How good is MiniDisc sound quality?
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 audi
