I stumbled across the HX50 on an electronics store web site, and after checking it out on the MiniDisc Community site, I decided to go for it.

The unit is very small, and was not long ago the smallest in the world. It is smaller than an MD in a sleeve, in terms of the face, and thinner than two MDs + sleeves on top of one another. What impressed me even more was the weight. Without battery and disc, it is unbelievably light. However, as the construction is aluminium, rather than Magnesium alloy(as some reviews have wrongly stated), I fear that if the unit is dropped, it may scratch and dent. However, if you shake the unit, it does seem well made as nothing rattles or shakes. The only problem is that the front face does flex slightly if squeezed, due to the Aluminium.

In terms of design, there are no complaints. It looks slick and tidy, with a good silver circular design on the front. I had assumed before I got the unit that there was nothing special about the disk window, but in use it is quite useful, and if you are lucky you can make which disk is inside, just by looking through the window. All of the operating buttons are on one side. The buttons are small, but at least they are decently spaced out. The open switch is a slider, which is good as you don't have to put excessive pressure into the unit to open it (unlike my MZR55). The battery hatch is plastic, but it clicks into place firmly and looks like it could stand the test of time. There is also a slide HOLD switch on a separate side of the unit.

The units controls are straight forward, but the pause switch is notable by its absence. There is a VERY useful operating light that flashes when the unit is in use, and has saved me the misfortune of wasting the battery by accident on many occasions already. The play and stop controls are operated by one button, and along side there are forward, rewind, vol up and vol down buttons. Apart from the hold and open switches, these are the only controls on the whole unit. All of the other controls are used via the remote.

The remote is the same that is on most other Aiwa equipment. It has a nice large screen and bright green EL display. I find it good to live with, but I think that the clip at the back is perhaps not as sturdy as the SONY clip, but I am not too worried about it.

The unit has excellent facilities, arguably better than any other player. Apart from the usual random, single and continuous playmodes, there is also a program mode where you can chose the order of the tracks. Again a very useful function, not least when using pre recorded media. The name search facility allows you to scan through the song names on disc without interrupting your current song, and then selecting your desired track. Yet again, it is a facility I use all the time. I must admit that, although I think it is quite cool, I have never used the countdown alarm that can be set to send a beeping noise through the headphones after a given time. Potentially useful, no doubt. A nice touch is that the contrast can be adjusted on the remote, and the beeps that happen when commands are carried out can be switched off, but neither of these come under day-to-day use. I find the one problem with all these functions is that they can only be used through the remote, none are present on the body. Even the four step base can only be changed used using the remote (the exact opposite of my R55).

The sound of the unit is great. Ok, it is very difficult qualify this, so I can only say that this is just my opinion. It sounds much fuller than the Sony. Of course, the much more expressive bass does account for most of this, but with the bass turned right up, you sacrifice the separation of the noise slightly. Instruments and noises seem to 'bump into' one another, but if the base is lowered just one step it is an excellent compromise. The volume is perfect, and on the range of 0 to 20, you rarely have to touch above 12.

While on the topic of sound, I must mention the earbuds included. As you probably guessed, they are not really up to the task. If the bass is up full, there is distortion, even at modest volumes, but again, it depends on the type of music. However, I must point out that they are a lot better than the ones I got with my Sony, and they are more comfortable, even if they do look strange due to their silver colour and extended ear stems. Probably an acquired taste. Hopefully an acquired taste.

The unit comes with a battery, that incidently lasts 19 hours (an eternity compared to my r55, which uses the same battery [don't worry, I don't think anyone has ever worked that one out!]) The battery charger is external and clips straight to the outlet(no wires!), but annoyingly there are no lights, so there is no way of telling when the battery has charged up. In addition you get a single AA battery pack that clips to the unit, for alternative power. Along with the mote you get a soft case (as always), and that is about it, in terms of accessories.

In my opinion, the unit represents great value, and has great attributes in every area you would associate with a portable player. My only problem is the construction material (but you are unlikely to get Magnesium at this price), and the fact that so many controls can not be used without the remote. It is quite unique due to some os its functions, namely the program play and the alarm. I would highly recommend the unit to anyone who wants the E90, but doesn't have the cash.