Rating: 
Summary: Advice from a norwegian outdoorer.
Review: I think this product stinks. This is a to fragile player. If you, like me, acctually take this outdoors, you will be amazed over how few real beatings it can take.
Rating: 
Summary: SIZE AND WEIGHT MAKE IT QUITE DESIREABLE.
Review: I USE IT TO RECORD OLD LP'S AND CD'S. IT IS SO EASY TO CARRY IN MY SMALL PURSES. I BOUGHT TWO OTHERS. ONE FOR MY DAUGHTER AND ANOTHER FOR A FRIEND. WE ALL WISH THERE WERE MORE PRERECORDED MUSIC BY CURRENT ARTISTS. DO YOU CARRY ANY? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF SONY AND/OR OTHER COMPANIES MAKE THESE UNITS, THEY WOULD/OR SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO PROCURE PREREDCORDED MINIDISC. IF YOU ARE AWARE OF ANY PLACE THAT I MIGHT PURCHASE THESE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THIS IS THE ONLY REASON I DID NOT RATE IT HIGHER.
Rating:
Summary: WAY TOO FRAGILE
Review: I've been using it for about 6 months, and I love the sound quality and everything about it.....except its duribility. I dropped it about three feet to a carpeted floor, and now it skips horribly. (hopefully sony will redeem their warranty)
Rating: 
Summary: it serves it's purpose
Review: I've had my mini-disc for about a year and a half. I like it because I can hook it up to my home stereo,and also play it in my car (with cassett adapter) and its got great sound. The part about the batteries is so true.., that is one drawback. I've recorded over 80 disc, and just about all of them have excellent quality. I've never listened to another MD so I don't know if there is a difference in quality of sound. Also you do have to crank up the volume to get good sound if your using it as a walkman. It wont blow you away...but it's alright as a walkman.
Rating:
Summary: it serves it's purpose
Review: I've had my mini-disc for about a year and a half. I like it because I can hook it up to my home stereo,and also play it in my car (with cassett adapter) and its got great sound. The part about the batteries is so true.., that is one drawback. I've recorded over 80 disc, and just about all of them have excellent quality. I've never listened to another MD so I don't know if there is a difference in quality of sound. Also you do have to crank up the volume to get good sound if your using it as a walkman. It wont blow you away...but it's alright as a walkman.
Rating: 
Summary: awesome
Review: I'VE HAD ONE FOR 9 MO. ITS THE BEST COOLEST THING I EVER OWNED. IT DOES ANYTHING YOU COULD WANT IT TO DO. ITS REALLY REALLY SMALL. ITS EVEN FUN TO OPEN. YOU HAVE TO BUY ONE JUST REMEMBER TO ONLY RUN IT ON NIMH BATTERIES OR DONT EVEN BUY IT THE MONEY FOR THE BATTERIES AND CHARGER YOU'LL SAVE IN THE FRST FEW MONTHS YOU USE IT. YOU'LL BE SORRY LATER IF YOU BUY A DIFFERENT MODEL!!!
Rating:
Summary: Pros and Cons of the MZ-R55
Review: I've had the MZ-R55 for quite a few years (I went to asia to get it when it first came out) and I can say that I have fully utilized in every aspect possible.
PROS:
1. First obvious pro is the fact that it is a minidisc player/recorder. If you need more information about the latter look up what a minidisc exactly does.
2. It's small size and ease of placing it in your pocket when one is on the go.
3. Headphone/Remote control is very useful esp. when the MZ-R55 in concealed in someone's pocket.
CONS:
1. As previously stated in the other reviews, the battery life is lacking. Of course this can be compensated by adding the additional battery pack. This adds a significant size to the MD.
2. It is on the heavier side of minidisc player/recorders. The newer ones feel like a feather!
3. It still skips when I try running with it in a loose pocket. When it is held in place it won't skip.
I personally think that this Minidisc is well worth the investment if this is what you are looking for. However if you want something where you can travel and don't want to constantly use the battery pack, I wouldn't recommend this product. But you won't mind using the battery pack this is definitely the best MD out there.
Rating:
Summary: Happy with the MZ-R55
Review: I've had the recorder/player for about three months and find that it works perfectly for me. The sound is great at home with my Sennheiser 540 over the ear headphones, and it can play through a sound system. I carry it everywhere and play it with high quality Sennheiser ear-buds whenever there is a free moment. (The Sennheisers are a bit cheaper than the high end Sony's and sound as good.) Having good sound wherever you are is a great plus. The battery problems mentioned by others can be solved if you alternate recharging two of the Sony batteries. That way, one is always fresh. Each seems to last 3 to 4 hours. To tell the truth, I wouldn't want to have it in my ears more than three hours at a time anyway. Agreed that titling is a pain. Life would be easier if you could type them in from a computer. Yet, there is enough time to input the titles on the first listen. The drawback is that after all the tedius effort, I'm reluctant to record over the track.
Rating:
Summary: Reality Check
Review: I've read the other comments on this unit, and I have to say that they don't provide you prospective buyers with a very accurate view. I've used the Sony MZ-R55, owned a Sony MZ-R50, and own an Aiwa AM-F70 so I can easily compare this unit to others. The MZ-R55 may currently be the smallest unit in the US, but that's really all it is; what you do have is no battery life (4hrs) and a lack of features (more on that later). The Sony MZ0-R50 may have been large but at least it ran for more than twice the time of the R55, and the Aiwa AM-F70, may be slightly larger than the R55, but fully loaded it works for a whopping 30hrs. Now for the (lack of) features...no jog dial (very useful for titiling), no progammable play, and no backlighting on the unit itself. I'm sorry to bash this unit so badly, but those are the facts. On the upside, it is currently the smallest portable MD player/recorder (until something like March when the Sony MZ-R90 comes to the US) and hey, its made by Sony! P.S. Both the Aiwa and the R50 have jog dials and longer play time. The Aiwa also has main unit backlighting (not only on the remote), and programmable play (true, this feature is somewhat useless on an MD). And guess what? Both players/recorders are much cheaper than the Sony.
Rating:
Summary: NOT for an active lifestyle
Review: If you want this unit to go out biking or blading or running, you are out of luck. I bought mine last May; by the end of Summer, and after a couple of accidental normal pulls the headphones stop working. At the juncture of the cable and the plug from the remote the inner cables became exposed. Then I dropped the unit from a 3 feet hieght and it stopped working all together. I'm really sorry I bought this thing.
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