Pioneer Decks

Pioneer MJ-L11

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Pioneer MJ-L11MDLP deck
Intro: 01/2003		``OPEN''
Availability:
In: line, optical. Out: line, ?220mm x 65mm x 313mm, 2.5Kg

Features:

  • MDLP deck
  • Play modes: repeat (1,all,A-B), shuffle, program (24 tracks)

Links:

Specs: SNR: 96dB

Reviews:

User Manual: MJ-L11

Pioneer MJ-L77

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Pioneer MJ-L77
Intro: 01/2002
Availability:

Availability:

Availability:

Reviews:

User Manual: MJ-L77

Pioneer MJ-L5

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Pioneer MJ-L5MD deck (add-on to NS-5 system)
Intro: 5/2001
Availability:
IN: optical digital, NS-5 interface
OUT: NS-5 interface
Availability:

Features: Add-On Mini Disc Player/Recorder, Matched to the NS-5 LifePlus system. Disc and Song Title Input, 6 Edit Modes, ASES (Auto Synchro Editing System), Sampling Rate Converter.

Links: Pioneer's official page for the MJ-L5.

Reviews:

Pioneer MJ-D5

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Pioneer MJ-D5home MD deck
Intro: 6/2000		¥49,800
Availability:
IN: ?
OUT: ?		420(W) x 105(H) x 294(D) mm, 3.5kg

Features: Digital recording level adjustment.

Links: Pioneer's Japanese page for this unit.

Specs: Sampling rate: 44.1kHz or more, reproduction frequency characteristic: 8Hz-20kHz, reproduction Signal-Noise ratio: 100dB.

Reviews:

Pioneer MJ-17MD

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Pioneer MJ-17MDhigh-end MD deck
Intro: 6/1999		US$800
Availability:
IN: optical TOSlink, digital coaxial
OUT: optical TOSlink, analog out		4-3/16 x 18-1/2 x 11-9/16 inches (HWD), 11 lbs

Features:

  • MiniDisc player/recorder
  • Urushi finish
  • Legato Link D/A conversion
  • Advanced Parameter Processing
  • digital noise reduction
  • automatic fader
  • auto record start
  • two-second buffer

Links: Etown has a review for this unit.

Specs: 20-bit A/D and D/A converters.

Reviews:

Pioneer MJ-D508

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Pioneer MJ-D508Home MD deck
Intro: 6/1999 (? guess)		MSRP $375
Availability:
In: analog (RCA), optical, coax
Out: analog (RCA), optical, headphone		420 x 105 x 294mm, 3.5Kg

Features:

  • Pioneer Exclusive Advanced Parameter Processing
  • FS converter
  • Pioneer SR remote control
  • 1/All synchro recording with auto space cut
  • name input
  • time skip
  • medley playback (fade-out: 2 second/cut: 10 sec)
  • fader (5 sec)
  • name clip
  • Play modes: repeat (1,all,A-B), A-B repeat, shuffle, program (30 track).
  • A-B erase mode.

Links:

Specs: FS Converter (32k, 44.1k, &48k), 20-Bit D/A converter., SNR: 100dB

Reviews:

User Manual: MJ-D508

Pioneer MJ-D7/D707

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Pioneer MJ-D7
Pioneer MJ-D707		MD Deck
Intro: 6/1998		MSRP ¥65,000
Availability:
IN: line, optical, coax. OUT: line x 2, optical, (D7 may have coax out, but D707 definitely does not have coax out).420 x 105 x 294mm, 3.9kg

Features: Uses a Pioneer developed ATRAC, which they call "ASRAC" (apparently improves bit allocation by considering the bit requirements of all 3 frequency bands). Incorporates Pioneer's "Digital Noise Reduction" (already available on some Pioneer cassette decks) and "Legato Link Conversion" (which synthetically produces frequencies up to 40kHz). Digital recording level control (-48dB to +12dB). Time skip function allows quick movement through audio material at 30s or 60s per click. Medley playback function fades across track changes. Name clip function allows track titles to be duplicated and edited. Synchro start recording. Name clip (copy and paste?) function.

Links: Pioneer's English page for the MJ-D707 (thought to be rebadged D7 for US import). Pioneer Europe's MJ-D707 pages. AJ's review of the unit.

Specs: freq resp.: 8-20kHz, SNR: 101dB (D7), 100dB (D707), Dyn. range: 94dB, THD: .005%

Reviews:

User Manual: MJ-D7

Pioneer MJ-P5

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Kenwood DM-F70
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Sharp MD-R1MKII
Kenwood DM-F70
Pioneer MJ-P5
Sharp MD-R1		Home MD Deck
Intro: 12/1995		MSRP ¥63,000 Street $400
Availability:
In: line, mic, optical coax. Out: optical, line, hdphn.Orig: 270 x 124 x 335mm 3.0Kg, MKII: 270 x 93 x 311mm, 3.1Kg

Features: Sampling rate converter. Synchro recording (start recording when audio appears at input). Title search. Built in wall clock based timer for recording and playback.

Variants: Smaller (93mm wide) Sharp MD-R1MKII supercedes original unit. Upgrade apparently includes 24-bit ATRAC (and 20-bit wide processing LSI?)

Criticism: Sampling rate conversion is a very convenient feature. It will be a must for MD decks before long. But be careful to check the performance. I found the specs of Sharp's sampling rate converter in IEEE trans. on consumer electronics. They are .. S/N 90dB, Distortion 0.005% (1kHz) That's about 14-bit accuracy. I've not yet checked the sound quality myself, but I'm afraid that it will affect the sound quality of low level music [when sampling rate conversion is used]. -Takeshi SASAKI

Links:

Reviews:

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