Sony MZ-R909 Review
http://www.minidisc.org/brian_youn/MZR909/index.html

The Sony MZ-R909 in a world of blue...
  1. Introduction
    - Page 1 -
  2. Appearance and Design
  3. Display
    - Page 2 -
  4. Sound
  5. Battery Details
  6. Remote Control
    - Page 3 -
  7. General Operation
  8. Recording Operations
  9. Editing
    - Page 4 -
  10. Group Function
  11. Links / Feedback
Written by Brian Youn [[email protected]]  
Images:
[click to enlarge]

Blue Sony MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R900 and blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R900 and blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R900 and blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R900 and blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R900 and blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R900 and blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R909

Blue MZ-R909

 


Index - Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 - Page 4

I. Introduction:
NET MD, where art thou...

[Don't know what NET MD is? Click here to read about what lies in the future of the MiniDisc format]

After Sony announced the NET MD protocol back in June, many MD fanatics were fully expecting Sony to implement this in the new line of MD units for 2001-2002. Unfortunately Sony disappointed many when they released the specs for this year's new portable MD model, the R909. While the lack of NET MD is certainly a letdown, it should not be completely lost that Sony has produced a very good unit in the R909. The incredible MZ-R900 is a tough act to follow, but Sony seems to have added a few key features that R900 owners will certainly appreciate.

Net MD Update (9/13): Sony has already come out and announced the first NetMD products, notably the MZ-N1, which is very similar to the R909, but with NetMD capabilities, scheduled for release in Japan on Dec 10. Here are a couple of links, but they are both in Japanese:
[ Sony's NetMD Info PageSony MZ-N1 Info Page ]

[to translate the pages to English, try using Babel Fish]

Blue MZ-R909

I will say that although the R909 is a significant improvement over the R900 (adjustable recording levels during recording and separate L and R level meters), there were a couple of small steps taken backwards. That is, while last year's R900 was an improvement in just about every single aspect over its predecessor the R90/91, the same cannot be said about the R909. While not too major, Sony did make a few compromises that might be a disappointment to fans of the R900. But perhaps this was the necessary tradeoff of making improvements... For instance, compared to last year's R900, the new R909 is a bit slower in start-up and tracking, and the color of the text on the display is blue, not black - making it a little more difficult on the eyes. However the motor noises on the R909 are significantly quieter, and the Sony engineers managed to squeeze out a few more hours of battery life. So the sacrifices are not completely without reward.

Sony MZ-R909 and included contents [photo courtesy of Japan-Direct.com]

If you already own an R900, here are some of the things that are new in the R909:

Blue MZ-R900 and blue MZ-R909

Import Warning
If you live outside of Japan and are afraid to import this beautiful unit, I really don't know when the R909 will be available in other territories. The UK release is rumoured to be in January 2002; as for the U.S. release, I won't even bother guessing (since the R900 took eight long months to make it stateside). If you ask Sony about the R909's release date in your country, they'll probably tell you that they "don't know anything about the R909" (typical corporate response), so don't expect too much help from your local Sony branch.

The R909's instruction manual contains a complete English section, and all of the body labelings and menu options are in English, so the R909 is fully usable if you don't know any Japanese. So if you decide to take the plunge and import this fine machine (as many of you will), there are three things to be aware of when importing a Japanese product: Import taxes, Voltage, and Warranty.

Import taxes are more of a concern in Europe, where no matter who you import from, you're likely to get slapped with a fairly significant duty bill - do some research to find out exactly what percentage (most internet retailers are selling the R909 for somewhere in the $300 - $350 range, US Dollars). If you live in the states, imported electronics are subject to customs charges, however, I have not once heard of anyone in the US being charged import taxes on an MD unit. But that doesn't mean that it can't happen, so don't cry foul if you're the first.

Voltage differences are a source of much confusion for those that have never before imported electronics from another country. The Japanese model of the R909 comes with a 100V AC adapter, and unless you live in Japan, the AC voltage in your country will be something other than 100 (it is 110-120VAC in North America, and ~220VAC in Europe, OZ, and other parts of Asia). To put it simply, if you use the included 100V adapter in your country, the adapter will supply the wrong voltage to your MD unit. If you live in the US, you might be able to get away with using the Japanese adapter, since the voltage difference is only about 15% (and this is what a lot of users in the US do). However, there is a slight risk of damage (and if you use the 100V adapter in the US to charge the battery, over time your rechargeable battery will wear down prematurely), so if you live in North America, it is strongly recommended that you get a proper 120V AC adapter (output specs are 3V DC, with at least 500mA - Sony adapter model# AC-E30HG meets these specs and are available at most Best Buy locations).

Warranty is something that some users ignore - and end up paying the price for. Like most portable electronics in Japan, the R909 comes with a 1 year Japanese warranty (assuming your unit was obtained from a proper outlet, and not from the "gray" market). However this warranty really is only for people in Japan, so should you ever have a problem with your unit, you would need a contact with an address in Japan that could send your unit to Sony for you. Some retailers will do this for you (Japan-Direct and a few others), while many just stick you there with the unit, even if it goes defective. Be careful when you are shopping around the internet, and make sure that your back is covered if your unit decides to turn into a $300+ paperweight. Note that even if the retailer that you order from does offer warranty support, you will usually still need to send your unit back to them (in Japan, or wherever they are located), and this process usually has a turnaround time of 3 - 5 weeks. Sound like a long time? It sure beats being stuck with a lemon.
UPDATE: It appears that perhaps Sony US is capable of being generous when it comes to repairing units that were purchased from another country... Click here to read one user's [positive] experiences with his local Sony service center.

Things I would LIKE to see on the next model:
In no particular order: NET MD (obviously); a backlight on the main unit's LCD; the ability to turn off automatic track-marking; even quieter motor noise (something on par with the Sharp MT77); and quicker motor response times. Otherwise, with the improvements that Sony has implemented in the R909, this is probably Sony's best unit yet.

Nice side-by-side shot of the Sharp MT770 (silver) and Sony MZ-R909 (red) [photo courtesy of mdman.net] Nice angled shot of the R909 (red) and MT770 (silver) [photo courtesy of mdman.net] Shot of the MT770 (silver) and R909 (red), showing the relative thickness of each unit (yes, the Sharp is a little thinner) [photo courtesy of mdman.net]
Side-by-side shots of the Sharp MT770 (a.k.a. MT888) and the Sony R909
[photos courtesy of mdman.net]

Overall, I think the R909 is a very nice unit. If you don't currently own an MD unit and are looking to buy one, this unit is a winner. But if you already own a unit (especially the R900) that you are happy with, the improvements made to the R909 are marginal, and don't really scream for an upgrade. Also, the R909 may end up being one of those "in-between" generation units, since NETMD seems to be just around the corner - Sharp is already showing off their prototype NETMD unit (dubbed the MT899) in Germany, which reportedly features LP4 transfers via USB at 16x speed... my guess is LP2 would occur at 8x, and SP at 4x, but that's just my speculation. So while some users may wait for the NETMD generation, the R909 is here - now. Read on for all the details on Sony's latest MD wonder...

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Copyright © 2001 by Brian Y. Youn. All Rights Reserved.