A Modern, "Old-School" MD Recorder...
Written: May 27 '01
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Pros: Size, Battery Life, Sleek Design, Record Functions
Cons: Poor battery life, A Tad Noisier than other portables
The Bottom Line: It's Old-School, but it still dominates every recorder on the market except for the MZ-R900. Pick it up if the MZ-R900 is too pricey for you.
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| TheNihcman's Full Review: Sony Walkman MZ-R91 Personal MiniDisc Player |
The MZ-R91, after being replaced by the newer and more functional MZ-R900, is not considered “old-school.” But I noticed that it still has many features that keep it one of the top MD recorders on the market.
Being almost two years old now, this MD recorder is not equipped with MDLP technology. If you’re looking for an amazing MD recorder with MDLP, check out the MZ-R900. However, its age does not compromise its capabilities.
At first glance, this MD looks ultra-modern and futuristic. It’s extremely small – the second smallest MD recorder (only to the MZ-R900!). If you stack two and a half MD cases on top of each other, that’s roughly how big this MD is. Mine is in an amazing blue color – it really catches the eyes of strangers. Not only is it small, but it’s light too. It weighs only 20g more than the MZ-E90 – the difference about the weight of a few pennies.
In terms of sound quality, the MZ-R91 is top-notch. Because it has an optical input, the sound (data) can be recorded digitally to the MD, given you have a CD player or a computer with an optical output. The optical input allows you to record with a high-fidelity sound – an identical copy of the CD. If you don’t have a optical out on your CD player, don’t worry. The quality won’t be as good as with the optical cable, but the 20 bit analog/digital converter will allow you to record with a high quality sound also. If you’re looking for a “professional” level MD recorder, this is great, so long as you have a TOS-linked computer / CD player.
If you’ve ever read any of my MD reviews, you’d realize how much I stress the durability of a portable MD, as they are prone to mishaps and accidents. I’d like to say that the MZ-R91 is as durable as the MZ-E90 or the MZ-EP11 (the two most durable MD’s I’ve ever seen), but it’s not. It’s Magnesium Alloy casing feels a lot thinner than I had expected. The blue coloring (either paint or oxidized metal) comes off easily, and the unit dents extremely easily. Therefore, if you’re looking for a portable everyday use MD, look elsewhere. Try the MZ-R900 or another more durable unit.
Seek times are actually pretty slow on this MD, and when you change the track, you hear the MD make a grinding noise - not a sound like it's broken, but like it's straining to keep up with you changing the track. (I checked with Sony and they say the sound is normal, so don't be thinking mine is broken or whatnot.) This can get really annoying when you use it in a quiet area, but if there is external "street" noise, don't worry about it.
The remote is standard, and is the same remote as the MZ-E90. Prior to the MZ-E90/R91 lines, the MD remote was not backlit, and had a “twist” knob at the end to change tracks. A problem with this twist motion was that it made it virtually impossible to change the track with one hand. The MZ-R91 remote has been improved upon a great deal, in that it is now backlit, enabling you to use it in poorly lighted areas, and the twist knob was eliminated. Instead of this twist knob, Sony created a push/pull system, where you slide the end of the remote up or down to change the tracks. This system worked much better than the twist remotes. However, one of the original problems remained. For those of you who leave the remote exposed or hanging on say your backpack straps (a little obscure, but you’ll see where I’m heading…), if you are like me, and too lazy to use the “Hold” feature on the remote, leaning on the remote can possibly hold down the “Volume +” button, maxxing out the volume and blowing out your ears. Fortunately, this was fixed in the MZ-R900 remote, as it is hidden away in a trick crevice. But if you’re considering this MD as a player more so than a recorder, either consider purchasing a new remote, or consider buying a different player (Check out the new MZ-E900).
The battery life of this portable is poor, but still better than most MD’s on the market. Using the included NiMH Gum-stick battery, I’ve averaged about 8-10 hours playback or about 6-7 hours recording. With the addition of the “AA” battery, this is increased to about 20-22 hours and 16-18 hours respectively. This is still really good playback times, but it is battery consuming if you opt to use the AA battery.
All in all, even though this MD is dated and does not support MDLP recording nor playback, it still remains one of the top of the line MD’s. It has everything that you could ever ask of a player and more. But because it’s price is still relatively high, I advise you to check out the MZ-R900 if you’re even considering this MD (unless you found it at a steal)!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 175
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TheNihcman
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