AIWA AM F70

Advantages Nice design, good functions, backlit LCD remote control, JOG dial
Disadvantages Bit big for some, no line-out

...I have had my minidisc for a long time now, and have amassed quite a collection of discs. Of course, I haven't bought any retail music MDs because, with my excellent little AM-F70 from aiwa, I can record my CDs and MP3s to minidisc! It might be a little bit old now, but I still prefer my minidisc player/recorder to my friends' machines (mostly Sonys). It is fairly chunky, at approx. 11cm x 8.5cm (4.25" x 3.5"), slightly smaller than my wallet. This seems pretty small to me and, to be honest, the newer players are just TOO small. I like the feeling of my aiwa AM-F70 - just heavy enough to feel like it was worth the staggering £200 I paid for it (you should be able to pick one up for much less than this now though... about £130 or somewhere around that figure). The unit is nicely designed, with clear but not-too-big buttons... Read review

Advantages Compact, and discreet
Disadvantages Not sure how long the battery will last during use

...The Aiwa AM-F70 cost me 180 quid and is incredibly compact compared to some of the mini disc players which are available on the market. I thought it was quite sweet when I first looked at it, a small silver casing only about 8cm x 10cm. When I began experimenting with recording onto the machine I found it was very easy to use as long as you knew what you were doing. The instruction manual was a bit vague but I ended up figuring it out in the end. the only thing that isn't provided for the recordings is a double ended cable with two jacks on it to fit into the mindisc and the item you are trying to record from. But they can be purchased from most hardware stores.... Read review

Advantages Head phones, illuminated keys
Disadvantages Slightly larger than some of the new ones

...I have had my AM-F70 for 9 months and it has performed well when compared to other models owned by friends. The battery last for ages without a recharge and the extra carrier for three AA batteries extends the play time for even longer. The illuminated keys are useful when its dark and the illumination in the headphone remote is also very useful. Posibly the best feature are the ultra comfy headphones which can be worn for days almost. Overall I would recomend this product to anyone wanting a compact and well designed MD recorder/player.... Read review