Full Review

I've had this for a few months now. It provides a lot of features I need to enjoy my music collection. At this point I have retained my CDs (and still buy them), and have a computer that can burn homemade ones from mp3's quickly. I use iTunes solely for computer-based listening, and to buy tracks and then make my own CDs. This thing plays those as well as my pre-made CDs, and that's what I want it to do.

I very much prefer it to an mp3 player, after some dismal experiences with unreliable iPods. It also saves me from ripping all my cds to my computer. Though it has a giant hard drive, that's an extra step, and I enjoy that experience of buying the cd, ripping open the package and immediately popping it in the player while I'm out and about.

It also plays up to 20 preset radio stations. The reception is about what you'd expect with the headphones as the antenna; only the strongest or nearest signals get through; still, that leaves me about 5 stations I can usually pick up in my area, and sometimes it's quite nice to just tune out and let the radio pick the songs for you.

There's also a wonderful Sony "pause" feature, in that "stop" is the same thing as "pause." This player has a smart microchip, aka "G-Protection" that is really enhanced skip protection. It assesses all the tracks on a cd before it plays them, and remembers where you stopped, even if you take the the CD out and put it back in later. I don't know how many it can remember at once, but this degree of memory has been a real plus to my listening pleasure. Downside: assessing the CD that way means sometimes the initial boot-up time of a new CD is both lengthy and noisy. You can turn it off (and probably save on battery life), but I don't think it's worth it. It's a great feature.

What this unit has had problems with is playing CDs dubbed for me by other people. I've configured my computer to make CDs as error-free as possible. I have no idea about other people's standards or equipment, though, and it has been very picky in playing mixes people have given me, even though it's supposed to be CD-R/RW ready.

The design is elegant, and it's very lightweight. It's easy to carry, and easy to slip into a pocket. The radio-ones come only in black (unlike the green, orange and white of the cd-only models), but that's fine for me.

And best of all, at a price under $40, it doesn't bother me that I will someday likely replace it. That's a much easier hit to the wallet, and a much more use value for the money to me, than a nonfunctioning iPod and the beuracracy of channeling it through the Apple system of negative customer service.

Regular features: Shuffle, two levels of Bass enhancement, repeat 1 or all, and a non-backlit display screen for function and track number. All the buttons are elegantly arrayed neither on the top or the bottom, but along the side, making it easy to operate by touch alone if kept in a pocket. There is no remote control.

There are three major faults to keep in mind, though:

1) It's still bulky compared to cute little MP3 players.
2) It's all plastic, and thus fragile to a degree; the lids is a bit loose, actually, though that doesn't seem to affect performance.
3) The placement of the battery compartment is idiotic. Not only do you have to remove the CD to change the battery, you need nimble fingers and maybe a screwdriver to pry both of them out, especially the opposite polarity one. They're right under the hinge of the lid. And battery life is not really that long, either.


Update on 10/26/06
Thought of one more problem:

4) Random hardly works at all. The cd, when not in "hold" status, has a tendency to start and stop at the slightest provocation. Somehow that makes Random (probably because I have the memory feature engaged, too) simply give up and stop as well. I find I need to play cds straight through with this item. Important depending on how much you like this standard feature.