the portable MD recorders but still buy a deck for your stereo system.

 

Stay away from the Sony MDS-JB930, which was just trounced by an old DCC deck I have.

 

Sorry, the MDS-JB930 is a home recorder - not a protable. Teaches me to read the original posting!!!

 

Thanks for the recs. I'll check them out.

John K.

 

Sckott, do you know if any of the current MD Walkmans have analog line in/out, or share optical/analog out? My MZ-R50 has in/out that are combo optical/analog.

I need the analog line-out to go to my headphone amp and line-in to record from LP and SACD.

 

Check the MiniDisco Portable site or www.minidisc.org

 

I'd buy a portable DAT deck if I were you and have true digital, high quality recordings that can be transferred digitally to your PC with no loss of quality, and then edited on DAW.

 

Hmmm... do you think you could get one of those for around $200.00

 

I thought portable DATs were north of $500...even good used ones. (I shopped for one many years ago, but realized I really have no use for a portable anymore.) Just my two cents, but most DATs I've recorded have not stood up well for archival use. Curiously, data-grade backup 4mm tapes seem to work the best in my Sony DAT deck.

I have both a MiniDisc home deck and a play-only "walkman" portable...rarely use either one, but can't beat the portability of the format. Pocket sized, lightweight, doesn't skip...what's not to like?

 

I would go for a Sharp portable MD over a Sony. Sharp's main advantage is the ability to change recording levels on the fly and the lack of the dreaded Sony "end search" "feature". The Sharp MD units have a solid reputation and are built to last. (I have no less than 4 of them.)

Check http://www.minidisco.com for current models.

 

Quite true.
DCC used quite a bit less compression than MD.
Too bad you still had all the drawbacks of tape based recording.


I'm with Pepzhez on Sharp MD portables.
Much better designed and built than Sonys, especially those Sonys that use the flimsy clamshell bodywork.

Sound quality isn't quite up to a good Sony though.
And the Sharps can't match Sony's coolness factor.

Personally though I would hold off buying any expensive MD recorder, I don't find the actual MDs all that durable in field use and they all sound pretty dire.

Why not wait a while for affordable solid state recording like Sony's own Memory Stick ?

They are currently up to 1GB in capacity.


cheerio

 

Might want to check out transom.com. It's basically a "training/resource" site for people starting in public radio. Has a section on tech/field stuff and speaks well of MD.

It's also interesting for anyone curious about radio production.

doug

 

Sony has fixed the end search and the recording level problems a couple of years ago.

http://www.minidisc.org/part_Recorders_Sony_notes.html

 

skysaxon said:

Well, I had a 'JB930 and a Technics DCC deck in my main system a few years ago, and I sold the DCC deck because DCC is a tape-based medium. It's true that minidisc doesn't sound as good as CD, but it sounds very good. Plus you can't beat the editing capability of minidisc.

I still have the 'JB930, by the way. It's a great deck!

 

John, just be sure your MD has ATRAC Type-R (or at least 4.5). Reason being, many people believe Type-R is basically undistinguishable from CD. I own Type-R and 4.5 recorders, and find both compression schemes to be practically undistinguishable. I love them both! (and yeah, both are Sonys).

Michael, you can't compare bandwidth between ATRAC and PASC compression schemes. PASC is actually MPEG-2 compression, which is sonically inferior to MPEG-3. While it's true that both PASC and ATRAC had serious sonic issues in their first release (ATRAC was metallic sounding - so much people thought Sony should have never released ATRAC 1), ATRAC Type-R is a completely different beast - it's so evolved, you can now not compare it to PASC anymore.

(I should know, I own the first MD player ever made - the MZ-1 by Sony).

I still enjoy MD too much, and, with my Total Airhead headphone amp and Etymotic Research ER-4s canalphones, it's pretty safe to say my portable system sounds a lot better than many home systems (including, sadly, my own one).

 

I had an MZ-1 as well. Big black brick, right?

 

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions. A simple topic brings lots of good responses, that's what I love about this place!

John K.

 

Javier,

I totally forgot to respond specifically to you. I used a portable CD player with a Cosmic amp and Etymotic ER-4S 'phones for commuting for 5 years. It kept me sane with great tunes, but my home system was better!

John K.

 

Yep. There were actually two MZ-1 versions - the first one had a single level indicator on screen, the second one had dual (stereo) signal level indicators. I'm happy to report I own the first one

I bought it back in... must have been 1992. It still works like a champ - well, except for the battery, which died a couple of years ago. I now use to record in my Type 4.5 / R recorders, and playback the MDs using the MZ-1, since it has optical digital outputs.

John - funny we both had similar systems! I still can't get over just how good the Etymotics are - they are the next closest thing to injecting sound directly into your brain