MZ-RH1 or MZ-RH10 or MZ-DH10P

[nimishprasad]

I want to buy one among MZ-RH1 or MZ-RH10 or MZ-DH10P primarily for listening to music. Will rarely use the recording funtionalities (as of now). I wanna buy the one which has superior sound quality. I will be using the Grado SR60 headphones with whchever MD player i would be buying. Do all these players have a HD amp? Which kind of amp in MD players give better quality of sound?

I also did not find a website selling the RH1. Is this the latest one and is RH10 oldest among the 3 of them?

A website or link giving a comparative review of the 3 including the features would also do but if there is none, somebody please provide me with this here in terms of sound, how the battery is charged and the functions of the 3.

-Nimish

[jaylen]

The ones with the "HD digital amp" (RH1 and DH10P) are supposed to sound better than those with the "digital amp" (RH10), but there are many who say the RH10's sound quality is just as good. Here is a link to the MDCF equipment browser that will tell you more details about those 3 units.

equipment browser

The basics are:

RH1 and RH10 are recorders

DH10P is a downloader-only

The RH1 is the newest and according to the equipment browser, the RH10 and DH10P were introduced April 2005.

Good luck!

[A440]

RH1 has been announced but is not on sale yet in the US.

The HD Digital Amp gets mixed reviews. Some people prefer it, some people think it is harsh.

If you are not recording, look for the NH600D. It's a downloader, taking music from your computer via USB. It doesn't have the HD amp, but it will sound fine with your headphones, and it takes a regular AA battery, which is convenient. You can probably find one for under $100 on Ebay. The NH600 (no D), if you can find it, will also do Line-in recording--realtime recording from a stereo or other amplified source--but not mic recording.

The DH10P is expensive because it's also a camera. The RH1 will be expensive because it has some advanced recording features.

I am very fond of minidisc, but if you only want a music player, I don't think minidisc is the best format. Its advantages are all on the recording side, which is why Sony finally got wise and concentrated on recording with the RH1. It's a very expensive gadget if you just want a music player.

For just a player (which can also record in a pinch) get a little 1GB flash player like the Iriver 799 or 899.

[Stuge]

DH10P has a fun camera(3/4 of the battery is gone are taking 10 snaps) +Also battery life is really poor (no adapter for AA attachment ).only Lit-ion option..+ nive coloured screen.

RH1 aslo doesn`t have a AA battery option

but RH10 hs ..so you will get more battery life .

[alexis]

I do not have a DH10P, but I have an RH10 and an RH1 (and I have a Grado SR80). I would advise you to buy a RH10 because of a couple of advantages:

1) great display

The OLED display of the RH10 is really excellent, although almost unusable in bright sunlight. However, I personally seldom use my RH10 in bright sunlight, much more often in dim or dark environments - in these cases, the OLED display is unbeatable.

2) ease of use

The jog dial and the big display allow a very easy navigation and menu system, which can be operated with one hand.

3) battery life

The RH10's battery life is easy and cheap to extend: you can use an external AA battery case, and you can use cheap, replaceable NiMH battery packs.

So let's have a look at the three models capabilities and sum up things:

display:

* RH10: +

big, bright & crisp, energy-saving display, problems in sunlight

* DH10P: ++

very big & bright, energy-consuming display

* RH1: -

bright & crisp, but awfully small display, problems in sunlight

ease of use:

* RH10: ++

big display, jog dial, very easy, quick access to all functions even without the remote

* DH10P: ++

very big display, rotary dial

* RH1: -

very limited display, many functions not available without the remote

battery life:

* RH10: ++

great battery life, energy saving display, external battery pack, cheap replacement for battery

* DH10P: -

average battery life, energy consuming display and photo function, no external battery pack, expensive Li-ion battery

* RH1: + average battery life, energy saving display, no external battery pack

sound quality:

* RH10: +

very good sound quality, but poor MP3 playback

* DH10P: ?

unknown

* RH1: ++

very good sound quality, slightly better defined than RH10, but may sound too harsh for certain purposes

recording quality:

* RH10: +

fairly good recording, but no MD recording, more restrictive about uploading

* DH10P: -

no recording

* RH1: ++

good recording in all MD and Hi-MD formats, allows more uploading and Macintosh support

summary:

You will have more fun for less money with the RH10.

Take the RH1 if you really have specific recording needs.

The DH10P photograpihc features are more a "nice to have" fun stuff that comes at a high price.

Edited May 3, 2006 by storm shadow

[RobA]

If you want a playback unit, stay away from the rh1! It can't display artist/song titles and has no jog dial. Go for the rh10.

[nimishprasad]

Thanks for all the info. I guess i have eliminated RH1 now. Still deciding between DH10P and RH10. What kind of batteries do they take? Do they have to be charged by removing the battery from the unit or is it charged by just using the adapter of the MD player or by inserting the USB into the computer?

What exactly do u guys mean by the HD Amp sounds "harsh"? I basically listen to jazz, blues, retro, african, rock (not heavy metal), indian classical instrumental stuff if it helps u guys.

If you are not recording, look for the NH600D. It's a downloader, taking music from your computer via USB. It doesn't have the HD amp, but it will sound fine with your headphones, and it takes a regular AA battery, which is convenient. You can probably find one for under $100 on Ebay. The NH600 (no D), if you can find it, will also do Line-in recording--realtime recording from a stereo or other amplified source--but not mic recording.

I used to have a NH600D but it was stolen ... damn ... hehehe ... just looking for something better now since i can afford it ...

[jaylen]

What kind of batteries do they take?

What exactly do u guys mean by the HD Amp sounds "harsh"?

If you re-read the previous posts in this thread or click on that equipment browser link, people have mentioned what batteries each unit takes and what battery options you have with each. Also, if you do a search on each unit, you'll find more first-hand user comments and details (especially threads with "review" in the their titles). There is an entire section on this forum that is dedicated to unit reviews and pictorials.

Like A440 said, whether the HD amp adds more to or ruins the listening experience is debatable. Some people like it, and some don't. Ultimately, it's going to depend on your ears, ear/headphones, music quality, etc. Good luck!

[Sparky191]

If you want a playback unit, stay away from the rh1! It can't display artist/song titles and has no jog dial. Go for the rh10.

Would changing the remote not resolve that?

[alexis]

Would changing the remote not resolve that?

The remote delivered with the RH1 can display the Title/Album/Artist/Group name, and if you are willing to pay the extra money, the MC40ELK "large" screen and its jog dial (and good remote control support from the main unit) make displaying things and navigating easier.

Edited May 23, 2006 by storm shadow

[Tunster]

Why on earth would you want to keep getting your RH1 out of your pocket and risk damaging it (e.g. dropping it). I get annoyed when people say (oh, it hasn't got a screen on the unit or cannot display the titles). I would hate to have an iPod or eqivalent player and had to get the unit out every time I wanted to change an album/track! It looks all nancy fancy, but I don't mind the RH1s lack of this feature.

The MP3 player I have at the moment has no screen on the unit and came with a really funky remote with a perfectly sized screen. The company went for more formats and quality in the software (iAudio M3 - www.iaudio.com) and amazed me. As much as they've now brought out players with nice screens, I haven't bothered to upgrade and now I am looking forward to getting the RH1 (which I have pre-ordered for £200 ).

I know some people want the screen, so if the RH10 or DH10P is what you want, go for it. You'll just miss out on the uploading capabilities of legacy MD formats that the RH1 will have.