Sharp MD-MT88

[u/fogycloud]

Finally joined the community! After years of searching locally, I got a Sharp MD-MT88.

I’ve wanted to get into MiniDisc for years, but finding a unit where I live felt almost impossible. It felt like they either didn't exist here, or anyone who owned one held onto it like an ancient artifact. And importing it was just too expensive for me, so I just had to be patient and hope I'd stumble across one someday.

The wait finally paid off. I managed to get a Sharp MD-MT88 from a wise old gentleman running a small vintage radio shop. We ended up having a great conversation about physical media, the history of the format, why MiniDisc never quite caught on in our region, and what made these little machines so special to him back in the day.

Today, I brought it along on a family outing, and it made the whole trip more memorable. There’s something immensely satisfying about the mechanical click of the disc loading, the tactile controls, and holding your physical media in your hands in this day and age.

It honestly baffles me how such an over-engineered, charming format lost out to the soulless ipod and digital MP3 players that followed. I really wish this format had survived longer, but I'm just glad to finally be part of the club and keeping it alive today!

[u/Tera4231]

Nice pictures.

But the headphones? Are they broken? It looks like they are made to be the type that flex around the neck rather than on top of the head but the flexible strap is broken?

[u/fogycloud → u/Tera4231]

Good eye! Yeah, you're right, they're broken. I actually cut them myself. They were originally the type that wrap around the back of the ears. I bought them for my sister long time ago, but she found that ear loop really annoying to wear, so I just cut it off.

[u/McLeod3577]

Minidiscs and Shrubberies - 2 of my favourite things!