A Better Sounding Portable CD Player!
Written: Mar 31 '02
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Pros: Wonderful sound, energy efficient, stylish, selectable voltage adaptor and cheap.
Cons: No rechargeable batteries.
The Bottom Line: A basic CD player that has all the features one practically needs. Being made in Japan says more of its quality of built. Highly recommended.
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| minusflo's Full Review: Panasonic SL-SX280 Personal CD Player |
The Good:
I recently purchased this player because my old one which was also a Panasonic was bought by a friend. I guess I also missed the Panasonic smooth sound. Got this player for what I would consider a very reasonable price of $60. Before I continue, I would like to start by listing down the specifications and features as seen on the manual:
1) Digital-to-Analog Converter: 1 bit, MASH
2) Frequency Response: 20-20,000 Hz
3) Headphone Impedance: 16 ohm
4) Anti-Skip System: 40-Second Memory
5) Battery Life: 35 Hours, using alkaline batteries
6) Heat resistant polycarbonate lid
7) Equalizer: S-XBS, train, normal
8) Reads CD-R/CD-RWs
9) Capable of recharging Panasonic recommended rechargeables
10) Approximate Dimensions (WxHxD): 128x25.9x131.5 mm
11) Approximate Weight: 235 g with batteries
The unit that I got has a two-tone color of champagne gold and violet which was very pleasing to look at. My unit came with a wired remote control that has functional buttons and an alligator-type clip but without an LCD. The headphones supplied is what Panasonic calls insidephones with S-Path and XBS technology for hi-fidelity sound. Indeed the bass was deep enough and comparable to Sony MDR-types. I will discuss sound quality later.
The styling of the unit is so simple and nice to look at. Does not give a bulky impression and is even very light. The control/function buttons are all grouped at the upper portion along with the liquid crystal display. They are laid so stylishly in cute oval configurations. As with my previous unit, the different functions are intuitively set-up that one need not read the manual to start operating the unit. The play control buttons are placed on one oval while the volume and equalizer buttons on another. Well thought out. The unit itself is as thick as one and a half of a CD case and practically has the same diameter as a regular CD. All these make it truly portable. Just wear a jacket or something and place it there. Hardly noticeable except for the heaphone wires. All of the headphone plugs from the wired remote to the insidephones are gold plated which meant they will not rust easily. The wiring is house in flexible rubber that is very soft and pliable. Hold buttons are present both on the unit and on the remote which makes listening uninterrupted.
Next is the power. I have left the unit running overnight and the following noon my alkaline batteries are still going. That is at least 16 hours. I am impressed. My usual listening time is about two hours a day after coming home from work. This means my pair of batteries would last me at least a week. The auto-off function is also an energy-efficient feature that I liked. The unit also has the anti-skip function always on by default and there is no way to turn it off. Depending on your situation this is perhaps good or bad. Personally I am not bothered because I know music will practically not skip on me. Panasonic is also known for their very efficient digital servo mechanism which meant I can switch from regular music CDs to CD-Rs without fear of skipping and read failure. It read smoothly even heavily scratched discs that often jumps in my Aiwa component. Another is that again, by default, the unit resumes on the track where you last stopped. If you need to go back to the first track you either use the fast-reverse button or open the cover while unit is off. For me that is very convenient.
Lastly, on the sound, I would say it would rank among the best ones. I have tried Sony, Aiwa, Memorex, RCA and Philips. For me only Sony could equal because even when volume is above 75%, the sound is not distorted unlike in the RCA and Memorex disappointments. I am not a serious audiophile but I believe I know good sounding units from bad and the inside headphones provided performed well. It has an overall balance in the bass and treble notes. I tried two CDs that practically covered the whole sonic range. One was Phil Collins best collection because of the strength in vocals and string instruments. The other was my Depeche Mode greatest hits because of the deep and rounded bass coming from their new wave music. The lush string and vocal presence was a delight to me and the bass delivered did not come out muddy and was pounding warmly. That is what I like about Panasonic's S-XBS, balanced treble and bass. The mid-range notes sounded a bit recessed but I blame that on the inside phones supplied as practically all of them have the same weakness, even the Sony's I used. It would be better if you would use better sounding headphones from Sennheiser or AKG. It is important though to look at the impedance. Don't go for higher than 32 ohms or else the CD player may not be able to drive sound to it properly.
The Bad:
Overall, given the price that I got it for, I was very much pleased. Sound quality and energy efficiency met my expectations. My only regret is that the unit can act as a recharger but there were no rechargeable batteries supplied.
Conclusion:
If you are looking for a budget portable CD player yet want it loaded with features then this brand and model is highly recommended.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 60
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Epinions.com ID:
minusflo
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Location: Illinois, USA
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Works for a surfactant company. Enjoys reading reviews from various and diverse topics at Epinions.
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