Customer Reviews

Sony MZ-N10 Net MD MiniDisc Player/Recorder (Silver)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

First of all, lets get this straight: the Sony MZ-N10 is NOT a top-of-the-line recorder. It is mostly a music file transfer, storage and playback device. It does not come with a microphone; therefore, recording sound with it as packaged is not possible. However, you can purchase a mic and use the unit to record, but the limitations are severe, as Ill explain below. You can record from any analog source but again with sever limitations. I will split my review into two parts: (a) hardware, (b) software. The hardware for the MZ-N10 is superb. The unit is unbelievably small and yet has both a feel and look of quality about it. The sound it produces is exceptional. The mechanical function of the unit is a little unorthodox and takes a while at the manual to master, but thats to be expected when packing so many features into such a small unit. The rotating Jog Dial also pushes laterally to navigate many features, and this may confuse you at first if youve not seen that type of mechanism before. It comes with an attachable battery pack (one AA, not included) that should but does not have to be attached when in use. The pack does make it bulkier, heavier and more fragile. It attaches to the USP port, and the cantilevered pack if it should sustain a blow, could damage the units USB port. The connection of the unit to its power docking station (also through the USB port) is simple and positive. The computer USB connection is made through a second USB port on the docking station. All this hardware, including the attachable remote is well designed and functional. Ill be honest, I simply love the hardware. It is truly one of the marvels of 21st century technology. The software, called SonicStage, is another story. Why Sony calls many of the functions of the MZ-N10 recording is a puzzle until you read the manual on its operation. The process of transferring a music file from your computer into the device is called recording, a rather significant misnomer, in my opinion. In this mode the unit is a MUSIC transfer, storage and playback device. The manual talks exclusive of song transfer, and it calls the transformation process recording. When a song is transferred into the unit it is Checked Out. And when the song is returned to the computer, it is Checked In. While the song (file) is Checked Out it cannot be uploaded to another computer. The software blocks the transfer. The song can be played on the unit any number of times, but it can only be Checked Out three times. Another sever limitation comes if you want to create a CD. Here is the quote from the users manual: In order to create your original audio CDs with SonicStage, you must use a Sony VAIO series computer only. The computer must be pre-installed with Windows XP and come with a recordable optical disc drive. Now for the recording problem. As I said above, you cannot record sound with the unit as packaged. You must purchase an external microphone to record sound into the unit. I purchased Sonys ECM-MS907 stereo mic. It works great. Another fine piece of Sony hardware. The mic plugs into the Line In port. The operation is then straightforward, and the recorded sound is crystal clear. You can use either a mic or record directly from any audio analog signal. Heres the problem. You cannot upload the recorded sound through the USB computer connection. The software is designed to block transfer (say Check In) of any sound files that have not first been Checked Out from the computer. I record animal sounds, bird calls, night sounds, and create sounds for website buttons, etc. I also import sound from my Yamaha keyboard. You CAN get the recorded sound into your computer by connecting a stereo wire from the units Line Out port to your computers sound card. A very easy operation, but you must also purchase software that can capture the incoming sound. (I use SoundForge.) So the unit has digitized the incoming sound and then regenerates an analog signal to export it to your sound card. Your capture software then must re-digitize it. You have to adjust the sound using the volume control on the MZ-N10. This is an unnecessary lossy process, and you will not get anywhere near as good sound as you would have if the software had permitted you to import the sound directly from the unit into your computer through the USB port. My results are terrible. You could have simply connected the analog device to your sound card and eliminated the two conversions inside the MZ-N10. So the ability to record through an extra-purchase mic is a minor (should I say bogus?) feature of the unit and should not affect your purchase decision one way or the other. In my opinion, the software cripples the function of this unit to the point where it is not worth the money. To call transferring digital sound files recording is simply not correct. All this software slight-of-hand has obviously been caused by the hysteria in the music industry over pirated songs. Hopefully Sony will quickly come to its senses and release another driver for this marvelous and expensive piece of hardware that will allow it to unfold its wings. It along with the Sony mic would be a miniature portable stereo recording studio par excellence in the field.

Sony has decided that they will implement full music copy protection with this unit. I'm a classical pianist and bought the Sony $99 electret microphone to record myself. That works fine. BUT Sony has decided that I just might have recorded a professional concert and does not allow me to copy music digitally from the unit to my computer. Makes no difference that I AM the artist. Sony has built a unit that assumes everyone is a thief and that can ONLY be used to copy digitally signed music that YOU ALREADY OWN. Be warned that this makes the unit useless for most people.

This is the worst Sony product I have ever bought. I bought it because I record MY OWN lectures and I wanted to transfer them to my computer. And then when I try to do it I find that you cannot download them!!!

NO matter what anyone says, it is physically impossible to upload microphone recorded music onto your computer with any Minidisc player. You can however record music to your hard-drive through an analogue connection, in real time. This not only wastes time, but usually there will be a slight loss in sound quality.

If you have the means, by all means pick this little baby up!
The SONY MZ-N10 is an amazing device! I was having trouble trying to upload my songs from my YAMAHA musical keyboard to my PC, and then from there burn cds. I had no luck, until I purchased the SONY MZ-N10! Not only can you record songs from any analog or digital source straight to your SONY MZ-N10 and then upload them onto your PC, but you can also download songs from the internet or songs or sounds from your PC as well! Talk about versatilty! One thing I want to mention about this unit. The jog shuttle button is confusing the first time you use the unit. Do not pull on the jog shuttle button to get it to work, or apply excessive force! When I first tried to operate it, I pushed the button from the side of the unit inward, it didn't budge. I thought it might have been a defect, but it wasn't! I then found out by carefully inspecting the unit, to have the unit with the LCD display facing you, then press downward on the jog shuttle button to access the menu. Then from there, rotate the the jog shuttle button to select the functions and the press the play button to execute! This incredible Machine is small enough to be covered by your hands and yet has the ability of an expensive, high performance, high powered home stereo system. And depending on the source, can achieve studio quality sound! The clarity is exceptional! I also purchased the SONY ECM-MS907 microphone for this unit. Kick [hiney]! The combination of the two is phenominal! You really can hear a pin drop! Clear, clear, clear! So as I said earlier, if you have the means , by all means pick this baby up, you'll be glad you did!

I bought several of these units to use in my laboratory for recording sound data for later transfer to computers. They worked great for that but they are notoriously easy to break. Most of the recorders were damaged in some way within a year. Perhaps this is just the result of hard use by undergraduate students but nonetheless I was hoping they would last a little longer. My suggestion is to go for higher quality and longer lasting units instead of these unless you want something to play with and break. For the price I think they could have done a better job of making the product survive daily use, given that it is meant to be carried around and used on the street.

Well, right off the bat, let me say that if you're looking for a device to record samples, etc, then like everyone else the NetMD systems aren't for you, because the SonicStage software will still restrict uploading of tracks from the MD to the computer that haven't previously been checked out.
Having said that, at least one person made mention in a previous review about the check-out being restricted to 3 only. The new version of SonicStage just released (2.0) allows unlimited check-out of songs in your library, so you can now transfer songs on your computer to the disks as many times as you like. Still...not much consolation for those wanting to upload from the player, but hey, Sony's trying. heh.

I've only had my NetMD for a couple of months, but so far I love it and have had no trouble with the software, especially now that the check-out restriction has been lifted. It's light, compact and provides great sound quality (even at the LP4 setting the quality is pretty good), but this product may not suit everyone. Shop around.

Unless you're a Sony junkie who can overlook shortcomings. ;)

My family bought this for me for Fathers Day. Worked fine for one week, but when I decided to erase and re-record new songs one week later, it wouldn't work. I went thru all the steps...downloaded upgraded software from Sony's site, used different discs, and even redid the whole thing on a different computer...nothing worked. So, on top of the $120+ my family spent on the unit, now Sony says I have to spend more money to send it from WI to Texas to get it fixed...AFTER ONE WEEK OF USE! Don't bother with this piece of junk or you might have to deal with Sony's customer service.

The unit itself is good, but the software that supposedly downloads music from your computer to the minidisc is lousy. The result skips and inserts large blank sections throughout all the songs. Not a very good result for the price Sony asks for this minidisc.

This is one of my worst purchases. Having taken some time to research MP3 players and owning a RIO, I wanted to buy something at the top end. The Sony MZ-N10 seemed to be just right. As far as the hardware goes it's great but the software is very poor and irritating. Specifically, Sony have created a process of checking in and out the MP3 files, this works only some of the time, is non intuitive, very slow and also restricts the number of times the file can be transferred (3 times). Compared to my RIO this device is a serious pain. It's a shame as it's just the software, come on Sony provide an update which is non restrictive and fix the bugs!!!!