[maxx76]

Hi , Ive been surfing this site for 2 months only this time I decided to be a member after all those useful information and entertaining threads/replies. I am planning to upgrade from a MZ-N505 to a MZ-N1 0r N10. Im giving the older unit to my sisters.. However I have been rather skeptical of purchasing a new Sony MD Recorder unit with what recently happened to my MD Player last September(unit purchased by May), I had to send it back to Singapore for repair after a "bug" or "defect", the player just stopped reading the discs and displayed them on the lcd as "BLANK". My MZN505 unit back then was only 4 months new, now I have it back and it's playing fine. However it has somewhat tarnished my trust with Sony, hence my skepticism to buy a new unit.

How long is the average lifetime of a Sony MD player??? Im sure a lot of members and hi-fiers could assess.I was hoping they could last at least for 4 years.

And what type of earphones/headphones go well with it's 16 ohm impedance???
as most headphones are on the 32ohm+ range...Ive been eyeing Senheisser's PXC line and the Koss Pro's, 30 and 55's(since they've been given the most favorable reviews over the web). I only have a budget for the Sony MD and less than $50 for the headphones, so a amp is out of the question. Hope you guys could help me out and thanks again.

 

[krayzie]

check out www.minidiscussion.com for tons of minidisc related info on those forums...

Usually on average, a MD machine with daily usage should last at least 2 years before anything castastrophic happens... But it really depends on one's usage habits as my MZ-R90 is three years old and still running strong... like try to avoid dropping the unit or any other type of shock as the lens / laser assembly can be easily misaligned... try to avoid getting hair or dust inside the unit and use a lens cleaner every now and then... I guess others here might have better suggestions...

As for headphones / earphones, I use a pair of Sony MDR-E888 with it and it sounds fantastic... earphones are easily driven due to their good efficiency... The stock earphones that come wtih most units are absolute crap... but the MDR-E838 that comes with the MZ-N10 is pretty good IMHO...

The best thing to do is to always try them with your own ears since everybody's cup of tea is different...

 

[Duncan]

maxx76... welcome to Head-Fi...

You can update the firmware of the N505 to that of the N1, there was a discussion about it here recently

I currently have the N707, and am getting the E10 next month, and maybe also the N10, depending on how things go with my For Sale thread

If you haven't decided by March, i'll try to post my comparisons of all the units for you

 

[Superbaldguy]

I'm not surprised your N505 did not prove to be reliable. Afterall, it is one of the cheapest MD recorders on the market. However, if you upgrade to the N1 as suggested, you'll be getting a *much* better unit.

Most earbuds are efficient and wll do the rather weak output on the Sony units justice, although buds offere little or no isolaton unless you get a set of EX70's.

 

[Duncan]

The PX200 are pretty good, but have a bloated mid-bass, and not a lot of mids...

But, that is when compared to the D66 which are unfortunately out of your price range...

On the plus side, you could use the tone adjustements of the MD deck to tailor the PX200s to a sound that suits you... and both pairs of headphones do go VERY loud, even with the mediocre power that Sony provides

 

[maxx76]

Thanks guys for the replies and suggestions, im checking all options carefully. With regards to the headphones/earphones, much of my original options haven't changed, im still bent on the Senn PXC's or Koss Pro's KSC 30's and 55's. With regards to the lifespan of a typical MD, I guess it would be lucky enough to last two years, most CD portables I had lasted a year and a half and they were pretty much good brands like Philips and Kenwood. With regards to the lifespan of a portable audio does a Ipod Jukebox or MP3 player last longer than a typical Sony/Sharp MD portable? By the way Duncan, ill be waiting for your comparison chart. Thanks again.

 

[neb]

Quote:

Originally posted by Superbaldguy I'm not surprised your N505 did not prove to be reliable. Afterall, it is one of the cheapest MD recorders on the market. However, if you upgrade to the N1 as suggested, you'll be getting a *much* better unit.

I don't think the difference is all that great. Spending more money gets you more 'features' (some useless) but I really doubt the reliability is any better - the guts of the units are basically the same.

 

[Superbaldguy]

There's a BIG difference between the MD units made in Japan and the ones made elsewhere, IMHO. The high-end recorders and all the players have a certain tactile feel and quality that just doesn't exist with the N505/707 series. For the money, the N505 is a decent value, but I wouldn't want it to be my 'main' recorder or only MD unit.

 

[andrew3199]

Have seen so many reviews on md over the past few days i am still confused about witch model to buy...( I was thinking of the n10 ) what do you guys think..??

 

[buster]

My MZ-R50, purchased back in 1997 or 1998, is still running strong. It seems like the newer they are, the more disposable they are. The early years of MD appear to have been the days when durability still competed with design...and the design of the R50 certainly is right up there, especially in terms of functionality!

 

[Superbaldguy]

Yes, I've tried to land a used R50 off eBay, several times, but they go for rather high prices - a testimony of their inherent value to those "in the know."

 

[buster]

Indeed, R50's do command a handsome price, but I will personally testify that they are worth every single penny. For all that you get in an R50 - line out, rugged construction, ease of repair, easy interface - present going rates of ~$120, which are well above prices of even some current models, are actually a steal!

Comparing N10 to R50: http://www.minidisc.org/mzn10_counterpoint.html

Repairman article, see question #4
http://www.minidisc.org/repair_q4.html

..or question #5 (at the end of his answer)
http://www.minidisc.org/repair_q7.html

 

[Superbaldguy]

Sony *could*make their MD recorders every bit as robust as the older R50, but who is willing to pay $500 USD for such a unit? That's simply the fact of technology - people want smaller MD units, longer battery life, MDLP, etc. Something has to give......I think I will still keep hunting for my R50, as it's still worth the investment, despite the fact I already have four portables.

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally posted by Superbaldguy Yes, I've tried to land a used R50 off eBay, several times, but they go for rather high prices - a testimony of their inherent value to those "in the know."

Guess i got lucky last year, i grabbed one off of ebay for around $80 and it works wonderfully.

 

[buster]

Ya got lucky, indeed, gloco! Ebay is hit-or-miss; you either get exactly what you wanted for less than you were willing to pay...or you get stuck with a faulty unit for way more than you should have spent. Having spent some time around here, I'd much rather trust a fellow head-fi'er with a transaction for gear than I would an unknown Ebay'er, even if I had to pay a bit of a premium for the privilege! Thank goodness for Head-fi!