November 11, 2005

SONY Hi-MD, MZ-NH1


前幾天在奇摩拍賣購入一台二手的MD隨身聽,型號是MZ-NH1,似乎是第一台也是目前最後一台Made in Japan的Hi-MD Walkman。考慮許久,終於在iPod和一堆flash mp3 Player中做出決定,一切都是因為考量到自己需要的功能,當然其中也參雜不少工業設計上的外觀考量:p

在購買之前其實做了很多功課。除了從評論了解優缺點,還有網路上朋友們的使用心得。簡單來說他的缺點就是沒有那麼人性化,和iPod比起來,不是那麼簡單的好用。最致命的一點,不得不使用寫的很爛的程式:SonicStage來做電腦連線時的音樂管理,以及一堆有的沒的版權限制和強制轉檔來傳輸音樂。當然,既然是MD,少不了類似MO先天技術上的傳輸寫入限制(只有usb1.1的速度)。上述缺點也是造成MD的使用者一點一滴流失,市場越做越小的原因。

不過其實在自己開始認真研究MD,發現周遭不少朋友仍在使用。我想最根本的原因還是:音質。特別是錄音的音質,不要說mp3隨身聽,連同價位錄音筆可能都望塵莫及。想到以後可以錄練團和創作,以及一堆亂編的吉他riff隨手錄起來,實在相當興奮呢。

保留光纖傳輸的選擇,對於擁有許多正版CD的朋友們,更是音質保證。加上鎂合金拉絲的銀色機身,邊角弧型圓滑設計,還有側面黑色金屬邊條。SONY紮實的的工業設計底子,怎麼說仍不是韓國做音樂撥放器公司可以一夕之間趕上的。

不過也許讓我做出最後決定的一點,是使用上的感覺。雖然我也認同iPod的確是個很棒的設計,觸控圓盤的操控真是棒。但是想到隨時可以能無預警掛點的硬碟,無法自行更換的爛電池(蓄電力差一顆又要上千),以及脆弱到隨時會被刮傷的外在。我還是選擇可自行置換的輕薄鋰電池,1GB兩百元可複寫100萬次的儲存單位,還有可以安心使用的金屬表面。

我選擇了SONY Hi-MD。

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I finally made a decision between iPod and those dazzlingly flash mp3 player from Korea. before buying it, I've done research about pros and cons on the internet, and discuss the issue with some friends like Jessica and Bolan, who are still MD users. The conclusion is quite simple -- the music transfer and management software call SonicStage sucks! Compared to iTunes, it seems very unfriendly for Walkman users. Additionally, due to the technology limits of MD, magneto-optical recording layer can not write and read data as fast as flash or hard drive, which means the speed is approximately USB 1.1 only when connecting to PC.

However, I found reviews on the internet have different viewpoints on this gadget. The advantages still attract me a lot: Recording! I saw a review form a website of China, indicates that most advantage of NH1. Besides the quality of music, the powerful recording function still rules in today's market. When using PCM linear recording and better external mic, it's like portable studio. On the other hand, using a MD Walkman is not like using an iPod. I don't need to worry about the hard drive will die someday all of a sudden or the battery's dead when going out. And of course, the industrial design of SONY is still amazing, all-magnesium body and an ultra compact design construct the beautiful Walkman.

Maybe after 20 years, I can tell my son your dad have once own the first Hi-MD Walkman which was made in Japan.(Well, it's probably the least...)