At 4:47 PM +0000 7/22/08, oryoki2000 wrote:
>"clay" wrote:
>> I guess I'm surprised that no one are using
>> preamps of the quality of the minidisk in
>> a similar size package.
>
>Sony might have ruled the small recorder universe if they left the
>Hi-MD electronics intact, and substituted a flash card for the
>minidisc as a storage medium. I suppose they chose to try to prolong
>the life of the Hi-MD instead. It's still popular in Japan.
Hi Oryoki--
As you probably recall, the Asahi Kasei AK5356 A-D preamp chip that
Sony uses in the Hi-MD recorders costs about $3-4USD in quantity.
All of the manufacturers seem to have access to comparable or better
components.
I think that CF recording media might have threatened Sony's creative
ownership interests and exposed their deep pockets to copyright
issues. The D50 could mark a change in their consumer product policy;
smaller, CF-recording units could even be in the works.
In contrast, Fostex has always targeted the recording industry market
and has not stretched far into the consumer market and has
consistently delivered mic pre quality-- yet only recently at
consumer price points. Rob D.
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