Who says bigger is better??
Written: Apr 22 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Unbelievable sound, feature packed, attractive design, compact
Cons: Some features only accessible by remote control.
The Bottom Line: A great stereo mini-system. You cant go wrong.
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| scotte1218's Full Review: Philips MC-70 CD Shelf System |
Hello everyone. Once again I'm back to express my opinion with another review. This time I'm venturing into the realm of audio/stereo compact shelf systems. This is new territory for me so I hope I get all the new-fangled technology terms right. Here we go.....
First off I'll start with a little background. My prior system was an Aiwa which I had for over 12 years. It was a great system that gave me countless hours of listening pleasure. Unfortunately it was somehow damaged during my move into my new home. When I unpacked it and plugged it in....nothing happened. Then when I was able to get it turned on, the CD changer didn't work. "Oh well", I thought, "After 12 years I guess its time for a new system."
So I began my hunt.
I was initially drawn to the Philips MC-50 as it was Consumer Reports #1 pick among compact stereo systems. And to top it off it was rated a "Best Buy" at $149.00. But as I looked into it some more I found that not all people who had bought the system liked it. The biggest complaint being lack of power. So figuring that Philips made a pretty good product to be rated #1 and seeing as the price was right in my ballpark, I opted to stay within the Philips line of stereos and ended up getting the MC-70 for the great price of $179.99 online at a site called J&R Electronics. And I am definitely happy with my choice.
This system is actually called a micro-system or executive system as it is smaller than regular compact systems. Don't be fooled by this systems small size if you happen to see it in a store. This baby belts out the sound with 100 watts of power and has more features and do-dads than you can shake a stick at.
It has everything you would expect in a compact stereo system. Small size, easy set up, 3 disc CD changer, cassette player, AM-FM tuner, remote control and if you are one of the serious head-bangers, a connection for an additional subwoofer.
I'll start with the sound. The sound that comes out of this little unit is nothing short of unbelievable. It is rich, clear, and crisp. There is no static, hiss, or anything else that could detract from your listening experience. This is due to the expert design and quality components/features that Philips used in making this system. This system has what Philips calls WOOX. It is a bass boosting feature that is just incredible. Turn on the WOOX and BAM!!! Put on some earmuffs. Why this feature is not available on some of Philips higher priced system I dont know because it works great.
This system also has what Philips calls "Incredible Surround" which is (you guessed it) a surround sound feature that dramatically increases the signals stereo presence. Use this in conjunction with the WOOX and you better tape up your windows.
An example of the quality parts Philips used in making this system is in the woofers. Traditional systems use paper cones. Philips uses flat metal cone woofers that are made of an aluminum alloy. This provides a deep,rich sound and makes blowing your speakers almost impossible.
Ok, now on to some of the features. There are too many to list so I'll just put down some of the better ones.
- 3 disk CD changer which has the following playback
modes: all disks repeat, one track repeat, program
play, program repeat, random play
- full logic cassette player
- coaxial digital output
- headphone jack
- AM/FM digital tuner w/antenas
- remote control
- plays CD-R & CD-RW disks
- 40 station pre-set tuner
- clock
- alarm/sleep timer
As I said there are a lot more features. I suggest looking on-line if you want to know more about them.
Another plus to this system is its design. It is very attractive and will fit beautifully into almost any decor. The front is illuminated with a blue glow that is adjustable and the speakers have wood trim around the sides.
The only con I can think of for this system is that some of the features are only accessible by using the remote control. While nice I'm not sure what you would do if you lost the remote. I guess you would have to order another one from Philips or a local retailer.
One more feature I should mention is what Philips calls "Plug and Play". Meaning all you have to do is plug the system in and you are ready to go. When you plug the MC-70 in for the first time, it automatically selects the 40 strongest radio stations and programs them into the tuner pre-sets. Nice.
Ok one more feature..I promise this is the last one I'll mention. The CD changer operates on slide out disk holders..not a rotating platform. This is nice as you can change 2 disks without stopping the one that is playing.
Well there you have it. The Philips MC-70. I really could go on for hours about this system. It is that good. I fully recommend this system to anyone who wants full size stereo sound in a feature laden, stylish, affordable micro system.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
scotte1218
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Location: Bradenton, FL
Reviews written: 99
Trusted by: 18 members
About Me:
A penny saved is......not much.
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