Had this CD player for a few years... finally had to sell it.
Written: Mar 30 '02
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Pros: AM/FM radio, hold feature, good sound
Cons: Shock protection wasn't reliable after few years
The Bottom Line: Not a bad deal, but I would recommend dishing out the extra cash for one of Sony's newer models.
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| greybeh's Full Review: Sony Walkman D-F411 Personal CD Player |
I bought this Sony model of Discman about five years ago, and for the most part it doesn't disappoint. It's been quite durable, considering how abusive I am with portable CD players. After so many years, I finally sold it after I bought a newer model (Sony D-FJ61 -- which I have also reviewed).
I sold it because the Shock protection didn't seem to be working as well as it did when I bought it. The slightest bump would jostle the disc, and I finally just couldn't stand it anymore. Anyhow, I think the D-FJ61 model has a much better shock protection mechanism.
The D-F411 model has some great features and good design that I came to appreciate. First of all, the reason that I bought the model was I needed a CD player to take on the train while I traveled and I would only purchase a model that had an AM/FM radio.
The radio wasn't all that reliable, it turns out. I stopped using it when I was traveling because it lost stations very quickly -- just didn't have the reception that I was hoping to find. I also didn't have the patience to try tuning in a station with this model -- it would break into static and I'd have to try to tune in the station again. The radio was so bothersome on this model that I bought a small pocket radio in addition to the CD player to use while I was traveling.
I liked the hold feature. Since I carry my walkman in my pocket or in a shoulder bag while I listen to it, it is very easy to accidentally push a button and skip a track or stop the CD. With the hold feature turned on, the CD keeps on playing even if you accidentally hit the buttons. The hold feature is very useful, particularly because some buttons are poorly placed on this model -- I would often bump the Memory/ESP button or the Sound button by accident.
I thought the design of the D-F411 was very attractive, especially compared to some of Sony's newer models (and the D-FJ61 model that I bought to replace the D-F411). It weighs a little bit more, but has the appearance of being better-made and is also easier to carry around without it sliding out of your hands. I thought the shape was not only more practical, but also more attractive.
I had one other complaint about this model -- the memory/ESP feature really put a drain on my batteries. This is true of the newer model that I bought, also. The memory/ESP feature is so nice that I don't mind the trade-off.
This CD player isn't a terrible deal, but I would recommend dishing out the extra cash for one of Sony's newer models. I think that the shock protection in the newer models is worth the difference in price. For this reason, I have to say that I wouldn't recommend this model to my friends.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 55
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Epinions.com ID:
greybeh
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
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