MZ-N10 questions

[bangraman]

I had gone through some Japanese forums but was unable to get that much sense. Frequently the unmoderated ones make even the worst flamefests here look like a Socratean discussion.
I like MD and I also like the fact that they're smaller and handier than anything else at the moment. What I don't like is the time and effort you have to expend transferring MP3's onto them. I have the N707 and the MP3 transfer was less convenient than advertised, shall we say. I've seen quite a few complaints about Net MD and I share those problems.
I notice that the software has changed. How has this affected the problems with MP3 conversions? And they claim it's faster but how much faster in real life? I wasn't getting 32x transfers with the old one, is 64x based on the same inflated claims?
Also I found the N707 a bit quiet with headphones like the PXC250... I would adjust the volume to a comfortable level when travelling, and find that I'd hit maximum. The Sharp that I also have is definitely louder and is on the whole a better match for the PXC250. An amp is not an option because the whole point of MD is portability. Is the N10 any louder?
Because I run Japanese OS on some of my PC's and have 110V adaptors galore, using Japanese kit is of course not a problem. So I will be using the software that ships with the unit... I understand many overseas buyers have been using older Sonicstage and even OpenMG.
Since I rarely walk around with more than 5 albums, an N10 would be a smaller and lighter option for me than an iPod, AS LONG AS the MP3 transfer was as convenient (it doesn't have to be quite that fast, but a drag and drop is what I'm looking for). Does anyone have comments?

 

[ssblood]

IMO a 5gig iPod is still a much better deal at the price... and mp3 transfer could get no more simpler.

 

[faehntim]

Yeah, but can you record with an iPod? Would an iPod be as durable considering it has a hard drive?

 

[ssblood]

How many people need to record away from home? I know people that mountian bike with the iPod, snowboard, run, etc. The list goes on and on

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

How many people need to record away from home

Binaural recording? Portable musician's studio? Recording concerts or other types of performances? Your child's first words stored digitally? Etc.?

That is (or used to be) one of the many selling points of MD.

 

[ssblood]

How many people though? 1 out of 30? Maybe even less? They just bought it for the size. No one I know personally uses their MD for anything other then listening to music. BTW, I read somewhere that the transfer to the N10 actually wasn't much faster then the N1.

I'll try to find where I got that from later.

 

[jpelg]

For most people that is true. But imagine a binaural recording of a snowboard or mountbike run? Fans of those sports would be stoked to listen to something like that, no? Maybe if they knew they could do something like that with MD...

I do agree that as you approach the $300 point or even higher, you are definitely in iPod territory. MD's salvation will most likely be the cheap Sony 505's and such.

 

[brent_mr2]

Quote:

Originally posted by jpelg Binaural recording? Portable musician's studio? Recording concerts or other types of performances?

What about getting through security with an MD recorder? Since they have or are made of metal, the metal detector will reveal them. Do you just tell security it's just a player?

If I'm not mistaken, recording devices are not allowed in most venues unless you go to a live performance in a bar or something.

Also, what kind of microphone do you use? I would imagine the sound quality wouldn't be that great in general.

I'm planning to see Andrew Dice Clay in June, that would be real cool if I could record the performance on MD.

 

[jpelg]

And mp3 players don't have metal inside them? Also, some mp3 players can also record too (Archos for example). What difference does that make? Some mp3 players can look pretty bizarre. But you can easily prove that either is a player device. BTW, I have never been stopped by airport security because of my MD (for better or worse, I suppose).

Yes, most artists and venues prohibit photos or recording devices during their performances. I don't advocate illegal bootlegging, and let your own conscience be your guide. But some artists want to record their casual practice/jamming/writing sessions, or own performances. The quality of the recording is dependent on the mike(s) and their positions, of course. You can even integrate into your soundboard if you have one. There are several MD b-boards that have tons of info on this subject. The same is true for binaural recording.

As far as Andrew D. Clay, you takes your own chances

!

 

[DLP]

Quote:

Originally posted by bangraman Since I rarely walk around with more than 5 albums, an N10 would be a smaller and lighter option for me than an iPod, AS LONG AS the MP3 transfer was as convenient (it doesn't have to be quite that fast, but a drag and drop is what I'm looking for). Does anyone have comments?

If all the original poser of the question is asking about is playing and digital (USB MP3) recording, not live recording, then why is it a point he should keep in mind when comparing to the iPod?

Bangraman, I don't know if Sonicstage really improved or not over OpenMG, but one thing to look into/try out is the other methods of MP3 transfer to MD, such as RealOne or Nero. Check around MiniDiscT/T-Station for more info on those. Realistically, I think an iPod might just suit you better, but I'm not certain because I don't know how well NetMD transfers are done nowadays.

 

[pengin]

Yeah seriously. CHeck out these two places
http://www.minidisc.org/
Go to equipment broser
and Sony N10
...
also
http://www.minidisct.com/forum/
or
http://www.minidisct.com/md_products.html
...
i just typed those URLs off the top of my head, so might not work.. PM me.. and ill fix them...
...
Err in general..
To get 64x in NetMD. You need to use Sony's software. Sonic Stage 1.5... It gets double the speed by not having to do a TOC edit after every song. Instead, it does a TOC edit after transfering ALL the songs.. That is how it gets 64x. If you want to do the 'nero trick' and completely get around Sony software.. you will be stuck with 32x transfers.

...
derek

 

[PodMan]

have you guys tried the RealOne plug-in for NetMD? it doesn't have the checkin/checkout limit. kinda buggy though, i keep getting error messages on my n505 and it takes a long time to format a disc.

 

[leon]

1.5 was my first SonicStage experience. Personally I dislike its unnecessary complexity to the point that I wouldn't recommend using it at all. The iPod (and many other MP3 portables) are likely to be much more convenient in terms of fast, hassle-free file movement.

And I agree about the Japanese forums... some very creative flames

 

[brent_mr2]

Quote:

Originally posted by jpelg And mp3 players don't have metal inside them?

But there's no portable MP3 recorders, are there? My point was that the MD recorder is a recording device and that's likely to send a black flag to the security mongers.

Thanks for your reply, I guess I'll check minidisc.org for more info.

 

[myself, aka me]

OpenMG/SonicStage sucks at computer transfers. SUCKS! SUUUUCCCKKSS!!

Luckily, I have an MDS-PC1 for the titling, and a DR7 for playback. The N10 is good, but the computer part wasn't what it's designed for

.