Topic: MiniDisc Format pro's and con's

[strick9nineprod]

just want to know other's views on the md format.

[Chuck]

MD=NFG  

[George]

Ah, here's a few:

Pro's:

1. Small (great for stealthing)
2. Cheap media (and small too, pretty reliable as well)
3. Media does not get worn or chewed up
4. Generally good sound (especially the sharp units)
5. Great battery life

Con's:

1. Some people frown on MD tapes
2. Artifacts can find their way on a recording (sometimes)
3. Some units are fragile
4. Not worth fixing once a unit breaks
5. Lack of optical outs on recorders (grrr)

I'm sure i'll think of more as this thread progress.

I own the following portables: Sony E75 (blue and red models), Sharp DR7, Sony MZR50, Sony MZE33

I own the following deck: Sony MXD D5C

[mirth]

Con: Lossy compression used in recording format.

[George]

Con: Lossy compression used in recording format.

Yikes, how did i manage to forget the most obvious one?  

[strick9nineprod]

i have heard great recordings coming from both dat and md, i've also heard bad recordings from both. dat is good for a taper friendly type of enviroment, but for going stealth and giving the opportunity of getting caught and equipment damaged, i rather suffice for a md, than a dat. also, the only lossy format that bothers me is mp3.

[mirth]

Hey, you asked for pros and cons.... lossy definately gets a mark in the con column. There are other possibilities for stealthing.... A JB3 comes to mind.

[caymanreview]

i have heard great recordings coming from both dat and md, i've also heard bad recordings from both.

you have to think about the quality of the stock a/d stage in all of the above. md and jb3 a/d's are bad at best. when you get into something like a d100/m1 dat it gets better

depends on wether you are using a outboard a/d, if you want to add shitty a/d to the list of cons

[George]

Hey, you asked for pros and cons.... lossy definately gets a mark in the con column. There are other possibilities for stealthing.... A JB3 comes to mind.

Absolutely, Atrac is a con...too bad a JB3 is so darn expensive...to an extent.  Maybe in the future i'll splurge on a HD-based recorder.  

[nickgregory]

stealthing with a DAT deck happens all the time...I do it with a D100 with no problems....

[kennedy]

friends dont let friends use MINI DISC

peace
jk

[Chanher]

I am a MD taper (not by choice, only by budget) but I think that MD is good for a beginner rig, simply for how cheap it is.  If you are still into taping after you use your MD rig for a while, then you know it will be worth it to upgrade.

One con of MD is that the recording time is only 80 min, unless you want to use LP mode which is a much more audible form of compression.

[caymanreview]

stealthing with a DAT deck happens all the time...I do it with a D100 with no problems....

i wouldnt see why it would be hard to stealth any sony portable. they are all fairly small, and all have better a/d's and mic pres than the mds and jb3s do

[firmdragon]

the biggest complaint is that mds only record for about 80mins and they'll skip.  as for stealthing theres pretty much no difference, it all goes done the crotch the same.  one of the best thing about dat decks is the back light.  with all the flashing concert lights and security all over you, it can get pretty tricky trying to pull off a quick level check even if you have a mini mag-light.

[cpclark]

the compression is audible when played side by side with a dat tape recording in wav and or a jb3, everyone else is right the a/d is shit, doing tape flips after 80 mins is a PITA especially when you have to cut music.  it is small and portable and that is a definite plus, but the cons outway the plus' and the taping and trading community frowns on MD sourced shows.  ive used the sony mzg-750 and mzn-707 and while economical at the time for my rig, an upgrade was always in the future and now i own 2 d100 decks and couldnt be happier