good MD (Sony MD Walkman MZ-R70)

Member Name: ryanbritto

Product:	Sony MD Walkman MZ-R70
Date:	05/01/01 (274 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good fetures, light

Disadvantages: expensive

I began my search for a new MD player with several thoughts in mind. First of all, I needed something that played AND recorded MDs. Secondly, I desired something light and compact that also had an exceptionally long battery life. Third, I've got nearly 5 GB of MP3s on my hard drive and I was looking for something that could record a lot of those MP3s to MD with no trouble. Finally, I had to find a player that was aesthetically pleasing as well. I found all of these in the MZ-R70PC (essentially the same as the MZ-R70, except that it comes with a USB adapter that connects to your computer).

I've had my MD player/recorder for two months now, and I have used it extensively. There are a lot of nice features included with it...I particularly enjoy the dual headphone jacks, considering how many times I've been on a road trip and people have bugged me to let them borrow my Discman or Walkman. I also appreciated the rechargeable battery and built-in charger that came with the player, as batteries can be awfully expensive and it's a pain to carry a whole pack around wherever I go. However, a regular battery lasts considerably longer than the rechargeable battery, so don't forget to bring your AC adapter along if you're going on a trip. Another nifty feature is the ability to record from a microphone.

Recording with the MZ-R70 is relatively easy. It takes a little while to get accustomed to all of the little nuances of recording, but that should be expected with such a high-tech device. I would've appreciated a jog dial to title tracks with, because titling can defintiely be a pain in the ass. The sound quality is slightly lower than a CD player, but it's the sound VOLUME that I really have a gripe with. I like to listen to my music loud, especially if I'm on a crowded bus or train or something, and this player really doesn't have the capacity to blow my ears out. Certainly, it can get pretty loud, I mean you'r
e not going to be telling people around you to shut up so you can hear your music, but in my opinion, it's just not loud enough. Maybe, for some of you, that's a good thing, but I would prefer that I have that ear-drum-splitting capability.

Several other gripes that I have with the MZ-R70 deals with the LCD. For one thing, I would have appreciated a backlit LCD screen so that, for instance, I'm on an airplane with the lights dimmed, I can find a song without turning on the overhead light and disturbing other passengers. In addition, a LCD screen on the remote control would have been awfully nice.

My only major problem with the durability of the MZ-R70 is that the eject mechanism has stopped working properly. Now, I have to hold down eject while I open the player with my other hand. It's a pain in the ass but luckily I purchased a service plan so I can hopefully get it repaired. There are also some minor scratches on the LCD from being toted around in my backpack, but they're not really a problem.

My biggest qualm, however, is with the noisy motor. When I was reading customer reviews of the MZ-R70, the noisy motor was often mentioned, yet I shrugged it off, deciding that it really couldn't be that bad and anyway I figured that I would be listening to my music so loud anyway that it really wouldn't matter. Well, with no loud volume capability, I've often been able to hear the loud motor while listening to music. The owner's manual even acknowledges this and states that "the recorder gives off mechanical noise while operating, which is caused by the power-saving system of the record and is not a problem." In my opinion, it certainly is a problem, especially, for instance, when you're trying to listen to your player when you sleep or if you're trying to sneak listening to it during class or something. I most certainly would have forfeited the long battery life for a quieter motor.


All in all, besides the noisy motor, the problems that I've listed in my review are minor and should not persuade you from purchasing this item. I love my MZ-R70 and I don't regret buying it. Just be aware of the flaws and make an educated buying decision. Good luck!

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