Superbaldguy

The T-Board was down most of yesterday, but it's up and running this morning. :smile:

I think it makes perfect sense to still stick with some of the "conventional" MD units, and one should be able to find pretty good deals on the likes of a DR7 or something similar. BTW, there's a new MZ-N920 just out that looks pretty decent.

Yes, Kevin, the Board died today but I've been meaning to come here for quite some time. Sometimes we tend to overlook some of the simpler things in life, and MD equipment is no different. I am not at all struck by some of Sony's low-end stuff and I'm sure units like the DR420 can trump some of this cheap stuff. We'll have to see if Sony's new Hi-MD units follow this sad trend.

I'd suggest the Sharp DR420 from this criteria.

This thread seems a old as the hills. I wonder if Nren2k5 ever bothered to contact Kohn over at the T-Board.

The MZ-N1 has been the subject of numerous and premature optical block failures, and is not the most reliable MD unit on the market. I'd be very hesitant about getting one unless it comes with some sort of warranty.

I'd *love* to see a second-generation MZ-R50 with all the bells and whistles, plus longer battery life but still having those fast access times. MDLP would be an option, I suppose. But, and it's a big but, this machine would cost $500 or more USD and most are not willing to pay for such a luxurious and tank-like MD unit. If you want to be part of 'old-school,' you have to be an eBay regular and look for such goodies.

Sad but true, most of today's electronic gizmos are made mostly of plastic. It seems that nobody expects nor even wants their precious toys to last too long, giving all of us an excuse to get something more up-to-date. I am dismayed at a lot of Sony's current MD line-up, as most of the units look cheap and fragile. It does allow the cost to be kept lower but if these devices fail within a year or two, people will quickly give up on the MD format as being too fragile. Gone are the days of the likes of the MZ-R50, with its all-aluminum body and sweet design; you know you have something solid in your hands with the likes of that machine or some older ones. My best advise is to enjoy your new MD units, make lots of recordings, and perhaps get a player as a compliment to your MDR.