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Combining the power and versatility of a minidisc Walkman with a body shell that is both reflective and robust, Sony has created a minidisc (MD) player/recorder aimed at the active sports market. The MZ-S1 Net MiniDisc Walkman is a larger, chunkier, and heavier MD player than most, because it's a rugged sports model. It comes complete with a large latch that clips securely over the rubber-sealed disc slot, rubber covers for all the ports and socket, and a tough, wipe-clean case that won't scratch. The earbud headphones are light and unobtrusive, too, but the strap only prevents you from dropping it rather than letting you carry it easily. You can run, jog, and shake or drop the case without interrupting the music, and all the controls are on the side, falling naturally under your thumb when you hold the player one-handed. Play, stop, fast forward, rewind, and volume are all combined in one five-way control; only pause is separate. Although the edges are a little sharp for comfort, the control makes it easy to get the track you want without looking at the player, and it's almost impossible to change the volume by accident; if you do there's an automatic volume control to stop it from getting too loud too suddenly. You do need to look at the player to record or edit track names, but as you can only record from an external source like a CD player you're not likely to be on the move at the time. There's an optical cable in the box for digital connections but you'll need a second cable for analog sources. Alternatively, you can plug the USB cable into your PC and transfer tracks you have stored as MP3 or WMA files. You get the same choice of single-, double-, or quadruple-length recording, which puts over five hours of music on one minidisc, and you get about 50 hours play time from a single AA battery. The OpenMG JukeBox software is a little complicated because you have to check tracks in and out of your library to transfer them, but you can create multiple playlists and convert CD tracks directly. You can't transfer tracks from minidisc to MP3, though. You're paying a slight premium for the rugged, go-anywhere portability of the Net MiniDisc Walkman, but the controls are simple and the sound quality is excellent. --Mary Branscombe, Amazon.co.uk
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 Great Quality - Great Technology |
| Review Date: February 3, 2003 |
| Reviewer: , |
| I read all the reviews AFTER I bought this player. I was concerned about the Sony software, but not too worried since I knew I could use Real One Player to record & manage tracks.I have an MP3 player (128MB) and I like this system more. Here's why. . . Basically I like to listen to a lot of different kinds of music. I can fit about 40 songs (5 hours) on one mini disc at a great quality level. I can't fit that many on my MP3 player. If I want to switch tunes, I simply change discs --- Takes a second or two. With the MP3 player, I have to boot up my system, hook up the player, etc, etc, etc. I run, snowboard, mountain bike, and work out with this player. It gets sweaty, and it gets frozen, and it gets knocked around big time. What it doesn't do is skip. It's bulletproof. I think it runs about 50 hours on 1 AA battery. The sound is excellent, but as mentioned in some other reviews, the headphones could be better. It does take a while to load up the songs from your PC to the player though. Loading songs to my MP3 player is much faster, I have to admit. But here's the thing - Blank mini discs are [very reasonable priced, and can be recorded on again and again about a million times without failing. All told I have a bunch of discs, but only 3 that I listen to with a fair amount of regularity. Those 3 discs have about 15 hours of music, and cost [very little]. Do the math, and compare that to the cost of extra memory in an MP3 player. Bottom line is I'm really surprised that these players have not really caught on in the USA. They're big everywhere else. This new generation of players are among the first to be easily managed from a PC, so hopefully that is what was keeping them from catching on before. |
Excellent for runners
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| Review Date: May 5, 2003 |
| Reviewer: , |
| The Sports NetMD from Sony is an excellent player for runners. I did a fair amount of research before buying the player, since all my previous cassette/CD players skipped after a few minutes of running, but in several runs so far, I have NOT been able to get this baby to skip even once. The good points about this player are: 1. More compact than a CD/cassette player
2. More music than either of the above
3. Skip-free performance
4. The MiniDisc is very compact - I carry one extra MD on my
runs along with the one in my player - it fits comfortably
in the key pocket of my running shorts. The drawbacks are:
1. Supplied headphones are quite bad
2. Poor software (particularly the quick transfer tool,
which resulted in a few bad transfers Overall, I am very impressed and happy with the player. I would
recommend any runner to look at this player seriously if they're
looking for a good portable audio tool. |
Its about time............
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| Review Date: August 28, 2002 |
| Reviewer: Benjamin Sell, DeKalb, Illinois United States |
Ive always been a real fan of the minidisc design. The size and ruggedness of the media made it ideal for a person on the go. Up til now the players havent followed suit. The models offered were quite fragile in contrast to the minidisc inside. After endless dings and dents to my Aiwa am-f70 I finally found a player that im not afraid to drop on cement while running. If you have ever owned or even used a sports walkman from sony then you should know what to expect from this model.
Beyond the design, the ability to record from your computer via a USB port gives Minidisc users a something to cheer about. Although the software is a bit clunky and confusing for those who arent highly computer literate, I expect with some use most anyone can master the art of making a recording from Mp3 files.
Although I do like this model quite a bit I do have something to gripe about- NO RECHARGEABLE BATTERY. Big mistake in my opinion. |
Better design than the MZ-N505
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| Review Date: February 3, 2003 |
| Reviewer: , Providence, RI USA |
| I bought the MZ-N505 (the gaudy little gold or silver one) but returned it for the MZ-S1. While the two are almost identical in recording and playing features, the N505 was so small and light that it felt dangerously flimsy. The more robust body of the S1 makes it a better buy. I'm planning on bringing my player around campus with me in (the bottom of) my backpack, carrying it when running, and keeping it in my jacket pocket while skiing. Nothing heavy duty--I think most people will subject their players to all kinds of similar use when they realize how convenient and portable they are. The S1 is a shade bigger and weighs almost twice as much as the 505, but the only way you can tell the difference between 4 ounces and 7 is when you're holding one in each hand. That extra weight is used to make the body thicker and more 'drop-resistant'. Should I wipe out while skiing, the last thing I'll have to worry about is this player. I can hold it in my sweaty clutches or get it rained on and the rubber gaskets around the MD and battery compartments and the playing controls will keep it from getting wet inside. The player controls put the 'joy' back in 'joystick'--they're designed to be easy to control when you hold it upright in one hand (while running,for example) but can be operated from any angle. The backlit LCD screen is another improvement over the N505. I also found the design more tasteful--it lacks the "please steal me" ghetto design philosophy of the 505. When you throw in the hand strap and better headphones that come included in the package, the MZ-S1 is the better choice. |
I got what I expected, and I'm happy with it.
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| Review Date: February 23, 2004 |
| Reviewer: Timothy Karlberg, Minneapolis, MN |
After three minidisc units, two of which have been handheld portable devices, this one still gets a full five stars. My previous portable MD was a Sharp model from about 5 years ago. I never had a single problem with that one, and my favorable experience has continued with this Sony model. Really, this Sony MD player/recorder delivers everything I had been looking for in this type of product with the VERY appealing added benefit of being designed for rough use. In shopping for my second MD player, one of my biggest criteria was product endurance and rigidity (I was looking for something to accompany me on my long distance runs). I've been a very satisfied owner of this Sony model for about 7 months so far, and it has scored perfectly in the toughness department in addition to all other aspects. The MZ-S1 excels for several reasons:
-Battery life is incredible.
-Design and ease of use, especially during long runs, is perfectly suited for the right hand (lefthanded people might find this an awkward fit at first).
-The bass is surprisingly full, without compromising much of the treble. The sound in general is great, even with the factory headphones that come with the player.
-The editing and recording options, particularly the computer downloading feature, are more than adequate for my uses. I was able to download several minidisc's worth of music from my computer without much effort.
-The wrist strap and contours of the MZ-S1 keep its presence in the back of my mind when I'm working out.
-The placement of the controls (i.e. the joystick) is ideal for physical activities such as running.
-The finish of the product's housing is very durable and obviously designed to outlast the technology.
-And lastly, while this shouldn't determine whether or not you buy this product, it is an attractive design, specifically the pearlescent, reflective coating.
If I had to be really picky and choose one thing to complain about, it would be the fact that the player can't readily be worn on the waist (such as with a belt clip). However, after the first couple uses, I've decided I'd rather hold it in my hand anyway. Overall, I've given this player a fair set of tests and trials and I can't find anything wrong with it. In fact, I was so happy with the Sony S2 line of sports-oriented audio products that I've since bought the S2 CD player and S2 Radio Headphones. Both of those products have been equally good to me.
In regards to the other reviews telling of horror stories and technical problems, I can't really speak to those issues, except to say that with any electronic product these days, there will be some degree of risk involved. Nothing's a sure bet (as I've learned too many times the hard way). All you can do is treat the device well, and hope it treats you well in return. As for this one, I bought it off the shelf of my local electronics superstore and it's delivered on every promise the package made. I hope this helps you make an informed decision. |
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