[Steve_Yates]

I've seen an Aiwa AM-NX9 net minidisc player for what looks like a bargain price, it's cheaper than most normal MD players.

I've had no luck finding a review of it or even any detailed information about net MDs in general.

Has anyone used it? If so, what's the sound quality like and are any important features missing?

Thanks

Steve

 

[Fish Tank X]

Now that Aiwa is part of sony, I would expect them to share designs/chips due to cost savings. Aiwa is Sony's 'Low end', now. A value brand. Sort of like the Celeron Versus the Pentium 4. Except the compromises aren't performance, just weight and battery life, perhaps, if that. I'd imagine it wouldn't sound that much different than your typical E-707.

 

[Jens123]

i really don´t know but I think this aiwa modell is just the same as the Sony MZ-N410 - there must be somebody to confirm

 

[Fish Tank X]

If the NX9 is the recorder, and not the player, it's an MZ-NE410 with an AC jack.

 

[Steve_Yates]

I've also seen a Sony MZ-N510 for not much more. The list of features seems very similar, but the Sony is smaller and has longer battery life.

Any idea about MZ-N510 sound quality?

Thanks

 

[hawkfire]

Fish tank x

Where do come up with these premises?

Now that Aiwa is part of sony, I would expect them to share designs/chips due to cost savings. Aiwa is Sony's 'Low end', now. A value brand. Sort of like the Celeron Versus the Pentium 4. Except the compromises aren't performance, just weight and battery life, perhaps, if that. I'd imagine it wouldn't sound that much different than your typical E-707.

and

If the NX9 is the recorder, and not the player, it's an MZ-NE410 with an AC jack.

Opinion and pure tripe.

Let's have some FACTS.

Aiwa still maintains its own seperate audio R&D division.

Long before the merger with Sony Corp., Aiwa and Sony have used the same identical ATRAC decoding chips for years starting with the Aiwa AM-F1 using ATRAC 2.

However, even though using the same ATRAC decoding chip, Aiwa and Sony units sound very much different from each other due to different board implementations and firmware.

The only exception to this rule is the Aiwa AM-F90 which is an IDENTICAL CLONE of the SONY MZR-900 except for the outer casing.

This unit was sold as an interrim product duing the Aiwa/Sony merger.

Since that time, Aiwa has designed a new NETMD recorder and that is the AM-N1.

The BUDGET model of the N1 is the N9.

And the N9 is a EU only Net MD recorder.

The laser assemblies are different for both the N9 and the Sony 410 among other major differences noted.

So, I'd have to say that they arent the same unit.

Not by a longshot.

Do you own or have ANY experience with either the Aiwa NX1/NX9 net MD recorders?

Because I do and that is why I'm posting on this subject.

It's one thing to SPECULATE or OPINIONATE about something.

It's another entirely different matter when it seems your opinion is being taken as advice, which to me is akin to the blind leading the blind as it is painfully obvious that you are speculating with out benefit of experience in this matter.

Not a good thing, unless you want this persons wallet to suffer.

 

[Fish Tank X]

My basis.

Again, just a hypothesis. But I do believe that it's nearly identical as I remember somebody pointing out a bunch of similiarities between Aiwa recorders and the MZ-NX10 (MZ-N510/710/910 etc..)

I'd be willing to *guess* that they have identical IC assemblies and even circuit boards. With such a low cost high volume product, it's essential to cut down on R/D costs and borrowing sony's design seems like a logical decision. Again, just a guess. Do you have a *better* guess?

More supporting evidence.

 

[hawkfire]

Guess you didn't read what I wrote earlier.

I OWN both units so its NO SPECULATION or "guessing" on my part.

I've opened both up to see what made em tick.

Circuit boards aren't the same and the PCB layouts are different.

Opamp implementation is different.

Laser assembly is different too.


Guess what?


I'd be willing to *guess* that they have identical IC assemblies and even circuit boards. With such a low cost high volume product, it's essential to cut down on R/D costs and borrowing sony's design seems like a logical decision. Again, just a guess. Do you have a *better* guess?


You're wrong again.

GUESSING is what pisses me off.

Don't "guess."

Your GUESSING, "examples" or "supposed proof" is precisely how misinformation and uirban myths are perpetuated.

Speak from actual EXPERIENCE is the bottom line.

 

[Steve_Yates]

hawkfire:

Can you tell me what you think of your AM-NX9?

I don't need a long, detailed review. Just a general impression of how the audio quality compares with other MD players. An idea of the build quality and real world battery life would be nice too. But a simple thumbs up or thumbs down would be better than nothing.

Thanks

Steve

 

[Steve_Yates]

Also, do you have the European version or the one sold to the rest of the world. Acording to the Aiwa website the European versions have a maximum output of only 2mW+2mW while other versions have an output of 5mW+5mW.

I'm not planning to plug in anything like Sennheiser HD600s, but that 2mW seems like a limitation even with fairly efficient headphones.

 

[bangraman]

I have no idea about it's specs at this time but if it helps I will have one next week.

 

[hawkfire]

The one I have is the EU version capped at 2 milliwatts.

The build quality is ok if you like cheap feeling stuff.

(Think cheap walkman plasticky build)

IF possible, it would be much better if you get a worldwide version or better yet, a different model minidisc unit as this unit is pc upload only.

(N707 comes to mind as cheap but better built)

The Aiwa sounds better than the Sony and is more midrange/bass oriented than the 410.

Too much white noise on the treble side with the 410 and the treble seems a little on the harsh side.

Of course, this might be an effect of the EU cap as its comparing 2 mw against 5mw.

This is based on a side by side comparison using a minidisc recorded on am mzr-n10 in lp2 mode (identical song and recording) and using the Shure E1 canalphones.

 

[Steve_Yates]

I don't really care how cheap looking and plasticky it is if there aren't any serious design problems. Some of the best looking devices I've used have build quality problems such as weak hinges, ribbon cables that wear out, buttons that stop working, etc. As long as it doesn't fall to bits and stop working after being shaken around in my coat pocket for a week I'll be happy.

I'm only looking for a MD that's easily available in the UK, I want to get it ASAP and be able to take it back if something goes wrong. Only being able to upload from my PC doesn't bother me at all, I've got almost all my CDs ripped to MP3 already.

I'm probably only going to use Sennheiser MX-500s with the MD, presumably 2mW would be fine for them?

As for the N707, it looks like a nice player, but it's almost twice as expensive as the Aiwa (£150 rather than £80). It would have to have major advantages over the AM-NX9 for me to consider it.

 

[hawkfire]

I cannot comment on how long the Aiwa will last as I've only had this unit for a week or so.

Bad part is that I took it apart several days ago because it experienced a UTOC error that would not reset itself by removing the battery.

And yes, I spent part of the last week in Europe and thats where I got this unit.

I cannot comment on how the unit sounds with the Sennehisser MX-500 as mine is taken apart at the moment, but using the MX-400 the volume output is really low in comparison to the 410.

(MX-400/500 series earbuds use the same drivers, only differences are the color of the driver housing, the wire guage thickness and the inclusion of an in-line volume switch on the 500. MX-400 has a thinner wire than MX-500)

You might consider the Sharp MD-MT270 as this was the other EU unit I picked up while traveling.

The MD-MT270 smokes both the Sony and the Aiwa for sound quality, is better built and costs L100.

No volume restriction and readily available in the UK.

Just food for thought there.

 

[Steve_Yates]

If it isn't a NetMD I'm not interested. I briefly owned a regular MD player and I found copying from CD using my HiFi frustratingly time consuming. I want to be able to quickly and easily create compilations from MP3 files, rather than having to swap CDs to add different tracks to a minidisc.

Would you say that the volume output through the MX-400s was acceptable? I don't tend to listen to very loud music, but obviously I want to be able to hear it.

Other than the Aiwa, the only NetMD in my price range seems to be the MZ-N510. IIRC it's output is only a little higher at 2.5mW, do you think that would make much of a difference.

Alternatively, can anyone suggest ear bud headphones that are more efficient than MX-400/500s and don't sound too bad?