[3Double]

Ok, I'm seriously debating whether to go with Hi-MD or a HD based player. So I've decided to get both, let them battle it out, and then return the loser.

I understand that Hi-MD isn't as convenient as the ihp, but since when was portaphilia about convenience? It's never been for me, anyway. Well, I guess it has to a degree, since I refuse to haul around a 1980s era cd player that I paid $400 for plus a book of redbook cds and a emmeline amp and senn-650s, but I digress....

For me, the two players are worth comparing.

I'm going to compare .wavs, and mp3s of varying bit rates. (I'm also going to compare my Hi-MD player to my Sony MZ-R50 to hopefully create a point of reference for other MD users)

I plan on using the ety-4s and shure e2s as cans, and a xin superdual as an amp. I will be trying the line-outs and headphone outs.

Hopefully this will review will be useful, since I have yet to see one HDDAP vs MD review.


If you have any questions or ideas, let me know, and I'll try to incorporate them into this, my first review.

 

[vorlik]

Sounds great! I'm very interested in the outcome,a s I am debating on this subject. Just so you know, on minidisc, the player converts mp3s and WAVs into ATRAC3+, and remember that source->lossy->lossier is (I think) worse than source->lossier.

Disclaimer: I may be full of crap, so don't listen to me.

 

[3Double]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorlik Sounds great! I'm very interested in the outcome,a s I am debating on this subject. Just so you know, on minidisc, the player converts mp3s and WAVs into ATRAC3+, and remember that source->lossy->lossier is (I think) worse than source->lossier. Disclaimer: I may be full of crap, so don't listen to me.

I was aware of that, and I've heard the lossy + lossy = lossier argument. lol.
But I"ve never experienced this with my own ears.

I have a lot of music that's in crappy downloaded mp3 format, and I have a lot of cds. I'm looking to see which player handles both better.

My general rule for mp3 to ATRAC3 conversion is that I'll convert the mp3 to the next highest up ATRAC mode. So, 192 kb/s would probably go to SP, 256 would go to Hi-SP etc...I'll also goof around with some space saving options and see if maybe ATRAC3 can downsample (not sure if that's the right word here) relatively low-qual mp3s without losing too much quality. It would be really cool to downsample 128 kb/s mp3s to a much lower encoding rate without a big sound difference...unlikely, but cool.

All sorts of ideas floating around in my head...if you have any, lemme know. I'm excited to quasi-empirically find out who the champ is*.

*for me, anyway....

 

[Damage]

But soundwise, it seems the HD Digital Amp on the NH1/900 seems to sound pretty damn fantastic. If sound quality is indeed of highest concern, codecs or otherwise, the HiMD units seemingly has the iHPs beat hands down.

Of course, this is just speculation from couple of ancedotal sources. I do hope that the HD Amp sounds just as good as its advertised.

 

[PodMan]

Hi-MD has the lossless PCM mode as well if you want maximum sound quality.

the only thing I see as a downgrade is the drastically reduced battery life (compared to previous md units, they are still pretty much in line with hard drive units).

anyway for those of you who wonder what the NH1 looks like, here it is.

 

[ixeo]

i was wondering whats the prices on the Hi-MD discs?
how much are those 1GB MD discs going to go for? any idea?

 

[3Double]

re: digital amps....I'm sure they'll sound fine, but I doubt they'll be able to adequately power the Ety 4s on their own.

The battery life issue does suck, that's why I'm leaning towards a NH900 because it comes with the AA battery module.

 

[D-EJ915]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixeo i was wondering whats the prices on the Hi-MD discs? how much are those 1GB MD discs going to go for? any idea?

It was quoted as being $7.5000 each, but the street price will probably be lower, closer to $5 (I'm guessing).

 

[ixeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by D-EJ915 It was quoted as being $7.5000 each, but the street price will probably be lower, closer to $5 (I'm guessing).

thanks for the info. the i guess i'll be getting a Hi-MD player provided it has good audio quality. to hell with ipod

anyway, another thing i was wondering.

how does ATRAC3 compares to MP3?
i read the 3rd party comparison pdf papers provided by sony and it seems to favor the ATRAC over MP3, then again those "research" and "comparison" was paid for by sony and using sony equipments

so any individual third party comparison papers, reviews etc. that is not funded by sony?

 

[ampgalore]

Does anyone will the new HiMD units have a line out, in addition to the headphone out, just like the old Sony MD players?

 

[Haribo]

I thought the new MD's would be able to format old discs to the new format?

 

[ixeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haribo I thought the new MD's would be able to format old discs to the new format?

yes the old discs can be formatted into the new format (doubling its capacity for the new player) but it will not be Hi-MD
Hi-MD is a new high capacity MD, physically different from current MD

the new players will be able to use the old discs but the old players will not be able to use Hi-MD discs and old discs formatted with the new Hi-MD players

http://www.minidisc.org/hi-md_faq.html for more information.

 

[3Double]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore Does anyone will the new HiMD units have a line out, in addition to the headphone out, just like the old Sony MD players?

Quite a few of the models seem to have a line out. The NH1 does, so does the NH900...the NH800 might, but i'm not sure.

 

[Haribo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixeo yes the old discs can be formatted into the new format (doubling its capacity for the new player) but it will not be Hi-MD Hi-MD is a new high capacity MD, physically different from current MD the new players will be able to use the old discs but the old players will not be able to use Hi-MD discs and old discs formatted with the new Hi-MD players http://www.minidisc.org/hi-md_faq.html for more information.

Thanks for clearing that up

 

[Dweebgal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Double Quite a few of the models seem to have a line out. The NH1 does, so does the NH900...the NH800 might, but i'm not sure.

it'll probably have a pseudo line out in the headphone out rather than a real line out like the r50