Comparison of Sony MDS-JE440/JE640/JB940 Decks

Photos: MDS-JE440 MDS-JE640 MDS-JB940
submitted by W.H.G.Blakeley ([email protected])

The following is a list of differences between the three major current Sony MiniDisc deck models. The low-end deck is the MDS-JE440, the mid-end deck is the MDS-JE640, the high-end deck is the MDS-JB940. I did all the research for this myself, using Pulse magazine (the Sony catalogue available quarterly in Australia), a manual for the JE640 and JE440, and the scan of the JB940 manual.

Features of the MDS-JE440

• MDLP (MiniDisc Long Play recording) and monaural recording
  A very nice feature that should not be overlooked. MDLP is a great feature, and LP2 sounds absolutely no different to me than a CD does, neither on my 120W speakers nor my Sony MDR-E888 earphones.
• Time machine recording - 6 seconds
  This is essentially a buffer memory which stores the signal as it enters the unit, and holds six seconds of sound signal. Then, even is the user is late in starting a recording, the previous six seconds of the audio program are recorded automatically. This feature is particularly valuable when recording radio programs.
• Buttons on front panel and remote control:
  power, eject, play, pause, stop, record, search back, search forward, rec mode, input, play mode, repeat, menu/no, yes, clear, scroll.
• Buttons on front panel only:
  level/display/char.
• Buttons on 3-column remote control only:
  display, fader, name edit/select, numeric 1-10, >10, CD-synchro (stop, start, standby), CD player search back/forth, music synchro-recording, time machine recording, |<<, >>|, repeat A-B, recording or analog output level.
• Jog dial
  for track selection, text entry, menu functions. Press for enter.
• Sampling rate converter and 24-bit analog to digital converter
• ATRAC DSP Type-R
• Digital peak meters on FL display
• Digital/analog recording level control
• 3 play modes
  continue, shuffle, program
• advanced editing features
  name in, name copy, name erase, name all erase, track erase, move, combine, divide, A-B erase, all erase, scale factor edit, undo
  Scale factor edit us used to change the overall recording level, and fade in and out at the start and end of tracks.
• Sleep timer
  turns off after 60 minutes when enabled.
• Supplied accessories:
  two 2xRCA-2xRCA audio connecting cords, one TOSlink-TOSlink optical cable, one remote control, two R6 (size-AA) batteries.

Better features of the MDS-JE640

• Headphone jack
  with analogue volume control on front panel.
• Extra buttons on front panel:
  pitch control, S.F. edit, time.
• Digital coaxial input
  on European models only
• Digital optical output
• Control A1 II interface
  for use with other Sony components. Designed to simplify the operation of audio systems made up of separate Sony components. Enables automatic operation and control features usually associated with integrated systems, like better synchronised recording, automatic function selection, CD-text transfer. Also allows the PC-link to be connected.
• Display window has two lines, a fifteen-track music calendar and separate level meters.
  Note: The level meters on the JE440 can only be displayed by pressing display.
• Auto Space and Auto Pause
  Auto Space can be set to insert a three-second blank between tracks during play. This is useful if you're recording to a tape, because AMS can then be used to determine the tracks apart if you have such a tape player. Auto Pause pauses after each track, in case you wish to change the next track to be recorded.
• Pitch control
  Change the speed and tone of the tracks - up to three octaves lower, or -87.5%. Can adjust it in steps or finely control it. Cannot turn the pitch above 0%.
• Timer control
  Use a timer so that when the deck turns on, it shall play an MD or record one. Need to buy an electronic timer - not supplied.
• Sleep timer
  can be set to 30min, 60min, 90min, 120min.
• Keyboard connector
  for track titling and most operation. Supports English and Japanese keyboard layouts. Press Enter to title a track, and Enter to stop. Also can keyboard keys are assigned: Menu/no, yes, clear, play, pause, stop, skip back, skip forward, search back, search forward, divide, combine, erase, move.
• Setup menu contains extra features:
  Pitch, pitch fine control, analog in level, optical in level, coaxial in level, analogue out level, sleep timer length, keyboard setup.

Better features of the MDS-JB940

• Extra button on front panel:
  digital filter (no S.F. edit button, only accessible through menu system)
• Recording level dial on front panel
• Extra buttons on 5-column remote control:
  date recorded, date present, numeric 11-25, music scan, auto space, peak hold, filter, CD player pause, name (name, character, number), play modes (continue, shuffle, program), time.
• Coaxial input appears on all models, as does 2 optical inputs.
• Digital filter appears in display modes while stopped, playing and recording. Pitch level appears when stopped and playing.
• Clock setting, and time/date stamp for recordings.
• Bit-length switching
  Used to improve the digital output quality, by changing the outgoing bit-length.
• Digital filter
  changes the tone of the signal going through the analog output.
• Aluminium front panel, and is also of QS design.
  This means that the circuitboards inside are on a slant, reducing standing waves (unwanted reverberation), and it gets a nice shiny QS sticker on it.

Differences in specifications of the three units

• MDS-JE440:
  Signal-to-noise ratio: over 96 dB
  Power consumption: 15W
  Dimensions: 430 x 95 x 285 mm (17 x 3.75 x 11.25 in.)
  Weight: 3.0 kg (6 lbs 10 oz)
• MDS-JE640:
  Signal-to-noise ratio: over 98 dB
  Power consumption: 15W
  Dimensions: 430 x 95 x 285 mm (17 x 3.75 x 11.25 in.)
  Weight: 3.1 kg (6 lbs 14 oz)
• MDS-JB940:
  Signal-to-noise ratio: over 100 dB
  Power consumption: 18W
  Dimensions: 430 x 111 x 286 mm (17 x 4.375 x 11.375 in.)
  Weight: 5.3 kg (11 lbs 11 oz)

Notes

• The supplied accessories with the three units are the same, except that the remote control for the JB940 differs.
• The three-column black remote control supplied for the JE440 and the JE640 is the same.
• The JE440's front panel has a SCROLL button not present on the JE640 or JB940 deck. You can still access this from the remote control of all three units.
• The JE440's display window has one line of twelve characters, while the JE640 and JB940's mutual display has two lines of eleven characters each.
• The Control A1 II functions on the JE640 and JB940 is exactly the same.

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