Features: Panasonic's first MD player. Player is ``MD Jacket'' size and the thickness of 2 MD cases stacked together. Magnesium case. EL backlit LCD on remote and main body lights up for 3 seconds when buttons are operated (up to 10 seconds when disc and track name are scrolled), displaying up to 10 characters with a 60 degree viewing angle. Cross shaped control key allows one finger operation. Skip, search, track select controls on remote and main unit. Repeat mode, random play mode, and bass boost on remote. "Inside phone" ear buds with flexible joint. Playback time 6 hours on NiMH gumpack rechargeable, 8 hours on AA cell, 15 hours on AA and rechargeable together. Included accessories: phones, AA cell, AA battery case, NiMH gumpack rechargeable battery and NiMH battery charger, carrying case. Headphone amp: 10mw + 10mw.

Links: Panasonic's English SJ-MJ7 page. Cosmo's Japanese announcement of this unit. Panasonic's official page for this unit. Peter Cho's brief review of the Panasonic SJ-MJ7. Tom Kroh's brief review of the unit. Tony Wang contributes a helpful Panasonic SJ-MJ75 player review.

Comments: The MJ5 has a matt finish front, similar to the Sony MZ-E30/E35. The MJ7 has a special finish, made by engraving many narrow concentric grooves (some frying pans have this circular groove design on their bottom), then coating it. However, having the MJ7 I wish I'd gone for the MJ5, as the coating is now a mass of scratches and dull patches (despite keeping the MJ7 in the protective neoprene bag). It looks like someone's been ice skating on it! The back of the MJ7 is the 'matt' style finish (same as the MJ5 I'd guess). -Martin Clinton

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User Manual: J