11
10
The first is that the original source MP3 or wav file contains distortion, or is being corrupted during
playback. Because the DG2 plays these files exactly, any anomalies in an original recording, or that occur
during playback, will also be played. To reduce the likelihood of distortion in your source file, make sure not
to use your computer for any other tasks during ripping, MP3 compression, or playback. Contact the vendor
of your ripper and encoder to make sure you meet their minimum system requirements and are using the
program correctly.
If your source file does not contain any distortion, another place that it can be corrupted is in the MiniDisc
recorder. Make sure that the DG2's output level is not set too high. Having the output of the DG2 set higher
than the maximum input level of your MiniDisc recorder can cause degradation in sound quality. Most
MiniDisc recorders have an input level indicator that allows you to monitor the strength of the input signal.
Verify that the MiniDisc recorder is not being overloaded. If distortion is still occurring, make sure that the
lens of your MiniDisc recorder is clean.
The DG2 automatically adds track marks on supported MD recorders without the need for a two or three
second gap of silence between each track in the discrete recording mode. Many media players offer a
gapping facility as a plug-in. Make sure to disable any gapping feature before recording with the DG2 in the
discrete recording mode. MusicMatch Jukebox Plus includes a special feature for users that record using an
AN1 or in the continual record mode with the DG2, that automatically adds a 3 second gap of silence
between tracks during playback. To turn the MusicMatch Jukebox Plus gapping feature off, click on File in
MusicMatch Jukebox Plus, then scroll down and click on MiniDisc Analog Trackmarking. The check mark will
disappear to show the feature is disabled.
Troubleshooting Guide
In this section are various suggestions for problems or issues you may encounter using the DG2 including:
1. My computer doesn’t seem to have all the right drivers in Windows;
2. My DG2 looked to install fine, but I can’t select it as preferred device;
3. My DG2 fails to set itself as preferred audio device automatically;
4. My DG2 seems to be putting trackmarks all over the place;
5. My MD recorder is cutting off a fraction of a second at the beginning of some tracks;
6. My MD recorder is cutting off seconds at the beginning of each new track; and
1. My computer doesn’t seem to have all the right drivers in Windows.
Problem: After plugging in your DG2 for the first time, Windows doesn’t seem to automatically default to
where the drivers should be and you can’t seem to find them on the Windows CD either.
Fix: A lot of the large branded computer manufacturers ship their systems with a cutdown OEM version of
Windows that does not always include all the USB audio components. Because this is specific to each
manufacturer, you will need to contact the one who built your system and ask them to send you a USB audio
upgrade to bring your version of Windows up to the same standard as the retail version.
6. If you are using MusicMatch Jukebox Plus, go to point 7 now.
If you are not intending on using MusicMatch Jukebox Plus, you'll have to verify that your preferred
media player controls the Wave Balance slider in the DG2 Volume Control panel. Press play on your
media player and open the DG2 volume control panel by double clicking on the speaker icon down in
the Windows task bar at the bottom right had corner of your screen. Move the volume control up and
down on the media player and watch to see if the Wave Balance slider moves in the DG2 Volume
Control panel. If the Wave Balance slider does not move, your media player is not correctly controlling
the DG2 and may not be running to the Windows protocol. If this is the case, you will have to manually
set the volume output of the DG2 by using the Wave Balance slider rather than the volume control in
your favorite media player. You may also consider using a media player that is Windows compliant.
7. Set the volume of MusicMatch Jukebox Plus or your favorite media player to minimum. Press record on
your MiniDisc recorder. Press play on MusicMatch Jukebox Plus or your favorite media player. Your
MiniDisc recorder should start recording.
8. Wearing the headphones connected to the MiniDisc recorder, start to slowly raise the volume control in
MusicMatch Jukebox Plus, or your favorite media player. You will start to hear the volume increase
through the headphones.
9. Make sure that you raise the volume control only to an appropriate level for your MiniDisc recorder. If
you increase the volume past the signal level that the MiniDisc recorder can tolerate, it will cause
distortion in your recording. Many MiniDisc recorders have a level display that lets you monitor the
input signal strength.
10. You have set the levels of your DG2 for recording. You can now load a playlist and start a full session.
11. MusicMatch Jukebox Plus includes a 3 second gapping feature designed to automatically add track
marks when recording to MiniDisc with an AN1 or in continual mode with the DG2. When enabled, this
feature will automatically add three seconds of silence between tracks in your playlist, assisting your
MD recorder to add a track mark automatically. Make sure that the 3 second gapping feature in
MusicMatch Jukebox Plus is selected before recording. To do this, Start MusicMatch Jukebox Plus,
click on File, then scroll down and click on MiniDisc Analog Trackmarking. A check mark will appear to
show the feature is enabled.
12. During recording it not advisable to use any other applications on your system. Most MP3 players
require large amounts of resources to ensure flawless MP3 decoding and playback. If you interfere with
the computer during recording, it can effect MP3 decoding, which can in turn effect the quality of your
recording. Read the next section for further tips on getting the best results out of your DG2.
Tips for getting the best results with your DG2
The DG2 is a high fidelity, digital medium for transferring audio between a PC and MiniDisc recorder.
Because it’s digital, it will only ever send what information it receives and cannot therefore effect the quality
of your recording in any way. If you're finding distortion in a recording, there are a couple of possible reasons.
