» How good is MiniDisc sound quality?
» Do MD portables and in-dash players skip a lot?
» What audio sources can I record from?
» How does recording PC audio to MiniDisc compare to using CD-R or CD-RW?
Q: How good is MiniDisc sound quality?
A: To most people's ears, MiniDisc sounds as good as CD. Some people, however, notice slightly lower sound quality compared to CD, when listening to compressed MiniDisc audio. But MD definitely sounds better than analog cassette.
Thanks to the ATRAC™ digital compression system, a tiny 2-1/2" MiniDisc can hold up to 80 minutes of stereo digital audio while offering CD-like specs for dynamic range, frequency response, and low distortion. (The MiniDisc format actually uses the same high-resolution 44.1kHz sampling rate as CD.) And, unlike cassette, there's no background hiss with MDs, so there's no need to use artificial noise reduction techniques.
Some recorders offer MDLP recording mode, which compromises sound quality in exchange for extended recording time. The ATRAC3™ compression used by these recorders can fit up to five hours' worth of music on a single MD.
If you're looking for even more storage, the ATRAC3plus™ compression used by Sony's Hi-MD™ recorders can fit 13 hours' worth of audio on a regular MD, or an impressive 45 hours' worth on a specially designed 1GB Hi-MD disc. And ATRAC3plus has improved on the compression methods of earlier ATRAC formats, in order to provide better sound quality at lower bitrates.
Q: Do MD portables and in-dash players skip a lot?
A: No, thanks to the MiniDisc format's shock-resistant memory. The laser scans ahead on the disc and stores music in a memory buffer, from which the music is played. If the player is bumped or jarred, the music from the memory buffer continues playing while the laser tracking mechanism quickly returns to the proper place on the disc. The result is uninterrupted, skip-free playback.
Q: What audio sources can I record from?
A: MiniDisc recorders are very versatile, since many have both digital and analog inputs.
Use the optical (or on some models, coaxial) digital input to make convenient, high-quality direct digital recordings from components that have a digital output (a special digital connecting cable is required). That includes many CD and DVD players. Keep in mind, however, that SCMS copyright protection will prevent you from making a second-generation digital duplicate of copy-protected audio.
If your recorder has a sampling rate converter, you can also record via the digital outs on some DAT recorders and DBS receivers.
Use the analog inputs to record from analog audio sources such as cassette decks, radio, LPs, and CD players that don't have a digital output. Many MiniDisc recorders also have a microphone input for recording live sound with an optional mic.
Q: How does recording PC audio to MiniDisc compare to using CD-R or CD-RW?
A: MiniDisc gives you greater versatility, in a more durable format. As noted above, MD gives you editing options that recordable CDs just can't. Blank MiniDiscs are as affordable as audio CD-Rs or CD-RWs, but unlike those discs, MDs can be rewritten up to a million times. And MiniDiscs are virtually indestructible, unlike scratch-sensitive CDs. To learn more, see our article All About MiniDisc.
Recording to CD has its advantages, too. Unlike a MiniDisc, a CD-R or CD-RW will play in many CD and DVD players. And you can record MP3s as data directly to a CD-R or CD-RW (giving you up to ten times the storage of a regular CD), then play the disc back on compatible home, car, and portable CD players.
Q: Can I play a CD in my MD player?
A: Definitely not. An MD is physically smaller than a CD, and it's permanently housed in a compact, rectangular protective cartridge. Unlike CDs, MDs remain in their cartridge when you insert them into your MiniDisc player, so you never have to expose the actual surface of the optical disc.
MiniDisc also often uses compression (see the first question, above), which further differentiates it from compact disc.
