Re: Re: Misc. Questions


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Posted by Rick Denney on November 15, 2001 at 11:33:52:

In Reply to: Re: Misc. Questions posted by lisa on November 14, 2001 at 21:53:38:

Just to clear up a few points...

Only the high-end mini-disc recorders provide a digital output, so with most of them (and almost all currently available portables), you'll have to use an analog audio connection from the MD player to the computer. If you have a good sound card, this is no real hindrance, except that it is slow. The resulting noise will still be less than any potential playback system. And it could be argued that this provides no less degradation than the resampling required to convert the MD format to uncrompressed digital audio on a CD.

Be sure to use the minimum compression on the MD recorder. Some will argue that even that compression algorithm is audible, but I would refute that for the sorts of music we are interested in. I'm sure someone could come up with a demonstration, but it would have to be specially created just to prove that point.

My favorite software for recording in from the MD player, editing and mastering is Cool Edit 2000, which is cheap and simple to use. I use a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound card, which is the best performer available below the several-hundred-buck range. My mini-disc recorder is a Sony MZR70PC, and I use an Audio-Technica AT-822 stereo microphone. The whole shebang can be had for under $500.

The only way to do better is to spend real money and go to digital audio tape, or to one of the direct-to-CD recorders.

Rick "who did not spend real money" Denney


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