Features Totally Delivered-- Sound Quality Should've for the Price
Written: Feb 28 '01
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Sound: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
| Durability: |
|
|
| Portability: |
 |
|
| Battery Life: |
|
|
|
Pros: Solid Construction; Features; Anti-Shock Performance
Cons: Price; Display; Sound Quality isn't Always the Best
The Bottom Line: Panasonic's "Brain-Shaker" technology needs a little "Treble-Tickle" to be a complete winner. Points for excellent design & rock-solid construction...can disappoint with less-than-optimal sound quality.
|
|
|
| sistah-c's Full Review: Panasonic ShockWave SL-SW515 Personal CD Player |
Shopping for a portable CD player to take along on sports activities and to endure the great outdoors, I was turned off by all the cheaply-made, junky little CD players on the market. So I was initially drawn to Panasonic's SL-SW515 because of its superior, sturdy construction: when you close the case with the side clamps, a protective rubber lip around the inside edge almost vacuum seals this thing when shut. It's also made of a higher-grade plastic than most other players and a nice wide & strong hinge makes this Panasonic model far more durable, too. It's is a little on the heavier side--but that's preferable than cheap, flimsy plastic.
Also attractive on this Panasonic model were the features offered...especially the 40-second Anti-Shock Memory, programmability, and the extra bass. The headphones seemed to be well-built/comfortable and I was satisfied I was going to walk away totally delighted with my purchase.
And features-wise, it did deliver--the Anti-Shock Memory is very reliable & has handled a fair amount of jarring without skipping. The super-solid design gives me confidence my CD's are well-protected from the elements--like moisture, sand and dust--as well as the CD player's innards. The buttons/switches are all well-made, do what you want them to do and hold their settings. But it's difficult to see what's in the tiny, angled display window; a backlit feature would be a great improvement.
But all of that is for naught if the sound quality isn't up to par. And to my ear...it's disappointing much of the time. I'm no electrical engineer, but I have a gut-feeling that this CD player simply needs more juice than what's powered by the 2 AA-batteries. I usually have to max out the volume to just to hear the music--even in quiet conditions.
Curiously, Panasonic is giddy on its version of extra bass: the "Brain-Shaker." While it's an interesting sensation to have the entire crown of your head throbbing with bass lines, I wish they would've applied the same emphasis on the treble qualities and overall sound clarity. They're oftentimes missing, muddled or drowned out by the audible vibrations of the headphones (and probably your tympanic membranes, too.) Don't get me wrong...I'm not rocking out to John Tesh or Yanni on this thing, but this CD player is probably best suited for the audiophile who enjoys massive, sub-woofer bass and little else. If you like buzz, you'll like this CD player.
Thinking it might be the headphones that are the limitation, I tried out some other high-quality headphones with the SL-SW515 and they didn't sound any better. Likewise, I tried the original Panasonic Shock-Wave/VMSS headphones with other stereo units and the sound quality was better than with its own CD player.
Overall, I liked the Panasonic SL-SW515...but I really wanted to love it. Especially when you plunk down more than $150 for a portable CD unit, you expect top-notch sound with all the features. Maybe today's portable CD players, in general, just don't have the capacity to offer clear, crisp sound. For what it costs, however, I just know this Panasonic model should've definitely come closer.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 169
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
sistah-c
|
|
Location: Colorado & Hawaii (when I'm lucky)
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Gadget, travel and outdoors enthusiast...generally gruntled by life.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.