To start things off, let me explain my past experience with Sony MP3 products. In my car, I had the Sony DEH-P740MP mp3/cd stereo (see my review). The excellent technology behind that led me to look for Sony when I bought a portable mp3 boombox to take out boating with me. I purchased the CFD-S20CP, and was EXTREMELY satisfied with it. It uses the same MP3 decoding technology that this D-CJ500 Walkman has. Basically the walkman an even more portable version of the boombox; it also shares the same great qualities such as extended battery life and outstanding durability. OK, so let's get to the review...
To better describe the features/performance of this product, I will categorize this review into 5 sections: sound quality, mp3 playback, battery life, durability, and other features.


SOUND QUALITY

Excellent, of course. The only problem in this category would be the included headphones, which I felt were sub-par for Sony. Mine came with a cheap pair of regular black headphones, although I have heard of the same Walkman coming with earbuds instead. Either way, I recommend upgrading to a higher quality set. I bought the Sony MDR-V300 studio headphones, and was amazed by the quality (see my review on them for full details). The bass did not distort at any levels with the better set of headphones, but it did pretty badly with the included set. Highs are crystal clear and there is no interference in sound when the headphone jacked is moved around- a problem that has plagued many of the portable CD players I have had in the past.

It is almost impossible to get the unit to skip. Sony's third generation of 'G-Protection' is now amazing; the CD player in my car skips more than it!

MP3 PLAYBACK

It has a two LINE/9 Character dot matrix LCD display that will give ID3 tag information for quick identification and location of your MP3 files. Immediately when the unit is turned on it reads the CD, which takes only a few seconds. When you are searching for songs, it takes 2-3 to read the file. This makes searching for a particular song somewhat of a hassle, but the problem can easily avoided by categorizing the burned MP3 CDs into folders. Almost all MP3 files work, with bitrates ranging from 8-320KBPS. Note: not all MP3 files have the same quality (the lower the bitrate, the lower the file size, meaning less quality). This is not because of the D-CJ500, however. It is because of the MP3 file itself.

BATTERY LIFE

As with other Sony products, the D-CJ500 has excellent battery life. It runs off two (2) double A batteries, which typically lasts about 15 hours of constant use, 20-25 when repeated use. This is awesome compared to other players.

DURABILITY

The D-CJ500 has survived many a fall. I have a tendency to break and/or step on things, especially when I'm drunk. I have dropped this unit more than once and it continues to play at 100% I have noticed the lid that opens to put the CD in is a little loose, but it may have been like that before I dropped it.

While it is not marketed or aimed towards people with active lifestyles, the D-CJ500 can keep up with the best of them. Its size, although small, does not compete with some of the newer mp3 Walkmans. Regardless of this, I am still more than satisfied with the durability of this product.

OTHER FEATURES

The playback features are very easy to use; through the press of a button, you can alter the play mode from repeat 1, repeat all, repeat folder, shuffle, and program. There is a display on the LCD screen showing the amount of battery power remaining. There is also a HOLD switch that, when activated, will keep you from accidently turning the unit on and draining the batteries.

CONCLUSION
With the rapidly changing portable CD technology, it is hard to keep this review accurate. However, I am very satisfied with my purchase and I believe the prices have dropped even more on the Sony D-CJ500. If CD/MP3 playback and long battery life is what you are looking for out of a portable CD player, along with a cheap price and great value, look no further. Check out my review on the Sony MDR-V300 Headphones if you are interested in a nice pair to complement your new CD player. Thanks!

Recommended:
Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 68.95