For great portable sound & features: Aiwa XP-SP911 CD Player
Jul 17 '01
The Bottom Line Excellent all-around. A fantastic sport player that offers high quality sound for lazy listening too!
OK, so I know this isn't quite the right category, but this particular model doesn't happen to be listed in the epinions database (surprise, surprise). I am so enamored with my recent acquisition that I just couldn't wait to share it with the epinions community at large.
I recently "won" this CD player as a gift off the music-based Dotclick.com site, and really had no idea what I was getting. I figured that since it was free, it was probably pretty shoddy. Wrong. It is even better than the other Aiwa portable that I got for Christmas. Why am I so impressed by the Aiwa XP-SP911?
Sound Quality
I depend on my portable CD player not only for headphone use, but also to plug into my Bose Wave Radio for music listening in my bedroom. Now, the Bose Radio in and of itself offers high quality sound. But the type of CD player you use definitely makes a difference. For instance, my crappy Classic brand CD player gave off vague interference & background noise. This Aiwa player is the best that I've heard. Clear, relatively full, no skips, no issues. Surround sound it's not. But it's the best I could get from a portable device.
When I use it with headphones, it's even better. There are the 3 DSL settings to boost the bass if you like (and it's no more likely to skip or interrupt when DSL is set to high - a problem I've encountered with other portables). The headphones that come with the player are pretty good for factory headphones, and filter out background noise very well. All this leads to a stellar listening experience.
Features
First of all, the player just looks cool. It's a sport model, so most of the top is a deep blue color, which contrasts nicely with the silver of the CD player. None of this construction sign neon yellow stuff. The sides are thinly lined with a subdued orange line, which makes it look sporty and cool, but not obnoxious.
All the controls are on the top of the player around the display window. This includes the volume controls, which are + and - buttons instead of a dial along the side. I find this very useful, since I often will accidentally hit the volume dial and end up blasting my ears out. Also, it allows you to keep track of the volume rather than guessing.
Second of all, since it is a sport model, it has excellent protection against skipping. This is key for me because I've mainly been using it when I work out. EASS is a feature that allows you to set the # of seconds which the player will keep in memory if it gets jostled or moved around. The default setting is no EASS - but you can also set it to 12 seconds or 48 seconds. Basically, the idea is that if you are jogging or moving quickly, you won't have any sound interruption. I have never actually found a CD player that delivers on this promise. However, this one is different. I have never had it skip or pause while working out when I have the EASS turned on to 48 seconds.
The only downsides to EASS are that a) the sound quality is slightly lower (but who really cares if you're at the gym?) and b) it sucks battery power a little faster. But if you're like me, and need music to work out, it is DEFINITELY worth it. There is nothing more annoying than finding a good song to run to, and then having it stop every 5 seconds.
Third feature: track memory. If you turn off the player in mid-song or CD, when you turn it on again it will pick up where you left off. I find this especially convenient if I have it in the car while I am running errands. That way when I'm getting in and out of the car, I can always count on my music to keep going. The only slightly odd thing about this feature in this particular CD player is that even if you switch CD's, it will still pick up in the same place that you left off in the previous CD. This is not something I'd encountered before, but it's no big deal.
Other great features:
The Aiwa XP-SP911 has the requisite random function, ability to repeat one or all songs, and a secure lock-tight latch on the top so that it doesn't accidentally open up. It also plays copied CD's (CD-R's). And, as I mentioned earlier, it's water-resistant. The remaining battery life is also displayed on the top window, and the player can be used with rechargeable batteries that recharge while still in the player through an adapter that it comes with.
It also comes with a pouch that you can adjust to fit around your waist for jogging, and the headphones are not only good quality but comfortable too. Actually, they are the kind that sling across the back of your head instead of on top. I was not familiar with these, but I actually like them better because your ears don't get sore.
Lastly, it is sturdy. I always end up breaking my CD players because I drop them on my way out to the car, or while I"m working out. However, this one has already survived a few falls with NO negative impact. I consider this one of the most important features of all.
What it Lacks
Because it was primarily designed as a "sport" CD player, it does lack a few features that you will find on other portables. First of all, it is not programmable. Second of all, it does not come with a remote (something I absolutely love about my other Aiwa player). And lastly (although I find this very insignificant), you cannot search "through" tracks. The only buttons are stop, play/pause, and next and previous track. I suppose this would be a pain if you were listening to a lot of CD's with "hidden" tracks or last songs that include 15 minutes of silence. However, for the other 99% of the time, I think it's a non-issue.
Other than those minor details, this the best portable CD player I've owned (and I've owned a LOT of portables). While I did not pay for mine, I believe these run for about $70 or $75. With high quality sound, great features, and reliable construction, it is well worth the price. 9.5/10
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Epinions.com ID:
sarah_knipper
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Location: city of roses
Reviews written: 78
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About Me:
Reading but not writing for now.
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