Pros:

1. Build Quality. Many of the lower-end MD players/recorders are made of plastic which makes me question the durability. The MZ-N1 is made of solid metal, and can easily withstand the expected bangs and clashes in your bag or pocket. The carrying case thats provided goes further to help protect the player.

2. The USB cradle makes transferring songs fast and incredibly easy. The player comes with the required software that functions exactly like regular CD burning software. It works fast, meaning that burning an entire album takes around 5-7 minutes, rather than other players where you need to record all the songs as they are being played. The burning application is also remarkably easy to use, and automatically looks up the song titles and insets to track breakers for you.

3. The remote control is excellent, and will make you wonder how you ever got along without one. The display is backlit, and displays the song title, along with other vital. There is a small learning curve with the volume control, since one dial is for both skipping and adjusting the volume. You need to "snap" the dial upwards to access the volume control, and snap down again to skip through the tracks. This takes a little bit to get used to, but it is better because there are less buttons to fiddle with.

4. The jog dial on the player itself makes accessing particular tracks quick and easy. In this respect, it is very similar to an MP3 player.

5. Battery Life. The rechargeable battery provided is not the best, but when combined with a dry battery, this player will last for weeks before a change and recharge is needed. As someone who is used to using a CD player that required a change at least once a week, this is especially useful, and cost effective no doubt.

Cons:

1. The number of characters you can program into a particular MD is limited, so if you add a lot of tracks, the song titles will stop being recorded after the character limit has been reached. This will only happen is you record on level 4 (the longest, and why wouldnt you?), around song 65. Otherwise, its not a huge problem.

2. Some MP3s will not record onto a MD. MP3s recorded at a lower level (meaning the lowest quality, which is the most common since it saves HD space) will not be readable on a MD, and the burner will not allow them to be copied. I dont know the reason for this, but it is problematic.

3. While the burning software provided is excellent, the jukebox software is horrible. It is cumbersome and frustrating, and since the instructions are inadequate, I recommend avoiding it. If you have Windows Media or I-Tunes, there is no need for it anyway.

The MZ-N1 was a wise purchase for me, if for nothing more than the USB cradle that saves loads of recording time. It is remarkably durable and easy to use, so it is a great purchase for both people buying one for the first time, or upgrading their old one.

1) listening to songs recorded in CDs. I have to say I am very happy with this fonctionality.

2) Recording songs with an audio microphone (not included).Very interesting fonctionality for people who play music and want to record themselves in rehearsing or live concerts (in my case, playing the violin). This is what I bought it for. The quality of the recording is excellent, given the means and compared to previous non-professional portable analog formats. Serious problem: the software included does not permit to upload songs to the computer not downloaded before so you can not transfer it easily to other audio formats. I asked Sony customer service and basically after three tries of their complex web support system I got either no response or authomatically generated useless responses.

I have tried out almost every conceivable large capicity MP3 player out. Hands down, for price, value, look, and durability, the Nomad Zen has it.

Heres my breakdown.

Nomdad Zen

Looks nice and from an American company, Creative Labs. Its easy to use interface, great sound, slightly smaller than the archos and a bit bigger than the Ipod.

Built in battery but dies after 2 years or so. No problem, according to the Creative Labs website. Theyll replace it at no charge when it dies. And yes it has shuffle and such an easy to use playlist, including a LCD screen remote -- how cool! Battery life is pretty good too.

I found the Zen to be a superb overall value.

IPod

A great looking player built by an American company, Apple. The Windows interface is *okay*. The ipod is the smallest, and it has a built in battery, which when it dies, the Ipod is useless. Too expensive for a disposable MP3 player. Decent sound.

Archos Jukebox

A lot of features, looks strange, and a bit heavy from the French Company, Archos. Who needs a 1.5 screen to view multimedia -- a useless feature IMO. To change the volume, you have to go through a series of buttons. Why? Ridiculous. However the Windows interface is the best out of them all; just drag and drop in Windows Explorer. Sound is okay, it sounds flat.

Net MD

This is the Sony MiniDisc player from the Japanese giant, Sony. I tried out the N707 and N1. Theyre small, great battery life, and they look great. Minidiscs are cheap and they hold 80 minutes of music plus data. Minidiscs are about a dollar a piece, but can only hold 169 MB of data -- its major drawback. You have to use Real Player with the Sony MD plugin to bypass the stupid anti-piracy software Sony included. I own over 750 CDs, and it made it impossible to make discs of my favorite songs if one song was on more than one minidisc. To get around it, I used the RealOne player from RealNetworks. Price, a bit expensive for low capacity. But they are by far the smallest and look the coolest.

The remote. It feels good, looks great, and has an integral display. You cant imagine what a convenience this is until youve tried it.

Line out. If you do field recording, it is great to be able to get your audio into a line-level input without having to fiddle with the volume control.

Build quality. It feels a bit sturdier than lesser models. Im fairly sure the mechanism, DAC, and amp are the same for all models, but the N1 feels extra solid.

If you dont need these additional features, might as well buy one of the cheaper ones... but the N1 remote is incredibly cool and useful.

The N1 has the same great sound as the other Sony MD players - better than any portable CD player you can buy, and at least as good as the best solid-state memory MP3 players available. MP3 quality varies greatly depending on the encoder and bitrate selected. ATRAC, the minidisc compression technology, is more mature than MP3, and it shows in the sound quality. LP2 is virtually indistinguishable from standard play mode, which sounds better than any portable CD player does, and it lets you put 160 minutes of music on a disc.

Last, but not least, like all of the other portable MD units in Sonys North American line-up, it lets you record analog or digital signals, anytime, anywhere. Try that with a portable CD player.

Strengths:
The obvious strength of the Minidisc is the sound quality and the compactness of the unit. The unit is a snap to operate, sounds terrific and battery life is certainly well above average.
I particularly love the quickrip software that permits a quick burn from a CD to a minidisc. At the LP2 setting, you can normall fit up to three complete CDs on one minidisc with no audible decrease in sound quality.

Weakenesses:
As has been stated elsewhere the weakness of the minidisc/NetMD world is the openMG software. Despite a simple design and its ease of use, it can get a bit gummy and file-transfers can slow every so often. I certainly wouldnt *not* buy the MZ-N1 because of the software; the overall quality of the unit and the sound quality easily trump the occasional software hiccup.

Another frequently cited complaint about openMG is the check-in/check-out process. The software only permits a user to have three separate copies of each mp3 to be burned to separate minidiscs at a time. Similar to a library with three copies of each book, one cannot check out a book until one of the three copies has been returned.

While this feature has caused a firestorm of complaints about Sony, in truth it is a tempest in a teapot. The likelihood of you having four minidiscs with the same song on it that you are regularly listening to is highly unlikely. While we all have our own opinions on the mp3/RIAA battles, the openMG technology truly straddles the fence in a way that has little or no impact on the normal consumer. I have a ton of mp3s; Ive never had a problem listening to them on my terms on my MZ-N1.

I highly recommend it.

Comparing to mp3: Bigger space to record. (on an mp3, with a 128 mb memory, you record about 16 songs, estimating 5mb per song. Also size is absolutelly small and only weights 77 oz.(according to information at www.sonystyle.com)

Comparing to CD player: Size and weight also are very different. Recording space is less, but wins over quality in LP 2 listening mode.

if youre searching for a music gadget, this is the one!

In the six almost seven months that I have owned this unit, a couple of things have happened. Since I had the Japanese model, I got the newer, slimmer, RM-MC12ELK remote supplied with mine. The US models are supplied with the older RM-MC11EL remote. I must say that US buyers surely did get the better remote. My 11EL remotes from my previous R900 and my portable CD player (D-EJ955) have lasted longer and put up with more wear and tear. About one month after, the text started wearing off the remote and button functions began to malfunction. The hold switch was hard to move, and the volume/track changer button was hard to pull in and out. So heres my fair warning: dont import.

Now for the software; the bundled OpenMG Jukebox completely stinks. You really need to have a fast computer with plenty of RAM to have this program work fast and properly. I bought this unit expecting to have the ability to do two things: one being to UPLOAD, and two to end files to my MD in SP Mode. OpenMG Jukebox does support SP files, but are only transfered at the sound quality of LP2. The CDDB function on OMG doesnt work right until you have to manually configure it. Simple, OMG [is not good], bottom line.

Now the other bundled software, SimpleBurner (also known as Quickrip) works fairly better. SB allows you to put a CD in and burn it directly to a MD in LP2 or LP4 mode, but dont count on fast conversion times. All of the software must convert the music files to ATRAC first, which takes about 3 minutes per song, depending on size. This was something I was also not aware of when I bought this unit.

Now, one person has found a very nice way to get around all of these software problems. All you need is Nero, and your good to go. I myself prefer this method more than just regular software. ...

The battery times are once again fudged by Sony. In my tests, I have never cranked out 86 ours of playback using a fully charged gumstick and an external AA battery. The closest I got was around 53 and a half hours. Sony needs to take a lesson from Sharp, create smart chargers. Ni-MH gumsticks suffer from the memory effect, which occurs when the battery is charged when it doesnt need to be. Your battery will last shorter and shorter until finally you get around 4 hours of playback. Sharp, has a function built into almost all of their models which checks to see if your battery is full or not and starts a discharge of the battery, that way fully discharging the battery before it recharges it.

For the unit itself, I really like the design and functions, but there are still some issues that Sony has still not fixed. One is the End Search function. I know theyve done a little better by making you disable the function on a menu, but if you forget to press End Search before you record, you still have the dreaded problem of recording over previously recorded songs. Another problem is the battery door. You would thing that after many years of having the same flimsy plastic that theyd learn that it should be magnesium alloy or some sort of aluminum composite. A fourth being the volume buttons. Lousy placement. You drop the unit on the side that has the volume buttons on it, you may have one heck of a problem. Many people on board all over the internet have had units that volume buttons have become hypersensitive (i.e. bringing up various menus when slightly touched) and have since had to repair their units.

Overall this unit reaches a milestone in the ten years of MD existence.

If you are considering buying this unit (or infact ANY NetMD units, I would consider holding off until the second generation units hit the markets in December. These units may have improved battery life, the newly developed Atrac Type S DSP (which improves upon the sound quality in SP, LP2, and LP4 modes), better software, and the possibility of uploading.

The MZ-N1:
I got this about a month ago and I love it so far.

-Sound: 10/10, Its minidisc, its got MDLP, it records in Type-R, it sounds excellent.
-Base unit control: 8/10, the controls on the front could be better, but I use the remote anyways. And the jog dial is an excellent of controlling this unit.
-Size: 10/10, so small, so light!
-Remote: 10/10, the remote is great, it is very easy to skip to whatever song you want with the easy-to-use job dial. The display is bright and clear.
-Battery life: 10/10, it keeps going, and going, and going...
-NetMD software: 5/10, It has a long way to go, but if you use the realOne plugin instead to download your music it works much better.
-Durability: 6/10, doesnt feel as sturdy as previous models
-Headphones: 2/10, the folding design *sounds* cool, but it hurts to wear them but the headphones that come with portable electronics are never good.

Havent heard of Minidisc yet? A technically superior format to store music on, the minidisc was introduced in 1992, and yet never caught on in the USA. In Asia Minidisc made it big and is there to say. (As was clearly evident when I just visited Japan) But in the USA, minidisc was ignored for one reason or another, and has been compared to the Beta-Max format. Which is an interesting comparison, because just as BETA was techincally superior to VHS, minidisc (I believe) is Superior to the MP3 format. But minidiscs are making a comeback! Now all the new models are able to download mp3s from your computer as well as do all the things they were able to do before! In minidisc you can store your music in 3 different levels of quality called SP (highest, near-cd quality, ~320kbps MP3 quality, 80 minutes per disc), LP2 (medium quality, ~192kbps MP3 quality, 160 minutes per disc), and LP4 (medium-low quality, ~96kbps MP3 quality, ~5 hours per disc, ideal for recording lectures, ect... or if you dont have stringent music quality standards)

The minidiscs themselves (That hold the music, not the players) are small and durable, about the size of a 3 1/2 floppy, but very cool looking. They cost about [$] each (5 hours of music on a [$] disc, beats solid state flash cards anyday) They come in many different styles of all different colors. They also can be recorded on over a million times, and with the tracks already on there, you can divide the tracks, rearrange them, recombine them - its like be able to mix on the go. The players very light and easily fit in a shirt pocket (About on par with a solid state mp3 player in size).

Now youre probably wondering why someone would choose a minidisc player/recorder over a mp3 player (and in some of the newest models, recorders as well).

I personally have had and used mp3 players from when they first came out with a Rio 300, and then moving on to a Rio 500. Ive used some of the mp3 cd-players as well - though their ability to hold tons of music is nice, I dont really like their large size. Plus, as a medium, I find CDs to be fragile - they scratch very easily. Minidiscs however have a CD-like disc on the inside (magneto-optical instead of pure optical like CDs) that is protected by a shell, which makes minidiscs very durable. I can throw them on the floor of my car, or in the glove compartment and they will work flawlessly when I put them in my player.

Solid-state MP3 player have a few disadvantages (and advantages) compared to minidisc players.

Why Minidisk is better than mp3:
- You can bring along many minidiscs (which cost ~$2 each and store up to 5 hours) while flash cards are $$$ and it is only practical (for normal people) to own around 1 or 2 flash cards for their player. If you want to travel with music you want something small (Minidisc beats mp3-cd players) and that stores lots of music (Minidisc beats solid-state mp3). I traveled with a Rio, and I got REAL tired of those 25 songs after 2 weeks...
- You can record anywhere: when I hear an excellent track on a friends discman (or home system, or mp3 player, or any audio source!), I can hook up my minidisc player right then and there and record the track onto my Minidisc!
- The battery life is massive - 110 hours on the mz-n1!
- You dont need to be tied to your computer to use it, though you can take advantage of your computer to use it if you feel like

mp3 advantages:
-Easy download to your player. But now with minidisc NetMD you can download your mp3s from your computer at high speeds that are almost as high as mp3 players, but they dont need to be as high because you only need to record a mix of your mp3s once, and then you can keep it and just swap discs. When you want new songs in a mp3 player you have to go to your computer every time, you cant just swap discs (unless you got mega-$$ for flash cards)
-Im out of other reasons.

Go buy a Minidisc player/recorder!

The MZ-N1:
I got this about a month ago and I love it so far.

-Sound: 10/10, Its minidisc, its got MDLP, it records in Type-R, it sounds excellent.
-Base unit control: 8/10, the controls on the front could be better, but I use the remote anyways. And the jog dial is an excellent of controlling this unit.
-Size: 10/10, so small, so light!
-Remote: 10/10, the remote is great, it is very easy to skip to whatever song you want with the easy-to-use job dial. The display is bright and clear.
-Battery life: 10/10, it keeps going, and going, and going...
-NetMD software: 5/10, It has a long way to go, but if you use the realOne plugin instead to download your music it works much better.
-Durability: 6/10, doesnt feel as sturdy as previous models
-Headphones: 2/10, the folding design *sounds* cool, but it hurts to wear them but the headphones that come with portable electronics are never good.

Havent heard of Minidisc yet? A technically superior format to store music on, the minidisc was introduced in 1992, and yet never caught on in the USA. In Asia Minidisc made it big and is there to say. (As was clearly evident when I just visited Japan) But in the USA, minidisc was ignored for one reason or another, and has been compared to the Beta-Max format. Which is an interesting comparison, because just as BETA was techincally superior to VHS, minidisc (I believe) is Superior to the MP3 format. But minidiscs are making a comeback! Now all the new models are able to download mp3s from your computer as well as do all the things they were able to do before! In minidisc you can store your music in 3 different levels of quality called SP (highest, near-cd quality, ~320kbps MP3 quality, 80 minutes per disc), LP2 (medium quality, ~192kbps MP3 quality, 160 minutes per disc), and LP4 (medium-low quality, ~96kbps MP3 quality, ~5 hours per disc, ideal for recording lectures, ect... or if you dont have stringent music quality standards)

The minidiscs themselves (That hold the music, not the players) are small and durable, about the size of a 3 1/2 floppy, but very cool looking. They cost about [$] each (5 hours of music on a [$] disc, beats solid state flash cards anyday) They come in many different styles of all different colors. They also can be recorded on over a million times, and with the tracks already on there, you can divide the tracks, rearrange them, recombine them - its like be able to mix on the go. The players very light and easily fit in a shirt pocket (About on par with a solid state mp3 player in size).

Now youre probably wondering why someone would choose a minidisc player/recorder over a mp3 player (and in some of the newest models, recorders as well).

I personally have had and used mp3 players from when they first came out with a Rio 300, and then moving on to a Rio 500. Ive used some of the mp3 cd-players as well - though their ability to hold tons of music is nice, I dont really like their large size. Plus, as a medium, I find CDs to be fragile - they scratch very easily. Minidiscs however have a CD-like disc on the inside (magneto-optical instead of pure optical like CDs) that is protected by a shell, which makes minidiscs very durable. I can throw them on the floor of my car, or in the glove compartment and they will work flawlessly when I put them in my player.

Solid-state MP3 player have a few disadvantages (and advantages) compared to minidisc players.

Why Minidisk is better than mp3:
- You can bring along many minidiscs (which cost ~$2 each and store up to 5 hours) while flash cards are $$$ and it is only practical (for normal people) to own around 1 or 2 flash cards for their player. If you want to travel with music you want something small (Minidisc beats mp3-cd players) and that stores lots of music (Minidisc beats solid-state mp3). I traveled with a Rio, and I got REAL tired of those 25 songs after 2 weeks...
- You can record anywhere: when I hear an excellent track on a friends discman (or home system, or mp3 player, or any audio source!), I can hook up my minidisc player right then and there and record the track onto my Minidisc!
- The battery life is massive - 110 hours on the mz-n1!
- You dont need to be tied to your computer to use it, though you can take advantage of your computer to use it if you feel like

mp3 advantages:
-Easy download to your player. But now with minidisc NetMD you can download your mp3s from your computer at high speeds that are almost as high as mp3 players, but they dont need to be as high because you only need to record a mix of your mp3s once, and then you can keep it and just swap discs. When you want new songs in a mp3 player you have to go to your computer every time, you cant just swap discs (unless you got mega-$$ for flash cards)
-Im out of other reasons.

Go buy a Minidisc player/recorder!