MZ-R900 Minidisc Player -- Ready for Prime Time!
Written: Feb 05 '01 (Updated Feb 05 '01)
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Pros: Long battery life; excellent sound; nice remote control; beautiful design
Cons: Weak sound in long-play mode; ear-bud headphones
The Bottom Line: The MZ-R900 is a highly-evolved music machine, and will not disappoint demanding music lovers. Definitely consider this unit as an alternative to MP3 players!
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| gadgetman2001's Full Review: Sony Walkman MZ-R900DPC Personal MiniDisc Player |
MINIDISC PLAYERS: THE BAD OLD DAYS
My first experience with Minidisc was unfortunately with the first-generation units, which came out around 1991. These units were designed to replace the Compact Cassette format, and they sounded just about as bad. I couldn't believe anyone would actually want to listen to hissy, muted-sounding music on one of these things, especially with portable CD players also becoming available.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DECADE MAKES
I was surprised to find out that Minidisc had not only survived into the new Millennium, but is actually thriving throughout Asia! So I decided to give the format another look, and did some research into the latest portable models coming out of Japan.
The MZ-R900 is at least an eighth-generation product, and I must say, the eight time's the charm! The key to the sound quality on MD units is the "ATRAC" compression scheme. This model uses the very latest ATRAC technology -- which has improved significantly over the years. The first generation ATRAC was rushed out to compete with Philip's DCC digital tape format (anyone remember that?) so it suffered terribly. But the brilliant design of the ATRAC format is that it can be improved, while still maintaining forward and backwards compatibility. This means a wonderful sounding recording made on a brand-new MZ-R900 can be played on a first generation unit (though not if recorded in the new Long Play mode, but more on this later).
GOD (AND GREAT SOUND) IS IN THE DETAILS
It would take a Physics degree to fully understand Minidisc technology, but suffice to say, they have improved it vastly. The ATRAC technology is so good now that even audio experts admit that it is nearly indistinguishable from Compact Disc recordings -- and some even contend that Minidisc is capable of reproducing even better sounding music than CDs!
To my ear, music recorded on the MZ-R900 sounds incredible. And as an owner of a Diamond Rio 500 MP3 player (which I love, for the most part) I can tell you that the pure audio heritage of this Minidisc player really shines by comparison. Most MP3 players are currently produced by companies with roots in technology, not audio. Where my Diamond Rio 500 can sound flat or "hissy", the MZR900, with its' three level mega-bass sound and state-of-the-art digital ATRAC sound system, just rocks! I will leave it to the experts to debate the relative merits of both technologies, but side-by-side Minidisc is the hands-down audio winner.
BIG SOUND, BIG BATTERY LIFE, BIG RECORDINGS
I've already discussed the MZ-R900's big sound, but along with this comes another big benefit -- an extremely long battery life. Sony claims this unit can play up to 53 hours straight on a single battery charge! I have never actually depleted my unit's battery during the course of normal usage (playing it back for several hours a day for a week, and then charging it) so I am in no position to doubt Sony's claim. Suffice to say, the MZ-R900 wins the battery life competition hands-down -- my Diamond Rio 500 only manages about 13 hours on a brand-new (and expensive) alkaline battery before calling it quits.
Another big feature of the MZ-R900 is the new "Long Play" technology which offers up to 320 minutes of playback on a standard 80-minute minidisc. While I think this feature is great if you are going to be recording lectures, I think the sound quality suffers too much for playing back music. Besides, 80 minutes of high-quality music is more than enough for me, and you can easily carry several 80-minute minidiscs in your pocket. So I think the long-play mode is an impressive technological feat, it is more of a gimmick when it comes to music playback.
ONE SMALL EAR-ITATION
I don't love the included mini-bud earphones, as they can be irritating if used for extended periods and offer only moderate sound quality. But there are plenty of replacement earphones out there, just look around Epinions for a recommendation!
But overall this is a beautifully designed unit and will provide anyone countless hours of musical pleasure.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 379.95
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Epinions.com ID:
gadgetman2001
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Gadgetman2001 is a writer, gadget freak and useability expert based in Los Angeles, California.
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