・XM-R2

051　｜　Victor　｜　'97  02

獨步當代　Pen Touch MD

時隔兩年之久後Victor(現今已更名為JVC)推出了續作，頗為吸睛可愛的造型設計卻是超越當代的獨創性並顛覆了隨身聽常識j的XM-R2~

占比約半個機身大小的既豪華又霸氣的螢幕，還是MD初　先進的觸控面板，也是官方定義的Pen Touch MD。

最大擁有48文字的變態級顯示能力~編輯撥放或操控皆即時一目了然。特別是執行名稱輸入時無須繁瑣切換的全展開內容的逆天優勢。

螢幕上下方並劃分出快捷功能區塊，將音量、顯示切換、編輯、刪除等常用功能獨立劃分，幾乎無需省再進入子選單的巧思堪稱將MD的隱性優勢發揮至極致~

配備的觸控筆便於點選感應並貼心地可插入機身收納，不過螢幕並非像手機的靜電式觸控而是以壓力感應，所以任何可以按壓的東西都可以替代觸控筆(例如你的玉手，使用上並不甚順暢就是了)。Victor似乎也是考量至此，因此基礎功能的Play、FF、Stop、REC仍採實體按鍵。同年份還有功能完全相同應為授權OEM版本的Akai PMD-R7。

配備的充電池是讓人咋舌的史上最高3,000mAh超級電量，不過續航卻是差強人意的REC 2.5 / Play 4小時(觸控+大螢幕應該頗耗電)，外接巨大的電池盒(AAx 4)可達錄6.5 / 放13小時。

配備無螢幕的簡易線控操作，還有著極為罕見的線控可直接操控錄音，採用分離式3.5mm耳機規格讓用家能任意搭配耳機使用。

相對於觸控螢幕帶來的反面，年度最為34.5mm厚實且含充電池330g穩重的機身，實際購入整體體驗其實不甚理想，獨步時代的先進科技還不甚成熟，或許早了幾步的嶄新思維，使其在邁向輕巧纖薄的潮流中競爭力與銷量似乎也顯得力不從心...

在歷經數十年後，獨步當代的機能，唯二無他的存在且千年一遇的流通量，在懷舊玩家或拍賣市場鹹魚翻身地壓倒性地擁有極高人氣。

Surpass the Contemporary　Pen Touch MD

After a long hiatus of two years, Victor (now renamed as JVC) launched a sequel, the XM-R2, which featured an eye-catching and adorable design that showcased unparalleled contemporary originality and overturned common knowledge of portable music players.

The screen, taking up about half the size of the body, was both luxurious and imposing. It was also the first MD with an advanced touch panel, Victor defined as the "Pen Touch MD".

It boasted a phenomenal display capability of up to 48 characters, The screen was divided into quick function zones, separating common functions such as volume control, display switching, editing, and deleting into independent sections. This almost entirely eliminated the need to enter submenus, maximizing the inherent advantages of MD to the fullest.

The supplied stylus was convenient for selecting options and could be neatly stored in the body of the device. However, the screen used pressure-sensitive technology instead of capacitive touch like modern smartphones, so anything that could press could replace the stylus (such as your fingers, though the operation might not be very smooth). Considering this, Victor retained physical buttons for basic functions like Play, FF, Stop, and REC. The same year saw the release of an OEM- version, the Akai PMD-R7, with identical functionality.

The included rechargeable battery was an astonishing 3,000mAh, the highest capacity at the MD history. However, its performance was somewhat disappointing, offering only REC 2.5hrs / Play 4hrs  (the touch panel and large screen likely consumed a lot of power). Combine withexternal battery pack (AA x 4 ) could extend the REC 6.5hrs / Play 13hrs.

A simple wired remote control without a screen was included, featuring the rare ability to control recording directly. The separate mini plug  jack allowed users to pair it with any headphones.

The downside of the touch screen was the bulky body, measuring 34.5mm thick and weighing 330g including the rechargeable battery. In actual use, the overall experience was not very satisfactory. The cutting-edge technology of the time was still immature, and the innovative thinking was perhaps a few steps ahead of its time, making it less competitive and affecting sales as the trend moved towards lighter and thinner devices.

Decades later, its advanced features, unique for its time, and limited circulation have made it incredibly popular among nostalgic players and on auction sites.

MZ-F40