As soon as the HiMD recorders which record both
non-compressed 16 bit audio and compressed ATRAC
on on the shelves, the
to-compress/not-to-compress decision will be one
that all new MD recorder buyers can enjoy making
themselves (no offense to those who might choose
HHb preamps/A-D.)
I noticed that a package of old Sony MDW80PL-U's
MD blanks had an added sticker saying, "HIMD
Compatible" at Best Buy, .. Does any one know if
this signals that the HiMD recorders will not
require another, new type of MD media to get the
longer 1GB capacity? Or,.. do they mean playback
compatible only because at the moment there are
only the 600 (non-recording) model HiMDs out
there? Rob D.
At 11:20 AM +0200 7/17/04, wrote:
>Hi Julie,
>
>I would like to explain a different perspective. I know that the majority =
of
>the Nature Recordist group emotionally favors the MiniDisk system and I
>don't want to re-launch the previous passionate discussion on that subject
>;-) However, there are also a few arguments that suggest to use a recorder
>that is able to record without compression (e.g. the Marantz solid state
>recorder)
>
>It is true that the potential ATRAC compression artifacts are often less
>dramatic than expected. However, the ATRAC artifacts heavily depend on the
>frequency content of the recordings. Large signal bandwidths (e.g. noisy
>sounds or high-pitched whistles with harmonics) may push the ATRAC
>compression algorithm to it's limits. This is often not a problem because
>there is usually only little energy above about 8 kHz if you are recording
>at larger distances from the sound sources (higher frequency components wi=
ll
>be attenuated while traveling over large distances). Things will change wh=
en
>you get closer to your subject or if you use a parabolic reflector.
>Consequently, the energy of the harmonics will rise. Unfortunately, the
>ATRAC algorithm does not only distort these high-frequency components - it
>then also degrades the more important lower frequency components. As you
>might imagine, the opportunities for approaching a subject very close are
>usually rare. So, I would be very disappointed, if my recorder failed to
>capture those close-distance sounds appropriately. An example of such
>artifacts can be seen on the following spectrogram of a MiniDisk recording
>(made with a pro-level MD Recorder):
>
>http://www.avisoft-saslab.com/compression/MDtest2MD.gif
>
>The following spectrogram shows the same (undistorted) signal that has bee=
n
>simultaneously recorded onto a DAT recorder (a CF recorder running without
>compression would produce the same result):
>
>http://www.avisoft-saslab.com/compression/MDtest2DAT.gif
>
>One of the artifacts is a temporarily higher noise floor that can be much
>higher than the self-noise level of the microphone or the recorder
>electronics.
>
>The overall quality of a recording system is always limited by the weakest
>component within the entire signal chain. In certain recording situations
>(at close distances), the ATRAC compression system might become the weakes=
t
>part (instead of the microphone or the preamplifier).
>
>This is of course my personal opinion...
>
>See also http://www.avisoft-saslab.com/compression/compression.htm for mor=
e
>details.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Raimund Specht
>
>
>
>> Walt:
>>
>> What is the difference between the CF card recorder(ex.maranz PMD)
>> and Minidisc? I need to transform the sound in MD to computer=A0
>> again by a line, doesn't that affect the quality?
>> How do I decide which kind to buy?
>> Thank you!
>>
>> Julie
>>
>> --- In Walter Knapp <>
>> >
> > > The absolute best minidisc field recorder is the HHb Portadisc.
>> This is
>> > a pro level recorder with all the bells and whistles. Larger and
>> heavier
>> > than the consumer minidisc, much better electronics. Much more
>> > expensive, but worth it.
>> >
>> > Don't know which consumer minidisc is currently considered best.
>> >
>> > I record exclusively stereo, so my mic choices are different too.
> > >
>> > Walt
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Microphones are not ears,
>> Loudspeakers are not birds,
>> A listening room is not nature."
>> Klas Strandberg
>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>>=A0
>>
>
>
>
>
>"Microphones are not ears,
>Loudspeakers are not birds,
>A listening room is not nature."
>Klas Strandberg
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
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