CD-R or MiniDisc recorder?

[jbascur]

Hi!
I need a unit to make the mixing from my
tascam 414 and I wonder if anybody can help
me with the decision. Does portable MD have
a worse quality than CD-R into a computer
with cakewalk pro 8.0 and celeron 300 PCI sound card? The prices are almost the same (at least in the internet)
Please help me!!

[Dragon]

See http://homerecording.com/mixing_down.html and http://homerecording.com/vhs.html

[Matt]

I mixdown to a Sony MD and It sounds great!

[drstawl]

But quality aside: you can play your CDR demo in a lot more places than that minidisc. Not to mention that the MD files are altered to fit the medium and the CDR needn't be.

[Matt]

Well, whatever. Just sharing an opinion. I know MD isn't the best of the best but it does do the job for people who don't have their computer and recording studio in the same spot. It's also good for people who (gasp!) still record in analog and want a digital mixdown. Yes, yes, yes, I know they can mixdown to CDR, but again, if you don't have a computer in your studio (and many people don't) MD is a pretty good choice.

Guys,
I thought that md uses compression.

[Matt]

I think it does only when you're using the data MD for multitrack recording. The regular stereo MD (I think) doesn't use data compression.

[jazer]

Having SIGNIFICANT experience with both of these subjects, i think I should be able to help....I have 2 Sony MD recorders, and both sound wonderful....(for those of you wondering, yes the MD uses compression, but it is so finely developed that the sound quality is still very good...in fact, only about 10% in this BBS could tell the difference)...however, MD is not very widespread, and many people won't be able to listen to it....

so on to CD....the only problem you're facing here is the quality of the converters on your sound card, and the quality of the hard drive you are recording on....if you're using a regular consumer PC (compaq, dell, etc.) chances are the hard drive will be an IDE format and relatively slow...also, if you only have one drive, it is being constantly accessed by the system, slowing it down (there is a common myth that digital is digital, but there is a certain amount of error allowed in the recording that will adverse artifacts)...as I said the converters on the sound card also play a HUGE role...chances are the converters on the MD will be of higher quality than the sound card, and also free from the computers internal noise and intereference....if your sound card has a digital in, you may be able to buy an inexpensive converter such as MidiMan's flying calf A/D....

Personally, if I were you, knowing what your current setup is, I would stay away from using the computer and buy a NON-PORTABLE MD such as one of the lowend Sony's, which run for about 200-300 dollars...

[jazer]

Having SIGNIFICANT experience with both of these subjects, i think I should be able to help....I have 2 Sony MD recorders, and both sound wonderful....(for those of you wondering, yes the MD uses compression, but it is so finely developed that the sound quality is still very good...in fact, only about 10% in this BBS could tell the difference)...however, MD is not very widespread, and many people won't be able to listen to it....

so on to CD....the only problem you're facing here is the quality of the converters on your sound card, and the quality of the hard drive you are recording on....if you're using a regular consumer PC (compaq, dell, etc.) chances are the hard drive will be an IDE format and relatively slow...also, if you only have one drive, it is being constantly accessed by the system, slowing it down (there is a common myth that digital is digital, but there is a certain amount of error allowed in the recording that will adverse artifacts)...as I said the converters on the sound card also play a HUGE role...chances are the converters on the MD will be of higher quality than the sound card, and also free from the computers internal noise and intereference....if your sound card has a digital in, you may be able to buy an inexpensive converter such as MidiMan's flying calf A/D....

Personally, if I were you, knowing what your current setup is, I would stay away from using the computer and buy a NON-PORTABLE MD such as one of the lowend Sony's, which run for about 200-300 dollars...

[Matt]

Thanks for the added info! So the regular stereo MDs are compressed, too?

[SN]

Yes regular MD are compressed too.

Follow the links at

www.minidisc.org

The site for everything minidisc.

What is wrong with the portable MDs?

I suggest he get a portable pocket size one. Amazingly convenient for live do it any where recordings, and the "I don't have a minidisc player" problem is avoided because he can cary the player in his shirt pocket to play at friends houses through the line in on their stereos.

But a CDR is also excellent to make quality and convenent copies that so many can listen to and of course to use as a data backup for your entire hard drive.

Get them both.