Getting into minidisc........a few years too late.

[admin_exported]

I have had an MP3 player for a little while now, like everyone else I guess. Yes, it's super convenient, yes I can drag and drop files after ripping CDs on the computer, yes the battery lasts ages because there are no moving parts and yes the sound quality is pretty fine, especially given that it was cheap and is very portable. However, I have never really warmed to it. It just isn't like making tapes for my old walkman. I feel less involved. I used to enjoy selecting tracks for the tape, mixing them up from different CDs, working out how much space I had left on the cassette, filling in gaps with strange CD I didn't listen to often. It used to be more interesting.

Now I have found the answer. I have bought and inexpensive second hand portable minidisc player/recorder. This is much more like my old walkman, just a bit more convenient. But, and here's the key, not too convenient. The quality is fine, and although it is a little bulkier than my MP3 it feels more like audio, and less like computer electronics. Psychological nonsense, I know. Has anyone else found that an element of having to put yourself out a bit is actually no bad thing when it comes to audio, or I am alone? Is anyone else still using minidisc? I would welcome your thoughts.

 

[Simon Lucas]

I don't mind putting myself out for listening at home (keeping LPs clean and the turntable properly set up etc), but for portable music I'm with The Dead Kennedys: Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death.

 

[lonely boy]

Even though my Mp3 and portable CD players get more use than my now 10 year old MD Machines, I'm still thinking about grabbing one of those Sony MZ-RH1 HiMD recorders mainly as it can record in PCM and also as a back-up unit should the others fail.

I do see Niffleman's point, I do like the idea of being selective and I did like the format, used it quite a lot for field recording as well as for listing to music at home and on the move.

Being old enough to remember cassettes, MD was great step up in convenience and flexibilty, but I must say that I probably prefer the sound of tape over old school MD (not HiMD) to be honest - but that's more do to with me being brought up in the days when everything was analogue!

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[SteveR750]

I still mix tapes from CD tracks to use at parties etc, though not in the car any more as it doesnt have a cassette player. I bought a Sony 3 head twin motor Dolby B, C and HX pro spec player for the price of a bag of chips, it sounds fantastic for cassette, the kind of ability I used to dream about when I was in my teens / early 20's. I love using it because you have to plan out each side, monitor the rec levels and generally have to do things to make a good tape. Making CD's from itunes is so easy but I agree is somehow unsatisfying....

 

[Anonymous]

I still enjoy my mini-disk. I have 5 years of coming home from the pub and mixing records (mostly badly) stored on them.

The bass is usually maxed out (distorted) and the mixing sounds like a galloping horse but, I can listen to records that I will never find again. (Too many 12 inch singles!)

Oh, and there is an inbuilt dac that takes optical in that is useful for the telly.

Enjoy!