[Falqon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverBlade I think MD's are great...cheap rewritable storage in a small size. SD and CF are crazy expensive still in comparison.

Umm, no? a MD's storage capacity isn't much. Sony's storage is expensive, I don't care if it's their MD's or Memory sticks. Yes MD's have gone down, but unfortunately way too little too late for the US market, too many greedy execs wanting too much money for that junk is why it never even caught on over here.

 

[Sparky191]

HiMD 1GB disks are about $8ea. For a portable device thats good.

 

[Tungsten]

It all boils down to the individual music listening habits and likes/dislikes of the end user. I’ve used my MD constantly since I got it 4 years ago. But not much… I made 1 MD every 3 or 4 months on average. Recording in real time with optical input from only the highest quality files… I think it’s great for my needs.

The fact that my old MD (MZ-R900) can operate fine without a PC link, by recording direct optical from any source, is great. I don't like things that rely on your computer to supply the music. No software and no hassles.

Huge capacity iPods bursting with thousands of low quality files isn’t my philosophy that’s all

Finding a few great new songs a month is fine by me, slowly "building" a MD and labeling each title and track etc,.

 

[bangraman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tungsten It all boils down to the individual music listening habits and likes/dislikes of the end user. I’ve used my MD constantly since I got it 4 years ago. But not much… I made 1 MD every 3 or 4 months on average. Recording in real time with optical input from only the highest quality files… I think it’s great for my needs. The fact that my old MD (MZ-R900) can operate fine without a PC link, by recording direct optical from any source, is great. I don't like things that rely on your computer to supply the music. No software and no hassles. Huge capacity iPods bursting with thousands of low quality files isn’t my philosophy that’s all Finding a few great new songs a month is fine by me, slowly "building" a MD and labeling each title and track etc,.

The above post really outlines all of the erroneous myths about DAPs that MD / PCDP users believe. And they all seem to come without exception from people who have never used a high-capacity DAP and are making various assumptions without experience. PC reliance can be a disadvantage to the technologically challenged, but the advantages can significantly outweigh the negatives.


The argument of 'thousands of low quality files' may apply to many, but I doubt to many of the more rabid Head-Fi members. Some people who do care about sound quality want the huge capacity because they want to store a decent selection of lossless-compressed or high-bitrate files (to the same quality as SP). The PC-based ripping for a DAP can also be done via an error corrected CD copy. MD does not allow this... the best would be an SPDIF (a non-error-corrected protocol) optical output from a high quality CD deck. This method is not only slower but it's also not significantly better than ripping without error correction.


As a portable recording device, MD is still without peer... but not for much longer. As a portable playback device, it's definitely had it's day.

 

[Sparky191]

I think you are not being fair to suggest that everyone who doesn't want to use a computer are "technologically challenged". Some people simply don't want to use a computer as a matter of choice.

For example some people (not audiophiles) want to use CD's and not MP'3 because they like the tactile quality of handling the media. Ditto vinyl instead of CD's.

In addition theres no doubt that using a PC and software is a more complex process (simply more steps) than just physically handling the medium. Anything more complex is more error prone. Its no different from people who choose not to use tags and prefer using filetree.

 

[Tungsten]

I was just saying how I like my old MD and how I use it that's all. And you are right, I have no experience with DAP. I've never even seen one! Total ignorance. But that's why I didn't talk about DAP.

Yup, MD is old and has had it's day in the sun, for sure. But in my simple little way I like it

And I could respond by saying that I actually had my own site for 3 years at www.hyborean.com, a personal site/blog/photos/reviews thing, and that I let the domain expire and let it all go because I don’t “believe in it” anymore… and that the PC I’m on now is what I put together myself 5 years ago, a dual (SMP) Pentium III 1.0ghz windows box… which I don’t need to upgrade because it still does everything I need. And will still do in another 5 years. My brain with it’s old fashioned simplicity and eccentricity in unfathomable to 99% of the modern consumers. Sorry.

 

[bangraman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tungsten I was just saying how I like my old MD and how I use it that's all. And you are right, I have no experience with DAP. I've never even seen one! Total ignorance. But that's why I didn't talk about DAP. Yup, MD is old and has had it's day in the sun, for sure. But in my simple little way I like it And I could respond by saying that I actually had my own site for 3 years at www.hyborean.com, a personal site/blog/photos/reviews thing, and that I let the domain expire and let it all go because I don’t “believe in it” anymore… and that the PC I’m on now is what I put together myself 5 years ago, a dual (SMP) Pentium III 1.0ghz windows box… which I don’t need to upgrade because it still does everything I need. And will still do in another 5 years. My brain with it’s old fashioned simplicity and eccentricity in unfathomable to 99% of the modern consumers. Sorry.

So you can't / be bothered to / keep up. Nothing wrong with that. But who's to say e.g. a SMP P3 was the best time to give up? Without knowing what else you can do, and clearly you aren't interested in exploring that anymore, you don't know what you need. And as for simplicity, I find that pressing the CD eject button on the drive, putting a disc in, waiting 2~3 minutes for it to rip an album, retrieving the disc that it's spat out and then sitting the iPod in the dock is actually a great deal simpler than faffing around with optical cables, syncro record, etc.

 

[Sparky191]

When it works...

Each to their own.

 

[Sparky191]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman ... As a portable recording device, MD is still without peer... but not for much longer....

Is this another cryptic hint re: April '06 ?

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davei You need a PDAudio if you don't already have one: http://www.core-sound.com/pdaudio_system/1.php

For some reason I'm not fond of Core Sounds. I've read too many negative things about them on taperssection to seriously consider them.

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky191 When it works... Each to their own.

Oh absolutely. I really would like to see Sony implement some (if not all) of the things I listed in a previous post.

 

[Mystyler]

I still love my MD, just as I still love my Nokia 3810. They both do exactly what I want, tough as nails, simple to use and neither rely on computers/software to do their stuff. I'll continue to use them until something better comes along!
That aside, MD does it for me as other people have said: gapless playback (great for live CDs or Floyd albums for example), remotes, editing ability and great flexibility recording wise. I use SP only, and ~20 songs per disc is enough for me.
The best DAP I've used was an iRiver H10, and very nearly bought one until I remembered my MDR was doing everything I wanted it to. I'm still trying to get my head around iTunes and my sister's iPod Mini.

As Sparky191 said though, each to their own.

 

[davei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gloco For some reason I'm not fond of Core Sounds. I've read too many negative things about them on taperssection to seriously consider them.

I used to think so too up until a couple of years ago, bought a few things from them (not a PDAudio though) and have been more than satisfied.

 

[scrypt]

Bangramack: You be geh'in mo' mad props th'owin' hype up in heah than Jobs at a MacWorld jam, wodie. "Might I interest you, bosom pal, in a slosh of Maxi-mugged conjecture?"

In terms of MD, it sounds like you're all-nuding to the soon-to-tank Sony RH-1 (which I might pick up because of its OLED, metal surface, Mac-friendly upload (titter, poke) and -- most of all -- because I enjoy my own initials).

With regard to PDR-toting tapers receiving a syringe in the left buttock in April: I'm not going to try to unpack that because it's too nebulous and, simultaneously, too easily proved. No doubt some new model will appear in the next few months, which can only make you seem a glamorous inside-track fortuneteller to the predictably impatient. Personally, I'd rather absorb your tested opinions on existing equipment and be inspired by your testicled speculations. You're a professional, for the love of mucous, not some seamy swami.

RH-1 noted, inference digested lightly. If you're pointing to something more specific, Powbambusterpants, I'll wait for you to ooze details. Until then, my good bang, allow me to offer you this IXRTT solar-paneled self-stroking chin.

 

[bangraman]

Quote:

soon-to-tank

Them's pretty prophetic words