I'm looking to get something to make field recordings; looked at the Edirol R-1 and the M-Audio flash-based recorder (don't remmeber the name) and the cheapest I saw them was for around $400, which is too rich for my blood.
Can anyone recommend a minidisc recorder that's good and relatively cheap (something that's easy to find used is a plus)?
Recommend a good, cheap-ish portable minidisc recorder?
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- addled muppet weed
- 111304 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
dunno bout availability but i have the sharp md mt80
whilst not being the most pristine recordings for field stuff its more than adequate.
in fact if i didnt use a crappy mic that comes with most home pcs i reckon the quality would improve
i bought mine brand new and it cost me less than a hundred quid
basically just make sure it has a mic in as well as optical and as its md it should in theory be a good recording
whilst not being the most pristine recordings for field stuff its more than adequate.
in fact if i didnt use a crappy mic that comes with most home pcs i reckon the quality would improve
i bought mine brand new and it cost me less than a hundred quid
basically just make sure it has a mic in as well as optical and as its md it should in theory be a good recording
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- Banned
- 2631 posts since 12 Oct, 2005 from the garden state
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-Recordable-Min ... dZViewItem
I have that particular model and use my sennheiser headphones as a stereo microphone
it does a rather decent job of field recording
I have that particular model and use my sennheiser headphones as a stereo microphone
it does a rather decent job of field recording
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4334 posts since 20 Feb, 2004
Good info... how does one transfer the recordings to computer? Are the minidiscs readable in an ordinary CD-ROM drive?opia wrote:http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-Recordable-Min ... dZViewItem
I have that particular model and use my sennheiser headphones as a stereo microphone
it does a rather decent job of field recording
A well-behaved signature.
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- Banned
- 2631 posts since 12 Oct, 2005 from the garden state
unfortunately you have to do the line out to line in and record
they have a new one I saw at guitar center
its like 300 though
http://ostg.pricegrabber.com/search_get ... id=9973505
it transfers wavs via usb
they have a new one I saw at guitar center
its like 300 though
http://ostg.pricegrabber.com/search_get ... id=9973505
it transfers wavs via usb
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- addled muppet weed
- 111304 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
yep the old headphone on the md to your soundcard input is the cheap way 
but i find this way you can sit and listen and mark down interesting points as your recording
that way you have a rough idea of where to cut bits from when you load up
but i find this way you can sit and listen and mark down interesting points as your recording
that way you have a rough idea of where to cut bits from when you load up
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- KVRian
- 611 posts since 30 May, 2004
Well there is the issue with minidisc recorders being very annoying to operate, at least mine are, maybe I have not studied the documentation good enough, but I have had trouble with files that went deleted before getting them to my pc, or maybe just lost somewhere in the circuitry. 
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- KVRian
- 711 posts since 8 Sep, 2005
I scoped this out about six months ago, and couldn't find anything that I was satisfied with, so I went with a laptop; Firebox; and a smaller sequencer (Cubase SL; I use SX on a desktop). As I use DSP cards in my desktop machine, I simply dumb down my laptop setup by downloading the MP3/WAV for each tune/project and throw new vocal tracks on top in my project folder. This enables me to transfer the vocal tracks back to my desktop machine, in the corresponding project folder for a total mixdown.
Although this is not the most efficient setup (i.e. size; cost), it is the most compatible, as I'm transfering mp3/WAV tracks to/from folders using the same sequencer (i.e. Cubase SX<->Cubase SL). In addition, the laptop allows me to run my favorite plug-ins and provides additional flexibility.
Besides, I don't want to pick up any nature sounds in the field!
Although this is not the most efficient setup (i.e. size; cost), it is the most compatible, as I'm transfering mp3/WAV tracks to/from folders using the same sequencer (i.e. Cubase SX<->Cubase SL). In addition, the laptop allows me to run my favorite plug-ins and provides additional flexibility.
Besides, I don't want to pick up any nature sounds in the field!
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- KVRAF
- 4822 posts since 14 Mar, 2002 from Somewhere else, on principle
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- KVRist
- 427 posts since 26 Nov, 2000 from Gallifrey, The Capitol.
I'm at risk of sounding like some MD evangelist, but here some things that need to be considered.
*Before buying a microtrack, read user feedback on it. There are a number of comments that have been made on KVR as well, don't read them at your own peril*
When buying an MD, don't buy a MZ-NH600D as it is only digital transfer recordable, not actual analog recordable. [D for "downloader"?]
In the past people had a lot of problems with SonicStage, the software that is used for transfering MD recordings back to pc's digitally etc. From what I understand if your MD is supported by the current version of SonicStage these problems have been pretty well licked. For very old units updating to the latest sonicstage may mean loss of transfer to some very old audio compression "modes".
Sonicstage used to only allow 1 single transfer of a users analog recording back to a computer. This limitation has been removed in recent upgrades to SonicStage [3.3 being the latest revision].
A good place to buy in at the moment may be with last seasons MZ-NH700 unit, as a lot of fans of the format will be offloading such units so they can get their new RH series ones. The MZ-NH700 allows for direct digital file upload via usb to a computer and will take 1gig High MD discs. This unit also supports true stereo PCM recording - no lossy compression. Given recent Sony clearences of units in this series it may be possible to get a new one at near the price of a second hand one.
Don't buy a cheap sony DS70 series microphone if you want to record anything other than notes.
Spratman
*Before buying a microtrack, read user feedback on it. There are a number of comments that have been made on KVR as well, don't read them at your own peril*
When buying an MD, don't buy a MZ-NH600D as it is only digital transfer recordable, not actual analog recordable. [D for "downloader"?]
In the past people had a lot of problems with SonicStage, the software that is used for transfering MD recordings back to pc's digitally etc. From what I understand if your MD is supported by the current version of SonicStage these problems have been pretty well licked. For very old units updating to the latest sonicstage may mean loss of transfer to some very old audio compression "modes".
Sonicstage used to only allow 1 single transfer of a users analog recording back to a computer. This limitation has been removed in recent upgrades to SonicStage [3.3 being the latest revision].
A good place to buy in at the moment may be with last seasons MZ-NH700 unit, as a lot of fans of the format will be offloading such units so they can get their new RH series ones. The MZ-NH700 allows for direct digital file upload via usb to a computer and will take 1gig High MD discs. This unit also supports true stereo PCM recording - no lossy compression. Given recent Sony clearences of units in this series it may be possible to get a new one at near the price of a second hand one.
Don't buy a cheap sony DS70 series microphone if you want to record anything other than notes.
Spratman
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- KVRAF
- 4822 posts since 14 Mar, 2002 from Somewhere else, on principle
That sucks to hear that about the Microtrack.
Well thanks for the warning anyway.
Well thanks for the warning anyway.
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- KVRian
- 611 posts since 30 May, 2004
Eh tried doing a search in the hardware part of the forum, no results.*Before buying a microtrack, read user feedback on it. There are a number of comments that have been made on KVR as well, don't read them at your own peril*
What has been said about it.