Not many folks noticed Sony’s announcement earlier this year that they’d be phasing out the Minidisc format. In fact, most people were unaware that it was even still alive in the 21st century.
As it turns out, Sony was still churning out models in the new Hi-Md format, and they continue to do so.
In the era of high-capacity mp3 players, Minidisc seems something of a throwback. Originally designed as a replacement for CDs, the format was soundly rejected by a public already feeling burned by the forced obsolesence of vinyl. It gained a second life (and a fervent cult following) as a recording medium, and as a replacement for analog tape.
The discs were rugged and the units made pristine digital recordings with no audible artifacts. The format quietly improved to the point that the ATRAC3 recordings were virtually indistinguishable from CDs in terms of sound quality. Pre-recorded discs met with apathy in the American market, but in Japan they were plentiful and could even be purchased at convenience stores. Continued...