Are MD players really worth it?

[Guest Anonymous]

Hey all, I have a question: Are MD players really worth the buy?

First of all wouldn't a high quality cd player that supports CD-Rs be more versatile than an MD? since it can hold more mp3s with less transfer time.

If MD players are that good which player should i get? Im planning on getting either the MZ N505 or the 707 but cant decide which would be better.

I will be waiting for a detailed response, thx.

[Leon]

It depends on your value system, really - virtually everything will have some advantages over something else, but you may or may not consider them advantages.

Some reasons MD are often preferred over an MP3 CD player:

1. MD is smaller than even those 8cm/3" CD-R's;

2. The MD disc is enclosed in a cartridge so you don't have to handle it with so much care;

3. MD allows you to edit its contents, with greater flexibility than CD-RW;

4. ATRAC encoding is often considered as better-sounding than MP3s of similar bitrate;

5. Some CD-R's don't last for more than a few years, MD seems to last much longer than that in general;

6. Manufacturers have often paid more attention to MD portables (over their CD portables), which results in better materials/parts, better user interface and often better sound;

7. Many MP3 CD player makers are inexperienced at portable audio, which means their user interface and features may not be as convenient as the MD portables' ;

8. If you want audible FF/REW within a track, there are many MP3 players that won't let you do it... some CD players also take ages to read the folder tree on a disc, and MD portables typically do that in less than 7 seconds...

Those MP3 CD players also have advantages over MD (e.g. less capacity limit). I struggled for months between MD and two iPods, I think it really comes down to what you want and need out of your walkman.

While I have stuck to MD, I really don't like the way NetMD attempts to protect copyright. It makes me feel like certain Asian immigrants in the US during world war II, needing to argue that I'm "white" so I can avoid discrimination :roll:

[Guest Anonymous]

Thx for the reply. I also wanted to know if the 505 can read japanese characters?

[Guest Anonymous]

I accidently transfeered a japanese song to my MD, and the display showed Japanese letters! Amazing! I have the MZ-N505 =)

[Guest Anonymous]

Hey all, I have a question: Are MD players really worth the buy?

First of all wouldn't a high quality cd player that supports CD-Rs be more versatile than an MD? since it can hold more mp3s with less transfer time.

If MD players are that good which player should i get? Im planning on getting either the MZ N505 or the 707 but cant decide which would be better.

I will be waiting for a detailed response, thx.

I'd say, it all comes down to what you use it for.

Get the 505 if you need something small with good battery life. $75 off uBid, too.

Get a Sharp recorder if you want to record concerts (or better yet - get an Archos, or even better, wait for next-gen MP3 recorders to come out)

Get an MP3 CD player if you don't need something super-portable, they're far more convenient and portable than MDs.

[BJ]

If you have tons and tons of MP3s that you want to take with you, then MD is a little clunky at transferring the files. It has to convert the MP3 format (or WMA or whatever) to ATRAC before it copies the file to disc. I usually have mine connected to my stereo instead of my computer, though, so this isn't a concern for me. I just thought I'd add the info.

What you get with the MD that you won't with an MP3 player is the ability to edit and rearrange tracks, delete them, etc on the fly. I have a few MP3s on a CD-R that I always skip through; wish I could delete them without burning the whole thing again. I could if it was an MD... And the 505's battery life is great. I've had the same AA in mine for three weeks of constant use--recording, playing editing--and it just died yesterday.

Also found a long-lost MD wedged under my carseat last week. The case is all scratched and gouged up, but it still plays perfectly. Tough little buggers!

[Leland]

Just to add to Leon's comment that MD's seem to last long: I have MD's that I made 10 years ago. They are virtually indestructable. Plus, I never use the plastic sleeves they come in. Just toss them in the glovebox, my shirt pocket, my briefcase, whatever. They last forever and are easy to handle without care. Much better for portable use.