Need recommendation on MD Recprder with Atrac Type R

[andy2667]

Hello,

My experience on MDP is poor sound. I biught a Sony MZ-R55 in 1998 only to find that MD sound was much inferior to CD. After reviewing the recently favourable comments on MD Players, I decid to try the Portable MD format again.

I will buy a Sony MZ-D50 or a Sharp MT-831 for playing MDs. However, these old school MDPs do not have the most advanced Atrac Type R recording format. I need a good MDP with Atrac Typr R format to produce high quality MD records.

Please would Head-Fiers with MD experiences recommend a MDP with Atrac Type R format that can produce excellent records to supplement the R50 o the NT-831. I will buy a used models from the 2nd hand market.

Thanks.

 

[mclaren20]

type s > type r


i would say alot more, but i have to go...

 

[DLP]

Any portable unit with ATRAC type R will produce good recordings. To get equivalent recordings out of Sharps, you're gonna have to go with the DR7 and at that's just spending more than you need to for an SP staying at home recorder. So basically look for any Sony unit with Type R and after. To get the dates for when one came out when, go to Minidisc.org and scroll through the Sony units in the Equipment browser.

A comment on the history of MD sound: MD units have for a while had pretty good headphone outs, the issue is the ATRAC version needed serious updating and has got it in the past 2 or so years. If you get an MT831 or an R50, you can do the comparison with discs recorded with those units and discs recorded with a Type R unit and find just how much better the Type R discs sound.

 

[Gojira]

Can all portable minidisc players properly decode type R ATRAC compression or are only certain players compatible with type R? I had a similar experience to Andy's with my MZ-R3. The compression was quite noticeable to me. Although I had such a bad PCDP back then that it did sound better than that. I only noticed the deficiencies when comparing it to my portable DAT player at the time.

 

[Rumz]

Yes, other MDPs should be able to properly decode Atrac Type-R. Example-- I recently picked up a Sharp SD-NX10 off of eBay, and I find the encoding to be sub-par (compression artifacts present on SP recordings done on the NX10). However, recordings done on my Sony deck (Atrac Type R) sound beautiful on the Sharp mini system. Though I'm not big into the technical side of MD (hardware chips, etc) it seems like common sense that separate chips are used for decoding and encoding-- so an Atrac type R recording should sound great even on a unit that doesn't have type R encoding abilities.

If I were to get a new portable right now purely for digitally recording CDs, I'd mostly likely scope out a deal on the Sony MZ-N510, which should have Type R encoding. Of course you could go with an older model as the N505, too-- those would be the most inexpensive way to go, I would think.

 

[D-EJ915]

ok...here it goes...

a NON-MDLP unit can only play SP (74/80) recordings

a MDLP unit can play SP and LP (74/148, 80/160)

MD Recorders and Players are ubiquitous as long as your unit can play the recording.

 

[DLP]

Quote:

Originally posted by D-EJ915 ok...here it goes... a NON-MDLP unit can only play SP (74/80) recordings a MDLP unit can play SP and LP (74/148, 80/160) MD Recorders and Players are ubiquitous as long as your unit can play the recording.

*COUGH 74/148/396, 80/160/320 COUGH*

Yes, any recording made with Type R will be able to be played on a non-Type R unit as long as it corresponds to what D-EJ915 mentioned.

 

[andy2667]

Is the Type S format the most updated format? How is the Type S compared with type R? Should I buy an inexpensive model with type R format (e.g. SOny N505) or should I buy a newly released unit with type S format?

The keys is how big a difference between type R recordings & type S recordings.

Thanks

 

[PodMan]

They will have the same quality in recording. Type S is really Type R on the recording side (for SP) with more precision on the decoding side for MDLP (not SP).

Type S and Type R portables will yield the same quality recordings.

 

[Mystyler]

Type-S IS Type-R!

The difference being that Type S somehow "enhances" the playback quality of MDLP tracks. It still uses ATRAC Type-R for SP encoding, and ATRAC3 for MDLP encoding.

My suggestion is to spring for a deck and a top-rung player. Something like the new Sony MDX-D400 CD/MD combo deck (for highspeed dubbing, 4x realtime) and a Sharp DS5 or DS8 portable player. It also has MP3 CD support and optical digital out.

If you don't want a deck/player combo, then get the Sharp MD-DR7 (or DR470/480, depending on which country you buy it in). Closest you'll get to an MT831. ATRAC wise, it has the latest Sharp version, which will give you the same performance as Type-R. Type-S is only worth it if you intend on using MDLP modes, but it sounds like you won't be doing that.

 

[D-EJ915]

hey, DLP, I didn't post the numbers for LP4 because IT SOUNDS SOOO BAD!!, I recommend people to only use LP2, since they're too lazy to record manually...I have 1 LP4 track on 1 of my mds that I tried it on, and it sounds soo bad, it's all washed up---that's the only way I can describe it.

 

[andy2667]

Dear all,

Thank you for your advices. I am now hunting The Sharp MT-831, Sony MZ-R50 and an inexpensive Sony Type R format MDP in Hong Kong 2nd hand market.

I have recently trigerred my collection on vintage/legendary Sony PCDP and now I will trigger my another collection task. Legendary MDP.

Are the Sharp MT-831 and Sony R50 the best legendary MDP for paly back. Any old legendary models that have good sound and are worth trying?

 

[D-EJ915]

The R50 is the best SP recorder, and the DR7 is the best MDLP recorder

 

[LTUCCI1924]

HI: Mystyler hit it righ on. A portable minidisc player is nice. I have one but to really enjoy and get much better sound a deck is a must. Plus I make my minidisc copys on the deck that is very easy to use.

 

[Mystyler]

Heya Lou! Long time no see!

andy2667, do make sure you get a newer recorder, as the difference in older ATRAC (like the R50) is rather noticable to the latest versions.

I still say grab a deck, it is worth every cent.