Mini Disc Transfers to CD | Audio Restored

Introduced by Sony in September 1992, the MiniDisc (MD) is a magneto-optical disc-based storage device, able to hold up to 80 minutes of digital audio, using ATRAC audio data compression. The MD format never achieved its full potential in Europe, despite great popularity in Japan, and production eventually ceased in 2013, rendering the format obsolete. Consequently, playback of your recorded MDs is becoming more difficult, potentially leaving a wealth of music unplayable.

We can transfer your MDs to digital .wav files – whether they are SP (standard play, 80 minutes), or either of the MDLP (long play) types – LP2 (160 minutes) or LP4 (320 minutes). MD transfer is performed using either a Denon Professional DN-M1050R deck, or a Sony MDS-JE510 MD recorder.

Alternative file formats (FLAC, .mp3) can also be accommodated if preferred.

MD was developed in the hope it would become the digital successor to the well established analogue Compact Cassette, but was released at about the same time as Philips’ Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) and neither format took off as anticipated. In addition, the Digital Audio Tape (DAT) format had been available since its release in 1989, and the prevalence of these new competing digital formats led to marketing confusion and a reduction in consumer confidence. Recordable CDs, flash memory and HDD-based digital storage and play-back devices became available in the mid- to late 1990s and effectively led to the early demise these disc- and tape-based rivals.