While the original MiniDisc players never quite caught on in the United States, it didn't take Sony long to realize that the MiniDisc format makes an ideal storage medium for compressed digital music files. In fact, the ATRAC format used by MiniDisc players was one of the earliest forms of compressed music, in use long before MP3 became the rage. Sony is taking advantage of the storage capabilities of MiniDisc with fine players like the MZ-DN430.

A member of Sony's aggressively styled Psyc line, the MZ-DN430 is available in black or white, with sharp neon and chrome accents and matching headphones. It also comes with a handy carrying case. While not completely immune to skips like Flash players, the MZ-DN430 uses Sony's G-Protection for virtually interruption-free playback. Music is transferred directly to the player at 32X play speed, and the unit delivers an impressive 56 hours of playback time with a single AA battery.

The advantages to storing MP3 music on the MiniDisc media is obvious, as the total storage capacity is limited only by the number of blank discs purchased. The MZ-DN430 is an excellent example of Sony reinventing its technology to address current trends.

Warranty
1 year parts and labor