On the top left side of the unit, there is a large sticker explaining to the user what type of blank CD media the PDR-609 is able to use. Although this is a CD-R/RW recorder, you do not use the same type of blank CD-R/RWs you would use in a computer. Blank CD media for use in CD audio recorders must have a "Digital Audio" or "For Audio Use Only" marking on the package. The differences in the laser pickups and data requirements for Computer CDR/RW drives make this distinction important.
Installing the PDR-609 was a breeze. All I had to do is hook it up to my AV receiver's tape monitor loop, just as I would an analog audio tape deck. However, recording with this unit is a little different than recording from your typical tape deck; you just don't press the record button.
The PDR-609 has features that you find on a high-end audio cassette deck and then some. There are several interesting set-ups and options that make this unit very flexible, especially in the recording of vinyl records.
First of all, I like the fact that it has a standard headphone jack and separate headphone level control. Secondly, in conjunction with the Monitor switch and both Analog AND Digital input level controls (as well as a Balance control and two-channel LED level meter), you can easily setup the input sound levels. One cautionary note, you want to make sure that your loudest peaks do not reach the red "OVER" indicator on the LED level meters, this will cause distortion on your recording.
Now, to start recording. Basically, you choose your input source, Analog, Optical, or Coaxial. For the purpose of my recordings, I chose Analog. Now, to set your levels, turn on the Monitor function, put your record on the turntable, play the first track, and adjust your input levels as discussed above.
Now, the question is, how can I record both sides of my record without having to manually pause and start the CD recorder at the proper times? Well, Pioneer has an interesting solution that is perfect for recording vinyl records. The Synchro feature does everything for you except flip the record. This feature enables you to automatically record just one cut at a time or the entire side of a record, stopping and starting at the correct time.
The Synchro feature can sense the sound that the tonearm cartridge makes when hitting the surface of the record and stops when the cartridge lifts off at the end. If the record surface is extremely quiet, the unit can even pause between cuts and still "kick in" just as the music starts. You would think that beginnings of songs would be cut off, due to delay time, but so far the system seems to work well for me. What is especially nice is that the when the unit pauses after playing one side of a record, you have all the time in the world to flip and then the PDR-609 restarts and records the second side automatically. This is real time saver; I can start the recording, go off and do something else, then come back and keep going. If I want to check the progress of the recording, I can just pop on some headphones and monitor the recording.
Another interesting feature that aids in the recording of vinyl recordings is the ability to set the "silence threshold". With vinyl records having more surface noise that is not present on digital sources like CDs, the CD recorder may not recognize the space between cuts as silence and, thus, may not number the recorded tracks properly. If you wish to have accurate track numbering on your CD copy, you can actually set the -DB levels of the Auto Track function.
Once your recording is finished, however, you can't just take your newly created CD and play it in any CD player; you must go through a process called finalization. This process is important in that it labels the number of cuts on the CD and makes the file structure on the disc compatible for play on any CD player. Caution: once you finalize a disc, you cannot record anything else on it, even if you have empty space.
This process is actually very easy. All you have to do is press the "Finalize" button. The PDR-609 then reads the disc and displays how much time (usually about two minutes) the finalization process will take. After this message is displayed on the LED display, just press the record/pause button and the process begins. When the finalization process is finished, the CD Recorder stops.
Proceed to Page 3 - Conclusion
