I can't help you out much with prices from NZ, but in terms of features 640
vs. 940, I draw the following differences from my latest copy of Sony Pulse
(a consumer catalogue published by Sony):
If you believe the Pulse, MDSJB940 has the following features that the
MDSJE640 doesn't:
- 1 x Co-ax in
- 1 x Co-ax out
- Keyboard Input
- Variable Co-efficient Digital Filter (a switch on the front of the machine
that lets you "tune" the sound curve of the analogue output)
- Music Scan
- Rec-it Function
- Date/Time Stamp
- CD Text Transfer
- Digital Record Level Memory
- Better Build Quality (Aluminium Front Panel, R-Core Transformer, Thick AC
cable).
I leave you to decide whether build quality is important to you and/or
improves sound quality. I imagine not every speced difference between the
units would appear in the pulse and I haven't checked the "technical specs"
section at the back.
I'm also dubious about the accuracy of the 940 having the REC-IT function as
from memory a review of the 940 on the MDCP claimed this had been dropped.
Please note Sony Pulse isn't always 100% accurate, although it may also be
the difference between the US model and the UK model (NZ tends to get the UK
models as far as I can tell). As far as the keyboard input goes too, the
photo of the 640 appears to have such an input. Never seen either model in
the flesh, so it's hard to know.
Probably more importantly, they BOTH have what I would think of as the most
important features:
- ATRAC version R
- MDLP (yeah maybe the quality isn't as good but I'd still rather have the
option - wouldn't you?)
- Pitch Control (although apparently - from the MDCP 940 review - unlike
earlier series' this can only slow music down, not speed it up)
- Scale Factor Edit (aloowing you to change the level of the recorded music
after ecording and put fade-ins and fade-outs in digitally recorded tracks)
- Analogue & Digital record level control
- Hybrid Pulse D/A converter
Something that is a bit of a concern - the Sony Pulse states they both have
the SAME D/A converter i.e. hybrid pulse.
Usually standard Sony CD/MD models (e.g. CDPXE500, MDJE520/530, MDJE640)
seem to have Hybrid Pulse D/A converters, while the "QS" series (CDPXB930E,
MDSJB930) have Current Pulse D/A converters. Now it seems both (640 & 940)
have hybrid pulse D/A converters and you have to jump to the ES model to get
the better D/A converter.
I'm not intending to start a big argument here, and I've never A-B'ed MD D/A
converters, but I have A-B'ed the two CD players and the model with the
current pulse converter sounded HEAPS better. Is this just a typo I wonder?
Anyhow, hope this helps. I've been thinking of upgrading my home deck to a
930/640/940 myself - finding it hard to know whether the new lot with MDLP &
SF edit but compromised other features are better than getting hold of a 930
in a few months at knock-down prioces...
richard
-----Original Message-----
From: Ryan Shoemaker [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, 12 September 2000 9:19 a.m.
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; md
Subject: Re: MD: Sony JB940 prices (and JE640 vs JB940)
...
So, I've been combing through my old md-l mail and was interested
to hear what people have to say regarding the JE640 vs the JB940.
What I've been able to gather is that they basically have all of
the same features and functionality, differing primarily in
construction and power supply. Without reopening the "cost of
KWh's around the globe" and "listen before you buy" debates, is
that more or less an accurate summary of the differences? ;8-)
.....
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