Technical information

MB Megabyte. A measure of memory storage, a megabyte equals 1,024
kilobytes or 1,048,576 bytes. However, if used as a measure of hard disk
storage, the 'mega' prefix normally means a round million.
Mb/s or Mbps -- Megabits per second. A measure of the data flow rate for
digital video from a DVD. Stands for millions of bits per second. Generally, the
higher the number the better the quality.
MC cartridge Moving Coil cartridge. See Moving coil cartridge.
Memory stick A small, removable flash memory (i.e. non-volatile) cartridge
developed by Sony, used in a host of digital storage situations including audio.
Metadata A set of 'flags', or predefined digital bits, carried in a Dolby Digital
bitstream that provide instructions to the decoder. They do not carry actual audio
data, but guide the decoder in the interpretation of the audio data or call up visual
material to support audio on Music Servers and such like.
MHz Megahertz. A measure of frequency: 1,000,000 hertz.
Midrange The audible frequencies typically constituted by frequencies of between
150 and 5,000 hertz, although the dividing lines between midrange and bass at
the bottom end, and midrange and treble at the top end, are ones of opinion. The
human ear is most sensitive to midrange frequencies.
Midrange driver A middle-sized driver designed to reproduce the important
midrange frequencies between the bass and treble notes. If this is omitted, the
loudspeaker is called 'two-way'. If present, along with a woofer and a tweeter, it's
called 'three-way'. Some loudspeakers use a midrange driver that looks identical
to the two or more woofers in the speaker box. However these drivers are usually
tuned differently.
Minidisc A digital audio music delivery system using a disc mounted inside a small,
robust plastic cartridge. The audio is encoded using ATRAC. Interestingly, the
audio may be carried on the disc in two different ways. Sony designed it both for
acting as a recorder, and playing back commercially-produced Minidiscs. So in
the former role it acts as a magneto-optical recorder. For the latter, it uses discs
which have been pressed in a similar manner to commercial CDs.
MLP Meridian Lossless Packing. A digital audio standard used for DVD Audio.
Also known as Packed PCM or PPCM. This provides quality sound, from mono
through to multichannel, with a number of technical advantages over Dolby Digital
and DTS. The middle word, 'Lossless', is important. It is not a perceptual
encoding system that abandons some of the original source material to achieve