Yamaha Multitrack

Yamaha MD-8

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Yamaha MD-88 track MD recorder
Intro: 1
MSRP ?
Availability:
(see below)484x102x412.3mm, 6.4Kg

Features: ATRAC 3.5 . Records up to 18 minutes of 8 track audio. Also records in 4 track, stereo and mono modes. Fast playback at 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x and 32x speed. Editing functions: track copy, track erase, part copy, part erase. Pitch control: +/-12%. Punch I/O, Midi In/Out/Thru.

Links: Yamaha's page for the unit. An additional Yamaha page with more information including close-ups of the front and rear panels. Martin Frischherz's comparison of the Yamaha MD4 and MD8. A ProAudio-Web review of the MD-8. Mark Mattson writes a review for this unit. Charlie Jones finds a colorful MD8 brochure.

Specs:
Frequency Resp: 20-20kHz +1/-3dB, S/N: 96dB, THD: 0.02% or 0.012% (Yamaha brochures are inconsistent on this point).
Inputs: Mic/Line Ch1,2 (-10 to -50dB, TRS Phone Jack, XLR). Mic/Line Ch3-8 (-10 to -50dB, TRS Phone Jack). Line Ch 9-12 (-10db, Phone Jack). 2TR In L,R (-10dB, RCA Pin Jack).
Outputs: Stereo out L,R (-10dB, RCA Pin Jack). Monitor out L,R (-10dB, RCA Pin Jack). Track Direct Out 1-8 (-10dB, RCA Pin Jack). Aux Send 1,2 (-10dB, Phone Jack). Phones (100mW+100mW, Stereo Phone Jack).

Reviews:

User Manual: MD-8

Yamaha MD-4

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Yamaha MD-4MiniDisc Multitrack Recorder
Intro: 1
MSRP ¥99800, Street ¥90000
Availability:
in: Line/mic X 4 (1/4" phone), L/R stereo sub in X 2 (RCA), AUX Stereo Return x 2 (RCA). out: Direct track out X 4 (RCA), Stereo out x 2 (RCA), Monitor out x 2 (RCA), Aux Send x 1 (1/4" phone).376 x 72.3 x 364mm 4.8kg

Features:

  • Records up to 4 tracks simultaneously on MD-Data disks. Can play and record normal MD audio disks in 2 track (stereo) mode.
  • 11.6 ms positioning accuracy.
  • MIDI MTC
  • Pitch control +/- 6%.
  • Has pots on each channel for gain, high, mid, low band eq, aux, and 2 buttons for group assign, a pan pot, a line-mic push button and level slider from 1 to 10.
  • Can bounce 4 tracks down to 1 or 2. Signal degradation from ping pong: "almost nothing"
  • Prior to mixdown, "Song Copy" function allows entire song to be copied digitally (bypassing ATRAC codec) to another section on the disc as a "backup".
(Thanks to Ted Matsumura for help.)

Links:

Reviews:

Yamaha MD-4S

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Yamaha MD-4SMiniDisc Multitrack Recorder
Intro: 1

Availability:
in: Line/mic X 10 (2 X bal 1/4" phone/jack, 6 X unbal 1/4" phone/jack, 2 X XLR), L/R 2-Track input X 1 (RCA/phono X 2), Insert X 2 (RCA/phono). out: Direct track out X 4 (RCA/phono), Stereo out x 2 (RCA/phono), Mo nitor out x 2 (RCA/phono), Aux Send x 2 (1/4" phone/jack). MIDI: in, out, thru413(w) x 109.5(h) x 388(d) mm; 5.2kg

Features:

  • 4 tracks simultaneously record/play on MD-Data disks (up to 37 mins). Also standard stereo (74 min) and mono (148 min) record/play
  • Auto and manual punch in/out accurate to 11.6 ms
  • Pitch control +/- 10%.
  • Balanced phone/jack and XLR inputs plus insert jacks on channels 1&2; Phone/jack inputs on channels 3&4.
  • 3 band EQ, trim, pan, fade, 2 X aux send on all four channels.
  • Unlimited ping-pong in the digital domain, without degredation.

Links: Yamaha Japan's English MD4S page. Yamaha Germany's MD4S page.

Reviews:

User Manual: MD-4S

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