I don't know where to start... I've had this machine since 1998 and have been extremely happy although there have been times I considered upgrading but there didn't seem the need because I had an MD player/recorder that worked. This baby is taken with me *always*. I'm like Linus with his blanket and go back home if I accidently walk out of my house w/o my music. Anyhoo, as it stands, the left channel of my earbuds have been cutting out and now the right, probably due to the pressure I've been apply to make a connection, which was working but now both the left and right are going. From my recently obessive search to fix the problem I've come to realize that my troubles started when I (like an idiot), placed my MD on the stove top (yeah, I know ), and then proceeded to recharge it (yeah, really I *now* know! ). It seems most likely according to minidisc.org's Minidisc Repairman Q&A, David Popovits, that the player experienced a mechanical shock to the earphone plug. He made 2 suggestions to another user quering about an R55, one was to replace the earphone socket. The other involved resoldering well all the contacts of the earphone socket to the circuit. E-frelling-Gad! Does anyone know anyone who can help my R50? I so love this machine! Now, on another note a friend gave me his red, mint condition MZ-R900 but I've been looking at musicman's orange, JE MZ-RH-10, gawd that baby's b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! (I have the $ but really should not spend it) So the question is should I leave well enuf alone and stay with the red or try and go after that hot orange mama? But most importantly I need a recommendation for fixing my MZ-R50. This is my first post, sorry for being so wordy and thanks in advance to all that respond.