Daniel De Granville wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm still full of doubts after my first incursions with MD recording. My
> today's question refers to external speakers for playback. Jeremy Minns has
> already given me some advice in PVT, but I'd like to hear more from you
> folks.
>
> I do have a set of small speakers with internal amplification (they take 2
> "C" size cells each), but even then the sounds seem to come out too low for
> my purposes.
>
> I read on an internet forum that the Sony MD recorders usually have a very
> weak output to the headphones (the only outlet where I can plug the speakers
> in). Something like 2 Watts. Indeed, these speakers sound pretty powerful
> when connnected to my Citizen discman - much better than the sound from the
> MD.
The Sony MZ-R30 I used to use could easily give me enough volume in the
headphones to be painful. If you note the comments about not loud enough
seem to come from folks who listen to music loud enough that they
already have hearing loss. And are trying to make it worse.
Volume for playback won't come from the Sony anyway if you have a
powered speaker with a volume control. It's own amplifier should be
doing that.
The relative volume between different types of gear depends primarily on
the impedance match. It's not a matter of weak or strong, even a very
powerful output can be reduced to practically nothing by the wrong
match. Headphone outputs are not designed for this, so it's not uncommon
to have problems.
Note as far as playback it's a education to get whatever playback
speaker you have running and walk out into the bush and find out just
how far it carries. It won't be far from a small battery setup like
that. The outdoors can absorb a lot of sound energy.
> My question: is there anything I can do about it, besides buying a new set of
> speakers (as to Jeremy's recommendation)? Maybe some sort of
> pre-amplification placed between the MD's headphone output and the speakers??
Even if they have only a headphone out, many of the Sony MD's have a
menu item to switch that from headphone to line out. See if your's has
that and set it to line out. Other than that I doubt that you can make
much difference. You need a better amplifier and speakers. I've always
thought modifying a bullhorn might be the best way to get good reach.
That way you could also aim your output somewhat.
Walt
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