Sony MZ-N707 Net MD Walkman Player/Recorder (Blue)
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $249.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Aluminum upper lid, 1-line dot-matrix LCD, stick-type LCD remote control with editing functions
• OpenMG Jukebox Version 2.2 offers Windows XP capability, title editing
• MP3, WMA, and WAV audio-format compatibility; selectable data compression (ATRAC/ATRAC3)
• USB port allows 32x music data transfer from PC; G-Protection guards against skips during active use
• Digital-audio input, stereo analog line input (.125-inch minijack), microphone input

Reviews (50)

Great for the money
I have happily used my MZ-n707 for several years now, either recording my voice lessons/DMA recitals/other performances, or various live performances.I have gotten around the copy protection prohibiting uploading recordings to my computer (and to CD) by recording them into Cakewalk (or some other audio editing program), then converting the files to .wav format.

Sony has recently changed its policy, however, with its new models (I just bought a MZ-RH10).If the recordings are made on HD disks--this model is capable of both regular and HD disks-- live recordings can be transferred ONCE and converted immediately to .wav format (or other formats, I believe).If cost is an issue though (this one set me back 250 bones), then stick with the n707!

No problems ...only solutions.
I have owned this model for 2 years.

I have mostly used it for self recording voice lessons, practice and also recording a live ensemble through a mixer.The sound quality is excellent both ways and there is good sound separation with a bi directional mike.

The only major problem was the digital rights management which meant I could not transfer self recorded material to my computer using their software, which is a crock.

My solution was to use line in and bypass the software and record direct to the computer in real time. I used creative recorder supplied with my Dell. I only used the Sony software supplied to delete unless unnecessary tracks prior to recording.

The files are huge so it is necessary to convert to a usable format.For this, I use Cool Edit 2000 available at www.syntrillium.com.

This is a top notch audio editing software, which can amplify, reduce, adjust and remove or reduce any glitches, dead time etc., and separate your large audio file into single tracks, which maybe saved as mp3 files to burn to cd.You can then delete the original audio file to save space.

I have also used the player to listen to mp3s on long trips, and it is perfectly fine, although I would never buy it just for that reason.You can check mp3s in and out of your computer. It is easy.

For a microphone, I do recommend the Sony ECM-DS70P stereo microphone.With its longer cord you should not pick up the initial whirr of the machine which starts about 5 secs after you start recording and lasts for 2 seconds.This an excellent microphone, with good bidirectional separation and gives genuine stereo separation even though L and R Mic are close together.

I did recently lose my recorder so now I am thinking of replacing or upgrading to the Sony MZ-NHF 700 or 800, or the MZ-NH1.

I hope you find this review helpful, and if you do please click yes.

Good Product Bad Software
The Net MD is a really great for listening to music once you get it onto the player. The problem is Sony decided to make getting songs really difficult with their software OpenMG. The program is barely functional on my brand new pc. To make thigs even worse the program has anti-piracy parts in it. Who actually buys a MD player to transfer songs they bought? Anyways if you have any problems with the software don't depend on any support since OpenMG website is closed. OpenMG is the only software you can use to transfer songs. I think you can use realplayer to transfer the songs now too but you can only put mp3s on it. Because of Sony guarding its ATRAC technology so closely they have taken away their user's rights to pick which program they would like to use. Unless you want to spend an hour changing the songs I suggest you don't but this product. ... Read more

Asin: B000065CE2
Sales Rank: 14605
Subjects:  1. mzn707, mzn-707, mzn7, mz-n7, mz-n70    2. mnz707, mini disc, netmd, net-md    3. disk, disc, sonie, soni, soney, sonee, sone    4. sonny, n707, minidisc player, recorder    5. Portable MiniDisc Player (Personal Mini-Disc, Minidisk)   

Creative Labs NOMAD Jukebox Zen 20 GB MP3 Player (1394 Firewire)
by Creative Labs
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (01 November, 2002)
list price: $399.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

If you've been searching for a compact player with massive MP3 storage, your search is over. Get up to 20 GB of music on the Nomad Jukebox Zen, and then listen to it anywhere for up to 12 hours at a stretch using the quick-charge battery. Want to create a playlist on the go? No need to be at a computer--just select songs, create and save the playlist, and you're ready to tune in.

The Nomad Jukebox Zen offers the same powerful features and flexibility found in a large-capacity MP3 player, but delivered in a smaller and sleeker package. Use the fast, 10x transfer rate anywhere via SB1394/FireWire or use a USB plug-in for basic transfers. Load an entire music collection and your data files onto the stylish Zen in a flash--up to 20 GB--then pop it into your pocket or bag, and share information easily between computers. When traveling between home and work or school, the Zen becomes a portable hard drive. Its sleek aluminum body makes carrying music even more fun.

The included Creative PlayCenter 3 lets you rip CDs and transfer tracks between player and PC. Now you can quickly create or edit playlists, or organize music, either at or away from your PC (the first player to offer this flexibility). The unit uses a simple but powerful icon-driven interface with Creative's Quick Scroller navigation. ... Read more

Features

• Use AudioSync to synchronize the music on your player with your PC at work, school, and home
• USB port provided for file transfer with most PCs (includes USB battery charging)
• Bring over 8,000 songs (in WMA at 80 kbps) or 5,000 songs (in MP3 at 128 kbps) everywhere you go
• Sleek, stylish, anodized-aluminum body fits in your pocket or can be clipped to your belt in the included travel pouch
• Transfer your songs and other files in a flash with SB-1394/FireWire--10 times faster than USB

Reviews (96)

Creative "Engineering"
I bought a Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox Zen 20 GB Digital Audio Player in November 2002 and loved it up until April 2005 when it simply decided to stop working.I had taken great care of it over the 2+ years I owned the player with no bumps, spills, or other jolts.So there was nothing that would have caused it to self-destruct other than poor Creative Labs "engineering".To make matters worse, despite having been very disciplined for the 2+ years in terms of backing up my 700 songs that I had on the player, I bought a new laptop last month and gave my old one to my father.In doing so, I decided to delete the 700 songs backed-up on the old notebook and recopy them to my new notebook later.Nice timing!Two weeks later when I went to turn on my Zen...nada!!Creative said the power unit was gone and there was nothing they could do about it.They said that they could return the paper weight to me for $40 or I could dive deeper into the abyss and buy a refurbished one for $115.I couldn't help but laugh at their gall.They are pathetic.

It was my fault for not having a 24/7 backup of my songs!The iPod god must be in the air!Bottom line, I will never buy anything from Creative Labs again!

The Zen Jukebox 2.0
The Zen Jukebox 2.0 is a must have for the average consumer. This player fits value with an affordable price. With its small price tag and great features I recommend. I recently bought one and have had no problems! Heres Pros, and cons.
PROS
> Great price!
> 20 GB Storage
> Small enough to fit in most pockets
> Sound quality is amazing!

CONS
> Software is horrible
> Headphones included are bad

This vs. iPod
OK, I've bought this machine back in 2002 and it still works !
This is a good player in many ways, but the best thing about it is its battery life. It's supposed to be 14 hrs, but mine lasts about 10 hrs with all the extra options turned on. This is still much compared to the iPods 8 hrs.
I've also used the 20gb iPod and it's great as well, especially the design, the OS and the scroller. And I must admit that iTunes (the software) is a lot better than Creatives Play Center. The play center is clumsy and slow, while iTunes is a lot faster and easier to use. The choise between this and the iPod was easy for me though.... the iPods price was too high, especially here in Finand, and battery life was important to me. My player has some scars and it almoust broke down once... but I realized that the harddrive had stuck, so I gave it a little smack and it worked again. I've read that many have had problems with this player but I've used mine for 1 ½ years. I've fallen on it a couple of times and the front cover looks f**ked up, but it still works fine for me.... The choise between this and the iPod might be hard. the Zen is cheaper, has better sound quality and longer battery life, while the iPod is a bit smaller, looks cooler and the software is better. ... Read more

Asin: B00006LHO7
Subjects:  1. Gigabyte    2. 20GB    3. 20 GB    4. Portable Audio    5. MP3 MP 3 Player    6. Jukebox    7. MP3 Player (MP 3)   

Apple 20 GB 2nd Generation iPod M8741LL/A
by Apple Computer
Average Customer Review:
Electronics

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• MP3 Audio
• System requirements: PC with built-in FireWire or Windows-certified FireWire card; Windows Me, Windows 2000, or Windows XP Home or Professional
• Includes wired remote control, remodeled headphones, Musicmatch Jukebox Plus software and carrying case with belt clip
• Discontinued by manufacturer, replaced by model #M8948LL/A
• FireWire interface for fastest digital transfer available; covered FireWire port
• Keep up to date with new calendar/scheduler and built-in clock

Reviews (98)

Ipod is rad
I really love my Ipod. It has the coolest UI ever. I figured it out in no time flat.

The MP3 Player that only Apple could make!
As a long time PC/Windows user, I've always been impressed with Apple's equipment, but also always at a distance. After purchasing my new iPod, I'm wondering why I don't have more equipment from them. This product is one of the first I've purchased in some time that delivers exactly on its promises, worked immediately out of the box as expected, and was just too fun and easy to use. In fact, it took longer to install the FireWire card on my PC, then it did to install, configure and start loading songs onto my iPod.

I'm sure you can read the features this iPod offers elsewhere, but let me tell you that all of those features are indeed included and this device performs extremely well and plays songs as well or better than any other device I've owned. In fact, if you're anything like me, once you start using an iPod, you'll wonder what you did before. Playing music from CDs, even my personal mixes, now seems so antiquated.

Assuming you decide to purchase this, here are a few tips: 1) consider the 40GB model. Now that I have this, I wonder if more might be even better (I'm nowhere near my 20GB limit, but more is always better, right?!), 2) consider adding an auto power kit for recharging from the lighter for long trips, and 3) very seriously consider getting the FM transmitter to play iPod tunes over any FM radio (Belkin makes a great model for about $30).

After that, the hardest decision is which songs to load up and play first. Enjoy!

Some Disadvantages of the Apple ipod...
I will make this short..yes, it is user friendly and simplified compared to other mp3 players. BUT it is almost TOO simplified. here are some of the things it lacks.
- No Line In jack for recording
- No USB capability (except for the new version, but that requires you to buy and adaptor
- Cannot drag and drop files like you can on the Archos Jukebox 20Gb (requires Matchbox to modify files on player)
- a bit pricey compared to other mp3 players
- It's Apple, enough said..
- only can create playlists through Matchbox
- since it is firewire and most people dont have firewire cards you much purchase one, but not only that if you ever want to use it as a portable swap drive to share files, the other computer would need the card too. ... Read more

Asin: B00006FDRB
Sales Rank: 18233
Subjects:  1. Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple    2. Portable Audio    3. MP3 MP 3 Player    4. Jukebox    5. MP3 Player (MP 3)    6. Apple    7. (Mac)    8. (Macintosh)    9. Gigabyte    10. 20GB    11. 20 GB   

RioVolt SP250 Portable MP3-CD Player with FM Tuner and 8 Minutes Anti-Skip
by RioVolt
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $179.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Supports ID3 tags and audio CD title display (CD Text) as well as M3U playlists
• Includes 2 sets of headphones (earbud and over-ear)
• 15-hour battery life using only 2 AA batteries; includes rechargeable batteries. Resume play feature.
• Plays standard audio CDs as well as MP3- and WMA-encoded discs; integrated FM tuner
• Electronic shock protection up to 8 minutes; upgradable firmware for enhancements

Reviews (274)

A good player, but needs better instructions.
This item arrived with very little information on how to burn and play MP3 files and, in particular, WMA files.I burnt two discs and messed around with the player and my computer for a week before writing Rio and receiving a technician's answer.I appreciated the customer support, but the information really should have been in the player's documentation or on Rio's website.To listen to WMA files, I ended up having to delete and restore the 1200 songs on my computer because I'd stored them initially with the "automatic rights control" (or some such) box checked in the Windows Media Player.After all the headache, and two years of continuous use, I do enjoy having this player.Do remember that it only plays MP3 or WMA files burnt to a disk; it does not function as an MP3 player that stores and plays files in its hardware.

there must be something better
When I first got the thing, I thought it was fantastic.It had all the features I wanted, and wasn't too difficult to figure out on my own.The FM tuner worked as well as my car radio and was a nice perk.The sound was good, too.
The downside, it's skip protection is, well, mediocre.I've certainly seen better, although I have owned worse as well.I wasn't jogging with the thing and it would sufficiently occupy me durring a long car ride, so I didn't really mind.After awhile though, it stopped recognizing any batteries other than the rechargables it came with.I know it sounds weird; I still don't know why.Not to mention recharging takes a really long time, and the battery life is also mediocre.I can't get more than 2 or 3 hours from it.Consequently, the thing seems to never have any power to it, and I can't use any other batteries.Heaven forbid I don't charge it every day.It'd be a nice player, if I could actually use it.I don't know that this is something inherent in the player, or if it's just a flaw in my unit, but it makes me extreamly hesitant to spend any money on Rio products.

It is good and still kicking!!
I have had mine for a year now and it kicks azz! I don't think they break so easy, since mine was wedged between a metal stopper and an iron crate being pushed by a forklift! It dented the batteries in the case, I can't charge the batteries in the player anymore and the lid is a tad bit crooked, but it still plays perfect and the display works fine too. That convinced me that is was rock solid. Just hope you don't have any problems with it, because Riovolt has the worst customer service ever rated, they are horrible to talk to. just so you know.

**** I wrote a review in here earlier about how strong it is. It got crushed by a forklift and still works. I have now had it for 2 years (actually my little brother has it), and it's still kicking strong. The SP250 was designed by the same people who designed the iriver iMP-350, and the menus look almost exactly the same. I have since upgreaded to the iMP-450, a new model from iRiver, and am a tad happier. I bought my Riovolt for $100 and it was worth it then. But after the forklift mishap, it stopped recharging batteries, and the batteries got a dent in each of them, and I wanted to recharge them at work. The case it comes with is VERY nice and got used all the time. I didn't have to buy a case for it that way and it saved me some dough. Plus, all the buttons were imprinted in the leather on the case, so you could push the buttons through the case without seeing them. The batteries lasted fine, about 12-14 hours with MP3 playback. The remote was great. I now have the iMP-450 and wish I had the SP250 remote. There is the cool level to having a slim case with a screen on the remote, but the buttons aren't as easy to hit by feel. I believe they are actually interchangeable, since I know you can order a LCD remote for the SP250. I just can't do it with mine cuz there's no screen on the main unit. But the SP250 remote was the best designed one I've seen, and I've looked at a lot of MP3/CD players, since everyone in my family wants one now. I guess I would recommend the iMP-450 over this one, cuz of the cool factor, the battery life, ongoing firmware support, tech support is slightly better, new technologies in place (like solid servo to stop skipping), more menu options, and price. I bought mine for 100 bucks, the iMP-450 is $120 on Amazon, and now Amazon shows this unit for $200, which is too much. ... Read more

Asin: B00005QXWI
Sales Rank: 16496
Subjects:  1. rio volt,cd-r,cd-rw    2. sp 250,sp-250    3. wma, sp90, sp-90, sp-100, sp100    4. mp3 cd player, Rio Volt    5. Portable Compact Disc Player (Personal CD)    6. Portable Audio    7. MP3 MP 3 Player    8. CD (Compact Disc) Players combo (combination)    9. MP3 Player (MP 3)    10. cd player (cdplayer)   

Rio S35S Sport Digital Audio Player
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (01 November, 2002)
list price: $129.95
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Designed with the athlete in mind, this compact Rio MP3 player provides rugged durability and up to two hours of skip-free music. Store and play MP3 and WMA digital music files with 128 MB of built-in memory, or listen to your favorite radio station with the integrated FM tuner. Advanced navigation and a large, backlit display make finding songs and artists simple, while the USB connection and Rio Music Manager software provide quick and easy music file transfers. Perfect for the gym, it has a built-in clock and stopwatch and up to 10 hours of battery life. Packaged with incredible software to help you organize your music, including RealOne, iTunes, and MoodLogic software to create mixes for 100 tracks. Upgradable to 256 MB using MMC memory cards (not included). Includes sport earphones, carrying case with belt clip, adjustable sport armband, one AAA battery, and USB cable. PC and Mac compatible. ... Read more

Features

• Includes earbuds, carry case with clip and armband, AAA battery, USB cable, and music management software
• 128 MB on-board memory; expandable up to 256 MB via MMC cards
• Supports MP3 or WMA files; upgradeable for future music formats; PC and Mac compatible
• Integrated FM tuner, clock, and stopwatch; water and impact resistant
• Up to 10 hours' playback on one AAA battery; accepts NiMH rechargeables

Reviews (242)

Surprised sound quality.
Pleasantly surprised with the sound quality in such a small and light device. Earbuds just so so. (Use my own superior earbuds, so it's okay.) The FM tuner reception is not that good, that's why the four stars. Bought this manufacturer-refurbished for about $50. Spend an additional $27 for an SD 512 mb flash memory(512 mb works in the external memory slot!). The software works well with my Windows XP/Windows Media 10. For less than $80 I get 640 mb of total memory, more than enough for what I need.

Better hope nothing breaks cuz you'll be buying a new one
Rio no longer supports this model and the Sports case is cheap and breaks easily. Once it breaks, you are out of luck because Rio only carries replacement parts for their newest models. Do yourself a favor and buy something dependable with good product support such as Ipod, Iriver, or CreativeLabs..Leave Rio alone.

So far so good
I've had my Rio for a couple of days now. It's been working great. The bundled software is not all that great, but if you have Windows XP and Windows Media Player 10 then you can use that. The player has good sound and is really durable. The armband took me a minute to figure out but everything works great. The internal memory is a nice starting size. I was able to fit 54 tracks on my internal memory (64Kbps - WMA format). I bought a 128MB card for $18 and that works perfect and now I have over 100 tracks on my player. I've been hearing that the player can handle cards up to 512MB despite what the specs say. I haven't tested it so it's still a rumor to me.

In conclusion, for the price this player is a very good buy. I use it when i work out and the armband is a nifty way to keep the player close but out of the way. I'm not sure is the USB interface is version 1 or 2 but the interface is really quick. When I update my track listing it takes about 1 minute and a half to transfer 54 tracks to my player. Check the Rio site frequently for firmware upgrades. When I got mine i had to upgrade the firmware which is a sinch and take about 30 seconds to do.

Just to add, many have complained about how the player tends to slip out of the armband when you move excessively (ex. Running or jogging). I have to say that I use my Rio everyday while running and have yet to have it slip out of the armband. I run just like everyone else, and wear it while playing basketball also and it has not fallen once. ... Read more

Asin: B00006HYJ5
Subjects:  1. Portable Audio    2. MP3 MP 3 Player    3. MP3 Player (MP 3)