I just purchased a Sony MZ-N1 two weeks ago from Tweeter... it was a floor model, priced at $209, with nothing included but the player/recorder itself. The guy didn't have the box, the manual... nothing. He pulled the headphones off another walkman and gave them to me. The rest of the parts will be coming into the store shortly.... they had to special order them for me (there's no charge though, luckily).
Now I plan to use the recorder for live recordings (both lectures and concerts) and for general "mix-tape" type stuff. After searching all over at local electronics stores (Best Buy, Circuit City, Tweeter and Radio Shack), NONE carry an MD model with a mic-in. I saw the N1 with the mic-in, saw that the original retail value was $350USD, and decided to go for it.
I have another two weeks before the return policy expires. And I have to say that I'm very tempted by the new NF810. I haven't been able to find too many reviews online, but I love the idea of an FM/AM/TV tuner. (I won't be listening to the weather, guaranteed.) Plus, it has a mic-in.
I understand that the tuner is attached to the remote, and that I could buy a stand-alone radio, but I just really like the idea of having it all together in one unit.
So my question is, should I keep the N-1? I haven't gotten the software yet, so I haven't had a chance to play around with the OpenMG or whatever it is they're goign to give me. Was $225 (including tax) a good buy, or did I pay too much for such an old unit? Should I return it and get the NF810 from some place online, or hold on to what I have? Is the whole MD -> PC runaround any easier on one vs the other?
Thanks so much for your help!!!