Girlina's Full Review: Sony Walkman MZ-R500 PC Personal MiniDisc Player
After watching the ads that introduced the R-50 during "Must-See-TV Thursday," Gadgetgrrl was literally in a sweat to get her hands on this hot commodity. Retail being (as always) slower than virtual reality, she was forced to buy it from a Manhattan "gray market" store, handing over 400 smackers in cash for a unit that was delivered in a few hours, literally in a plain brown paper bag. Nevertheless, it has performed like a champ. Although there are newer, snazzier units on the market, it remains a great choice, especially since prices have gone down a bit.
If you don't know anything about MiniDisc, think of it this way: It combines the best features of tapes and CDs into one sleek and shiny little package. Like tapes, MiniDiscs permit you to record and rerecord your own mixes ad infinitum; they're highly compact; and they don't skip - ever. Meanwhile, they're digital just like CDs, meaning you can randomly program or fast-forward through tracks; add labels and other data; and enjoy a much higher level of durability and flexibility.
Of course, it also helps if you 've got a great player/recorder like the R-50. Sound quality is terriffic, and the unit is both lightweight and easy to use. Thanks to the metal case, the unit is quite sturdy, although it's a bit heavier than a typical plastic Walkman. And the drumstick remote is truly a revelation: It's actually easy to use and incredibly small. Simply twist the top to move through tracks, or press buttons on the side to raise or lower volume. Unlike many other solutions, the remote is inconspicuous (especially good for the subway) and controls aren't too easy to access, so you won't accidentally deafen yourself,
Recording is also a breeze, more or less. I've made dozens of mixes with mine, and the sound has always been flawless. I do wish the record button was a little more comfortable; you have to jam in a tiny little locking button, then slide the switch to the right at the same time. It's not quite as bad as opening a childproof cap, but sometimes it takes a few tries. Recording levels are also adjustable, making it easy to ensure that tracks from different CDs are consistent.
My one niggling complaint has to do with recharging the unit - I found it gets quite hot, and sometimes the unit doesn't start recharging immediately once it's plugged in; instead you have to hit some of the controls and turn it on before it gets going. (This might just be on my non-warranty model though.) I also snapped off the less than sturdy alligator clip on the remote after a few months, much to my chagrin. But overall, the R-50 performed well enough to keep me out of the MD department in Circuit City for over a year - an almost unimaginable feat.
Portable mini-disc player with recording capability Digital gain control ensures quality recording Automatic Volume Limiter System for even, consisten...More at Amazon Marketplace
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