mixing down from 8trk MD, what to buy...

[dragonfly]

Hi total beginner here getting equip. to use w my Yamaha MD8. could i get some input on a stereo master recorder to use for mixing down? under 300$?? here's a silly (?): what are other names for this device? also i have been told to use speakers not headphones for monitoring while mixing down. which speakers have the proper jack and decent enough quality to monitor?

[Rev E]

Dragonfly,

Welcome to this world of dreams, music and money (spent on gear, that is). You have a few choices with you needs and budget. You can look into:
A minidisc player recorder (see my post to moo in the thread about mixing to vcr)
A CDR - if you have a computer
A cassette player/recorder
A VCR

I would personally recommend the CD Recorder option if you've got a computer (<$200) or the minidisc option (<$200). At least you won't have the hiss associated with tape. The VCR is also an option if you've got one that you afford to lose/use for recording. But if you're going to buy something new, go CD Recorder or Minidisc recorder.

Rev E

[DaveO]

Rev E or anyone else,

These might sound like stupid questions, but since I haven't messed around with minidiscs before ...

1) I'd use it for external bounces as well as for mixdowns. I think you can randomly access different versions of a mix or a bounce. Is that correct? That would make it a lot more convenient than using tape.

2) The VCR I was using (before it broke) actually had a level control, which I liked. Is there one on the minidisc unit you mentioned in Moo's post (Sony MZR37)? If not, does it automatically set the recording level so it doesn't distort?

3) I'm assuming there's an internal A-D converter for going into the recorder and a D-A converter for playing back. Are they sufficiently quiet or might they introduce enough noise to reduce or nullify the benefits of using the minidisc recorder the way I intend to?

For $179 I'm tempted to try it, but thought I'd ask a few questions first.

[This message has been edited by DaveO (edited 03-21-2000).]

[Rev E]

DaveO,

If I understand your first point about randomly accessing different versions of a mix, the answer is yes. The minidisc player operates just like a CD player. You can switch to different tracks.

Secondly, the MD player/recorder that I have has an automatic and manual level control setting. It's default position is the automatic setting, but If you want to do it manually, you can easily do so. The only thing is that you have to commit to a manual level. Once you start recording, you cannot change the level during the recording. If you're careful, distorting should not be a problem.

As for the A-D/D-A converters, they sound real good to me. For what you're going to do with it, You should have excellent results. The unit is real quiet. I have been very happy since I've gotten it. For the price, the minidisc option is a very good option if you can't afford something else.

By the way, do you have a computer? Don't forget that you can get a CDR for about the same price as the minidisc. If you had a capable computer this would probably be the best option (non-compressed format, CD players are everywhere, make demo CD's to send out, etc), but then you'd have to start thinking about a capable sound card... Mo' money.

Last thing, the Sony MD unit comes with an optical cable. So if your MD8 have an optical/digital output, you could transfer stuff into the MD digitally, even better.

Rev E

[DaveO]

Rev E,

No PC at home, therefore no CDR. I manage computer systems for a living, too. Go figure. We'll have to buy one eventually since our son just started going to the computer lab at day care, but I expect to have a new car within a week so the PC will have to wait.

Anyway, it sounds like this would be worth trying. I could at least minimize the damage from bouncing tracks and also get a relatively quiet master to make tapes from. I just started working with someone on a set of original songs so maybe I can talk him into buying a CDR for his computer. (sorry Mark)

Thanks for the idea.

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Dragonfly:

Monitor speakers are picked by your ears and your wallet. Alesis monitors are fair; I have a pair of Alesis monitor I's; they are just fair; but, I also have a pair of Infinity towers and I listen to all four speakers while adjusting for the mix-down of my MD-8.

Also, why would you want a mixing board if you have an MD-8? It has a built-in mixer; that's the beauty of the box. It doesn't produce CD quality but it does a nice job. I think there are other E-mails and posts regarding the MD-8 you can pick-up on.

Green Hornet

[Top Jimmy]

I have seen stand alone Phillips CD recorders going for about $275 on E-bay. I have the same problem. I have Alesis Point 7's which seem ok, but mixing down to cassette kind of sucks.

[dragonfly]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Top Jimmy:
I have seen stand alone Phillips CD recorders going for about $275 on E-bay. I have the same problem. I have Alesis Point 7's which seem ok, but mixing down to cassette kind of sucks.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's an option i might consider, i still have not gotten a single reply on a simple decent cassette deck for mixing down, any input on how the phillips cd burner works w a mindisc recorder? green, where did i mention a mixing board? i said mixdown deck but no mention of a board up there. so is the best way to mix to cassette to mixdown on the minidisc to 2 trks and then record it to cassette or cd? i may try both mixing right to cassette and mixing down on minidisc first just for the experience! if i am sounding like a total dope it cause i am such a novice! thanks guys.

[Dom Franco]

I have a Sony Minidisc recorder, and a Phillips CD recorder. They both work so well, I am sure that you will be pleased with either one!

The MD is great for editing and assembling song lists and compilations.

The CD recorder is great, but you have to finalize the CD in order to play it on a regular CD player. So I have made dozens of CD's with just a few songs on them.

Dom Franco

[Shana]

You can record music with a VCR? One you watch movies with??

[Treeline]

Shana:

Yep.

You need a Hi Fi unit, and it will record in stereo. Check out the articles on this site (off the BBS, on to the Real Site).

I'm about to try it myself; my old VCR (not really cleaned since 1986!) got a little creepy, and so I bacame an opportunist and picked up a new one with audio outs on the front. I'm *hoping* that it will prove useful recording concerts, where you can hook it to a mixing board, turn it on and it stays recording for a couple of hours.

Sound quality is said to be just shy of CD, miles ahead of cassette. Try it and report back to us!!