MD8 quality issues??

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I've been looking around various bbs & Ebay ads (past & present) to learn more about the Yamaha MD8 and have been surprised at the number of ads & bbs posts referring to reliability issues with MD8's. Is that a fluke?

In the past 12 hours I've probably seen a dozen references to things like channels not recording or playing back, channels that have "low gain", flickering displays, etc.

The MD8 sounds like a terrific unit for what I'd like to do (get decent "live" recordings of a 3 piece instrumental group using 7 tracks) but I'm kind of alarmed at the number of problems I've read about in the past 24 hours.

Is the MD8 the Chevy Vega of minidisc recorders?

TIA,

Cb
 
Yo Key of B:] [Cb]

I've been using the MD8 for three years and have had very little trouble. The unit will do a nice job but you have to know its basic operation or you can record a couple of tracks and lose them because you didn't push the buttons required when overdubbing.

I suspect many of the "messages" you say were due to "lack of knowledge of the machine."

I just got the Yamaha AW2816 and it basically works the same way as the MD8 except it has sooo much more and many more menus to punch up.

If you notice, the prices on most DAW boxes have dropped a great deal; however, the Yam MD8 price has stayed pretty constant for two years -- it's a good seller because you can almost start recording right out of the box.

I hate playing in the key of B.

Cheers,
Green Hornet
 
Yeah, I love my MD-8. I think the sound quality is excellent, too, but what really blows my mind is how easy it is to use (well, until you try and explain it to the drummer. they don't get it, lol).

Both pieces of Yamaha equipment that I own and use have been owned and used to the extreme. I have spilled some very bad things on my SY-77 keyboard, and it's still running strong (it's 10 years old, and the only thing that doesn't work is the backlight for the LCD screen. not bad, considering the disk drive shouldn't work with all those ashes in it (it still works! whoo hooo!)).

Last week I spilled HALF A BEER on the MD-8. I unplugged it and let it dry, it works fine. I know it got soaked on the preamps, because I was recording with it at the time, and you can hear the crackle of shorted circuits doing their thing on the recording, but it's fine now. THAT impressed me. I'm NEVER getting rid of this thing. It's wunnerful. (plus, can't read any of my MD media if I sell it, lol).

Green Hornet knows. Hey, Horney (lol), you have any horror stories about your baby?
 
Thanks for the input guys.

Yesterday I stopped into a local music store & spoke with a salesman about the various digital recording products on the market. I mentioned that the MD8 seemed like a helluva bargain - eight simultaneous digital tracks for well under a grand (used). He told me that he regretted every unit they'd sold - 100% eventually came back - the weak link is the Sony-mfgr'd disc drive(?) that goes in all the MD's produced by Sony AND Yamaha - he said the drive was very sensitive to clumsy handling - if you tried closing it just once without the minidisc media properly in place the heads or drive or some such would become misaligned, requiring a 3-5 month turnaround by Yamaha. He then tried to steer me into the vastly more expensive AW2816. He also metioned the minidisc format didn't really connect with the US market, he expected inventory blowouts shortly be Sony & Yamaha, and figured neither mfgr would be showcasing minidisc products at the next NAMM.

Was he just in Full Sales Mode, or were there bits of truth in what he was telling me?

Cb
 
Well, if you're going to pay full retail, you might want to consider doubling that $1000 and getting the $2000 Alesis HD-24 (comes out sometime this week, or is SUPPOSED to). www.alesis.com has some details on this wonderful machine. The thing that makes the HD-24 so attractive is that it comes ready with 24 1/4" ins right out of the box. The HDR-24 (Mackie) and MX-2424 (Tascam, dang, maybe it's Fostex, they both have one too) require additional input cards if you want to get 24 tracks going, and they're a bit pricey.

Yes, there's a bit of truth to his reply. Most of the big players have dropped MD technology in favor of Hard Disk recorders (that latest round of 24-trackers). If you're going to move around a lot, and would like a portable unit, the MD-8 is wonderful. The drive COULD be iffy, but I haven't had any troubles with mine. Sometimes (like, every two months maybe) the drive won't open, but that's due to the housing on the drive bay (you can slide it off if necessary, and sometimes it'll get slid a hair out of place). In that case, you gently push upwards on the door which puts the housing back in place and you're set.

Other than maybe the 4416 (or similar creature), the MD-8 has few competitors that offer removable storage. This is important, because if your DAW isn't where your recorder is, it can be a real pain to transfer your media and you'll get stuck with a full hard disk of songs you're done with.

I'm happy with mine. Perhaps you'd like to hit eBay or one of the other rec'ers up for their MD-8. Better to get it used than pay full retail, I figure.
 
MD8 Quality Issues

Although I'm late in replying, I thought I'd chime in.

I've had the MD8 for about almost 3 years. It's been pretty reliable. However, I use it exclusively at home. Don't know how it would do if I lugged it around. I suspect it's a little fragile.

It's only been in the shop once. I blew out channel 1 by unplugging the XLR plug while the phantom power was on. Foolish though I may have been, it sounds like others have suffered my fate as well.

I am thinking of getting a new machine soon but I will certainly keep the MD8 for recording live gigs. It's extremely easy to use - I hope it's durable too. Green Hornet - I'm thinking of the AW2816 too. Sounds like a great machine.

Anyway, it's been a great machine. I'm sure there are better rigs available now (for the money) but I have no complaints.

DHN
 
Yo DHN:

I have my 2816 and it IS one hellova box. If you get one, make sure you sit and read and read the manual and the tutorial manual. [you will have to because of the POOR quality of organization the engineers have who wrote them]

On page 12 of the thick manual, Yamaha does clearly state that there is a required shut-down procedure. Make sure you read this and write down a copy to place beside the box until you become familiar with its operation.

The 2816, as the 4416, is really a box with a PC in it, a good screen to read, and a set of windows to visit to do the tweaking, reverb, EQ, etc.

I still have my MD8 plugged in; it will take a while before I unplug it but I'm glad I bought the 2816. It has upgrades which are not in the 4416 but Yamaha is racing to upgrade that box too.


Green Hornet
 
I started recording on the MD4s and liked it so much I sold it to my drummer and bought an MD8.I have used it at home and at some live gigs in noisey bars.I have never regretted owning it.I do have a ROLAND VS 1880 now and I love it,but I still have my MD 8 and use it to swap song ideas with my drummer.

Monty,
 
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