Old Wine in New Bottle

The PMD-R2, designed for convenience and ease of use, features a Slot in mechanism that differs from typical clamshell designs with its smooth horizontal insertion and ejection of discs using just One Touch. However, Slot In requires more space, resulting in a bulkier build.

With its Slot In design, the device adopts a horizontal layout with significant white space and elegantly arranged buttons, maintaining Kenwood's distinctive and highly recognizable style. Its elongated LCD screen provides clear information such as track names, REC Level, battery status, and disc details, supporting up to 10 characters in English, numerals, and katakana. It's disappointing that it only comes equipped with screenless line controls, not updated alongside the main unit.

Equipped with LCD line control featuring a compact screen that displays English/numerical/katakana characters, it also includes a detachable 3.5mm headphone jack, ensuring compatibility with all headphone brands.

Its battery offers exceptional endurance with REC 7 / Play 9.5hrs, making it one of the longest-lasting in its class. However, an external battery pack, essential for MD, may be an optional purchase.

Nevertheless, it features an exclusive one-year damage and theft insurance, showcasing Pioneer's efforts to differentiate itself in a competitive market.

Overall, similar to the last year overall design is somewhat conservative with limited innovation, offering a familiar yet slightly outdated redesign.

MD-S301