MiniDisc recorders. Recommendations anyone? (1 Viewer)

[todd_landers]

Hi,

I am looking to purchase a minidisc recorder.
Mostly I will be using this for simply hooking up to a semiacoustic, just to get things down before I forget them, but also I want to record ambient sounds (birdsong etc) without having to carry a heap of equipment around.

I am looking at the Sony MZ-N710
http://www.peats.ie/cgi-bin/shop/db.cgi?view=1&id=6423&type=6&path=10x4180x4181

is there anything I should especially look out for, can anyone recommend another model?

Many thanks

 

[Theseus Mock]

just make sure it has a line-in. lots of modern hi-tech MD portable players don't have a mic jack which sucks.

 

[Keeror]

just make sure it has a line-in. lots of modern hi-tech MD portable players don't have a mic jack which sucks.

and optical in/out too, for the making of the good quaility copies of what you recorded.

 

[todd_landers]

just make sure it has a line-in. lots of modern hi-tech MD portable players don't have a mic jack which sucks.

does line-in mean that it has a built-in mic and I don't need to attach a seperate mic to it?

 

[Theseus Mock]

line-in means exactly that. it's just a hole not a microphone! watch out for which MD you choose 'cause some have automatic recording levels (great for bootlegging) and others have manual (i think most of sony's are like this)

keeror, optical-out does not exist on MDs.

 

[synth-pathethic]

optical-out does not exist on MDs.

it did a few years ago on sony md's.

 

[kraster]

line-in means exactly that. it's just a hole not a microphone! watch out for which MD you choose 'cause some have automatic recording levels (great for bootlegging) and others have manual (i think most of sony's are like this)

keeror, optical-out does not exist on MDs.

???????????????

Mic-in Means the MD has a preamp for a Mic. You'll need one of those. The Mic-in usually doubles up as a line in. The Sony Models are pretty reliable. Avoid the Net MD models as they just have a gimmicky USB port for about a €100 extra. Most of them have manual record levels or automatic record levels. MAKE SURE it's a recordable MD because other Playback-Only models exist. Sony also sell a Stereo MD Mic for about €100 which is ok for the Price. Good for ambient shenanigans.

 

[guitarman]

if you're buying that one to record your own music, you shouldn't. The atrac compression takes away a lot of stuff from the recording. Older MD's are better that way...they dont use Atrac.

 

[Goodbye]

I used to have a minidisc recorder...

Then it got knicked...

I don't miss it...

thus concludes my opinion on Minidisc...

 

[Pantone247]

I bought one over crimbo, a Sony 710. It's good, got a mic in, decent preamp, nice little piece of kit all told.

I'm pretty sure I ony bought it cause it's a 'gadget' and has 'gimmicks' and I'll be very surprised if I use it for anything other then litening to discs on.

But y'know, it's pretty cool.

 

[Wilbert]

I used to have a minidisc recorder...

Then it got knicked...

I don't miss it...

thus concludes my opinion on Minidisc...

This sums up my experience too. Isn't that right Mr. Snaky!

 

[janeykav]

???????????????
The Sony Models are pretty reliable. Avoid the Net MD models as they just have a gimmicky USB port for about a €100 extra. Most of them have manual record levels or automatic record levels.

As far as i can see all the sony models are NET MD.What's the alternative?And what's the alternative to ATRAC?

 

[Pantone247]

As far as i can see all the sony models are NET MD.What's the alternative?And what's the alternative to ATRAC?

There is no alternative to ATRAC, it's just the name of the digital format minidiscs use to hold music on them. Like how tapes use magnatism to store music, gettit?

I got Net MD model for piss all extra and utterly useless, it's both gay and lame that sony won't release a Mac version of the software it needs, but whatever I still love my MD dearly

 

[kstop]

You could always buy my netMD off me, thereby getting it for the price of a non-netMD non-recording player...

Ah go on.

 

[janeykav]

There is no alternative to ATRAC, it's just the name of the digital format minidiscs use to hold music on them. Like how tapes use magnatism to store music, gettit?

But what is guitar man saying then???

if you're buying that one to record your own music, you shouldn't. The atrac compression takes away a lot of stuff from the recording. Older MD's are better that way...they dont use Atrac.