Topic: MD recommendations?

[billpann]

I'm a DAT taper looking for a low cost backup MD for stealthier/less critical situations... can't decide between
Sharp MD-MT290 or similar and Sony equivalent.
Sharp has better rep but the new Sonys allow on the fly record level changes, and have switchable hi/low mike sensitivity somewhere in the menu, whereas the Sharp does it "automatically" once you turn up the level somehow....

also, would either of these work ok with my Core Sound cardioids w/battery box?

any help appreciated

bill

[DaryanLenz]

Why not go bit-perfect and get a JB3 for the same price?  I am not a fan of MD, never was and never will be.  YMMV
Daryan

[InfiniteOhms]

1. some sony's are very delicate (i cant speak for the new ones but the mz-r500 / 700 's are total shit boxes) and the pre's suck to.

2. I too would definately go with the jb3 (thats what i use now) if you act quick you can get one on amazon.com for $203 (after rebate) its a bit bigger but it does'nt use commpression (if you dont want it to) and there are no discs to deal with.

[John Kelly]

Last I heard the jb3 isn't bit perfect yet...

I'd go with the Sharp, they have a much better rep than the Sony's (I own a Sony, can't remember which one now but I wish I would've gotten a Sharp at the time).  

[DaryanLenz]

Well, it surely isn't compressed!  

[John Kelly]

Good point.  But neither is DAT.

[billpann]

thanks everyone-  I hadn't thought about the jb3 and it does look interesting- but I need to buy it here in the uk in the next 2 days before travelling- and it's costlier, and much bigger and more obvious than an MD, and from what I read seems to have power supply issues (and I'd need to put a new jack on my cores for them to physically fit, according to one post).... I'd rather spend 100 or so on a basic MD for now and save up for the Core PD audio thing in a year or so...I'll probably go for the Sharp...

[billpann]

..also, one query, does the jb3 have manual level control?

[InfiniteOhms]

yes it does.  

FYI with an extra battery i get 27+ hrs of playback and 12+ hrs of recording.

[hoobash]

Stick around the yard sale board. I got a mzr-500 with 20+ md for $70. Then a couple of weeks later there was a sharp sr60 for $60. I sold the sony to a buddy for $50 with 1/2 the discs and got the sharp. The sharp is a MUCH better deck. Its going to be great for back up,stealth and play back after the show. Its much cheaper then a jb3.

[Scuba Jeremy]

I wouldn't call my MD a backup, more of a car copy. I have an MD recorder (that's right, RECORDER!) in my car dash, so when I get out of the show, I can pop in my MD and enjoy the show on the way home. Gives me an idea how the overall tape turned out. I just run the optical out of my UA-5 to my MD, and the coax. to the M1 DAT. I have to switch discs, but that's not as much of a problem, it doesn't need to be perfect, as it's not a true backup. And if the deck has MDLP - don't bother. It's fine for MP3s, but don't tape a show with it. ATRAC is bad enough as it is.

Oh, and if you're going MD, definately go with a Sharp model. Levels can be adjusted on the fly, buttons are much easier to work in the dark, and menus are very simple to operate. I have a Sharp MD-SR60 for taping, a Sony MZ-N505 for MP3>MD, and a Sony CDX-800REC for in the car.

[King Crimson]

sharp md-mt15 is a good one.  as for the JB3 they can be had refurbished (directly from creative) on ebay for about $180.

[RRobar]

But isn't the JB3 a bit big to stealth with? If you own a D8 then it's smaller than the JB3. I don't know much about either one (MD or JB3) but I would think size would be a major factor if stealthing is your plan. The MD had the JB3 beat there. Just my thoughts.

[Nicaragua]

I was also considering getting a jb3.  

I believe someone told me a while back that you cannot visually monitor the levels on that thing....if this is true, has anyone had problems as a result?

[Sean Gallemore]

brand new MT180s go for under $100 on ebay

I just bought a Sharp MD and only fucked me at one show, but I've run CSOs w/ BB, AT831s, MS908c, AD-20 and all seem to run fine

[billpann]

Thanks for your help... went ahead and bought a Sharp MD-MT290 and so far am pretty enthusiastic...
only recorded one show (Bruce Cockburn w/Julie Wolf on keys) in Italy and it sounds pretty good transferred to CD, even via the analog port. The PR wasn't great to begin with, but I can't discern any significant difference between it and the same tour recorded with my Aiwa DAT and the same Core mikes  in the UK three weeks back. I agree I should find a used mains deck with optical out for transfer.

I think the reason a lot of MD stuff sounds bad is that people tend to use the sort of small Sony mikes  "recommended for MD" in stores.

Plus points: practically weightless in a rucksack and tiny, easily concealable; battery life- I recorded this show and have listened to it 4 X using a single generic AA duracell- type battery and it still shows 2/3 full!; grey plastic case but tough seeming, more so than some of the smaller, rather tinny looking metal ones; has a 4LP mode which obviously cuts quality badly but allows 320 mins! of  walkman type on the move listening on one disc

minus points - like all but the very top end MDs, this has no illumination on the panel so you need a lightsource to alter levels etc. The remote has no display at all.
-- the unit does allow level changes on the fly but when I made a couple of radical, large adjustments (which one shouldn't do anyway) it put a half-second blip in the recording where it "caught up." Small adjustments don't do this.
- couple of short bursts of interference I think from cellphones going off nearby- seems sensitive to this.

Overall though, a deal at the price, with transformer, bag, AA niMh rechargeable, optical lead, remote, thrown in, and if anything did happen to it, a lot less painful than losing a DAT.

[Willie T.]

I have been using the core sounds battery box with my MD for about 1.5 years, works great.  I have a sony MD, and it works really well (SR.73 been droped a couple times and still seems to work fine.)