Sharp really nailed MiniDisc recording with the MD-MS722.
Written: Feb 20 '02
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Pros: Functionality is second to none. Jog-dial rocks. Battery life is amazing.
Cons: Small screws come loose easily. Remote is useless.
The Bottom Line: Wonderful value, especially since the bottom has begun to fall out of the minidisc market. These can be found easily for not much money and they are well worth it.
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| androoos's Full Review: Sharp MD-MS722 Personal MiniDisc Player |
I bought this minidisc recorder two and a half years ago because I wanted an easy way to listen to my MP3 collection without wasting a lot of CD-Rs. Minidiscs amazed me because they were so small, so durable, and re-recordable. After some research, I decided to get this MD-MS722.
My favorite feature is the jog dial. It lets you select tracks, do easy titling of songs, rearrange track lists all with one simple turn of your finger.
The player/recorder is really small and lightweight. You could easily carry it with you while you go jogging. It will never skip.
The buttons on the recorder are simple and easy to use. Most are self-explanitory but if you have any questions about them, the manual is very informative and will tell you all you need to know about its operation.
As for inputs, this minidisc recorder has three inputs but uses two input ports. A generic Mic input uses a normal 1/8" stereo plug and records from a microphone. The second input port houses both the Line-In and Optical Digital-In. A line out from your computer can be plugged into this port to record in analog signal from your computer's soundcard to the minidisc. As for the optical input, it also uses a 1/8' optical cable adapter. The recorder comes with a cord specifically made to fit this input, but if you want to use a different cord without a 1/8" adapter, one can be picked up at Radio Shack for pennies. This optical input lets you record in digital format from anything that has an optical output. I know that most Aiwa shelf stereo systems come with an optical out, and most high-end stereo receivers come with one as well. Using digital recording will get you FLAWLESS sound quality. I personally invested some money in a digital-coaxial to digital-optical converter and a SoundBlaster Live! with digital output. Using these items with the minidisc recorder lets me record MP3's from my computer in digital format, they sound UNBELIEVABLE!
As for the batteries in this recorder...it comes packaged with a Lithium ion battery, an external battery holder (for a AA battery) and a recharging cable. The battery life on this recorder was crazy. It felt like eternity before I had to recharge it. I used the Li-Ion and the external AA. I swear the battery life on this thing was like 8 hours and it could have been more. Absolutely outstanding.
One problem I have with the battery power is that this recorder uses 5 volts for some unknown reason. Most other things are 3 volts or 4.5, but this is 5V. If you want to get a cigarette adapter for your car, you can get a 5V one from Sharp for something like $50. I went ahead and bought a generic one rated for 4.5V at the local Best Buy and haven't had a problem. Still, I thought it was silly for Sharp to decide on such a strange voltage requirement.
The headphones that come packaged with this recorder suck, plain and simple. I went and bought a pair of Sony MDR-G72LP headphones which work very well. You can read my review on them as well.
As for everything packaged with this recorder...everything mentioned above plus: RCA-to-1/8" cord, carrying case, wrist strap, headphones.
The one last complaint I have about this recorder is that after some use, you might find that one or two small (eyeglass size, but not the same) screws will come loose and you will lose them. There are lots of screws on this, so losing one or two won't cause it to fall apart in your hand, but I suggest once you get this recorder, going to the hardware store and buying some medium strength LocTite and applying it to each screw to hold it in place.
If you search online bastions of discounts like E-Bay and Yahoo auctions, I think you can easily pick up one of these recorders for under $100.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 150
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Epinions.com ID:
androoos
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Member: JC Andrews
Location: Chesapeake, VA
Reviews written: 70
Trusted by: 19 members
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Great job-check. House-check. Wife-check. Dog-check. Kids? Uh-oh.
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