UTOC error strikes again
Written: Jul 07 '01
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Pros: Great sound, big buttons, slot-in loading design
Cons: Poor durability, heavy weight
The Bottom Line: Considering the durability problem, don't buy the MD-S301, new or used, unless you get an amazingly good deal on it.
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| Alatar's Full Review: Sharp MD-S301 Personal MiniDisc Player |
I bought this player so I wouldn't wear out my Sharp 702 portable recorder ahead of its time by taking it everywhere. Also, the 301 player is smaller and lighter than the 702. I could easily fit it into many, but not all, shirt pockets. More expensive players are even smaller.
I really liked the slot-in loading. No worries about damaging the innards when you don't have to open a clamshell to insert or remove discs. Also, the sound was loud and strong and terrific. The battery life wasn't spectacular, but for $130 I didn't expect everything, just a good-sounding basic portable MD player.
Now for the bad news. Exactly a year after I bought this unit, it died on me in the classic Sharp UTOC error way. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a classic flaw in the Sharp series of MD recorders and players whereby an otherwise perfect unit suddenly loses the ability to play discs. This may not be as common an issue on modern Sharp units, but it sure was for the 7xx series of recorders and this MD-S301. I can honestly say the only time I ever dropped it was onto some very thick carpet at home, and the unit did seem to be solidly built, very sturdy. But with Sharps one never knows when the dreaded UTOC error will strike, and I was bitten big time by the 301.
While the unit worked, it was terrific. But a portable unit should, by definition, be able to take regular use for longer than 12 months. By dying on me at the 12 month mark, this unit rates one star in my opinion. And that's only because it sounded so good for those 12 months.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 130.00
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Epinions.com ID:
Alatar
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Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 0 members
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