Yamaha Multitrack

Original source · Original dates and notices remain in the article. Historical advice may no longer apply.

Yamaha MD-8

Picture	Name	Desc	Price	Connectors	Dimensions
	Yamaha MD-8	8 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

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Name

Desc

Price

Connectors

Dimensions

Yamaha MD-8

8 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

Picture	Name	Desc	Price	Connectors	Dimensions
	Yamaha MD-4	MiniDisc 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: The Mix magazine wrote an extensive review of the MD4. Yamaha's extensive MD4 page (in English). Yamaha Japan MD-4 page. Daniel Jonason's further info about this unit. Roger Nichols at EQ has some comments on the MD-4 (and a great sense of humor!). Harmony Central has a page for this unit. EQ magazine's buyer's guide has a short blurb on the Yamaha. Don's Music has a good description and price for the MD4. Reviews:

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Name

Desc

Price

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Dimensions

Yamaha MD-4

MiniDisc 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:

The Mix magazine wrote an extensive review of the MD4.
Yamaha's extensive MD4 page (in English). Yamaha Japan MD-4 page.
Daniel Jonason's further info about this unit. Roger Nichols at EQ has some comments on the MD-4 (and a great sense of humor!). Harmony Central has a page for this unit.
EQ magazine's buyer's guide has a short blurb on the Yamaha.
Don's Music has a good description and price for the MD4.

Reviews:

Yamaha MD-4S

Picture	Name	Desc	Price	Connectors	Dimensions
	Yamaha MD-4S	MiniDisc 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, thru	413(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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Price

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Dimensions

Yamaha MD-4S

MiniDisc 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, thru

413(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

Yamaha Multitrack

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