Rating  - Good, but here's what's lacking
I bought an MZ-R500 a couple of years ago solely to record live music. What a surprise that this model doesn't have a mic input jack! It only has a line input, and I was unable to record anything live. (Later I learned that I'd either need an accessory battery box or an upgrade to record with a microphone). I quickly upgraded to an MZ-R700 which has the neccessary mic input jack and have been more or less happy. Also lacking with this model is the inability to start recording from anything other that AUTO volume level. To change levels out of AUTO, you always have to start recording, press pause, and then go into the menu to manually adjust the volume. Quite a pain when you want to record live stuff on the fly. OH well. . .
Rating  - this MD Rocks
this MD is the best thing i ever bought!! it is so much better then a mp3! you get 5 hoursd on one disc and you can get a disc (which is rewritable) for about one dollar. it doesn't skip at all it is great for running skateing or anything else. If your thinking about getting one of these, do it because the are awesome!!
Rating  - MiniDisc / MegaCool
This was my first MiniDisc player/recorder and I still use it for dubbing CDs and MP3s. It's small size is great for when I'm travelling around town on the bus or making a long winded trip via air. You can track your tunes out just like with an AudioCD, putting about 20 tracks on one disc. The lower compression recordings don't sound great, but it's better than sitting on that bus listening to some freak yelling obscenities. Most recently, I upgraded to an iPod and just drag and drop one months worth of songs onto my 10gb unit, but I prefer taking the MiniDisc on longer trips---it's durable and expendable.
Rating - For folks on the go.
This little MD player is one of the greatest audio investments I've ever made. I can't figure out why folks are buying MP3 players. These MD recorders, especially the MZ-R500, seem to be the best kept secret in the world of mobile personal audio.
One complaint however... I don't like the fact that the recorder always defaults to "automatic" recording volume level. You will quickly find out that the auto volume feature doesn't let enough sound in. It also makes "mush" out of live albums as it compensates too much for the crashing percussion instruments. I found this out when I recorded the live version of Orange Blossom Special by Johnny Cash. I thought something was wrong with the MD recorder. When I set the recording volume manually, the mush went away.
It must be set to manual each time you record, from song to song or album to album. Any time you start recording, in other words. All other settings the user makes stays put, just this ONE feature resets to auto. Quite frustrating.
Once these small issues are figured out, this is a fantastic little gadget. Certainly meant for folks on the go. Simply start it playing and slide the "hold" feature in place. All the buttons are now disabled and can't be hit accidentally. Drop it in your shirt pocket and go! This thing does NOT skip either!
Cheers.
Rating - Totally Exceeded My Expectations!
I bought the R500 today not knowing exactly what to expect. I had heard nothing but good about it, but the choice was mine to make.
... a previous customer had bought my MD recorder, but then returned it for one reason or another, anyway ... :)
I immediately bought the R500 and a 5-pack of MDs, (which I now know will last me forEVER) went home and without a 10 minute delay, started recording my own songs! It was the easiest thing to figure out, and the cables came with it! Now, an hour later, I have figured out most of the functions (with the help of the instructions manual) and I am using my MD player like a veteran.
If you are looking for ease-of-use, good price, and overall great deal, look no further than the MZ-R500. Though the previous owner put a couple scratches on it, they make the recorder look rugged. :)
Again, don't look any further if you're looking for ease-of-use, good price, and an overall great deal. Buy some new headphones though.
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Customer Reviews for Sony,MZ-R500PCNAVY,027242591653,0027242591653,B00005T38K, |
