Blank tapes for sale! ;-)
Written: Feb 27 '02 (Updated Feb 27 '02)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Sound: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Reliable, good playback/record quality, MP3
Cons: IR Remote; analog track determination
The Bottom Line: great dual-deck CDR and a good CD player.
|
|
|
| jschlarb's Full Review: harman/kardon CDR30 2-Disc CD Recorder |
*** Raves:
I love the sound quality of the CDs I make on my HK30. Although I'm an LP fan, I'm hard pressed to tell the difference between the vinyl and the CD. Setting analog levels is easy with the knob on the front panel, but it takes some trial-and-error to get the right level (just like tape decks).
Playback quality is excellent. It seems much more "warm" than my DVD player, and sounds great through my Vienna Bach speakers.
Digital dubs are easy and fast. I haven't had any problem with 4x dubbing, using Maxell CDR and CDR/W disks. The optical audio input is great for making perfect digital dubs from my TIVO settop receiver.
The price gap between the HK30 and the cheapest dual-deck CDR is only about $150. I don't know how the cheaper units sound, but I know the HDCD components must make a difference, and the MP3 playback is a nice perk.
*** Complaints (mostly minor):
This is one of the few consumer devices I own which has several functions I can do from the front panel, but NOT from the IR remote. "Input" and "Erase" are conspicuously absent. Furthermore, the remote seems designed more for playback than recording: the "track skip" button is very awkward to reach, and the one I need most often (see next gripe).
In order to record from tape or LP and separate the tracks, you have to insert the tracks manually as the source is recorded. I wish I could set a threshold that would be considered "silence" for the purpose of determining tracks. The HK30 seems to be looking for absolute silence in order to find track gaps.
There ought to be an "oops" button to erase the last track recorded, and queue up to start recording again. To do this with the HK30, I have to press STOP, wait 5 seconds, press ERASE, wait, and press RECORD. I know this sounds like a nitpick, but it's a pain when you're restarting frequently, which I often do with analog recording.
** Notes on CDR technology
For the last 2 weeks, I've been dubbing LPs and tossing the worn-out tape copies I made 20 years ago. Cassette deck makers have much to fear from CDRs, which I think have matured enough to replace tape decks in the mainstream.
My only complaint is that I have to pay a royalty to record an LP I bought, while making a compilation of stolen MP3s on my PC is "free". This is punishing the audiophiles, and rewarding the people who only care about the quantity of tunes they've ripped off from friends and Napster clones. However, at 60 cents per 80 minute CDR-Audio disk, I can't complain too much.
I read one review here that claims the recording industry is pressuring CDR makers to "not make them too good". This is an absurd claim. The HK30 seems every bit as reliable and easy to use as my old Nakamichi cassette deck, at about the same price ($400).
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 400
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
jschlarb
|
|
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.