insaneboy

I currently have a Sony MZ-R2 that I got in 1995, it still plays and records great(though on it's second optical block). I do worry it's going to die it's already lost some of the pixels on the display. I am glad sony used a Li-Ion battery as mine still works well after all these years. What I'd like is a decent looking inexpensive portable player/recorder. which models are decent and which ones should be avoided?