▸MD-ST60

042   |   Sharp   |   '96  12.10

Purity Color・Pure Quality

As a high-end model from Sharp in 1996, the ST60 had somewhat lower recognition and visibility.

Maybe designer was Inspired by the Bauhaus aesthetic, but the ST60 exhibits a strong geometric design. Straight decorative elements, hairline texture treatment and a rhombus-shaped remote control design (made with a rare aluminum alloy on the front), stand out in the midst of typical Japanese product designs. Perhaps the avant-garde style made it less known, as it deviated from the general public's "aesthetic perception" of portable audio, making the ST60 a relatively unknown entity.

The combination of magnesium alloy and aluminum alloy in the mixed body, along with the reduction of core components, achieves an ultra-slim thickness of 13.8mm. Though it falls slightly behind the Sony MZ-E50 by 0.2mm, the MD-ST60 support direct power/charge point on the body.

However, the battery life performance is noticeably disappointing, still relying on high-capacity lithium batteries (only achieving a mediocre 5 hours). When using an external battery box, it requires as much as AA x4 to power it. Considering the high power consumption of MD players at that time, the need to separately purchase the battery box. Sharp's cost-saving marketing strategy is truly perplexing.

Additionally, it comes with an MD initial charging dock. No need to plug in the power on the body or frequently remove the charging battery; just place the device on the charging dock, and it charges automatically. The Slot-In Auto Play function automatically starts playing when a disc is inserted, a thoughtful design.

It also supports a 4-way power supply selection: rechargeable battery, AA, AC power (directly connectable to the body), and car charger.

MZ-E40