First announced by Sony in 1991 and released in 1992, the Mini Disc format bridged the gap between analog cassettes and digital compact discs. Sony's Mini Disc combined the two formats ingeniously, housing a miniature compact disc inside of a plastic case (much like floppy discs of the era). Today, the format has decreased in popularity due to the advent of digital audio players like the iPod.
Sony is the only company still making mini disc players and recorders for the U.S. market, though they remain popular in Europe and Asia. Even though MP3 players have taken over, mini disc models still make sense for certain situations, and if you're the sort who likes to buck a trend, they are a less expensive way to manage a large music collection. The most compelling advantage of a mini disc recorder, however, is their ability to make live recordings of music, interviews and lectures. If you mainly want to transfer your music collection back and forth from your computer, an MP3 player is a better choice. Not all mini disc models can make live recordings, however. |
