Starting with Magneto Optical recording, Sony MiniDiscs won't wear out for up to a million recordings. New non-linear recording technologies enable MD users to erase or replace tracks without having to leave blank spots or re-record their music mixes. Users get up to seventy-four minutes of recording space because MiniDisc uses the ATRAC coding method to produce efficient sound. Have a look for yourself and see, MiniDisc technology makes the choice clear for your next customized listening experience.

It's called Magneto Optical technology and it is what Sony MiniDisc users use to make digital copies of their favorite music. When recording, the MiniDisc lies sandwiched between a recording head and a laser. As the laser heats the spot on the disk to 400ø F the recording head uses positive and negative magnetic signals to record distortion free music.

Since there is no contact, there is no wear and tear on the MD and the disc will never wear out. MiniDisc uses MO technology to record, erase and even re-record a single disc up to a million times with virtually no loss in sound quality.

Cassette tapes record signals in a linear fashion; that is, songs are recorded sequentially, one after another. That's why tape users have to laboriously fast forward and rewind their cassette to find their tracks. Often when a user wanted to change a single song in a custom music mix they would have to re-record the entire tape. Even more commonly, songs were cut off at the ends of the tape or blank spaces were left between tracks.

Sony MiniDiscs take all of the guess work and hassle out of recording music mixes by using non-linear recording methods to capture music. Similar to the way information is stored on a computer's hard drive, recording information can be divided into fragments (or small sections) throughout the disc. MD technology allows the fragments to be placed in the most efficient manner, enabling a seamless listening experience while effectively using all of the media space. Recording and editing music mixes has never been easier. With a touch of a button MD users can move instantly between tracks to erase, listen or re-record songs.

SRM employs a 4-Megabit buffer memory chip that can store up to 10 seconds of music. When a MiniDisc player reads the disc, the data (music) goes into the buffer memory. The listener hears music as it leaves the electronic buffer, not as it is read off the disc itself.

Since the buffer stores up to 10 seconds of music, the user will not hear any skipping if the laser gets momentarily bumped out of place. Once the laser recovers its position and begins reading the disc, it will begin filling up the buffer again to keeping giving MD continual sound on the rockiest of roads.

Did you know that sounds you can't even hear might be altering your listening experience? Believe it or not when two sounds of different frequencies are played at different volumes a louder sound can completely hide a quieter one. Up until now recording devices picked up both noises leaving in hidden audio that used up valuable recording space.

Today Sony MiniDisc users take advantage of Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding (ATRAC) to get sound that is both clean and efficient. ATRAC technology records only the sound frequencies that the human ear is most sensitive to and not unwanted feedback and chatter that may be hidden by louder but similar sounds. Recorded exclusively with ATRAC, MD users can fit up to 74 minutes of pure digital recording on a 2.5 inch disc.

The Sampling Rate Converter in the Sony MiniDisc will convert either the 32 or 48 kHz sampling frequencies over to 44.1 kHz - which is preferred by most professional recording studios. The Sony MiniDisc is therefore an ideal digital recording device.