▸MZ-2P

002   |   Sony   |   '92  11.01

Big, Big and Big

In November '92, the Mini Disc was born to replace cassette tapes, offering pristine digital audio quality in a compact, cookie-sized package. The first MD Player, the MZ-2P, made its debut.

The MZ-2P, despite its imposing presence, didn't quite fit the futuristic tech image one might expect from a next-generation portable player. It shared the same dimensions as its recording counterpart, the MZ-1, featuring rare fully motorized disc loading/unloading mechanisms and standalone optical fiber audio output – all luxurious features limited to Sony's first-generation MD devices.

The buttons were neatly clustered on the right side, creating a clean visual design for the device. It also boasted a simple and intuitive Shuttle Ring for more efficient operation.

With a multi function display capable of showing up to 12 x 2 characters, the backlight activated when connected to DC (using a charger). The massive 170g battery offered a brief 75-minute playback time but came with a hefty price tag of ¥7,000 and lacked support for an external battery pack.

Due to its high price and substantial size, the MZ-2P was clearly quite distant from the Walkman, but it marked Sony's declaration to the world of the next-generation music lifestyle after the cassette era, leading research out of the laboratory and turning dreams into reality."

AMD-100