Topic: This any good?

[somebody]

hello there, i've been along time collector of live music and i want to start recording some of my own stuff.  i searched on ebay for a simple starter rig and came across this listing.  http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-MZ-N1-Net-MD-MiniDisc-Player-Recorder-PLUS_W0QQitemZ270185663338QQihZ017QQcategoryZ15056QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

keep in mind i'm not the richest human being right now so the price was very good.  i was wondering is that a good buy? or should i look for something else?  thanks in advance.

[attheshow]

The drawbacks to Net MD are as folllows: All recordings are made in ATRAC3, which is lossy. It is not possible to adjust levels without going through a cumbersome menu system, and I believe that it can only be done while in record-pause. You will need a professional rack unit MD or a MZ-RH1 if you wish to transfer your recording from MD to computer digitally. Added D > A > D (like going headphone out into your soundcard) adds noise to the recording. Aside from that, they are good little recorders, cheap, and very stealthable (if that's a requirement). MDs are very durable too. I still have the Net MD (MZ-R70) that I began taping with 7 or 8 years ago, and may still use it in a pinch as a backup, or in a situation where I'm concerned about my gear getting broken or taken. My old MDs from 7 - 8 years ago still sound as good as the day I recorded them. I now have the MZ-RH1, so I can use it to transfer my recordings via USB.

[fmaderjr]

No!!!

This is not Hi-Md. It will not record wav (uncompressed) files. The seller doesn't know what he is talking about. A used iHP-120 loaded with the free Rockbox software would make a far better starter recorder. If you post here seeking to buy one, someone may have a spare they would sell and there are always some on E-Bay. If you buy one form someone on this forum, it would undoubtedly already have Rockbox loaded.

I actually like the sound of minidisc SP recordings, but even if you don't require something that records in wav, I don't think you can change the record level on the fly with this machine, which is horrible. I may be wrong about this, but with a lot of the older Sony MD's, you had to put the machine in pause to change the record level.

If you want to go minidisc that is not Hi-MD, get one of the older Sharps off E-Bay. This one would be a far better choice than the Sony and includes some starter microphones (although I wouln't recommend using any of them for too long. Get a Church Audio or Sound professional's mini-mic).
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sharp-MiniDisc-Recorder-MD-MT80-3-Sony-Microphones_W0QQitemZ230187582686QQihZ013QQcategoryZ15056QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Often there are much cheaper older Sharps on E-Bay (without the microphones which I wouldn't recommend anyway) that are capable of making good recordings.

[3-Fan]

I used the MZ-N1 to record my first 2 shows, then upgraded the recorder to and R-09.  I was happy with my results but there are lots of cons as already mentioned.  Mines just sitting here collecting dust.  I'd be more than happy to part with it for half of what that guy is offering it up for on Ebay.  I had some issues recordign the last show as it would kick out of record every so often, but I think I narrowed that down to faulty MD not the recorder.  Other than that it is mint.  Also have probably close to 20 MD that go with the package and the external battery compartment too.

[fmaderjr]

At the price 3-Fan is offering you, it's a good deal for the money. The E-Bay guy is hoping to rip someone off.

If you get it, you should consider getting a battery box with a level control. That way you can adjust levels on the fly despite the machine's limitations. You really should be using a battery box into line in for loud shows anyway-it's often the only way to avoid distortion. Check Sound Professional's web site. If you want to go used, I have an older Sound Professionals battery box with level controls (dual L/R sliders which I don't find as convenient as a single knob, but still works well) and a 7 position bass rolloff. It is fairly large however (3.5" x 1.75" x 1.25"). It runs 300-500 hours on a 9 volt battery. The platic caps for the dual sliders are gone, but it does not affect their use). I would sell it for $45 shipped.

The Sharps are much better at going mic in without distorting and may even be able to record a very loud show mic in if you use a low sensitivity mic like the Church Audio cards. I only brickwalled my Sharp's mic in one time out of a number of very loud shows (the one time I was very near the speakers) and I was using it I with a higher sensitivity mic than the Church Audios (AT-853). The Sony's can make equally fine recordings if you go line in with a battery box, but going mic in with them is asking for trouble.

[somebody]

Thanks for the advice fellas!.  The whole transfer thing of the MD sounds doesn't sound all the fun.  I did look for some irivers off of e-bay and i might try and get one of those.  thanks once again

[3-Fan]

If you can't find what you are looking for, the MZ-N1 is still sitting here.  A battery box is a must going line on on this.  That is sitting here too collecting dust too.

Good luck!

G

[stevetoney]

I agree with everyone.  Don't buy that ebay listing.  Not much money, but about $60 too much.  I-river, Hi-MD, or nobody's mentioned the Nomad JukeBox 3 or JB3 for short.  The JB3 has been one of the more popular recorders in recording circles (lots of high end guys still use it) and it has 20GB of storage space...can be found for $100 - $120.  There are a couple listed right now in teh TS. com yard sale. 

[Roving Sign]

At the price 3-Fan is offering you, it's a good deal for the money. The E-Bay guy is hoping to rip someone off.

Not sure that's fair to say...MD has it's own little scene, guys collect the things...regardless of its audio quality...

[fmaderjr]

I think everyone's being very fair to MD. I personally am a long time MD user. I love my MZ-RH1 Hi-MD and could still make great sounding recordings with my Sharp MD-MT877 if I needed it as a backup. Personally I'm just saying that the Sony recorders before Hi-MD have some less than desirable features. You must go battery box into line in to make reliable recordings and most of these machines (including the MZ-N1 being discussed) must be put into pause before you can change the record level which is a huge limitation. The buy it now price that the seller was asking for the MZ-N! on E-Bay is, in my opinion, outrageous. At the price 3-Fan offered to sell one, it's a good deal. It could make good recordings combined with a battery box having an in line level control to get around the machine's limitations, but I would still prefer to go in another direction myself.

[Nick's Picks]

i'm going to shake it up and say that any decent MD deck, not necessarily the RH1 alone, will make great recordings.
probably even smoke the iRiver.  the MD preamps are all pretty tight, quiet and lively.
the iRiver ...is not.

[F.O.Bean]

i'm going to shake it up and say that any decent MD deck, not necessarily the RH1 alone, will make great recordings.
probably even smoke the iRiver.  the MD preamps are all pretty tight, quiet and lively.
the iRiver ...is not.

I just had a MD patcher at Galactic sat night, and I must say, it was nice having him. I havent had a patcher in YEARS, but he took care of EVERYTHING himself, and even kicked me a SWEET nug after the show Im sure he was VERY happy after the show on the way home I know I was

We talked about patching MD's briefly, and he said NUMEROUS times that Schoeps guys refused to give him patches because of his 'inferior' means of patching Well, I told him I have been recording 10+ years and I was glad to have him. What does it matter to them if he listens to mp3's oif the show when theyre seeding it anyway? I never got taht. Now back in the Phish TS days when I had 10-15 DATS patched out of my signal at EVERY show, I really didnt have the space for a MD patcher, but I would STILL take a few on. Everyone goes home happy and I still had a source to seed........Those Schoeps guys mustve thought hes MD preamps couldnt handle their muddy lowend

[Nick's Picks]

everything is muddy over PC speakers Bean.
;-)

[F.O.Bean]

everything is muddy over PC speakers Bean.
;-)

I dont even have PC speakers brah! I have my setup like this:

Foobar 2000>Audiophile 2496(even tho I cant take advantage of 24/96 because I cant get my STUPID soundcard to play it back correctly I 'upgraded' to the 2496 and now it wont work. I'll take my cheapie optical out bit-perfect soundcard back anyday if I still had it ) > JVC 6000 RX Receiver > Bose Cubes......

Its DEF time for an upgrade tho! But id ratehr make the recorings in as high a resolution as I can now and take advantage of therm later in life when I can afford the VR-2's I want and a nice integrated amp.....

My 2496 card is PISSING me off tho. I recorded RAQ this past august in 24/96, and I thought my recording was FUBAR'd since it wouldnt playback correctly. So now Im limited 24/48. I dont really care vthat much, but I would like the ability to record in 24/96 for archiving......

Nick, I take it youve used an M-Audio 24/96 Audiophile, any advice on how to get it setup correctly to play 24/96 I have tried everything I have thought of. I messed with the Audiophiles control panel and also windows media player settings..... Should I try newer drivers? I thought I already did but im unsure

Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled MD thread.......

[Nick's Picks]

honestly, its been nearly a decade since I last used that card...and I hated it.
make sure you are using the ASIO drivers   , and then tell your software that it must map through the appropriate hardware.  It might default to the generic windows settings and not the AP card.  that will hose your 24bit action.