Sharp MD-SR60 Personal MiniDisc Player

As an owner of an old MP3 player (32 MB memory just isn't enough), I was looking for a compact, easy-to-use portable audio device for use at the gym and while walking to classes. I initially considered buying a portable CD player capable of playing MP3 files off of burned CDs (such as the Rio Volt), but was turned off by the bulkiness of the unit and the price. After some thought, I narrowed my requirements down to 3: small size (smaller than a Discman), at least 1 hour of play without expensive expansion memory, and good battery life. The Sharp MD-SR60 meets all three requirements beautifully.

Although I knew the MD-SR60 was smaller than a Discman, I was amazed at just how compact it is. Not counting the battery compartment, it's about as the same size and thickness of 3 minidiscs stacked together. It easily fits in a pocket or shoulder bag. Just because it's small doesn't mean it's fragile though. After having a very light and delicate MP3 player, it's a relief to be able to toss the MD-SR60 into my bag and not worry about its safety.

The 1 hour minimum play requirement is nicely exceeded by the existance of 80 minute minidiscs. I really don't mind carrying a few around, they're far more portable than CDs, and unless you smash the plastic jacket (in which case I don't believe they'd play anyways) they're impossible to scratch. My MP3 player's expansion card (which would double the memory to 64 MB) is very expensive, yet with a MD player you simply toss in another minidisc...you get more functionality and flexibility for MUCH less price ($2 for a MD versus $80 for a memory card). It is so convenient for me to just plug in the MD-SR60 and set up a Winamp playlist with whatever MP3s I want on the MD. Unlike my CD burner, it doesn't strain my computer's memory, and I can do what I want while the MD does the work, instead of constantly monitoring a CD burn process. Several of my MDs are random mixes, used for workouts and general puttering about, but I have transferred several favorite Dead shows from CD to MD for portability. In contrast to my old MP3 player, I never have to degrade the sound quality just to fit more than a few songs on the player...I find the ATRAC compression used in MD to be superior to MP3, and it allows a simple transfer from one media to the other with no intermediate steps.

Battery life is also excellent. Another reviewer stated that they had experienced problems with the battery...but I let the included rechargeable battery charge up entirely before I did anything with the MD-SR60, and I have had no problems meeting the advertised battery life. I do hook up the AC adapter when recording, because that's the biggest drain on the battery.

Another thing to note is the included accessories: a small, soft carrying bag, headphones, optical and analog cables, a rechargeable battery, AC adapter, and in-line remote. The headphones are absolute junk...I pitched them right away and swapped in my current in-ear phones (the kind that hook over back of the ear like a hearing aid), resulting in much better sound. I don't really use the remote much, because it's a simple matter to change tracks or the volume on the unit itself. The carrying bag is big enough for the player and headphones...no room for extra MDs, although it is nice to be able to slip the player inside before it gets tossed in a drawer or bookbag, to prevent scratches.

Overall, this is a high quality product that is comparable in price to other models with the same features. I would be happy to purchase this as a gift; although minidisc is a small segment of the portable audio market, everyone I know who uses MD prefers it to other portable media.