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SONY MZ-R90 MiniDisc Recorder
Size
The Sharp MT-831 was the smallest portable for a short period of time.
Now however, Sony has pushed the size limit
even farther and now they are the "smallest" portable recorder in the world. The creators of MD (Sony) have once again
beaten the competition in size. They did it in 1998 with the Sony MZ-R55, and now they've done it again with the Sony
MZ-R90/1. The unit is almost the same size compared to 2 blanks with their cases on. The width and length are the
same as a blank md with its case, but the thickness maybe about 1-2 mm thicker on the Sony MZ-R90 compared to the
2 blanks with their cases. 1-2 mm though is not much and one can hardly tell.
Dimensions |
Unit |
Length |
78.9 mm |
Width |
72 mm |
Thickness |
17.3 mm |
Weight (body only) |
105 grams |
Battery life
The previous generation recorder by Sony (MZ-R55) was very poor in the internal battery life. The Sony MZ-R90 uses the
same battery as the MZ-R55, however the battery life is a lot better now. The 11-12+ hours of battery life for playback
makes the unit comparable to the Sharp MT-831. The record time of 6.5 hours is a little shorter than the Sharp MT-831,
however it should be sufficient for most people. Below is a picture of the NH-14WM battery.
Type of usage |
Life |
Playback w/ internal battery |
12 hours |
Record w/ internal battery |
6.5 hours |
Playback w/ external battery |
16.5 hours |
Record w/ external battery |
4 hours |
Record w/ both battery |
29.5 hours |
Record w/ both battery |
14.5 hours |
Recharge
Like the previous version MZ-R55, you can NOT recharge and playback at the same time. You must completely stop the
unit and press "stop" to activate the charging mode. Having used the Sharp MT-831, I found it a tad inconvenient to have
to stop the unit. However, it's not a big concern as it was with the Sony MZ-R55 because of the poor battery life. The AC
adapter used to charge the unit is the exact same as that of the MZ-R55. It takes approximately 3 hours to charge a
completely depleted battery. It doesn't come with a charging cradle like the that of the Sharp MT-831.
Remote
Sony MZ-R90 uses a stick type remote similar to last years model. It is slightly different in that it is missing the "track
mark" button. The LCD is backlit and is indiglo green colored. The LCD is sufficient for viewing for day and night. Unlike
the MZ-R55, the remote doesn't use a circle twister to go forward or reverse. It uses a button that you press up or down.
The remote is able to use a standard 1/8 earbuds/headphones. Buttons on the remote include: forward, reverse, stop,
volume, pause, playmode, hold, and display. You'll notice that the forward/play double as one button. To play, you press
the "forward/button" and it plays. If you press forward again, it will forward to the next track. The clip on the remote is
similar to the MZ-R55's remote. The remote part # is: RM-MZ2S. The buttons are not as easily to press as those of the
Sharp MT-831's remote, however they are adequate for daily use. For those interested, the remote is made of some type
of plastic material. A picture of it is below with some text. Overall, I like the remote as it's pretty straightforward to use
and it does it's job. Like the Sony MZ-R55, the remote also allows you to title with it.
Shock protection
The shock protection on the Sony MZ-R90 is only 40 seconds. Like the older Sony MZ-R55, they have not increased the
time for shock protection. Most people will feel that 40 seconds of shock protection is plenty. Some however may argue
that 40 seconds isn't enough. With 40 seconds, my needs are met.
External battery pack
The battery pack on the Sony MZ-R90 takes only one battery. It seems that most manufacturers are now using external
battery packs that use one battery which is an AA battery. The external battery pack fits on top of the unit. There is a
screw that one fastens to attach the external battery pack to the unit. The external battery pack is pretty standard and
there are no surprises here. A picture of it will be available within this week.
Playback
The playback functions on the Sony MZ-R90 are pretty standard. It's too bad there is no program mode like the Aiwa
AM-F70. It does however have the different repeat modes, and shuffle mode. Unlike the Sharp MT-831, it does not have
"autoplay" where if you stick an md in the Sharp MT-831, it will automatically start playing. As you'll see below in section
19, it does take a couple of steps to get into the different repeat modes or shuffle mode. A feature not on the Sharp is the
"end search" which allows you to go at the end of the track with a touch of a button. When you are at the end of the last
track, and you press forward, it does not go back to track one like the Sharp MT-831. In other words, if you are using the
Sharp MT-831, and you are on the last track #10, and you press forward it will automatically take you back to the
beginning. However if you use the lever, you can go through the last track and it takes you to the front track like the
Sharp MT-831. Again, there is nothing out of the ordinary here.
Record
One gets into record mode by pressing the red button and sliding it to the right. Like the previous Sony, you must press
end search if you do not want to overwrite what is currently on the md or if the md is not blank. The unit does not allow
you to change the record level while recording with a mic or with analog in. As noted in the manual, you can however
manually adjust the digital record level even while recording. (I will post more info later this week about info on changing
the digital record level once I replace my defective cd player). Unlike the Sharp series recorder it does not automatically
mark tracks with mic recording. On the Sharp with the use of a mic, the unit can be set to mark tracks either every 3, 5
or 10 minutes. The Sony does not have that function. However, when recording from a source such as the cdplayer it will
mark the appropriate tracks as found on the cd tracks. It does however have the ability to title even during recording which
is also noted in the manual. I'm currently working on that right now and it appears you can enter into title mode by going
through the menu option thingy. I wish Sharp would copy this feature. To change the analog/mic in record level, you can
do so when in pause mode. By pressing "Menu/enter" in pause mode you can get through the option called "RecVolume"
which allows you to change the record level manually. Once you pick the "RecVolume" mode, you can use the lever to
move the volume up or down which I found fairly straight forward. You can also change the recording to "StereoRec" or
"Mono Rec" by going through the menu. The recordings done by the MZ-R90 were very good. I was impressed with the
MZ-R90's sound quality with a cheap mic I had. I even brought my Sharp MT-831 with the MZ-R90 to class just to
compare the sound quality recordings and both were excellent. I'm very happy with what the Sony MZ-R90 has to offer. It
would have been a lot nicer to have the fade mode available on the MT-831, however some people may not even need the
fade mode. My biggest complaint is the "End search" button as I've already accidently deleted some important stuff by
forgetting to press end search.
Connections
The Sony MZ-R90 has the 4 standard connections similar to many other units. To my surprise, Sony has abandoned the
separate line out on the unit. My guess is that they got rid of it to make the unit smaller. The lineout/headphone are
combined into one connection. Information about how to adjust between lineout/headphone are discussed in section 19.
Like most other portable recorders, there is no digital line out on the unit. The unit also comes with the mic in (plug in
power), line in/analog in (combined), and remote connection. Below is a table for the connections:
Type of connection |
YES/NO |
Mic in |
YES |
Line in (analog/digital) |
YES (combined) |
Headphone |
YES |
Separate line out |
Combined (switched by lever) |
Remote |
YES |
AC plug |
YES |
Ext. battery pack |
YES |
Sound quality/bass
The sound quality on Sony is very good to excellent. Again, my personal opinion may vary with yours. There are only 3
bass modes including the off setting. The bass on the earbuds aren't boomy. Sometimes I like a lot more bass. The
treble part is very good though. I'm going to use these earbuds more and update this section before concluding that if
they are good or bad. Don't get me wrong, they still sound a lot better than the earbuds I have with my walkman tape. I'm
going to let several of my friends listen to it and offer their opinion. I'll will update this section in a week. By then I should
be able to offer a better opinion. I got an opportunity to use the Sony MDR-E888's for a short period of time and suggest
those. I'm probably going to invest in a pair. The bass was adequate for normal use but didn't have that really bassy
sound like the Sharp. I think most people will really be satisfied with the sound quality as I was.
Accessories
The Sony MZ-R90 I have is the domestic (Japanese version) may differ in comparison to the International model, and the
US version (when released). The package includes the standard accessories such as the external battery pack, one
nickel metal hydride gum battery, manual, carrying pouch, earbuds, remote, and Japanese ac adapter. There is no
optical or analog cable that comes with the unit. The carrying pouch is similar to the one that comes with the Sony
MZ-R30, MZ-R50, and MZ-R55 which doesn't keep the unit snug. The carrying pouch is a bigger than the unit itself. The
AC adapter is also the same as that of the MZ-R55. Below you'll find a table of the accessories:
Type of connection |
YES/NO |
Remote |
YES |
Earbuds |
YES |
Optical cable |
NO |
External battery pack |
YES |
Stereo mic |
NO |
Manual |
YES (part in English) |
AC adapter (3 volts- 500mAh) |
YES (100 volt Japanese) |
Carrying pouch |
YES |
Charging cradle |
NO |
Cables to connect to PC |
NO |
LCD
The LCD is very small in size and looks very similar to the MZ-R55's LCD. The LCD is not backlit like the Aiwa AM-F70 or
AM-F80. It does display the basic functions such as the meter, spinning minidisc, battery life, track time and track
number without having to go through the menu to change the display. It is however very small in size compared to the
Sharp MT-831 when one holds them next to each other. It's almost as if the LCD on the Sony MZ-R90 is half the size of
the Sharp MT-831's LCD. Even though it is small in size it is still very clear to look at as shown below.
Loading mechanism
The loading mechanism on the Sony MZ-R90 is a clam-shell loading mechanism. The loading mechanism appears to be
slightly different in that it is more springy when the disc pops out. It may be that old Sony MZ-R50 I was comparing too
had it's fair use and the springs weren't as springy. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the clamshell mechanism that Sony
has to offer in the Sony MZ-R90, but it's still not as convenient as the slot-in.
Future improvements
There are certain features that I would like on the unit. Such features include the ability to mark tracks every 5 minutes.
I'm very happy that they improved on the battery life compared to the previous Sony unit. I'm not a real big supporter of
the menu thingy, but I can live with it. Maybe they should offer a charger (one that comes with the Sony MZ-E55 or
MZ-E90) with the AC adapter so that you can charge the battery. The two biggest features I would like are the backlit on
the LCD and the program mode.
Appearance/construction
The Sony MZ-R90 is very well built. I was a little worried that the unit would not be well built. There is very little plastic on
the unit with the exception of the battery door which is made of plastic. The color is a bright silver and is a lot nicer than
the Sharp MT-831's color. This however is only the looks of the unit, and it does not affect the functions of the unit. The
unit on the right has some grooves on it. One should not be too concerned that dirt is going to get caught in the grooves.
The grooves are not deep enough that it would make it hard to clean. Though the unit does look a little boxy compared to
the Sharp MT-831. Overall, I have no objections to the appearance and construction.
Buttons
The buttons on the unit are flat silver colored. They are very nice and small like the Sony MZ-R55. Sony still keeps the
"end search" and "track mark" button on the unit. The stop button like the MZ-R55 doubles as the charge button while
charging. The record button is colored in red as shown in the picture. You press down on the red button and slide to the
right to activiate it. The lever is similarly designed to the "Shuttle buttons" on the Sharp MS-721, Sharp MT-821, and
Sharp MT-831 remote. The exception of course is that it is bigger in size. You'll also notice that unlike the Sony MZ-R55
or MZ-R50, the eject button is different. It is made out of metal and is not a press in type button like the Sony MZ-R55.
On the back of the unit you'll see the Synchro rec button and the hold button.
Titling/Menu Mode
The Sony MZ-R90 now uses a menu system to
operate any of the functions you need. To get into the menu you must press "Enter" which can be done by pressing in on
the lever. Once you have done that the words "Edit" will flash. Now by pressing up or down with the lever, you can scroll
through 6 main options. These options include: a) Edit b) Display c) Playmode d) Audio out e) Mega Bass f) AVLS.
Under each option there are several choices you can choose from. For example if you go to the "Mega Bass" option, you
can choose between Bass O, Bass 1, or Bass 2. Below is a table breaking down the six menu options and what each
subfunction is and what it does. Like the Sony MZ-R55, titling can be done while playing back a md. Unlike the Sharp
MT-831, there is no cable to connect to the computer. Overall, my opinion about the new menu option is that it does
make it more complicated for someone for example just to change the bass level. Previous recorders had a separate
bass button which can be easily changed by a touch of a button. If you like using the unit without the remote, you might
find it troublesome to do basic functions. However I do believe that the titling system is a lot better than the MZ-R55.
After using the lever for extended periods of time, I have enjoyed using the lever more and more to title with. Unlike any
other portable recorder, the Sony MZ-R90 is the first unit with two new titling features. The first new feature is the new
"Joint text." With certain cd players such as the Sony DE-01 (and with the optional cable connected to the Sony DE-01)
title information can be copied simultaneously while recording CDs that have CD-TEXT information on them.
Unfortunately, I do not own the Sony DE-01, so I'm unable to test the feature. Another feature is the "Name Bank" which
allows you to store commonly used phrases. First you must enter the phrases you want to store in the Name Bank. To
do so, the first step is to press "enter" and then go through the subfunction called "Name Bank." Once you are there, you
can input a phrase or name that you want to save. So for instance, if you use the word "minidisc" a lot in your titling, you
can save that phrase in the Name Bank. Just as if you were titling a regular song, you would input the characters for the
word "minidisc." You can use the lever (or forward/reverse) to scroll through different characters and the play button to
move the blinking indicator to the right. If you need to change from All caps to lower caps, you can do so by pressing
pause. Once you are done, you press and hold "enter" for about three seconds, then the words "Entry!" appears,
meaning that you have saved it in the Name bank. Now that you have saved the phrase, you can recall the phrase. The
first thing you must do is get back into "Edit" mode and then go to the subfunction "name" as you would to normally titling
a song. Now while you are in the editing mode, to recall the phrase, you will press "Pause" till your phrase appears.
Once you've selected the phrase, you press enter for three seconds and that phrase is used. Now you are done entering
that phrase. This feature is very nice and I liked what Sony has done with the Name Bank. I hope other manufacturers
use this idea too.
Main menu options |
Sub functions |
What it does? |
Edit |
a. Name
b. Name Bank
c. Bank Erase
d. Erase |
a. Allows entry of names
b. Stores commonly used phrases
c. Erases the commonly used phrases
d. Allows you to erase one track or all |
Display |
a. Laptime
b. RecRemain
c. AllRemain
d. Clock |
a. Commonly known as the playing time
b. Shows you how much record time is left
c. Shows you the time remaining
d. Allows you to view the time/date |
Playmode |
a. No repeat
b. All repeat
c. 1 repeat
d. Shuffle |
a. Pretty obvious: No repeat
b. Repeat the entire minidisc
c. Repeats only a single track
d. Randomly shuffles through tracks |
Audio Out |
a. Headphone
b. Line out |
a. Turns connection to headphone
b. Turns connection to line out |
Mega bass |
a. Bass O
b. Bass 1
c. Bass 2 |
a. Turns bass off to level 0
b. Turns bass on to level 1
c. Turns bass on to level 2 |
AVLS |
a. AVLS off
b. AVLS on |
a. Turns off AVLS (volume limiter)
b. Turns on AVLS (volume limiter) |
Overall
Overall, I am impressed with what Sony has to offer. The Sony MZ-R90 is an improvement over the MZ-R55. I'm not sure
a 1st time user will really like the menu option. I found that the most inconvenient thing on the unit. Other than that, the
unit is awesome in size. If your a big fan of the Sharp, I'm not sure if you'll like the MZ-R90. However, if you're a user of
any of Sony's portable recorders, I think you'll be happy to see what the MZ-R90 has to offer. If you own the MZ-R55, I
suggest upgrading to the MZ-R90. The battery life is so much better than the MZ-R55. My conclusion is that the unit is a
very nice unit that many people will enjoy having. I would like to mention one last thing and that is to thank Rick (MD
Community Page editor) for his help in going over the page several times.
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