Editorial Review

Stay organized and on the move with this high-class storage device and powerful music player. Record meetings or notes and even store large documents to bring from one computer to another. The easy USB input lets you plug the WS-331M right into the computer for fast results. And up to 500 songs can be stored and played in impressive stereo sound with track and artist name clearly displayed on the LCD. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Sony's MDCASE3 Net MD Walkman Armband Carry Case provides comfort and functionality for your Net MD Walkman Recorder. It features a cool and sleek Hip Armband Style with an Adjustable Armband and holds your Net MD Walkman Player and extra MD media. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This Hi-MD portable audio recorder is ideal for journalists and musicians who need to make high-quality stereo audio recordings using cost-effective removable media. The MZ-M200 recorder comes supplied with an ECM-DS70P Stereo Microphone and MDR-EO931Earbud Headphone. The recorder uses affordable Hi-MD media with 1 GB storage capacity. Three Hi-MD recording modes are supported including: Linear (PCM) 44.1kHz/16-bit, ATRAC3plus 256kbps (Hi-SP) mode and ATRAC3plus 64bps (Hi-LP) mode. In addition, three conventional MD recording modes are supported including: ATRAC 292kbps (SP), ATRAC3 132kbps (LP2) and ATRAC3 66kbps (LP4).The recorder supports USB 2.0 uploading + downloading with PC (using supplied Sonic Stage software),and USB uploading with MAC (using supplied Hi-MD Music Transfer software), allowing transferring audio recordings to a computer and storing them on the computer in .Wav file format.This Hi-MD device can also be used as a USB mass storage device, allowing storing data files on the Hi-MD disc along with audio ... Read more

Editorial Review

74 Minute Capacity per MiniDisc / For use with a Digital MiniDisc Recorder ... Read more

Editorial Review

This stylish player lets you store up to five hours of digital music and bring it with you on a single, skip-free MiniDisc for about the price of a large coffee. The Net MD is compatible with the MP3, WMA, WAV, and ATRAC3 audio formats, and even comes with a MiniDisc so you can start recording right away. Its USB connection delivers burn rates at up to 32x for your MP3s and CDs. A handy Jog Dial provides easy navigation, and the SonicStage and MD Simple Burner applications let you group your tunes and customize your playing environment. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The casing has several buttons, all very easy to use and intuitively marked. The R-70 also comes with a tethered remote that plugs into one of the headphone jacks (there are two), so you can stick the R-70 in a bag and control it with the remote. In addition to the two headphone jacks, the R-70 also sports digital and mic inputs, and an input for the included power adapter/charger ... Read more

Editorial Review

This world's smallest recording MD Walkman combines the superb sound reproduction quality of digital technology and the ease and convenience of MiniDisc recording and playback in a unit virtually as small as a MiniDisc itself. New Smart Remote Control provides editing function including Titling and Move to customize your MiniDiscs and to listen tracks the way you prefer. Backlit LCD on Headphone Remote makes it easy to see the display even in low light, and offers convenient direct access to the unit's major functions.Its Shock Resistant Memory resists bumps or vibrations while the laser scans ahead on the disc and stores 40 seconds of music in memory, for interrupted skip-free playback. NIMH rechargeable battery and charger are supplied to provide greater convenience and saving over replaceable batteries. Character Input for Titling let you create or modify individual track information as the MiniDisc is being recorded. Date and Time Stamp automatically places a date and time marker on each recording for future references. Digital Synchro Recording lets you make digital copies of CDs onto a MiniDisc with synchronized operation that begins recording when digital input signal is received. Sampling Rate Converter allows MiniDisc recording from other digital media having different sampling frequencies, such as DSS and DAT, and automatically converts to MiniDisc Rate. Powerful Digital Mega Bass Sound System with 3 Position switch provides rich, deep bass tones with digital signal processing for virtually inaudible harmonic distortion. Automatic Volume Limiter System (AVLS) maintains volume output below strong signal levels, for listener comfort. High Quality Recording with Digital AGC ensures proper recording levels through Automatic Gain Control to prevent overloading distortion. ... Read more

Editorial Review

G-Protection * up to 30 hours playback time * direct USB interface and software for high-speed recording from PC * stores music or data to high-capacity Hi-MD media * compatible with standard MiniDisc media ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Sony MZ-DN430 is a small, portable format for carrying your music and audio with you everywhere. Each MiniDisc can store 177MB of audio that you can hear as you travel. The SKip-Free G Protection lets you hear music without interruption, and the ATRAC and MP3 playback modes let you hear the music you have stored on your hard drive. The rugged, sleek Psyc(TM) design looks good and handles the bumps & scrapes of the urban jungle or suburban streets without messing up your music.MiniDisc media offers unlimited, expandable storageTransfer MP3s or CDs at up to 32X speedEarbuds & 1 MiniDisc includedMusic management software suppliedCompatible with Connect Music Store Up to 56 hours continuous playback with 1 AA battery Color -Electric White ... Read more

Editorial Review

ThereM-^Rs not much more you could ask for with this high-speed Net MDM-^Y player from Sony. Besides looking good, it can dub MP3s or CDs at up to 32x when recording in LP4 mode. With the G-ProtectionM-^Y anti-shock system you'll never hear a skip, and the Digital Mega Bass« provides deep bass. Plus, the power consumption technology allows for a single M-^SAAM-^T battery to last for up to 56 hours of continuous playback! Now you can listen to your own mixes anywhere while doing just about anything. ... Read more

Editorial Review

40 sec. shock resistant memory, smart remote control w/editing functions, high quality recording w/AGC, Digital Mega Bass sound system w/3 position switch.Automatic volume limiter system (AVLS), sample rate converter, digital synchro recording. Inc: rechargable battery ... Read more

Editorial Review

2/8/200615-19-32... ... Read more

Reviews

Mis-Leading, February 14, 2005
First I am a huge Sony Minidisc fan and have used md's for a long time. Entering the mp3 and wma time, I decided to get a net md to play these files. Unfortunetly Sony forgot to give their users an easy way to transfer their files to the net md. Here's why;

First even though the package says it plays mp3's and wma's, it actually means it will convert them to Atrac then store it to the player. Taking too much of your time.

Second it doesn't even convert all wma's or mp's. Most of my files are wma and it didn't even convert 75% of them.

Third the device soemtimes thinks it's full when not and heres the kicker, you must use batteries to to do any tranfers. Most mp3 player uses the power of your computer to do that.

Honestly I have never been so mad at sony. I do still love most of their products but they should have put more effort into this.
Sorry customers, but if you want an easy to use and better quality mp3 player look at anything other than net md. If Sony was smart they would have made the Net MD like a mass storage device and let the customer decide if they want to convert their music to atrac.

I ended up buying a 40gb Creative Labs Zen. Very easy and also lets me store files other than music too.

Wondermus, September 13, 2004
I just bought this about a week ago, so take that in stock when you read this review. I plan to update it after I've owned it for longer. BUT here are my thoughts so far.

PROs:

--Over 5 hours of music on one MD
--Sound is very good, even at the highest compression rate it's just barely below CD-quality
--MDs are relatively inexpensive (about $2 apiece)
--Low price compared to most mp3 players
--Bass and treble are adustable
--Transferring music to MD is fairly simple and fast
--MDs can store track information (album name, song name, etc) and display it on the player
--Unit is very small (it fits quite comfortably in my pocket WITH my cell phone)
--HUGE battery life when playing music
--MDs are very easily rewritable

CONS:
--MD has limited memory for storing track information (normally not a problem but if you go much beyond about 80-90 songs it may not store names for all the tracks or albums)
--Actual transferring of songs to MD takes up quite a bit of battery power
--"Shuffle" setting does not shuffle among different groups (albums), but only in one group at a time (probably not a big deal to most people)
--No voice recorder (I don't care, but some people probably do)
--Very small display screen (but I got used to it pretty fast)
--Headphones are crap--use another pair

A good value., June 25, 2004
A good value. The battery life (1 AA) is incredible. All files (MP3 etc.) must be converted to the Sony file format but the included software does this. There are two programs. "MD Simple Burner" is the easiest and fastest way to get music from your audio CD's burned on a MD(3 to 5 minutes per CD.) "Sonic Stage" will convert various file types (mp3, wav, wma) to the Sony format and transfer it to the MD. There are 3 different transfer modes, SP, LP2 and LP4. SP provides the best quality while LP4 the smallest file. I don't download music from the internet so I can't verify this feature. The Good: It is cheap (mine was $100,) reliable, small, each disk holds 70-80 songs (5 hours of music) in LP4 form, good sound quality, disks cost less than $2, good battery life and has good anti-skip protection. The Bad: Sonic Stage is slow, awkward and unstable, tiny display, confusing manual, other than headphones and a MD, no other accessories are included.

It is smaller and much cheaper than an IPOD and has much longer battery life. I use an inexpensive rechargeable NiMH battery. I use it in my car (a Miata) with a wireless FM transmitter. It is small enough to lock in the console and plays through the radio well.

Great Gadget, November 5, 2005
I was given this as a gift and especially since it was given to me, I love this thing. It's the poor man's ipod, who wants to spend $200+ when they could get this for like $60-80. It holds up to 50- *almost* 80 songs per disk I believe (each of my disks have a different amount-depending on the length of the songs),is skip proof, sound is great, and it's easy to transfer music onto. I find no fault with it. I've had it for over a year and it's held up beautifully, even with being dropped. So personally I think it's a great gadget to have if you can't afford or don't want to splurge on the oh so hyped ipod.

Sony Psyc Net MD Walkman Review, September 20, 2004
Just the type of quality you would expect from a Sony product. This MiniDisc player is durable, sleek, and gets the job done very nicely. The only complaints I have is with the SonicStage software, but none from the Player itself. My problem with the software is just something that gets on my nerves, the fact that once I convert to LP4, I can't transfer it back to my library. Everything else in this is great, I can fit over 3-5 hours of music, less if I want to keep the full titles of songs, and amazing battery life. I listen to my MD Player about 1-2 hours a day, and have to replace the batter about once ever 1.5-2 months (one AA, how awesome). The MD Player is small, light, and doesn't skip (not that I've experienced) so it is PERFECT for joggers that don't want to risk the harddrive of an MP3 Jukebox. MiniDiscs are really cheap and easy to take in and out, come in cool colors, easy to store, and pretty durable. Also, MiniDisc players can stand more extreme temperatures. The only thing I wish that this had that it doesn't is a backlight, but that would ruin the good battery life.

Great product with ONE major flaw, September 19, 2004
(Review based on the nearly identical Sony MZ-NE410.)

High-capacity, high-quality, lightweight, inexpensive music player that you can carry in a jeans pocket and barely notice it's there.

The player has a major design weakness, which every purchaser should know about in advance: even when plugged into the PC via the USB cable (to transfer songs), the unit runs off its battery (there is no provision for an AC adapter). And transferring music uses up the single AA battery very quickly. And when the battery goes flat in the midst of a transfer, sometimes the session will have to be repeated completely (especially using the Simple Burner software). This is exasperating! It is possible to improvise an AC adapter, but you have to know how. (Also note that Sony has corrected this deficiency in its new line of Hi-MD players.)

But the latest version of Sonic Stage (2.1 at this writing) is a big improvement in ease of use over the original one, working well. And for playback, the AA battery seems to go on and on and on....

good product but a few questions need to be aksed......, February 5, 2006
good sony minidisc player,
but a few things need to be asked.. you need to hook this machine up to a computer ..I have onwed a sony minidisc in the past..and the computer thing is fine no problems about that,
but when I try to play my older minidiscs on the computer they wont play..
I figured out the answer.. the older discs are "analog' and the new recorded discs are "digital' and thats fine but I have a standard minidisc player for my stereo and when I try to play a disc in from the computer.. again.. no playback... the stereo machine reads.. " no music"
my question is for sony....
why couldnt sony think of a way to make everything work together and configure right ?? perhaps make software that can configure older discs to the new digital format ??
I now have discs that play on the computer and then I have discs that play from the older minidisc player.. oh well.this is the only thing that bothers me about sony...
but still a good minidisc player for its price..it has speeds now that you can add alot more music on the discs as well I got a total of 48 songs on one alone..its a great space saver with all that music on one disc you dont need to carry around a ton of discs..I also own an "ipod" but still love my minidiscs too.
the software for sony is now "3.4" if you have not updated your software just go to sony.com ..or sony connect. it is better for the system and your computer. enjoy..

Awsome Product, October 7, 2005
This little product is the best ever! Some of the rewiews I've seen for this has been good but some bad.
Well the player itself is flawless, it almost seemes that I get even more than just 56 hours of playback. I have dropped mine twice and still it keeps on running(that doesn't happen often). Now the sound quality itself is just amazing. I play the drums and I most of the time play to music, so I use this, It's what I bought it for. I'll tell you now it hasn't let me down yet for 2 years. Now they could do a little improvement on the software, It's easy to use but on my computer it kept incountering errors. But I found out that if you have a Sony computer you'll never have a problem.

I'm glad that Amazon describes this unit as a "Player", May 24, 2006
Unlike earlier Sony Minidisc portables,this unit can't record directly from a CD player.It can only record via a computer and with a computer initiating the recording process.Fortunately,I have a hifi component Minidisc recorder to record on.More troubling is that the first unit I got of this model failed immediately.It powered up,but could never start playing a disc,and the unit made mechanical noise as it struggled to spin the disc.I opted to send the unit back to Sony instead of the Amazon marketplace merchant.Don't repeat my mistake.Sony exchanges for a reconditioned(not new) unit,though I never got one second of playback out of the original unit.Sony's recoditioned unit plays fine,but the piece of computer CD-Rom software supplied has a few scratches(I don't know if there will ever be occasion for me to use it since I'm a MAC owner, and the software can only be used with PC's).It would seem that the phasing out of Minidisc portables that can copy directly from a CD player is a music industry power play to get more control over how,or if music can be copied onto Minidisc.I bought this unit only because I have a substantial existing collection of homemade Minidiscs.For newcomers,I would say,buy a portable CD player and forget Minidisc.

Amazing, January 14, 2005
I love this player I have gone through 2 previous CD players and I thought it was time to upgrade so I got this. The software that comes with it works nicelybecause you can take it directly from the CD and put it ont the mini disk or you can put it on your computer first and then put it onto your mini disk. I was about to get an mp3 player an the store but I saw this and started thinking because with an mp3 player every time you want to change a set of songs you have to go to your computer and change them. With this you can fill up four or five disk worth and switch whenever you want. Also you can get a good mp3 player for about $120 but this one cost about $100 so i also looked to see how much extra disks cost. The mp3 player i would have gotten could hold 8 hours for $120 but i could get 5 more disks each with 5 hours on them (AND they are rewritable) and the mini disk player for under $110 so i decided to go with this. This is also great if you know other people that have Mini disk players because the Mini Disks are a lot easier to carry around and you can trade with other people. also the mini disks are like small floppy disks in physical size so the actual disk which the data is stored on is protected so you don't need to worry about it getting scratched.for the mini disk player here is an evaluation

sound quality(bass,treble,and all around quality) 5/5 great i have found no problems even on the lowest quality it is very clean and pure.
5/5 this fits in my pocket really well and the disks are small too so you can take this anywhere
volume control 5/5 as small as it is (about 3.5 inches by 4 inches and about an inch thick) this thing can go pretty dang loud so if you are in a noisy place you will be able to hear it
Headphones 2/5 this is the only bad thing about this they have low sound quality and i hardly used them. I was lucky because i already had another pair but this may add a little money on ($10-$20 for a decent pair).

Now on to the sofware this had one problem arise too but not too major. I think it was probably my computer's fault too

difficulty level of use 4/5 extremely easy just about anyone could do it. I gave it 4 instead of 5 because to do it properly you need to read the manual

overall 4.9/5 probably but lets just round up to 5/5 because it looks so cool.

I hope you have found this review helpful and if you are hesitant I would go get it. there is always a small chance that Someone may not like it (very small chance). in that case you could probably get it refunded. God luck in your choice but i think if you stop on this one it's a good choice ... Read more

Editorial Review

Why NetMD? Sony's MZ-NF610 High Speed Net MD Walkman Recorder has all the answers. Offering High Speed Music Transfer to your MP3s or CDs at up to 32X the Speed, an AM/FM/TV/Weather Band Tuner Remote for direct access to the player's AM/FM/TV and Weather stations, a Rechargeable Battery, and MDLP Long Time Stereo Playback, this NetMD makes on the go entertainment easy. The supplied Music Management software includes SonicStage software and a Net MD Simple Burner application. The MZ-NF610 also offers ATRAC3 Audio, and MP3, WMA, and WAV Playback. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Whether you're a music enthusiast or a mobile business professional, Imation's revolutionary RipGO! mini CD-R burner and digital audio player will satisfy the creative urges of your imagination. Designed to fit in the palm of your hand, RipGO! devices are today's smallest available units for both recording compressed music on CDs and for high-performance playback of CD, Microsoft Windows Media (WMA) Audio, MP3, and Digital Audio files. The sleek, battery-powered USB CD-R drive uses mini (80mm) CD-R disks to store up to 185MB of digital information or up to 6 hours compressed music. ... Read more

Editorial Review

1GB/675 Song Capacity with 1 Hi-MD MiniDisc Self Recording Upload Feature Records from Multiple Sources (USB, LINE IN, Mic in) Large 5 Line LCD Plays back MP3/ATRAC3 Audio Files Ability to Record from Multiple Sources (Line/Mic In) Self Recording Upload Function 5-Line LCD Digital Amplifier New Sleek Design Up to 34.5 Hours1 Battery Life with Rechargeable Battery and 1 "AA" Battery 1GB2 of Music Storage with One Hi-MD MiniDiscStore 675 songs3 on One Hi-MD MiniDisc Compatible with Both Hi-MD(TM) and Standard MiniDisc MediaStore 45 Hours4 with supplied Hi-MD MiniDisc MediaStore 13 Hours4 on a standard MiniDisc Media Data File Storage Expanded 5 Way Control Jog Dial(R) Navigation Music and Data Transfer Powered by USB Playback Uncompressed Linear PCM Audio Plays Back MP3/ATRAC3(R)/ATRAC3plus(TM) Audio Formats Up to 100x Transfer Speed5 Supports WMA and WAV Audio Formats6 with Conversion to ATRAC3(R) Format Unlimited Storage Capacity, Re-recordable Archive Data with Low Cost, Hi-MD Media Easily Transfer and Store Valuable Data Skip-Free G-Protection(TM)7 Technology Compatible with the Connect(TM) Music Store Music Management Software Supplied w.Earbuds Supplied Ability to Record From Multiple Sources (Mic/Line-in) : Use line-in jack on the Hi-MD player to transfer and archive legacy formats such as tapes to low cost 1GB Hi-MD MiniDisc Media. The mic input is a perfect solution for self recordings, school concerts or meetings. Choose a maximum recording time of up to 45 hours, or uncompressed/lossless quality depending on specific needs.Self Recording Upload Feature : Upon transferring a Hi-MD recording to SonicStage ... Read more

Editorial Review

Sony's MDS-JE480 MD Player/Recorder was created to maximize your MiniDisc enjoyment. Reap the benefits of features like ATRAC® DSP Type S/MDLP/MP3, Hybrid Pulse DAC 24 Bit, MD Long Play (MDLP) Modes which enable recording for up to 4x's Normal Capacity, and Time Machine Recording with a 6-Second Buffer Memory that captures music up to six seconds before you press the record button. Utilize Jog Dial¿ Control for Track Selection. Text Entry and Digital Record Level Control will simplify recording and playback. Listen longer. Record more... the MDS-JE480. ... Read more

Editorial Review

ThereM-^Rs not much more you could ask for with this MiniDisc player from Sony. Besides looking good with its cool navy case, it has SonyM-^Rs G-ProtectionM-^Y anti-shock system and Digital Mega Bass« that provides rich, deep bass. The power consumption technology allows a single AA battery to last for up to 48 hours of playback or about 5 hours of recording. Now listening to your very own mix of music is just a touch away. ... Read more

Reviews

For folks on the go., July 26, 2002
This little MD player is one of the greatest audio investments I've ever made. I can't figure out why folks are buying MP3 players. These MD recorders, especially the MZ-R500, seem to be the best kept secret in the world of mobile personal audio.

One complaint however... I don't like the fact that the recorder always defaults to "automatic" recording volume level. You will quickly find out that the auto volume feature doesn't let enough sound in. It also makes "mush" out of live albums as it compensates too much for the crashing percussion instruments. I found this out when I recorded the live version of Orange Blossom Special by Johnny Cash. I thought something was wrong with the MD recorder. When I set the recording volume manually, the mush went away.

It must be set to manual each time you record, from song to song or album to album. Any time you start recording, in other words. All other settings the user makes stays put, just this ONE feature resets to auto. Quite frustrating.

Once these small issues are figured out, this is a fantastic little gadget. Certainly meant for folks on the go. Simply start it playing and slide the "hold" feature in place. All the buttons are now disabled and can't be hit accidentally. Drop it in your shirt pocket and go! This thing does NOT skip either!

Cheers.

Excellent Choice, December 26, 2001
The Sony MZR500 is an amazing MD player, with functions to please almost anyone. I'll outline some of the pros and cons of this model:

PROS:
- text capability
- MDLP (which allows for up to 5 hours of music onto one MiniDisc)
- FULLY Mac compatible (with iTunes, anyway)
- excellent sound quality
- repeat function
- unbeatable price
- PCLink included
- small size allows for maximum portability
- excellent battery-life
- easy recording

CONS:
- records in real-time
- comes with cheap, flimsy earbuds
- no remote-control
- small buttons may provide some problems for big-handed people
- small display

This model is a perfect choice for a first-time user, or even an electronics savvy audiophile.

Good, but here's what's lacking, September 5, 2004
I bought an MZ-R500 a couple of years ago solely to record live music. What a surprise that this model doesn't have a mic input jack! It only has a line input, and I was unable to record anything live. (Later I learned that I'd either need an accessory battery box or an upgrade to record with a microphone). I quickly upgraded to an MZ-R700 which has the neccessary mic input jack and have been more or less happy. Also lacking with this model is the inability to start recording from anything other that AUTO volume level. To change levels out of AUTO, you always have to start recording, press pause, and then go into the menu to manually adjust the volume. Quite a pain when you want to record live stuff on the fly. OH well. . .

Great Re-Invented Recording Format, January 19, 2002
Sony introduced the MiniDisc format to the U.S. in 1992 - it was not a big success, even though Minidisc was highly successful in Asia and, to a lesser extent, in Europe. Since then, Sony has had several major advertising campaigns to promote the format. I've always been intrigued by it's exceptionally small form factor, and it's re-recordable disc format. Improvements to the compression encoding known as ATRAC have made the minidisc a more than capable replacement for the cassette tape, with faster and easier access to song selections, editing capabilities that are computer like, and quality sound (particularly when recorded using the optical input). And yet - America (and I) were not convinced enough to take the plunge. The early units were expensive, and the blank media costs were way too high ($10-15 or more). But recently, Sony introduced a series of new Minidisc player/recorders in the U.S., of which the RZ-500PC is the least expensive, that can be attached via USB port to your computer to copy compressed music files. And, to make the format even more enticing, they engineered the unit to be able to record up to 320 minutes of stereo sound on a single 80 minute disc. And the disc prices were lowered to the range of a quality cassette (about $2). These changes are what finally convinced me to try the format. I gave my wife a suggestion to buy the MZR500PC for me as a Christmas present. Fortunately, she followed my suggestion. I haven't had this much fun with a new "toy" since I got my first stereo. The recording and editing functions are astounding. For example, because of the scattered bit type recording process that it uses, you can record a series of songs, then remove one, replace it with another, and not effect any of the other recordings. You can change the song sequence, or, if you just want to re-record the whole disc, it can be erased completely in only seconds! It has a feature, active only when recording optically, called "Sync-Record" that puts the unit into pause when the record and play buttons are simultaneously activated, and as soon as it senses sound, it starts recording! When the sound stops, so does the recorder. Great stuff! It's only drawback when compared to MP3 players or MP3/CD players is that it records in real time (an hour's worth of music takes an hour to record, whether its compressed music files from your computer, CDs recorded from your stereo, or cassettes recorded from a player). The MZR500PC is a great way to enjoy truly light, portable, quality music. Get it, use it, and I'm sure you'll get to like it as much as I do. Take the plunge!!

MD's,,, where have you been all my life!, March 3, 2002
I purchased a Sony MZ-R500 about 3 weeks ago, and I could not be happier. MD's do not seem to be the most popular format but, if you are looking for an alternative to an mp3 player, you cant go wrong with MD. The recording modes available are regualar, LP2, LP4. In regular you have 74 minutes or 80 minutes depending on which MD's you buy. LP2 allows for 148 minutes of recording, and LP4 allows for 296 minutes of recording. I have been able to record 5 cd's on one disc in LP4 mode. Some people say the sound quality in LP4 is fair, but i dont notice any degradation. I also use my MD to record my jam sessions. It allows me to get my songs down quickly, and hear them right away. You will not be dissappointed with an MD.

Impressed and thankful, November 16, 2001
I recently received Sony's MZR500 MiniDisc Recorder as a gift and have been amazed with its capabilities. Like other portable digital recorders this little machine accepts downloads from the Internet (haven't tried Audible.com yet, though), plus it records in digital and analog modes from just about any source, from Tape Recorders to CD players. I've been able to save some old, beloved tapes and to intermingle tracks from tapes and CDs to create my own mixes. And the sound is excellent. A great bridge between old and new. The MiniDisc does use small CDs, which means you'll have to carry a few around for long trips from home. But they are small and can, using different recording modes, store up five hours of audio. Plus they don't skip! I dropped mine while recording, but couldn't find where in the track it occurred. Bravo! One warning: Recordings taken in digital mode can only be recorded from in analog. Still, it comes out great.

Totally Exceeded My Expectations!, July 2, 2002
I bought the R500 today not knowing exactly what to expect. I had heard nothing but good about it, but the choice was mine to make.

... a previous customer had bought my MD recorder, but then returned it for one reason or another, anyway ... :)

I immediately bought the R500 and a 5-pack of MDs, (which I now know will last me forEVER) went home and without a 10 minute delay, started recording my own songs! It was the easiest thing to figure out, and the cables came with it! Now, an hour later, I have figured out most of the functions (with the help of the instructions manual) and I am using my MD player like a veteran.

If you are looking for ease-of-use, good price, and overall great deal, look no further than the MZ-R500. Though the previous owner put a couple scratches on it, they make the recorder look rugged. :)

Again, don't look any further if you're looking for ease-of-use, good price, and an overall great deal. Buy some new headphones though.

...

Sony MZR500 MiniDisc recorder review by Sanjay Schrapel, November 23, 2001
I recently bought this MD recorder for my dad. It is excellent, and some of it's features include CD text, digital recording and MDLP recording, where you can get 4 CDs WORTH OF MUSIC ON 1 TINY LITTLE MD!!! I frequently use Audiogalaxy to get some of my favourite beats on MD. Using my knowledge of the quality of Sony products, I then decided to buy a Sony MD player (model MZE300) which you Americans can't get!
The player included a pair of high quality fonotopia earphones with a gold-plated plug, which I recall getting a pair from Tandy for $40 Australian! The instruction booklet is very easy to follow, just as long as you read the English one, not the Korean one!
The only thing I hate about the player is the small buttons, where the >>/ button was pressed when I intended to press the [Enter] button, but I only use it for recording, as I use my player for playing them (the MZE300 has big, easy to press buttons).
Unfortunately the Australian model MZR500 doesn't have the online music download feature, but MP3s and WMAs can be recorded by using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable.
Battery life is commendable, with up to 22 hours recording time or 40 hours playing time using 1 Dick Smith NiCad rechargeable AA battery.
If the MZR500 included compatibility with a remote control, the deal would be unbeatable. The only other problem with the recorder is the 6 character text display which is used to display the track number and track name, along with the menu functions, and can become very awkward and a pain to use.
All in all, an unbeatable MiniDisc recorder. When Sony iron out the few problems discussed here, no other MiniDisc player manufacturer will be able to sell anything.

A Very Useful Product, April 21, 2002
I recently purchased this Mini Disc player around Christmas, I'd heard lots of good things about the portability and recording ease of one, and felt it would make a worthy investment. Just a word of warning before I begin reviewing the features, this can be a bit complicated to work, I had to seek some advice from friends and from Sony's customer service, before I started really being able to record.

First of all, is the sound quality good? Depending on what you use to record, and how you're recording it, the sound quality can either be poor, to average, to excellent. The trick is to record at full blast, both on the mini-disc player and on the stereo/computer. Then, you can adjust the volume on the player to whatever feels comfortable to your ears. The bass works very well, and doesn't seem to drain as much battery power as the feature seems to do on most portable CD players.

How easy is it to record? This depends. I, wasn't really able to pick up with ease how to record, but once you figure it out, it's very easy. The only problem I have with this medium, is that to record a 40 minute CD to Mini Disc, it will take you the entire 40 minutes of the CD, but, with a CD Burner, this time is usually cut in half, so depending on how fast you need to record things, the Mini Disc might not be as great. However, thanks to the LP2 and LP4 recording modes on the Mini Disc player, you can record double, and quadruple the amount of minutes listed on the Mini Disc, so that is a plus, but once again, if you plan on recording 2 and a half hours of music, you're going to have to let it sit for 2 and a half hours. Also, the computer cannot be touched once recording begins, less the sound becomes distorted (the mini-disc records on the same principle as a cassette)

What about the portability? This is where the MD shines. A CD player might be able to fit into a deep pocket, but it's going to be very noticeable, plus there's the chance you might hit a button, causing the music to mess up, or remove the headphone plug. Sure, you have the same chance of doing that with an MD player, but the size of this little thing makes it much easier to carry, to hide, etc. I've found it well worth the time of recording to MD, just for the portability of it.

Is it worth buying? As of now, once I got pass some of the problems recording, I've found my MD to be a very helpful item, well worth the expense. For someone who owns a CD burner, and doesn't really listen to music on the go, this would probably be a costly novelty item. Try out a friends, or ask people at a store what they think, I'm sure that will help you decide whether to get one of these or not.

Finally, some advice for those having problems with their MD Player. The booklet (from what I remember) does not say that you can record directly from a CD player, just with the equipment that comes with the player, but, this is wrong. To record from a CD player, hook the cord (the one that has two headphone plugs on either end of it) into the line in slot on the MD, and the other into the CD player. Press and hold play and record on the MD, and start the CD. Sit back, and let it record. For best results in the level of volume, you should turn the CD player up to maximum. Remember, unless you're recording a burnt CD with the 2 second space between tracks, you're going to have to go back and manually record the tracks, if you need to. The best way to do this is to load up the CD into Winamp, move the MD near the end of the track, and if you hear silence, press the Track Mark button.

Also, the best way to record Mp3's onto your MD player, is not through the PC link. Even with the volume level turned all the way up, I barely was able to hear the music. Hook the cord into the speaker slot, and then into the MD. Make sure that whatever you're recording from is turned all the way up, and the computer's speaker function is turned all the way up as well. Record as usual.

I hope my review/advice has been of some help for you.

this MD Rocks, December 12, 2002
this MD is the best thing i ever bought!! it is so much better then a mp3! you get 5 hoursd on one disc and you can get a disc (which is rewritable) for about one dollar. it doesn't skip at all it is great for running skateing or anything else. If your thinking about getting one of these, do it because the are awesome!! ... Read more