Sony MDS-JB 940 > Reviews (1)

I bought my first minidisc recorder in 1997, and therefore have a siginificant level of experience with the format and its potential. Unfortunately my previous minidiscrecorder developed a fault (Sony MDS-JE 930)and ended up requiring replacement. Wanting to avoid failure of the unit again I wanted a stronger more durable unit, and was prepared to spend extra to achieve that.
The end result was the MDS-JB940. It is built like a tank, with a solid aluminium front. At the back is every connection you could ever need, including digital coaxial in and out, digital optical and analog jacks.
Operationally the unit is a joy to use. I thought my first recorder was good, but compared to this it was restricted. The display has two lines for text so you can view the track title while viewing the track time, which is especially helpful when recording. The deck also automatically puts a date stamp on recordings, useful if you record of the radio often. Most importantly for me is the long play feature. This allows a minidiscs recordable time to be extended to 300 minutes for a standard 74 minute disc.
Editing of discs is also simpler. If you regularly record of the radio, you may be like me and like to delete periods where a DJ talks over a song. This deck allows you to erase sections the same way you would repeat a section of a song from point A-B. This speeds the process up considerably.
Other features include a choice of digital filter depending on you favoured music. The deck also allows you to copy track names, alter recording levels after you have finished recording, and to alter the pitch of songs. The only minor problem I can find with the deck is that in order to program tracks for replay, you have to enter a large menu which makes the process slow and over complicated.
Overall, this deck has surpassed my expectations in a number of ways I didn't realise were possible with the format. The construction and sound quality are extremely impressive, and I struggle to see where Sony could improve on this deck.