Available MiniDisc Players, Recorders

Sony the only choice in U.S.

Sony is the only company still making MiniDisc players and recorders for the U.S. market. Its current lineup includes just one Hi-MD portable model and one MiniDisc deck intended for use by DJs or in a home audio system.

The Sony MZ-RH1 (*Est. $335) is the only current portable player/recorder available in the U.S. It features a one-line OLED display for track and title information, unit settings, record levels and more. OLED is a new display technology that's brighter and easier to read than an LCD. The Sony MZ-RH1 measures just under 3.4 by 3.4 inches, and is just under .6-inch thick; it weighs 3.4 ounces.

The Sony MZ-RH1 uses Sony's SonicStage software for transferring music files. Most MP3 players will simply let you drag and drop files to your player, but Sony forces you to go through its software to accomplish that task. Also, while MP3 files can be uploaded directly, WAV and WMA files must be converted to Sony's ATRAC3 music format. Although MP3 files don't have to undergo conversion, many users go through the process anyway as ATRAC music playback sounds better on MiniDisc players than unprocessed MP3s, and the format's compression lets you fit more on a disc. However, it is one extra step you have to take to load music on the player. This is one reason many experts say MP3 players are often easier to use if your main interest is transferring music from your computer to the player. According to a review at MDCenter.nl, the Sony MZ-RH1 does a much better job of playing back MP3s than earlier models.

One quirk that plagued earlier versions of SonicStage is largely a thing of the past. At one time, Sony's aggressive implementation of digital-rights management (DRM) created issues that made common tasks like transferring music to a computer other than the one from which it was loaded very difficult, and even created issues with live recordings. Thankfully, newer versions of SonicStage have made DRM optional.

Sony has also now released Hi-MD Music Transfer for Mac, which allows Mac users to transfer audio files between a Mac and Hi-MD MiniDisc players. Although designed to work primarily with the Sony MZ-RH1, there is some limited compatibility with earlier Hi-MD MiniDisc recorders, such as the Sony MZ-RH10, MZ-RH910 and MZ-RH710.

The Sony MZ-RH1 has optical line-in input for recording from other digital audio gear, such as DVD and CD players. Analog line-level recordings can be made via the same input, but an optional connecting cable is required. There's also a microphone input for live recordings. The MZ-RH1 uses Hi-MD 1GB MiniDiscs for recordings. A USB connection is used to transfer music to and from the player to a computer. Unique to this unit is the ability to transfer content on older MD discs to a computer -- so you'll be able to transfer even older MiniDiscs. Included accessories are a Li-Ion rechargeable battery, headphones, a power adapter, USB cable, backlit remote control, a 1GB Hi-MD disc and a SonicStage software CD ROM. The MZ-RH1 is also available in a bundle with the Sony ECM-DS70P microphone as the Sony MZ-M200 .

Users have found a lot to like about the Sony MZ-RH1. Marck Evers has posted a long and very detailed review at his website, MDCenter.nl, saying that the Sony MZ-RH1 has kept all of the strong points of its predecessors and addressed many of their shortcomings. "The MZ-RH1 is no longer meant as a competitor for MP3 players, but is aimed primarily at people looking to buy an MD with unequalled upload capability and an affordable price," Evers writes, adding that MP3 playback is improved over earlier models as well.

Sony's only other current MiniDisc offering is quite a different beast. The Sony MDS-JE480 (*Est. $135) is not designed for portable use. Instead it is an audio-system component designed to integrate with a home sound system to play back MiniDiscs with the highest possible sound quality. It is also a full-featured editing deck that's ideal for DJs and others looking to create party mixes and more. The deck's powerful editing features let you divide, move and combine tracks; change the volume of recorded tracks; and insert fades. Unlike the Sony MZ-RH1, the Sony MDS-JE480 uses standard MiniDiscs.

Look elsewhere if you are interested in transferring files from your computer as the deck lacks a USB port. There's also no microphone input, nor a headphone jack. Line-level analog and digital (optical) inputs are included for connecting to cassette decks, CD or DVD players and other standard audio gear, as well as a line-level audio output for connection to an audio amplifier. While we have seen no in-depth reviews of the Sony MDS-JE480, user comments at Amazon.com and in user forums have been positive.