[audioguru1]

I have been looking at the Sony ES discs from minidisco.com Also the TDK pro models look interesting, however at $7.60 each they are VERY expensive!.

here is the link to the related site
http://www.minidisco.com/miniordermds2.html

look near the bottom of the page, under the highend/ PRO minidiscs.

has aynone tried the above discs. Are they worth it?

Thanks in advance.





should have my MDR z70 sometime next week. Cant wait!

 

[MacDEF]

Unless you're about to record a once-in-a-lifetime event and want to feel confident that you won't have a problem, don't bother with anything more expensive than Hi-Space.

The actual MO discs inside most blank MDs are very similar. Some have lower error rates, some higher, but pretty much every one has error rates within the error correction ability of even the cheapest players.

The main differences between the good and bad brands is actually the case/enclosure. Memorex sells some with plastic shutters -- they are one of the few discs to stay away from, as the shutters tend to break/jam more than other discs. But apart from that, the reliability of different brands is pretty much the same.

If you go to various MD boards you can find lost of posts where someone says "brand x sucks;" the truth is that some MDs will be defective, just like some tapes are. MiniDisco and other retailers have done testing and found that cheaper brands like Hi-Space are just as reliable as "name" brands.

I personally recommend Hi-Space. They are very inexpensive ($1.40 a piece in bulk), and supposedly have some of the lowest error rates of any brand. Hi-Space is actually a huge name in MD and CD media in Europe; they just don't spend lots of money marketing like TDK and Maxell and Sony. MiniDisco actually chose them to supply their "house" brand of bland MDs. I have around 80 blank Hi-Space, 10 Maxell, and 25 Sony, and haven't had a single "bad" disc from any of them.

 

[coolvij]

My First 10 were TDK Fine - and they come with sweet jewel cases, and such.

However - I'd stick with Hi-Space - it's what I'll be going with next...

 

[thomas]

I have a couple Sony ES discs (way overpriced, but i got them in asia for less than the cheapest MDs are here), They have a really stong and high-qualiy and expensive looking white plasic case, but the inside of the disc appears identical to normal Sony discs, down to the writing in the centre of the disc...

Yeah, i have over 50 blank MDs (too lazy to count), and i've never had any problems. SOme older TKD's have bad shutters that allow dust in, but they still seem to play fine...

But most of my discs are TKD, and are very good quality. Also, in asia they are extremely cheep, about $60cents US each...

I also have some "cool" (interesting would be a better term) TKD "bit-club" discs, which have artwork on the front, such as zebra stripes and flames!

But the coolest discs have to be the magnesium Sony MD 2000 discs, too bad they cost $20 each

But overall, i don't buy discs other than the way they look (gasp!) and their price...

 

[lini]

I have cheap Fujis (MD S 74 E) as well as cheap Sonys (MDW-74D), and dind't have problems with either. But, MacDEF, I haven't seen Hi-Space in Germany, yet...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[MacDEF]

LOL, really, lini? I was just reading that they're the largest producer of blank digital media in Europe. Made in France, I think.

I just looked at the HiSpace web site -- here's where to buy them in Europe:

http://www.hispace.com/gb/products/w...buy/europe.asp

 

[lini]

MacDEF: Oh, I see. Now I know, why I haven't seen these before: Because Interfunk and Ruefach are chains of smaller, independent dealers, but when I go out to buy blanks, I usually visit the big electronic markets (Media Markt, Saturn...) - probably because they provide plenty of parking lots.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[Braver]

I got 20 pimp red TDK's

replaced my Sonys, most of whom had faults in them (the Premium opnes were fine tho). only have some Sonys left of the ones I don't have the cd (yeayea, I need to get the cd's as well, all in good time). The TDK's were just below 2$ a piece (they're damned expensive around here, seeing as you can find blanks for about 1$ in the US

)

 

[thomas]

hmm, i always thought MDs were more expensive in North America. In canada, they used to be $5 each (cheapest price), but now the government has bolted on an extra $1.50 in taxs, so they're even more expensive.

I'm guessing that they are cheaper in the states, but not that much cheaper... MD is way more popular in europe than NA...

 

[coolvij]

TDKs for $1? In the US? Where How? When? lol.....

 

[bearwise]

THis is a HIGHLY subjective comment based on really small number statistics: the only brand of MD's I have ever had problems with are high space. They do seem a bit thinner (flimsier) than the higher priced Sony's and TDK's. I add that comment to the mix, but on various boards i've seen the same statement, but with every conceivable brand substituted as the bad actor (even Sony's) so I wouldn't take my experience as the last word.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

I add that comment to the mix, but on various boards i've seen the same statement, but with every conceivable brand substituted as the bad actor (even Sony's) so I wouldn't take my experience as the last word.

I think that is a GREAT way to put it. You can go anywhere and see the comment "XYZ sucks. They're flimsy and they break." There will always be samples of every brand that break.

I'm pretty adamant about supporting cheaper brands like Hi-Space because I think the other manufacturers are overcharging their blank MDs, often to a shameful extent. If the cheaper ones work just as well and come with a good warranty, why pay more?

 

[acidtripwow]

I usually buy whatever is on sale. But after a few months of trying different "cheap" brands I really like the Maxell Gold MDs for some reason. Maybe it's the Gold.