Sony MZ-R700DPC Full Review

[coolvij]

Yup - this is my review on the R700.

I got it a few days ago, and think i am ready to share my views on this amazing little gadget. (sections are headed by bold face titles)

WOW! factor

If you are a veteran MD user, i doubt this particular unit will set you shouting. It is a nice-looking unit, at least in blue, IMO, and works well. No problems, but nothing extra-ordinary. I've heard the same about the R70 in other reviews.....perhaps one should say this is a tweaked R70, that's just slightly better, with MDLP.

However, for a newbie like myself, MD as a whole is really great. There is no way in heck i'm ever going back to MP3 technology unless the next generation of products (8-cm. CD-R MP3 players) are done really REALLY well and, in addition, support some different codecs, like, say, Real Audio 8 ATRAC3 But for now, i'd say that anyone who'd like a more portable solution that a PCDP would really LOVE MD....i did.

Build Quality, Size, Operation

I have seen repeatedly ppl saying that the R50 is the best MD sony ever made - mainly because of the unit's fast track access times and amazing build quality. Well, i was pretty amazed by the R700's build quality. Solid aluminum, i can give the unit a very good squeeze and there is no play.

However, size isn't compromised at all - the unit, excepting for the slight hump at the back for one AA, is literally the size of two MDs, in cases, stacked (that translates to 4 MDs stacked alone).

Also, operating the MD was a breeze. I learned how to title AND digitally record without a manual.....and without any mishaps! (I seemed to have misplaced the manual). However, the Xitel DG2 that was bundled with my MD stunk. Big time. First of all, the sound quality is not even close to the capability of a REAL digital recording......like that done a PS2. Secondly, the darn thing don't work! I am not going to upgrade my sound card just to record mp3s - the mp3s i like are ALL at 256K ripped from my CDs, anyway. So, while this was simply a minor annoyance for me, for others it may not....i simply caution you.

Sound Quality

Ok, now we get to the good stuff. First of all, I must say - LP2 is excellent. Compared to standard stereo, LP2 is almost the same EXACTLY...the differences are slight. I would say that if distorts on LP2, its gonna distort on the normal mode. However...from what i've heard so far, nothing distorts on either mode to a point where i can notice/it's annoying (i don't listen to much classical, and have not tested out any stuff...).

Coltrane sounds good.....vijay is happy

Generally, the difference between a digitally recorded copy on MD and the original CD are slight. The CD is crisper, the highs are clearer, the soundstage is bigger, the bass is more open, and voices come out more naturally. May seem like MD sucks, no? Well, i said the differences are slight...and i meant it. Sometimes, when my ears are tired, the MD actually sounds better. This has NEVER NEVER EVER happened to me with mp3...with good reason.

While MP3 does very well with voices, it fails to do well with bass above 192K, below which the bass is boomy. I have heard ppl say they have gotten rap transparent at 192K - well, boomy bass will be boomy bass no matter what bitrate it is at j/k

basically, ATRAC is just a better system - better sounding. If i lost a CD , and only had 292K mp3s, i'd be disappointed. This is because i can always tell when i'm listening to an mp3 - 320K is hard, but with jazz, i would know.....the difference would be small, but enough to make me buy the CD again. So much for archiving with MP3. Now, if i lost that same CD but had digitally recorded it onto LP2, i would reconsider repurchasing the CD. That's how good the MD, sounds IMO. Sure, mp3 at 320K has detail, but for me, something always has been just "not right," and ATRAC doesn't have the problem. I can tell detail is missing, but i could care less, especially with Coltrane and rock - do i want to hear the Coltrane take a breath? Not really... lol

Titling

I know, I know, titling doesn't need a second to itself. However, i really think people on headwize/head-fi like whining, have low dexterity, or were grumpy when they tried titling on a portable MD. I title while my music is being recorded, and then i'm set. My best time, i think, was the title, "Father of Mine" in 56 sec. Not too bad. Sure...i could title it with a PS/2 keyboard in like 4 sec. on a fancy MD deck.....but i'd still have to wait for the song to end. So....i don't think ppl should cite difficulty titling songs as a reason to not go MD...

Overall

Overall, i am very pleased with this MD, and reccomend it without reservation. I paid $207 and got it from giftsplash on-line, along with 10 TDK FINE 80 min. MDs from MiniDisc Access.

With standard ATRAC, that translates to 13 hrs. 20 min. of almost indistinguishable from CD sound. Unless u'v got stax, but who'd walk around with stax? Remember, md is portable.....

Anyway...talk about bang for your buck. I have a full audio set-up for portable use....888s, the R700, and MDs, with audiophile-quality sound @ under $300. It works for me!

Happy listening,

- vijay :>)