When I first read the July 9th user review, I almost refrained from buying the SR60 because I intended to use it for live recording. Fortunately, I did a little more research (you can even download the user manual from ...) and was glad to learn that the unit would be suitable for my purposes.

I recently purchased an SR60 and have not been disappointed. It does an excellent job of recording live music.

The battery doesnt quite last 7 hours. It lasts about 5 1/2 hours straight through, without turning off. Its good, but somedays you want that full 7 hours. This player has wonderful sound, better than a CD player. And it doesnt skip nearly as easy as a CD player. If it gets jostled a little too much, it does stop but it doesnt skip any note. Worth the money, even without the USB port.

It is something which needs to be treated very delicately. It didnt feel sturdy and I suspected that before long Id be getting this thing fixed because it wouldnt play for some reason. Well, it still plays great but the battery case cover broke and I have to get that fixed.

I dont think you should pay the farm for the SONY ones - it has the 5 cds on one minidisc feature but not many people use it because you need a special disc which is $$$.

Stick with sharp. Also, I bought it for burning purposes and never really utilized the burner aspect as much as I imaged. I thought Id be burning like crazy and Ive burned very little. Stick with cd player

Being new to the world of Minidisc recorders, I did a fair amount of research before deciding to purchase the MDSR60S. However - in all honesty - the main reason I bought it, was its affordable price. I bought it used (it was listed as a "same day return - brand new") from a reseller at Amazon.com... With the exception of the users manual which was missing (I later downloaded the pdf file online) the unit itself, the packaging and everything else was as its listing claimed "brand new".

I use the thing practically everyday. I DJ as a hobby, so I record my mixed sets directly from my turntables (and mixer) to the MD player. I dont know how I managed to get by without one for so long! The versatility of a cassette tape except with far superior recording quality and portability.

On one hand, the unit is very user friendly. All the connecting cables that you will ever need (with the exception of the cable used to record from one MD player to another) come in the box. The recording quality is excellent. Ive read (here on Amazon.com) some not-too-flattering comments about the MDSR60Ss headphones. Speaking as a weekend warrior DJ, I was pleasantly surprised at the great sound quality that these folding headphones produce (its even got some pretty decent bass). Sure bigger better headphones will sound better, but for the majority of folks, these headphones will be more than adequate. The 10 sec anti-shock memory is more than sufficient for moderate use (walking, driving), however I wouldnt expect to be able to go jogging (you probably need 40sec anti-shock for that).

On the other hand, the unit does not have MDLP (Mini Disc Long Playing) technology as an option, which means that your recording times are limited to the capacity of the actual Minidisc (74mins or 80mins). A MD player with MDLP have recording times which are something like 4 or 5 times greater than a MD player without. To be fair, I wouldnt expect to find MDLP in a unit at this price. Another drawback is the very "plastic-feeling" remote, which feels and looks about as sturdy as a feather. Some people may find the operating buttons a bit small - I have large fingers and find the buttons to be on the small side, but they are certainly not TOO small.

I do recognize that (overall) the MDSR60S is a piece of equipment that needs to be properly cared for if it is to last a long time, so to that end my MDSR60S comes out of its carry bag, only to remove or insert an actual minidisc. Other than that, it stays in the carry bag, which stays in a larger carry-pouch with the other accessories (minidiscs, headphones, spare battery etc.). I would rather the remote suffer the brunt of the wear-and-tear caused by regular use, than the unit itself. So far this arrangement seems to be working great. Ive had my MDSR60S for a little over a month and the unit still looks new and works great. The remote is starting the show signs of wear -which I expect because I use it every day.

If youre looking to buy a reasonably priced *first* MD player then the MDSR60S is for you. If you require longer recording times and greater anti-shock memory and you have...more money to spend, then the MDSR60S isnt for you. I know Ill eventually (when I can afford it) want to get a SONY or more advanced model SHARP with all the bells and whistles, but for now Im quite happy with my MDSR60S.

Some upsides

Quiet
Reasonable battery life...mid-level MD player

Some downsides....

No USB
No backlit light
Buttons are not the most intuitive

Its too bad MD hasnt caught fire in the US. But it seems like all things, $$$ is a big factor, as CDs are much cheaper.

The player is easy to learn and navigating through the menus is an easy task. The edit feature allows for some wonderful stories to be cut from 15 minutes with play-by-play mixed in, to one minute 18 seconds and the entire story told without one knowing it had even been edited down.

Sound quality on this product is also wonderful as I played a highlight from my home in Portland to my friend in Kentucky and she heard nothing but crystal-clear sound.

If you are using this product for audio, the LONG PLAY feature is definately for you. It would make a great purchase for pastors and other public speakers who would like a complete archive of their messages.

The only thing that I think it could use is some sort of USB connector or something...for easy use with computers.

Beside that, this thing is great...especially for the price.

Note: You will probably want to use your own headphones to really enjoy the sound, and if you require MDLP, 40-second shock protection (10 is more than fine) or illuminated displays, this is not your unit.

Everyone else will be ecstatic. This thing just makes your eardrums swoon.... Wow!

I strongly recomend that you do not purchase it

Colin

I also record live shows and rehearsals using an old AIWA stereo mike from a high quality cassette recorder I used to own. The quality is excellent, way better than any cassette deck.

Unfortunately, no microphone is included with the unit. My only other complaint is that the buttons are small and not as easy to operate as you typical mini-cassette recorder.

Finally, I find it rugged. I carry it in my pocket, back pack and subject it to lots of abuse and after 6 months, it works fine. It does eat batteries while recording, though. Approx 1 alkaline per 74 minute minidisc, although an AC adaptor and a rechargable battery are included.

For under $200, you get 10sec shock protection, a cheap feeling remote control with no backlite LCD display, cheap headphones, a rechargeable NiMH battery w/ recharger, and the unit itself. The battery on a full charge lasts roughly 6-7 hours on the default volume setting of 15. The unit is roughly 1 1/2 the size of a MD across, and 1 1/4 of a MD vertically. The buttons are placed logically and are easy to press as opposed to Sonys strange placement and small size of their fingertip buttons. The unit or/and the remote control can be "locked," so commands arent registered when you have it in your pocket or such.

Even though this unit was designed to be cheaper then competing units, I have to say I couldnt be happier. It offers the options that people need at a low price.

Some good things about the unit. -Its at a cheaper price then competing units, and supposedly SHARPs ATRAC sound compression offers better sound quality then competing Sony models of the same price range. -It comes with a remote control albeit a very cheap plastic feeling one. -Solid chassis, will not break easily. -A better choice then stupid MP3 players that offer poor sound quality and 4x the price when you include the cost of buying "memory sticks" -Most bang for your buck

The bad -Only 10sec shock protection. Yes you can walk and it will not skip. But jog or run and it will skip. Definitely not for those who plan to jog or exercise with this. -Has only about 6-7 hours of battery life at default volume level. If you listen to this on the street, you will have to set the unit to higher then the "default" level, thus draining more battery. So in reality, the real battery life may be only 5-6 hours. You get less battery life with an alkaline battery it seems. This little battery life may not satisfy everyone.

Most people get MD players to carry their MP3s. This is very easy with this unit. Get a stereo analog sound cord with a male head on each end. Plug one side into the unit, the other side into ur sound cards LINE OUT (or SOUND OUT). Then just set the unit to autosync and play your mp3s. This SHARP unit will automatically cut a new track when necessary. Thats a PLUS!

Cheaper and with better sound quality then a MP3 player, the convenience of rerecording millions of times on a $3 MD over the burner/CD combo. For this price and the options this unit offers, this is a best buy.

Do some research on the internet. Apparently, I am not allowed to post a URL on my review, but there are discussion boards on Minidisc players. I found a site that had about 15 complaints about this devices problems with recording. They ranged from skipping, to errors to problems not being able to recognize certain brands of minidiscs.

I suggest buyers to spend a bit more and find a more reliable product.

I wanted a MiniDisc mostly for recording myself live, and the Sharp fits the bill wonderfully. I find the features quite intuitive, and although somewhat time consuming, even labelling disks and tracks isnt bad; it doesnt bother me that you cant label tracks while recording, like with the Sonys, but that does seem to bother lots of people. Recording is wonderfully easy, and although the buttons are small, even with my large hands I dont have trouble with them. In addition to recording vocal performances, I did try dubbing a classical CD to minidisc, and that turned out great as well. The sound quality is outstanding, and the supplied cables were perfect for me, although I did use a miniplug to miniplug cable that I already had to dub from my portable CD player.

Although other reviews say that the unit is all plastic, it feels very solid to me. I dont carry the unit around that much, and although it isnt tiny like the new Sonys, it fits comfortably in most of my shirt pockets. I dont jog or walk around with it much, but I do sometimes carry it in my pocket while listening, and Ive yet to have it skip. I read about lots of drawbacks to the Sonys 40 second anti-skip and extreme power saving techniques. I usually have it plugged in to the AC adapter, but Ive gone long periods between charges when just carrying it to listen to. The fold-up headphones fit nicely in the little bag, and together with the MD player, I find that they will fit in most of my shirt pockets, as long as I dont have anything else in there. Although I didnt expect to, I like the sound of the headphones, and I find them surprisingly comfortable, although I dont usually listen for more than an hour at a time. The remote is minimal, but when I want to use it, it works fine, although I do tend to push a button when clipping it on. Backlighting would be nice on the main display, but I decided not to pay for it; similarly for a backlit remote. The one feature I wish it had was digital output, but only the highest end component units have that. I would say the feature set for the price is outstanding.

I would give the Sharp MDSR60S my highest recommendation. I love it to death.

The remote is fine, and the buttons are positioned so you can press them without looking. Everybody complains about this MD player not having a LCD screen on the remote, but, after some homework, I could not find a MD player with a LCD remote for less than $230. Is it worth the extra moolah? The bag is normal for MD players, they all are alike, exept Sony sews on a leather logo. The bag is the perfict size, but the Sonys Ive seen can fit three in them. That extra bag gets in the way, making me appreciate mine more (If you cant follow what im saying--the bag is without fault).

The battery life is short, but with my average use (walking to and from school) it lasts 3 days. When it gets low, I just plug it in when I go to sleep, it stops charging automatically. Great feature.

That brings up the other thing-- only 10 seconds of anti-shock memory. That is probably the least amount that you can have in a MD player, because the disk eventually gets fragmented, and you have to skip around. When I walk, the natural position for the MD player in my pocket is vertically, battery case down, headphone jack up. The laser is on a track that runs vertically also, so when I walk, the laser slides around the track, pulled by gravity when it is bouncing up and down in my pocket. After a few seconds of this torture, The MD player cannot function. No problem, I just turn the Unit horizontaly, and it works fine, even if I run. Baggy pants helps, but I dont know if you could stick this thing sidwards if you were a girl wearing tight-fitting pants.

The headphones are worthless. Litteraly. They sound like they look like. I listened to them for about a month, but they did not survive a karate-chop from one of my friends. I went out an bought a $20 pair of headphones the same setup, (in-ear folding) and they have TONS more bass. They contend with my 30mm Professional ones. I strongly reccomend that you purchase a seperate pair of headphones, it makes it sound soo much better. Give the ones that come with it to your little brother. Just in case you want to follow up on what im saying, the headphones I bought were Sonys MDR-A34. Well worth the greenbacks.

These things are so much fun, its makin a kid out of me again.

The only minor quibbles I have are (a) it doesnt come with a minidisc. It would be nice to have a blank disc with a demo song or two on it (b) the remote is not backlit and feels like cheap plastic.

I plan to use my mine primarily for recording my own concerts - much cheaper than a .portable DAT machine

Sharp has always been good with recording and playback capabilities on their MD players and this unit is no different. Unlike some Sony units whose playback volume tends to be too "weak," the Sharp MD-SR60 plays recordings loud and robust. The remote is also an added bonus, although a LCD display on it would have been nice.

Aesthetically, this unit is as nice as they come. Its not the smallest or the lightest, but considering the built-in, multi-function battery compartment, this unit is pretty compact.

With the MP3 craze lately, I would definitely recommend and MD player over a MP3 player anyday. Not only can MD players record MP3 songs off your computer, but they provide many other functions as well (voice recordings, digital CD replication).