Sony Net MD MZ-N420DPS Personal MiniDisc Player
- Recordable: Recordable
- Headphones: Yes
- Remote Control: No
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I'm giving away my MP3 player - this MD rocks
Pros
Music isn't restricted by player - only inexpensive, cute-colored discs holding five hours music each!
Cons
Throw the headphones away - naughty Sony! Takes time to get recordings together.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
I like this thing quite a bit. It's easy to use, the discs hold five hours music each, and it's convenient. I'm happy.
It's been a few months since I've written this review. I still love my mini-disc player. My girlfriend has a need for more music at hand, working 12-hour shifts and listening a lot. She has a love-hate relationship with her Dell DJ. She keeps her minidisc because it is trustworthy. I haven't had any problems at all with mine either.
Yes, the iPod holds a lot of music, yes, you can buy MP3's for very low prices right now, so why would you want to go back to portable media inserts like cassette tapes and cd's? Well, because I put five hours of recording on EACH $2 minidisc! The player costs less than $100 so I see this as a bargain and if I drop this little gizmo off a cliff while rock climbing I'm out less than $100, and I'll still have the music discs.
I was using a 128 MB RCA Lyra and after wanting to throw it out the window for its small memory and quirks (why doesn't it record NOW - it DID 5 minutes ago?!). I have a second 128 MB MP3 player/data storage item (B-Link) that seems to require I record directly to it instead of using MoodLogic or some other software. Hours wasted for what? A few songs at good quality or more songs at very degraded quality. Then, when I'm tired of those songs, I resume my argument with these evil little machines. I'm no technophobe. I just don't want to rely on products that are not consistent or reliable. I want the thing to work according to directions. And the Sony Portable Minidisc Player (MZ-N420D) DOES.
It also has a decent little handbook describing how to use it and it is actually helpful. The software that comes with it (MD Simple Burner, SonicStage) function perfectly well with no real instruction necessary.
You can record in LP2 or LP4. LP4 sounds just fine to me. Some may have more discerning ears than I do. I'm happy at LP4 - compared to how far I'd degraded my MP3s for the other players, this is clean sound!
Oh, and the discs look like little old fashioned floppies. The disc itself is protected, which is good because my cds get around - in my car, house, etc. I sometimes get them scratched up, gooed up and messed up. These discs can get around a bit less susceptible to destruction. We got these cool color discs that came with boxes that hold five discs each - that's 25 hours of music.
The most negative thing is the very very poor quality headphones that came with it. Sony should be ashamed to put those in there. They aren't even good as back-ups. The player is under 3 in. x 3 in., fits well in a t-shirt pocket or a little purse pocket.
Other Sony Portable Minidisc players come with more fancy options - backlit display, etc. Mine is simple and is easy to use, and I don't need the backlight.
I use my Sony Minidisc player when exercising, shopping, and sometimes at the office when I get a chance (imagine, I volunteer to enter data or file). I purchased it after my girlfriend got one for xmas and raved that I HAD to have one, that day (Dec. 26) and we went to Best Buy and picked one up. We can share discs if we want now too.
You invest some time getting your music onto these discs but each one hold five HOURS of music at LP4. We own a lot of cds and have made themed discs. Also can use downloads or direct recording.
The concept may sound old school - what? discs? you pop them in and out? but it works!
Yes, the iPod holds a lot of music, yes, you can buy MP3's for very low prices right now, so why would you want to go back to portable media inserts like cassette tapes and cd's? Well, because I put five hours of recording on EACH $2 minidisc! The player costs less than $100 so I see this as a bargain and if I drop this little gizmo off a cliff while rock climbing I'm out less than $100, and I'll still have the music discs.
I was using a 128 MB RCA Lyra and after wanting to throw it out the window for its small memory and quirks (why doesn't it record NOW - it DID 5 minutes ago?!). I have a second 128 MB MP3 player/data storage item (B-Link) that seems to require I record directly to it instead of using MoodLogic or some other software. Hours wasted for what? A few songs at good quality or more songs at very degraded quality. Then, when I'm tired of those songs, I resume my argument with these evil little machines. I'm no technophobe. I just don't want to rely on products that are not consistent or reliable. I want the thing to work according to directions. And the Sony Portable Minidisc Player (MZ-N420D) DOES.
It also has a decent little handbook describing how to use it and it is actually helpful. The software that comes with it (MD Simple Burner, SonicStage) function perfectly well with no real instruction necessary.
You can record in LP2 or LP4. LP4 sounds just fine to me. Some may have more discerning ears than I do. I'm happy at LP4 - compared to how far I'd degraded my MP3s for the other players, this is clean sound!
Oh, and the discs look like little old fashioned floppies. The disc itself is protected, which is good because my cds get around - in my car, house, etc. I sometimes get them scratched up, gooed up and messed up. These discs can get around a bit less susceptible to destruction. We got these cool color discs that came with boxes that hold five discs each - that's 25 hours of music.
The most negative thing is the very very poor quality headphones that came with it. Sony should be ashamed to put those in there. They aren't even good as back-ups. The player is under 3 in. x 3 in., fits well in a t-shirt pocket or a little purse pocket.
Other Sony Portable Minidisc players come with more fancy options - backlit display, etc. Mine is simple and is easy to use, and I don't need the backlight.
I use my Sony Minidisc player when exercising, shopping, and sometimes at the office when I get a chance (imagine, I volunteer to enter data or file). I purchased it after my girlfriend got one for xmas and raved that I HAD to have one, that day (Dec. 26) and we went to Best Buy and picked one up. We can share discs if we want now too.
You invest some time getting your music onto these discs but each one hold five HOURS of music at LP4. We own a lot of cds and have made themed discs. Also can use downloads or direct recording.
The concept may sound old school - what? discs? you pop them in and out? but it works!
