Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
On Mon, Apr 10, 2000 at 11:46:43AM -0700, Dan Frakes wrote: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >I don't know who's listening for you, but there is no tape in > >existance that can compare favorably to MD. > > If you ever have a chance, listen to a Nakamichi Dragon deck with $25 > blanks. I guarantee you'll hear a tape that sounds better than MD. As the long-time owner of a Dragon, I disagree with this statement. > > Of course, it's still a cassette, though ;-) And suffers severly for it! -- Bob Willcox Shaw's Principle: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Build a system that even a fool can use, Austin, TXand only a fool will want to use it. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
Since I became president of the sight and sound club this is auctually something a lot of people asked when I used my MiniDisc JE510 deck to record concerts rather than thier crappy tape deck. This lead me that I need to run some blind listening tests. Seeing as we auctually had some advanced equipment there, I decided to put MD to the test aganist CD and also MP3 aganist them too, because EVERYONE knows MP3. So I digitally ripped the MP3 and encoded it using the newest Franhouer encoder from Nero Burning rom then burned those MP3's onto an Audio CD (Nero will decode as well). Then I dug up a really nice CD player with digital output and recorded the same song off the same CD. Now I've got like, 5 samples: CD, MD, MP3@128, MP3@160 and MP3@192. So we set up our test system. A JVC Pro-Logic surround system, JVC CD player, some really good Bose speakers and my MD deck. We gathered 10 people for a first run test. Most of them being freshmen and sophmores. Well, 9 people guessed CD properly, 1 said it was probably MD. 8 people said the MD was MD, 2 said they weren't sure, but it sounds like CD. Then when it came to the MP3, they got 128 with no problem, at 160, 2 had guessed MD, then at 192 everyone said something different. We're running the test on some adults today, and I may throw in SoundVQ for fun. YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Ralph Smeets <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> If you ever have a chance, listen to a Nakamichi Dragon deck with $25 > >> blanks. I guarantee you'll hear a tape that sounds better than MD. > >> > >> Of course, it's still a cassette, though ;-) > > > >Well, my (very) old Tandberg 3-header was also capable of > >out-performing MD while using metal-tape. > > > >However, play a metal-tape 10 times, and the sound degrades. Play an > >MD 10 times Well, MD stays the same while tape changes over time. > >Even when it is just lying on the shelf. > > > >And price-performance? To use metal-tape and to listen to it, you > >need the best tape-deck in the world. Like the Nakomichi Dragon. But > >be prepared to pay more then for a normal MD-deck. Metal-tape > >walkmans exists, but are rare to find and also expensive. They are > >not as expensive as MD walkmans, but they are in the neighboorhood. > >And for cars... Well head-units for metal-tapes exists but again, > >they are expensive. And a good metal tape costs a lot more than a > >MD-blank. > > > >Add to that all the convinience of MDs (editing, random-access, size) > >and you'll see why tape is on its way out > > That's what I meant by "it's still a cassette, though" I'll take > MD over cassette any day of the week for any purpose. I'll take MD over > CD for anything portable. Just so no one doubts my passion for MD ;-) I > was just pointing out that the assertion that it's impossible for > cassette to sound better than MD is not correct. I can only agree totaly Cheers, Ralph -> MD forever! -- === Ralph SmeetsFunctional Verification Centre Of Competence - CMG Voice: (+33) (0)4 76 58 44 46 STMicroelectronics Fax:(+33) (0)4 76 58 40 11 5, chem de la Dhuy Mobile: (+33) (0)6 82 66 62 70 38240 MEYLAN E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] FRANCE === "For many years, mankind lived just like the animals. And then something happened that unleashed the powers of our imagination: We learned to talk." -- Stephen Hawking, later used by Pink Floyd -- === - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > Shawn Lin wrote: > > I have been told the opposite by several alleged Nakamichi Dragon owners > that said their cheap MDS-JE510 decks sounded better. > > Go figure. > > Shawn > > I really find it impossible that any cassette deck, no matter how expensive > could sound as good as a decent MD recorder. A hi-end cassette deck will record something in the range from 10Hz-22kHz. It will leave nothing out. Off-course you'll need to use high-end tapes. A normal Chrome tape doesn't have the frequency response to handle the signal. Thus it is possible to record a CD with the same fidelity as the original on tape. This isn't possible with MD since MD compresses. Note that we're talking about a high-dollar setup. You'll need a high-end CD player to. Note also the differences between the analog and the digital domain and the problems related to going from one to another. > What do the people who claim that there tape decks "sound better" really > mean?? There is a big difference between the faithful reproduction of audio > and they way something sounds. Many people still prefer the sound of vinyl > to CD. From a technical stand point, vinyl can never come close to the > fidelity of a CD. Vinyl has the same advantage as tape. It is analog. > But how something sounds is a subjective matter. For example, think of all > of the different brands of the same food. Most people prefer one over the > others. That doesn't mean it tastes better. It is an individual subjective > human observation. However, and that's where digital media's shine, all analog media loose there information when they age. In a digital world, that doesn't happen. Another problem with analog media is the necessity to keep the tape/lp spinning with a constant speed. This is very difficult to achieve. A PLL clock that drives a DAC/ADC, is however very easy to build and therefore it opens the possibility to produce low-end CD/MD players that sound almost as good as a high-end CD/MD player. In the analog world however, you have to spend 'big-money' in order to achieve high quality. Cheers, Ralph -> Long live MD! -- === Ralph SmeetsFunctional Verification Centre Of Competence - CMG Voice: (+33) (0)4 76 58 44 46 STMicroelectronics Fax:(+33) (0)4 76 58 40 11 5, chem de la Dhuy Mobile: (+33) (0)6 82 66 62 70 38240 MEYLAN E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] FRANCE === "For many years, mankind lived just like the animals. And then something happened that unleashed the powers of our imagination: We learned to talk." -- Stephen Hawking, later used by Pink Floyd -- === - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
On 4/11/00 4:51 PM, Ralph Smeets wrote: > And price-performance? To use metal-tape and to listen to it, you need > the best tape-deck in the world. Like the Nakomichi Dragon. But be > prepared to pay more then for a normal MD-deck. > Metal-tape walkmans exists, but are rare to find and also expensive. They > are not as expensive as MD walkmans, but they are in the neighboorhood. > And for cars... Well head-units for metal-tapes exists but again, they > are expensive. > And a good metal tape costs a lot more than a MD-blank. > > Add to that all the convinience of MDs (editing, random-access, size) and > you'll see why tape is on its way out Don't forget head azimuth mistracking/misalignment, which can cause a tape made on one deck to have serious high-frequency loss when played on another. Dale - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === Ralph Smeets <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> If you ever have a chance, listen to a Nakamichi Dragon deck with $25 >> blanks. I guarantee you'll hear a tape that sounds better than MD. >> >> Of course, it's still a cassette, though ;-) > >Well, my (very) old Tandberg 3-header was also capable of >out-performing MD while using metal-tape. > >However, play a metal-tape 10 times, and the sound degrades. Play an >MD 10 times Well, MD stays the same while tape changes over time. >Even when it is just lying on the shelf. > >And price-performance? To use metal-tape and to listen to it, you >need the best tape-deck in the world. Like the Nakomichi Dragon. But >be prepared to pay more then for a normal MD-deck. Metal-tape >walkmans exists, but are rare to find and also expensive. They are >not as expensive as MD walkmans, but they are in the neighboorhood. >And for cars... Well head-units for metal-tapes exists but again, >they are expensive. And a good metal tape costs a lot more than a >MD-blank. > >Add to that all the convinience of MDs (editing, random-access, size) >and you'll see why tape is on its way out That's what I meant by "it's still a cassette, though" I'll take MD over cassette any day of the week for any purpose. I'll take MD over CD for anything portable. Just so no one doubts my passion for MD ;-) I was just pointing out that the assertion that it's impossible for cassette to sound better than MD is not correct. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
On Tue, 11 Apr 2000, Dan Frakes wrote: > That's what I meant by "it's still a cassette, though" I'll take > MD over cassette any day of the week for any purpose. I'll take MD over > CD for anything portable. Just so no one doubts my passion for MD ;-) I > was just pointing out that the assertion that it's impossible for > cassette to sound better than MD is not correct. And here I was hoping for another analog vs digital flame war. Those are always fun. -Matt - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
las <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >I really find it impossible that any cassette deck, no matter how >expensive could sound as good as a decent MD recorder. Why is that? MD by design compresses the musical signal. It does a very good job, but it is still discarding some data. In order to make a better recording, a cassette would merely have to accurately record more of the signal, and be able to reproduce it during playback. On cheap decks, with cheap tapes, this isn't really possible. But with a high-end cassette deck and high-end tape media, it is certainly possible. >What do the people who claim that there tape decks "sound better" >really mean?? There is a big difference between the faithful >reproduction of audio and they way something sounds. Many people >still prefer the sound of vinyl to CD. From a technical stand point, >vinyl can never come close to the fidelity of a CD. That's true. But the point here isn't subjective interpretation -- we're discussing the ability of the two types of media to accurately record and playback a source. The arguments between LPs and CDs are, for the most part, about the subtle ways in which the two media sound different -- it is generally accepted that both sound excellent, but people tend to prefer one or the other. The comparison between MD and other media is usually about whether MD can sound as good given the fact that it does not record the entire recordable signal (you don't hear people arguing that MD sounds *better* than CD ). And the generally-agree-upon answer is that the better your system is, the greater chance you'll be able to hear the difference. But since most people aren't using MD as the primary plaback medium in a high-end system, the difference is usually not that obvious. Don't worry -- I don't think a $5,000 tape deck that records/sounds better than a $300 MD recorder poses any threat for the future of MD ;-) - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
Shawn Lin wrote: I have been told the opposite by several alleged Nakamichi Dragon owners that said their cheap MDS-JE510 decks sounded better. Go figure. Shawn I really find it impossible that any cassette deck, no matter how expensive could sound as good as a decent MD recorder. What do the people who claim that there tape decks "sound better" really mean?? There is a big difference between the faithful reproduction of audio and they way something sounds. Many people still prefer the sound of vinyl to CD. From a technical stand point, vinyl can never come close to the fidelity of a CD. But how something sounds is a subjective matter. For example, think of all of the different brands of the same food. Most people prefer one over the others. That doesn't mean it tastes better. It is an individual subjective human observation. Regards, Larry - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: MD: Circuit City Responds
Jason wrote: > I thought someone could try ripping an audio track from > CD to their hard drive, then record the same track to MD > digitally and then, back to their hard drive digitally. > Then take the track ripped from the MD, invert it, and > then mix it directly over the top of the track ripped > straight from CD? > > It might be interesting to hear what it is that is being > lost? Or would that just not work proppa? I hope someone on the list does this. My guess is that the differences would sound AWFUL on their own, but normally be drowned out by the music. simon - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >I don't know who's listening for you, but there is no tape in > >existance that can compare favorably to MD. > > If you ever have a chance, listen to a Nakamichi Dragon deck with $25 > blanks. I guarantee you'll hear a tape that sounds better than MD. > > Of course, it's still a cassette, though ;-) Well, my (very) old Tandberg 3-header was also capable of out-performing MD while using metal-tape. However, play a metal-tape 10 times, and the sound degrades. Play an MD 10 times Well, MD stays the same while tape changes over time. Even when it is just lying on the shelf. And price-performance? To use metal-tape and to listen to it, you need the best tape-deck in the world. Like the Nakomichi Dragon. But be prepared to pay more then for a normal MD-deck. Metal-tape walkmans exists, but are rare to find and also expensive. They are not as expensive as MD walkmans, but they are in the neighboorhood. And for cars... Well head-units for metal-tapes exists but again, they are expensive. And a good metal tape costs a lot more than a MD-blank. Add to that all the convinience of MDs (editing, random-access, size) and you'll see why tape is on its way out Cheers, Ralph -- === Ralph SmeetsFunctional Verification Centre Of Competence - CMG Voice: (+33) (0)4 76 58 44 46 STMicroelectronics Fax:(+33) (0)4 76 58 40 11 5, chem de la Dhuy Mobile: (+33) (0)6 82 66 62 70 38240 MEYLAN E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] FRANCE === "For many years, mankind lived just like the animals. And then something happened that unleashed the powers of our imagination: We learned to talk." -- Stephen Hawking, later used by Pink Floyd -- === - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Thanks for writing with your comments. As a fellow lover of quality sound I'm > always glad to hear from those with different opinions. Heck...that's part of > what makes audio fun. Let me first say that I think you misunderstood part of > what we are saying about mini-disc and that we're really in agreement. Marketing bull-shit > We aren't saying that tapes of CD's are as good as mini-discs of CD's. I > suppose > one could make that argument at the very highest end of tape decks under > extraordinary recording control circumstances, but certainly no tape deck we > sell can make a tape of equivilent quality to your mini-disc. So we agree > there. Even more marketing bull-shit > We also totally agree with you on MP3...but it sells way more than MD so we > advertise it more. We are bringing in new MD products now and fully intend to > continue to support the format along with MP3 and CD-R Audio for digital > recording. And it continues > What we are saying is that in direct listening comparison to the original CD, > there is a small difference in sound quality with a mini-disc. I would call > it a > slight dulling or blurring of the musical signal. This is something I have > heard > myself as well as read in much of the industry press over the last few years. 1) Hmmm, did he ever listen to ATRAC 3.0 and higher? 2) Hmm, the same industry press regards digital media as analog and applies the same laws on it. I bet they use only 3M floppies because it makes their reports smarter > Does that make mini disc a bad format... no way...but to me it does disqualify > it from being an audiophile storage medium. If you can't hear the slight > difference with your equipment then mini disc is a perfect choice for you and > I > suspect the vast majority of people will be absolutely satisfied with mini > disc > and discern no difference between it and their CD's. Nevertheless, we stand by > our comments that it isn't quite as good as the original CDreally, really > close but not quite. True, but not enough reason to not sell it! > I hope this puts our opinion in a better perspective for you and I do want to > thank you once again for taking time out to share yours. I'll take my CDRW and > you can take your MDand as long as we're both listening to good tunes > with a > smile on our faces, that's what it's really all about! > > Best regards, > George Barr > Director - Internet Development > http://www.circuitcity.com Hmm, this is a internet guy... Probably the Internet User Interface. What does he know about music? Cheers, Ralph -- === Ralph SmeetsFunctional Verification Centre Of Competence - CMG Voice: (+33) (0)4 76 58 44 46 STMicroelectronics Fax:(+33) (0)4 76 58 40 11 5, chem de la Dhuy Mobile: (+33) (0)6 82 66 62 70 38240 MEYLAN E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] FRANCE === "For many years, mankind lived just like the animals. And then something happened that unleashed the powers of our imagination: We learned to talk." -- Stephen Hawking, later used by Pink Floyd -- === - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
> Is it possible to scientifically measure the difference in sound quality > between a CD and an MD? Yes it actually is ... each is a different wave form. But what counts is whether we hear a difference. > All these claims made by "golden" ears who can hear > the difference between a CD and an MD may be purely subjective to personal > tastes. Although it's a while ago since I wrote it .. check out http://www.minidisc.org/format_comparison.html. I firmly believe you can tell the difference between ATRAC 4.5 MD and CD ... BUT "only" on certain pieces of music and "only" using A/B switching. With ATRAC 3.0 you don't need A/B switching. For those that flash back to this article I'll admit using Xing for the MP3 encoding was not the best option at the time ... but MD still kicks MP3's arse anyday with any MP3 encoder at 128bit rate. > Does anyone on this list have an audio system that costs nearly as > much as your house and still use MD? I wonder what these MD using > audiophiles have to say... Not worth as much as my house .. but the whole system is worth over $25,000. And I use MD *extensively* CD is my preferred medium ... but MD has completely taken over Compact Cassette for me (and to a lesser extent LP). Long Live MD. :) Cheers GC - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === the sound difference he may hear also may be due to the audiovox receiver and speakers he's using too. - Original Message - From: Faizal Y. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, April 10, 2000 6:34 AM Subject: Re: MD: Circuit City Responds > > Is it possible to scientifically measure the difference in sound quality > between a CD and an MD? All these claims made by "golden" ears who can hear > the difference between a CD and an MD may be purely subjective to personal > tastes. Does anyone on this list have an audio system that costs nearly as > much as your house and still use MD? I wonder what these MD using > audiophiles have to say... > > questions. > Faizal > > >From: "Paul Kowtiuk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Subject: Re: MD: Circuit City Responds > >Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 06:01:15 -0400 > > > > > >The rep from Circuit City replied to a list member saying that he thinks he > >can hear the difference between CD source and MD copy. My question is, has > >he heard the lastest ATRAC-versioned MDs or is this something he noticed > >back in 1991? I'd ask him myself, but I don't have his email address. > >FWIW, *I* can't hear the difference with a newer MD deck. It's unfortunate > >that the technical difference in sound quality between CD and MD gets the > >disproportionate share of attention that it doesMD has so many *other* > >pluses over CD (and CDR, CDRW). > > > >Paul > > > >- > >To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word > >"unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > __ > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > - > To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word > "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > Is it possible to scientifically measure the difference in sound quality > between a CD and an MD? All these claims made by "golden" ears who can hear > the difference between a CD and an MD may be purely subjective to personal > tastes. Does anyone on this list have an audio system that costs nearly as > much as your house and still use MD? I wonder what these MD using > audiophiles have to say... > > questions. > Faizal It should be pretty easy with a spectrum analyzer! cheers, Ralph -> not owning a spectrum analyzer -- === Ralph SmeetsFunctional Verification Centre Of Competence - CMG Voice: (+33) (0)4 76 58 44 46 STMicroelectronics Fax:(+33) (0)4 76 58 40 11 5, chem de la Dhuy Mobile: (+33) (0)6 82 66 62 70 38240 MEYLAN E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] FRANCE === "For many years, mankind lived just like the animals. And then something happened that unleashed the powers of our imagination: We learned to talk." -- Stephen Hawking, later used by Pink Floyd -- === - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
Another thing about this. he stated that they advertise MP3 because it's selling way more, but yet they dont say that the compression in mp3 makes the song sound like total crap. It kinda makes you wonder a little bit why they say that MD degrades music, but MP3 they say nothing about. I say they are all commie's :P - Original Message - From: Paul Kowtiuk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, April 10, 2000 5:01 AM Subject: Re: MD: Circuit City Responds > > The rep from Circuit City replied to a list member saying that he thinks he > can hear the difference between CD source and MD copy. My question is, has > he heard the lastest ATRAC-versioned MDs or is this something he noticed > back in 1991? I'd ask him myself, but I don't have his email address. > FWIW, *I* can't hear the difference with a newer MD deck. It's unfortunate > that the technical difference in sound quality between CD and MD gets the > disproportionate share of attention that it doesMD has so many *other* > pluses over CD (and CDR, CDRW). > > Paul > > - > To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word > "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
Dan Frakes wrote: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >I don't know who's listening for you, but there is no tape in > >existance that can compare favorably to MD. > > If you ever have a chance, listen to a Nakamichi Dragon deck with $25 > blanks. I guarantee you'll hear a tape that sounds better than MD. > > Of course, it's still a cassette, though ;-) I have been told the opposite by several alleged Nakamichi Dragon owners that said their cheap MDS-JE510 decks sounded better. Go figure. Shawn _ NetZero - Defenders of the Free World Click here for FREE Internet Access and Email http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: MD: Circuit City Responds
This might be a crap question and totally unrelated, but I thought someone could try ripping an audio track from CD to their hard drive, then record the same track to MD digitally and then, back to their hard drive digitally. Then take the track ripped from the MD, invert it, and then mix it directly over the top of the track ripped straight from CD? It might be interesting to hear what it is that is being lost? Or would that just not work proppa? I'd do it but i can't go digi MD > PC. Could someone upload a wav file of this somewhere? Cheers, Jason EOM NOTICE - This message contains information intended only for the use of the addressee named above. It may also be confidential and/or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that you must not disseminate, copy or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this message in error please notify [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Circuit City Responds
On 4/10/00 8:49 AM, Paul Kowtiuk wrote: > The rep from Circuit City replied to a list member saying that he thinks he > can hear the difference between CD source and MD copy. My question is, has > he heard the lastest ATRAC-versioned MDs or is this something he noticed > back in 1991? I'll bet he'd never able to discern the difference in a double-blind test with carefully matched output levels. It also really irked me that a so-called audio professional would spell MiniDisc as "mini-disc." This is a trademarked name, after all, and an audio sales specialist should know better. (I hope he doesn't spell Compact Disc as "compact-disc"). More proof this guy doesn't really know what he's talking about? Dale - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Circuit City Responds
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >I don't know who's listening for you, but there is no tape in >existance that can compare favorably to MD. If you ever have a chance, listen to a Nakamichi Dragon deck with $25 blanks. I guarantee you'll hear a tape that sounds better than MD. Of course, it's still a cassette, though ;-) - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
Is it possible to scientifically measure the difference in sound quality between a CD and an MD? All these claims made by "golden" ears who can hear the difference between a CD and an MD may be purely subjective to personal tastes. Does anyone on this list have an audio system that costs nearly as much as your house and still use MD? I wonder what these MD using audiophiles have to say... questions. Faizal >From: "Paul Kowtiuk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: MD: Circuit City Responds >Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 06:01:15 -0400 > > >The rep from Circuit City replied to a list member saying that he thinks he >can hear the difference between CD source and MD copy. My question is, has >he heard the lastest ATRAC-versioned MDs or is this something he noticed >back in 1991? I'd ask him myself, but I don't have his email address. >FWIW, *I* can't hear the difference with a newer MD deck. It's unfortunate >that the technical difference in sound quality between CD and MD gets the >disproportionate share of attention that it doesMD has so many *other* >pluses over CD (and CDR, CDRW). > >Paul > >- >To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word >"unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] __ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Circuit City Responds
The rep from Circuit City replied to a list member saying that he thinks he can hear the difference between CD source and MD copy. My question is, has he heard the lastest ATRAC-versioned MDs or is this something he noticed back in 1991? I'd ask him myself, but I don't have his email address. FWIW, *I* can't hear the difference with a newer MD deck. It's unfortunate that the technical difference in sound quality between CD and MD gets the disproportionate share of attention that it doesMD has so many *other* pluses over CD (and CDR, CDRW). Paul - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Circuit City Responds
Circuit City sent me a reply to a question about their statments about MD on their website. The reply is listed first, followed by the question that I sent them: To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Circuit City Dear Mr. Callahan: Thanks for writing with your comments. As a fellow lover of quality sound I'm always glad to hear from those with different opinions. Heck...that's part of what makes audio fun. Let me first say that I think you misunderstood part of what we are saying about mini-disc and that we're really in agreement. We aren't saying that tapes of CD's are as good as mini-discs of CD's. I suppose one could make that argument at the very highest end of tape decks under extraordinary recording control circumstances, but certainly no tape deck we sell can make a tape of equivilent quality to your mini-disc. So we agree there. We also totally agree with you on MP3...but it sells way more than MD so we advertise it more. We are bringing in new MD products now and fully intend to continue to support the format along with MP3 and CD-R Audio for digital recording. What we are saying is that in direct listening comparison to the original CD, there is a small difference in sound quality with a mini-disc. I would call it a slight dulling or blurring of the musical signal. This is something I have heard myself as well as read in much of the industry press over the last few years. Does that make mini disc a bad format... no way...but to me it does disqualify it from being an audiophile storage medium. If you can't hear the slight difference with your equipment then mini disc is a perfect choice for you and I suspect the vast majority of people will be absolutely satisfied with mini disc and discern no difference between it and their CD's. Nevertheless, we stand by our comments that it isn't quite as good as the original CDreally, really close but not quite. I hope this puts our opinion in a better perspective for you and I do want to thank you once again for taking time out to share yours. I'll take my CDRW and you can take your MDand as long as we're both listening to good tunes with a smile on our faces, that's what it's really all about! Best regards, George Barr Director - Internet Development http://www.circuitcity.com In Reply To Your web site says: "Mini-discs don't have frequency response or other "normal" hi-fi measurements because the ATRAC system does not permit "straight" measurement of the compressed/reduced data. Some audiophiles object to this and prefer to stick with high end cassette decks or expensive DAT machines for critical recordings. We won't argue this point, for if you put on headphones and compare a CD to an MD recorded from the CD, you will hear some minor degradation if you listen closely." Huh? I don't know who's listening for you, but there is no tape in existance that can compare favorably to MD. I use MD all the time, with headphones, and do not hear the "minor degradation" of which you speak. I'm an obsessive audiophile who would like to see MD grab a better market share in the US as it has in Japan, Europe & Australia. I've purchased MD equipment at circuit City, but I'm starting to find more available at Internet locations; you seem to have made more room for(shudder)MP3, which TRULY has sound degradation problems and memory issues, among other things. Just my .02 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
