First, let me explain what is included. It comes with 2 AA NiCad rechargeables, headphones, a remote, a digital input cable, an AC adapter, the unit (which has digital, analog, and mic input, and headphone and line out connections), but surprisingly, it had no analog recording cable (3.5 mm cord with 2 male fittings). However, I bought one for $1.50, along with a $12 4 pack of 74 min recordables and an RCA adapter( $6) for 299 + $1.50 + $12 + $6= $318.50. A casette tape adapter for car use costs about $10. This cost included anything to make recordings from any source with any kind of output, along with car use and home stereo use. Not bad.

Recording with it is simple, it has a Digital input, but I usually use analog. It has a Synchro recording feature, which usually works, but can occasionally misread the music and put incorrect track marks. Such errors take about 5 seconds to fix.

The unit itself is small, but not as small as some. I think of it as the size of 2 decks of cards, with the longest sides put together. The LCD screen is small, but that is not a big problem for me. Naming tracks is kind of annoying, but after a little use, naming a track with artist and name takes about 45 seconds, so about 10 minutes for a whole MD.

I use my computer a lot, so I have many MP3's on my computer, copied from CD's I don't want to have to find. So, many of my MD tracks are from my MP3 collection, and sound great. Also, I have found my MD recorder as a great way to record from a microphone. If you have a stereo mic (I do) then you can record in stereo. However, for most things, like voice, mono works fine. By pressing 2 buttons, I can record in mono for an amazing 148 minutes. The quality is totally dependent on the mic, and with a high quality microphone, the quality of recording is excellent.

As for batteries, the R37 does pretty well. It comes with 2 standard NiCad rechargeables, which the 37 can charge by itself. The playback time is about 6 hours on them, but with regular batteries, it is more like 10. The AC adapter (included) is nice, and unlike many pieces of electronics, finding an existing adapter (like a car DC adapter) was easy for me. Amplified as load as I can take it, the sound quality is still excellent.

The remote included, while it doesn't have LCD, is still very useful. In school (during finals) I hid my 37 in my pocket, put on a pair of tiny included headphones, and used the remote. Nobody noticed anything.

I would give this unit a perfect rating if it weren't for 2 things. If it had an analog cable included, and if it had an LCD on the remote (but I have heard that the remote for the 55, which has LCD, works in the 37). I would say overall, it gets a 9.5 out of 10. I bought this portable recorder because I did not have the money to buy the mini system that I wanted, but now that stereo is on it's way, and let me tell you, I am so happy that I bought the portable Sony first. This model sells for a bit cheaper now because the new recorders are out, but all the new ones offer is size. This baby is no where near large and fits comfortably in your pocket. The best part about it is that you can record off of anything and it's easy because it's portable. I have been downloading MP3s off of the internet and recording them onto minidiscs. Don't let people tell you that you have to record with special jacks. All you need is a double-sided headphone wire (one end for your computer's headphone jack and the other for the recorder's line in) and the sound is unbelievable. I could not notice any difference between the discs that I had burned on my portable Sony, and my roommates discs that he had burned 4x speed digitally on his Sony deck. The best part about it is that if you have a tape to CD converter in your car, you can just take the jack out of your CD player and plug in the minidisc recorder. I have been taking it everywhere: school, in car, friend's houses to burn their CDs onto disc, etc. It's especially nice with those friends who won't let you borrow their CDs. The possibilities are endless and because of the great recording capabilities of the MZ-R37, it is a great buy, even if you already have one in a mini system or home stereo. Now when my stereo finally comes, I'll have plenty of good stuff to blast on it. I bought this unit as an "open box special" at Circuit City for just $130, and this was with the extra PC-analog adaptor kit bundled with it. Also with the original warranty. Everything seemed to be in perfect condition. Their usual price was 179, and 2 weeks later it jumped up to 199. Still a bargain. I have also been able to purchase Memorex minidisks locally at $30. for 20 disks. Although it came with no microphone, I discovered it worked perfectly with an el-cheapo plastic mic included with an old Aiwa stereo cassette recorder. Then I discovered that I could make even more interesting microphones with the $1.99 condenser capsules sold at Radio Shack. So I have been having a blast recording all kinds of sounds, a band that I play in, and cds from the stereo. With the PC adaptor, I have recorded off the Internet. I find that the manual record level option works better than the auto level when recording acoustic guitar in my living room. I have been a serious sound hobbyist for over 30 years, building speaker systems and striving for great sound. The little Sony MD recorder is just amazing, I can detect a very slight loss of dynamics from the original cd, but after all-it really works and sounds terrific. I recorded a bunch of Harleys leaving a local state park, and I just could not believe how real it sounds played back. No distortion at all. It also looks solidly built, the disk mechanism inside is high quality metal, the laser carrier is cast metal sliding on a thick stainless rod, no plastic anywhere to be seen (well, maybe the battery cover, but it's still high quality!), and I have dropped it twice with no damage. My only complaint is there is no way to attach a strap to it, it has to be put in a bag or pocket. I also really like that you can slide in a couple of standard AA batteries if the rechargables die. I've needed a minidisc recorder for a long time. I recorded my band many times on 8mm hi-fi, then I'd dupe it to minidisc then to cassette to distribute. I bought the amazing MZ-R37 for $199.00 at Guitar Center and it came with a Sony ECM-MS907 powered stereo mic.

This little bundle of joy has provided hours of fun for me. Right now I'm recording off my computer's analog out a string of Napster tunes to listen to tomorrow then I'll erase and do it again.

Recording band practice was a snap but we played too loudly for the automatic recording volume limiter to be effictive; next time I'll manually set recording level, the booklet describes all functions clearly.

Labeling the TOC is done on my home deck, I'd never goof around with those micro-buttons on the unit itself.

For the price, I'm thrilled. It did NOT come with adaptor or LCD Headphones nor rechargeable Batt. I already had a Sony adapter laying around, so I'm OK.

It DID come with disposable headphones and a optical miniplug to Tosling cable. I'm always recording something, somewhere and the Sony MZ-R37 is an excellent, versatile device. I got my Sony MZ-R37 off eBay a few months ago and first off let me tell you it is a great unit. I debated between the unit I ended up getting and the Sony MZ-R91. The only thing I did'nt like about the MZ-R91 was the price. It had the same features that the MZ-R37 had.

Over all I am very pleased with the unit. I think the technicians at Sony could have made it a lot better by adding a LCD display to the remote. But I love the feature of being able to control the music while the recorder is in my pocket. The unit has recording and labeling features, and a 40 sec anti skip. I saw a cord that said "MP3 internet audio recording" at Target they were selling for almost $40! Just by a basic 3.5'' x 3.5'' dubbing cable for $3.99 at Radio Shack, plug one end of the cable into the "Optical Cable Input" and plug the other end into the speaker port on the computer. It's really easy!

Some people say that the buttons or the unit isn't small enough for them. Well, the unit is really small as are the buttons. In fact, when I first got this recorder in the mail I was amazed at how small they are. If you have ever seen a minidisc before the recorder is approx. the same size adding about 1/3 in. on the side for the switch to open the disk slot.

This is a great recorder! I highly recommend it compared to anything else out there!!!

Anyone questioning to buy this unit or have any questions about it please email me. Thanks! This unit was my introduction to the world of MD and I don't think I could have made a better choice. As mentioned in the other reviews, it's a great time to get your hands on one of these because the price is right. With all the newer, smaller units coming out, this one has dropped in price from about $200 to $175. I made the mistake of buying the "PC" version of this unit which came with the Xitel (analog) PC link for the higher $200 cost.

Just a warning on that Xitel device... It is analog! Don't think that you are getting some sort of magical device that lets your computer communicate with your MD device. Although some have said they like the Xitel device because it can eliminate computer noise, I think you are better off just running a double-ended headphone line from the output of your soundcard to the input on your MD. You'll get pretty much the same results.

Other than the disappointment with the Xitel link, the MZ-R37 is more than I ever expected it to be. At first, I was thinking I might be unhappy with the size, but it turns out to be a benefit. Any smaller and I think it would be difficult to work with. It's just right for sitting on top of your home system or a table where you can clearly read what's going on from the front of the unit.

I ended up getting a microphone from Sound Professionals so that I could record nature sounds, my music and other local music. The mic I chose was their standard cardiods with clips. I am astounded with how crystal clear and clean my recordings have been. Having grown up with audiocassettes being the standard, I never would have thought that an amateur could make such good recordings. Like someone else had said, it's like being there in person.

My last comments on the unit would be that it is so incredibly convenient. I take it to work and hook it up to my computer speakers for a full day's worth of entertainment. At the end of the day, when I get home, I plug it in and let it charge back up again. It's a never-ending cycle of satisfaction! I purchased my Sony MZ-R37 two years after doing much research in trying to figure out which one to get. No one in my circle of friends or family had purchased one. I ended up deciding on the MZ- R37, because it was on sale, because of the recording feature and the optical input.

I absolutely love it! I first I did "anolog" recording of songs I either downloaded or recorded from cd's. Then I met someone who also had a MZ-R37, who recorded through the Optical connection using a Sony cd deck. After comparing his MD's to my MD's I realized I could not go back to analog recordings.

After a bit of research I invested about $60 to get a sound card with an optical in\out daugther board and have been recording from the Optical ports on my PC ever since. I love it!

It's the perfect size to carry in my bag. I also use the cassette adaptor that I used to use when I would carry my portable CD player around (before MD of course), so I can play my CD's in the car. I got this for Christmas and so I love it. I don't even mind the size. It's pretty easy to hold on to. My one complaint is the buttons are not the easiest to use. They are close together and very small. The display could be larger as well.

Aesthetics aside, the unit is great. I have many mp3s on my pc and use it to record them to md and get them off my hard drive. CD recorded to MD sound great also. In either case, the auto record level isn't too handy when analog recording. I find that it is pretty easy to set the level manually and recordings come out great. I use both the USB module and a plain old 3.5mm plug to record and can't tell the difference between the two. My mp3s sound great in the car, and at the office where I plug it into the line-in. I also plug it into my home stereo, where it get's more play than the CD player or the tape deck.

I have yet to use it for live recordings, but when spring gets here, I'll be at the jazz festivals with MD in hand. I still have to find a good, affordable mic for that.

What I like most is the versatility of this little unit. I take it everywhere I can listen to music. One recommendation is to buy your own quality headphones. The included set should be used as a last resort. They are not loud enough to hear even while walking on busy Washington, DC streets. I plugged my home stereo headphones in and the difference was immediately noticeable. Overall, I would recommend this unit to anyone who wants an affordable, portable MD. Very satisfied. First of all, what it came with:

• 1 x AC adapter 240V in/4.5V out
• 1 x earphones (real horrible, uncomfortable)
• 2 x NiCD batteries
• 1 x digital optical cable miniplug to toslink (hehe tosa link how hilarious)
• a remote
• an mzr37 recorder
• a battery case (to stop them short circuiting while in your pocket, why you would have you're batteries charged out of your unit beats me)
• I think thats all

People also have commented on the remote being cheap plastic and having no LCD, but this really doesnt matter - You can just memorize where the controls are. The remote has full editing functions. The only complaint I have with the remote is no backlit LCD (contradiction, oops)

The unit has good bass response (even though the earphones that come with it dont do MD justice at ALL) and plays nice. It also feels very sturdy, and doesnt skip (at least it hasnt yet, and I skate a lot) Unfortunately it came without carry bag, (my camera case is now MD case :>). The recording is nice (why doesnt sony give us an analog cable as well??(rhetorical question)).

The battery life is only 5-6 hours playback/3 hrs record, which is a bit disapointing for those who listen to MD all the time but I usually use the supplied adapter so it isnt so much of a bother.

CONCLUSION

Very good recorder for my money I dont think an MZ-R90 for NZ$999.99 is worth it nor is an MZ-R70 for $699 or an MZ-R55 for $799 or a Sharp MD-SR50 for $599 (thats an ok price but i dont like sharps;>)

i suggest getting this unit it feels sturdy, and I have heard it is the second best MD portable made (toughness wise). I have a suspicion that this is going to prove to be the most durable MD recorder that Sony ever makes. Read what the resident repair man, David Popovits says about it: it has the proven MZR50 drive. The 50 is David's favorite machine. The remote for the MZR 55 is compatible ( I have not tried this as yet, note that some have a six character display and some have nine) and there are a few improvements in the 37. I never like to see controls or displays on the hinged lids of electronics. Flip cell phones are another example of this fragile design idea. The 37 puts the controls and display on an edge rather than on the door. It is not as pretty as the 50 nor as easy to use, but I bet it lasts better.

The fact that the batteries are standard AA cells ( if you were lucky enough to get the PCIF bundle, you got ni-cads and a wall wart) was a big factor in choosing to get this one. The unit is certainly small enough to satisfy most people. The battery size does increase the unit's physical dimensions, but it is worth it. This way, you are not tied to the proprietary batteries of the smaller units.

I have been using Memorex MD's - about 100 recordings to date, and not a single problem. This runs counter to the trend with Sony portables and Memorex discs I read on the community site.

The MZR37 has my recommendations. It is the only unit I have for MD, and is the primary sound source for my sailboat's stereo system. Great little machine. I've been here in Seoul Korea and lived with a guy who raved about this little machine, so I decided to go out and shell about $180.00 for it. What a choice decision I made.

This little monster had me giggling like a little boy when I put in some music sporting a little bass...I pumped up the "Digital MegaBass" a couple of clicks and sat in wonder as crystal clear sould pumped out of this little device. Excellent indeed.

Its small...Dont let owners of newer models convince you to spend an extra $100-150 for something newer. It has a nice metal casing and looks really well made. The rechargeable batteries and nice and quite convenient. The included headphones arent the greatest...I'd replace them. The remote works well. This is a wonderful machine. Buy it.