Kenwood SH-7CDR (2000)

Name: Kenwood SH-7
Brand: Kenwood

The Kenwood SH-7CDR was the first unit to combine CD, CD-RW, and MD drives in a single chassis. Kenwood introduced it in Japan in October 2000 at ¥99,800. This micro system bundled a CD player, an MD recorder, and an FM/AM tuner into one main unit, with separate speakers included. The "CDR" in the name signals the CD-R/RW playback and recording capability, which was still a novelty at the turn of the millennium.

The SH-7CDR was also MDLP-capable, could display CD TEXT, supported station broadcast name display, and had a timer and an MD mono recording mode. Power output was a modest 20W per channel. The FM tuner covered the Japanese FM band of 76-90MHz, and standby power consumption was a thrifty 0.25W. The main unit measures 243 × 284 × 310mm and weighs 6.3kg. Each speaker is 97 × 282 × 292mm and 2.2kg. It was a Japanese domestic market unit running on 100V.

Documentation on the SH-7CDR is thin beyond its listing on the MD Community page, and the record gets muddier from there. Much of what circulates online refers to a variant or close relative called the "SH7MD." It appears in Vietnamese classifieds and YouTube listings as a used component system - described as original ("zin") and fully functional, with prices around 2.2 to 3.2 million VND. One listing notes it plays only through aux. No source found states whether SH7MD is the same product sold under a different suffix or a distinct variant. The specs stay separate here. The 100W figure and 100V input that appear in some Vietnamese listings belong to the sh7md variant and are not confirmed for the SH-7CDR.

The record supports this much for the SH-7CDR: a Japanese-market micro system from late 2000 that was the first to put CD, CD-RW, and MD in one box, rated at 20W per channel, with MDLP, CD TEXT, and a 76-90MHz FM tuner. The MD Community page (minidisc.org) lists those core specs. No professional reviews, THD figures, or detailed service information have surfaced.