Mini Disc Sound Quality

Ferdie · 01-10-2003, 12:58

I`m thinking of buying a Mini Disc Hi-Fi and i`m wondering how the quality of the sound is. I`ve never hear Mini Disc before. Recording from CD to MD, Is it CD quality or Tape quality?

Thanks in advance!

Soul Assasin · 01-10-2003, 13:02

cd for sure, though a compressed format its far superior to the likes of mp3
crap in crap out rules still apply though

iain · 01-10-2003, 13:12

audiophiles will always say there's a big difference between cd and md, but if its a straight recording of cd to md you'd generally be hard pushed to tell them apart afterwards.

md is fantastic for a walkman - all the advantages of tape (small, portable), all the advantages of cd (sound quality, easy track access) plus the disks are more durable than cds with their protective case and its a snap to add or delete tracks, or move them around after you've recorded them.

as far as I can tell MD pretty much does all the hype says it does, and i don't know why there was, and still is probably, such resistance to md as a format. it''ll never come close to cd for prerecorded stuff, but as a replacement for tape for making compilations and listening on the move its the dogs bananas IMO.

Iain

DEmmerson · 01-10-2003, 13:23

Minidisc is excellent for archiving all your old records / tapes. It won't improve the quality but neither will it deteriorate.

I tend to use LP4 for recording the above since because the source is nowhere near CD quality anyway, there is little discernible difference between recording at maximum compression as opposed to normal speed. Plus, you get 320 minutes onto one disc - that's a lot of tapes.

Even with CDs, I hardly ever use normal speed, preferring LP2, as in a walkman environment, most people cannot tell the difference.

Ferdie · 01-10-2003, 13:57

That good? Looks like papas gonna get a brand new Hi-fi for Christmas! Cheers, Thanks for the help!

GaryB · 01-10-2003, 16:40

Mini Disc is an excellent format. I use it at home and in the car but manufacturers are gradually withdrawing MD models from their range as Sales drop off in favour of MP3 CDs. Some manufacturers have already stopped making blank MDs.

comicsansserif · 02-10-2003, 08:53

MD is very good indeed. You can just about tell a difference, but you need good ears and a decent hi-fi to do this. The average bloke in the street can't tell the difference.

As for longevity of the format I reckon it'll be here a while yet. MP3 playing CD players are still really too big for a portable application whereas MD truely is pocket sized.

AVTalk · 02-10-2003, 10:27

I have a pro-quality Denon full size recordable MD player at in my hi fi system and the copies if produces are excellent, assuming I use good quality blank MDs.

I'm a big fan of the format and feel it's easily the best portable music format and should have taken off for in-car use if Sony had got the marketing right.

Anyone remember the Reef advert?

Soul Assasin · 02-10-2003, 11:52

Quote:

Originally posted by comicsansserif

As for longevity of the format I reckon it'll be here a while yet. MP3 playing CD players are still really too big for a portable application whereas MD truely is pocket sized.

believe it or not but its alrady been here for 10 years, we got our first md player/recorder in december '93
it was ment to be a walkman but it truely wasnt pocket sized
still it was for professional stage use
still working, has been loaned to a friend now since i inherited it with a technics seperate md and a sony hi-fi md built in
not portable but still makes a funky modern looking hi-fi component

Orbitalzone · 02-10-2003, 14:36

Yep, gotta agree with all the comments above... I've spent time listening to CD and MD copies (copied digitally) and found there's a slight difference in quality... but MD isn't worse really, just a tiny bit different...

Compared to MP3 it's much much better unless your MP3's are all in the highest bit rate going......

For recording and rerecording it neats CDr's easily... you can add songs, delete tracks, insert tracks so easily and that's impossible (almost) with CDRW / CDrs

I'm not such a fan of the MD long play features as the quality starts to sound like average quality MP3's but for walkman type listening I guess that's not so important.

Get one now!

wicket · 03-10-2003, 13:41

Yes, I would agree. To be honest I cannot tell the difference. I usually just have it set to the best quality, and I just record another set of songs every week or so over the same disc. It is an ideal size to slip in a pocket too.

Schoolboy · 03-10-2003, 13:55

Yeah. MD rocks. Record edit, move and name tracks. Brilliant.

Straight CD to MD recordings are basically carbon to all intents and purposes. Radio 1 used to play a large part of their music off MD until recently.

MD can record in mono which doubles recording time. Now in general you don't want that. But if you have loads of 50s and 60s music it's in mono anyway. Plus you can record radio plays or comedies in mono onto MD and build a high quality collection if you're into that.

Net MDs, the ones that have LP2 and LP4 are good but not for archiving IMHO. LP4 is 64kHz and so very low on bass and clarity. But OK for trevelling on the bus.

Schooly

Rodney · 03-10-2003, 16:38

Minidisc is brilliant! Have one at home, one in the car and one as a portable. Wouldn't touch CDR with a barge pole as they are too easily damaged and won't play on a lot of CD players. In the BBC, MD is used a lot for music playout, even to the point of transferring CD's to MD before broadcast.

01-10-2003, 12:58	#1
Ferdie Forum Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Third Stone From The Sun Posts: 387	Mini Disc Sound Quality I`m thinking of buying a Mini Disc Hi-Fi and i`m wondering how the quality of the sound is. I`ve never hear Mini Disc before. Recording from CD to MD, Is it CD quality or Tape quality? Thanks in advance!

01-10-2003, 13:02	#2
Soul Assasin Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mansfield Posts: 246	cd for sure, though a compressed format its far superior to the likes of mp3 crap in crap out rules still apply though

01-10-2003, 13:12	#3
iain Guest Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 62,990	audiophiles will always say there's a big difference between cd and md, but if its a straight recording of cd to md you'd generally be hard pushed to tell them apart afterwards. md is fantastic for a walkman - all the advantages of tape (small, portable), all the advantages of cd (sound quality, easy track access) *plus* the disks are more durable than cds with their protective case *and* its a snap to add or delete tracks, or move them around after you've recorded them. as far as I can tell MD pretty much does all the hype says it does, and i don't know why there was, and still is probably, such resistance to md as a format. it''ll never come close to cd for prerecorded stuff, but as a replacement for tape for making compilations and listening on the move its the dogs bananas IMO. Iain

01-10-2003, 13:23	#4
DEmmerson Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Home Counties Posts: 1,475	Minidisc is excellent for archiving all your old records / tapes. It won't improve the quality but neither will it deteriorate. I tend to use LP4 for recording the above since because the source is nowhere near CD quality anyway, there is little discernible difference between recording at maximum compression as opposed to normal speed. Plus, you get 320 minutes onto one disc - that's a lot of tapes. Even with CDs, I hardly ever use normal speed, preferring LP2, as in a walkman environment, most people cannot tell the difference.

01-10-2003, 13:57	#5
Ferdie Forum Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Third Stone From The Sun Posts: 387	That good? Looks like papas gonna get a brand new Hi-fi for Christmas! Cheers, Thanks for the help!

01-10-2003, 16:40	#6
GaryB Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: St Albans Posts: 4,088	Mini Disc is an excellent format. I use it at home and in the car but manufacturers are gradually withdrawing MD models from their range as Sales drop off in favour of MP3 CDs. Some manufacturers have already stopped making blank MDs.

02-10-2003, 08:53	#7
comicsansserif Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: In front of my computer! Posts: 2,865	MD is very good indeed. You can just about tell a difference, but you need good ears and a decent hi-fi to do this. The average bloke in the street can't tell the difference. As for longevity of the format I reckon it'll be here a while yet. MP3 playing CD players are still really too big for a portable application whereas MD truely is pocket sized.

02-10-2003, 10:27	#8
AVTalk Inactive Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Inactive Member Posts: 5,337	I have a pro-quality Denon full size recordable MD player at in my hi fi system and the copies if produces are excellent, assuming I use good quality blank MDs. I'm a big fan of the format and feel it's easily the best portable music format and should have taken off for in-car use if Sony had got the marketing right. Anyone remember the Reef advert?

02-10-2003, 11:52	#9
Soul Assasin Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mansfield Posts: 246	Quote: Originally posted by comicsansserif As for longevity of the format I reckon it'll be here a while yet. MP3 playing CD players are still really too big for a portable application whereas MD truely is pocket sized. believe it or not but its alrady been here for 10 years, we got our first md player/recorder in december '93 it was ment to be a walkman but it truely wasnt pocket sized still it was for professional stage use still working, has been loaned to a friend now since i inherited it with a technics seperate md and a sony hi-fi md built in not portable but still makes a funky modern looking hi-fi component

02-10-2003, 14:36	#10
Orbitalzone Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Sussex Posts: 12,173	Yep, gotta agree with all the comments above... I've spent time listening to CD and MD copies (copied digitally) and found there's a slight difference in quality... but MD isn't worse really, just a tiny bit different... Compared to MP3 it's much much better unless your MP3's are all in the highest bit rate going...... For recording and rerecording it neats CDr's easily... you can add songs, delete tracks, insert tracks so easily and that's impossible (almost) with CDRW / CDrs I'm not such a fan of the MD long play features as the quality starts to sound like average quality MP3's but for walkman type listening I guess that's not so important. Get one now!

03-10-2003, 13:41	#11
wicket Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: NE England Posts: 3,096	Yes, I would agree. To be honest I cannot tell the difference. I usually just have it set to the best quality, and I just record another set of songs every week or so over the same disc. It is an ideal size to slip in a pocket too.

03-10-2003, 13:55	#12
Schoolboy Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 2,812	Yeah. MD rocks. Record edit, move and name tracks. Brilliant. Straight CD to MD recordings are basically carbon to all intents and purposes. Radio 1 used to play a large part of their music off MD until recently. MD can record in mono which doubles recording time. Now in general you don't want that. But if you have loads of 50s and 60s music it's in mono anyway. Plus you can record radio plays or comedies in mono onto MD and build a high quality collection if you're into that. Net MDs, the ones that have LP2 and LP4 are good but not for archiving IMHO. LP4 is 64kHz and so very low on bass and clarity. But OK for trevelling on the bus. Schooly

03-10-2003, 16:38	#13
Rodney Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Craigavon, Northern Ireland Posts: 2,373	Minidisc is brilliant! Have one at home, one in the car and one as a portable. Wouldn't touch CDR with a barge pole as they are too easily damaged and won't play on a lot of CD players. In the BBC, MD is used a lot for music playout, even to the point of transferring CD's to MD before broadcast.

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Mini Disc Sound Quality