Pros: Built to last, quality recordings, Metal case. Does the job at a nice price.
Cons: Cheap remote. Missing newer features like MDLP and NetMD. Some don't like the noisy motor.
The Bottom Line: If you're looking for a plain device to record with at a small price, look no further. If you're looking for all the latest features, this is not for you.
foo_bar's Full Review: Sony Walkman MZ-R70 Personal MiniDisc Player
I've had my R70 since early 2000, and I still use it every day. I estimate that I've used this MD unit for about two hours a day since the beginning of my college career, and now I'm about to graduate. That says something about the robustness of a Sony -- this is a very well made device.
If you're looking for the latest MD with all the flare of NetMD, etc, this is not the recorder for you. If you're looking for a simple, no frills solution at a very inexpensive price (try Ebay), then this is the unit for you.
Personally, I've tinkered with a friend's newer NetMD unit, it's just not worth it -- don't waste your money. The biggest drawback that everyone seems to talk about is that you can't upload audio from the player to your PC, and this is a nasty drawback for musicians. Sony's NetMD software is extremely resource hungry, the user interface is horrid, and the software in general is so much more complex (underneath) than it has to be. Oh yes, there is also copyright protection that stops you from recording a song to disc more than three times.
Now that we're through all that, I'll talk about the specs of the unit. It's a little bit larger than some of the newer ones (except comparable domestic models), mainly because of the AA battery. The chassis is metal, which is definitely a plus over the newer, plastic domestic models. It is a bit heavier, comparably, but I think it's worth it for a strong chassis. It has a mic input, which you won't find as much anymore, as well as the optical/analog line in. I've used both inputs to record, and the sound quality is marvelous -- this is coming from an audiophile who normally can't stand the sound of an MP3. The remote that comes with the R70 is cheap -- after regular use and certainly after track labeling, the "play" button on mine died. Since then, I've gone through a few remotes on the unit, but the one I like best is RM-MZ2S with an LCD display; I bought mine for a little over $20 USD on ebay.
Noise is an important issue to address with the R70. The motor noise is noticeable, but I wouldn't say it's loud except in a dead quiet room such as a studio. If you have a mic with a short lead, you're better off extending it about six feet and you'll have no problem whatsoever. You could also pad the player in a case of some sort, but seriously -- it's not that bad.
Battery life is so-so with the included NiCd battery; I'd estimate about eight hours, but don't quote me on that. If you really want a great battery life, go out and buy some inexpensive NiMH AA's. I've been using plain old Rayovac NiMH, and they charge just fine in the player. I only have to charge once a week, if that, on about two hours a day. And, because the NiMH batteries have more mA of current, the motor runs stronger, and the skip protection is more robust.
As a final word, this player is old enough that it does not support MDLP format. It only works on straight, uncompressed recordings. This was never a problem for me, but if you have newer equipment, keep this in mind.
With the recent hard drive players coming down in price, and with the variety of formats they support (i.e. not MP3), I'm probably going to switch from MD in a while. I used my player primarily for listening, but if you're looking to record, I highly recommend the R-70 -- it's a good value, in my opinion, even though it's pretty old and even considered obsolete by some.
40-second shock resistant memory and high quality recording with digital automatic gain control Dual headphone jack allows use of remote control while...More at Amazon Marketplace
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.