Well balanced, great sound.
Written: Sep 21 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sound, durability, skip protection.
Cons: Low durability of headphones, rather large.
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| NetDanzr's Full Review: Panasonic ShockWave SL-SW515 Personal CD Player |
When looking for a portable CD player, I had several requirements. First, after years of having a walkman with VMSS, I was looking for the same in a CD player. Second, I am traveling (backpacking) a lot, and I was looking for a player that would not break easily, could be dropped, drenched and stepped upon. Lastly, I decided to go for something that would offer some level of skip protection, as my old player (a 7-years old Sony) tended to skip even when I rode on a railroad.
Panasonic SL-SW515 offers everything in a well-balanced mix, for an affordable price (during a sale).
Sound: The player utilizes the Visual motion Sound System (VMSS). This system requires special headphones, and can be compared to other extra-bass features. However, there is a major difference. Not only it gives you extra bass, but a membrane within the headphones noticeably vibrates, creating an even better bass effect. Once you try it, you'll end up hooked on VMSS.
Durability: This CD player is virtually indestructible. After a while of traveling, moving from place to place, and handling the player very poorly, it suffered a few minor scratched on the casing, but still works flawlesly.
Skip protection: Hard to say for me, mainly because it is my first CD Player with a skip protection. However, I can say it didn't skip at all while riding a train in Slovakia, which is an adventure by itself, and probably more bumpy than going for a long run.
Flaws: Yes, nothing is perfect, and even this player has some major flaws. First, the durability of the headphones is rather low. They are exactly the same ones I have gotten with my walkman, and which started to fall apart after five years. Even though the CD player headphones still are in a good shape, I'd give them just five years of life, which is very unfortunate, especially considering that you can't buy an extra pair. Second, the player is rather large, and I have had some problems to fit it into a couple of CD Player/CDs casings. Also, due to its size, its mobility is rather limited (I'm talking about a situation when you have a small backpack and take a month to get across Europe).
The bottom line: This CD player is the one you should get if you care for sound quality and durability. However, if you look for a slick design or small size, try something else, such as an MP3 player.
Recommended:
Yes
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NetDanzr
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Location: Chatham, NJ
Reviews written: 217
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