The battery bump doesn't affect me. I love the fact of being able to use AA batteries, I go for a travel and I don't need to carry the battery charger, just buy a cheap alkaline AA and I've hours of music to go. No more voltage or plug problems!!! I don't like the battery add-ons like screwing a AA adaptor to your MD (N1 for example), that makes the MD unit a real bulky one. As I said I don't mind the bulk, even when I put my 707 on a plain surface the angle inclination makes the unit more easy to view!