AM/FM/Cassette Stereo Recorder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The computer is marking this a two-star item when all I indicated is one star.If no stars were possible I'd mark that.

The first day I received this radio I tried a pre-recorded cassette tape.It played all right -so after a couple of minutes I shut it off, put in a fresh tape, and tried to record a radio program.

The radio played all right, but it failed to record.The tape did not advance.And it was also the last time I could produce even a hint of sound out of an old tape.

Perhaps the radio thought I should be honored at sitting in on its last gasp.I was not.

Yes, it's a cheap item but I feel it should have given me at least a solid week's performance before it lay over on its back.

To return it for repairs or replacement would make the loss even greater because the shipping expenses are so high.

I have ordered a new Sony from another source at considerably more expense.The new one is supposed to play CD's as well as tapes, which is not really what I wanted - but I simply could not find another simple radio/cassette recorder.

A most unpleasant experience was had by all.

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Product Description:
Coby Electronics Corporation is a manufacturer of quality consumer electronics products designed to deliver outstanding performance for value conscious consumers who do not compromise on product performance. It may be hard to think of the COBY CX244 as a companion but, in a sense, it is. Whether it rests atop your desk, nightstand, or is actively with you on walks, this portable stereo is designed to entertain. There are 2 integrated speakers to deliver stereo sound. There's a built-in cassette recorder with a built-in microphone - great for recording lectures and seminars. An AM/FM radio is built-in for your pick of music, talk, and news. You can even record directly from the radio onto the cassette recorder. The CX244 has a dual-volt power supply which means you can take it on trips to other countries. All you need are optional plug adapters. Plays pre-recorded cassette tapes Built-in stereo speakers Jack for connecting optional stereo headphones.

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Delphi SkyFi3 XM Satellite Radio with Car Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This would by my forth XM unit I've used since signing up in 2003. I've used the SkyFi, the SkyFi2, the RoadyXT (My brother actually) and now, the SkyFi3.Choosing this unit itself was a no-brainer when shopping around for portable units.

The SkyFi3 takes all the functionality of my beloved SkyFi2 (pause/rewind features more than anything) and crosses it with the versatility of the Helix/Inno.Unlike the Helix and the Inno though, this unit has a bias towards car use, yet still gives you the option to be completely mobile (With the purchase of the antenna/headphone set). The Helix/Inno units, which are primarily for on-the-go usage, have a much smaller, yet more colorful screen than the SkyFi3, and also include a built in antenna for on-the-go Live XM feed without any extra accessories.

The SkyFi3 on the other hand, has a much bigger screen, though monochrome, that make viewing from afar much easier. Also, as stated above, unlike the Helix/Inno, this unit has the ability to pause and rewind live feed. It is the first of it's kind to accept MicroSD memory cards for your own music to be added to your playlists, giving you nearly unlimited storage. Be warned though, Recording Live XM feed is limited to the built in 256MB (~10 Hours). The only potential downfall this unit has over the Helix/Inno would be it's large size in comparison. Also, having such a large screen could potentially get scratched much easier. The SkyFi3 is significantly cheaper than the Inno/Helix and when bought through certain retailers, you are given a voucher to get the $50 Standard Wearable Kit for free.

As for the overall sound quality, as long as you are using the SureConnect or a direct wired connection to your car radio, quality is equal to any other XM unit (Of course, using a non-modulated method will be the absolute best). But if you attempt to use just straight up Wireless FM Transmitter, forget it.Total trash.I am going to assume the FCC forced Delphi to use a much lower power transmitter.I live in the Buffalo, NY area and I've gone through the entire FM band and couldn't find a single channel that even made it usable. The SureConnect kit that comes with the SkyFi3 is just a clip that connects to your AM/FM antenna on the outside of your car, then connects to a wire that plugs into your car kit. Make sure you use this unless you have another method of hard wiring the unit to your radio (either by FM Modulation of an Aux input port)

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Product Description:
DELPHI SA10271-11B1 SKYFI3(TM) RECEIVER WITH CAR KIT & SA10252 2.8" LARGE SCREEN WITH HORIZONTAL OR VERTICLE MOUNT;30-MIN PAUSE & REPLAY FEATURES; STORES UP TO 10 HOURS OF XM PROGRAMMING WITH BUILT-IN MEMORY;STORES UP TO 500 SONGS WITH OPTIONAL MICRO SECURE DIGITAL CARD(TM);PLUG-IN-PLAY;INTEGRATED TUNER; PORTABLE PLAYBACK MODE WITH INTERNAL 5-HOUR RECHARGEABLE BATTERY; BOOK MARK & PURCHASE SONGS WITH XM & NAPSTER(TM); ARTIST & TUNE SELECT;XM SPORTS & STOCK TICKER; INCLUDES XM RECEIVER, CAR KIT, REMOTE, EARBUDS & USB CABLE & SA10252 SKYFI3(TM) RECEIVER WITH CAR KIT & SA10252

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Philips PSS110/17 256 MB Personal MP3 Sound System Review

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RCA RP2480 Portable CD/MP3 Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I collect public domain old time radio shows from Internet enthusiasts' websites, which feature many hundreds of shows from the 1930's and 40's.Most of these are taken from old noisy transcriptions or network shows, with limited audio fidelity, and are encoded as 'low' as 16 kilobits resolution.This model RCA is one of the few portables that I have found that will play even 16 kbs Mp3 files (the manual claims the file encoding must be at least 32, but I find that 16, 22, or 24 kb encoding also play just fine.) Unfortunately it is true -- as stated in the manual -- that WMA files have to be 64 kbs, which leaves out many OTR files, but as far as I know, few (perhaps no) portables handle 16 kbs WMA files, though computer software can do so.

I am a professional sound engineer of many years' experience so I have been mystified by the negative reports about this player, written by users who have had very bad luck with their units.I have not had almost any of the problems reported by others.It is such a reliable player that I am now looking for a second one, or perhaps a later RCA model, to augment it.I also own an RCA RCD-148 CD/Mp3 boombox, pretty much the same thing but in a larger cabinet with radio tuner, amp, and speakers -- and have found it, too, to work very reliably, and to play almost any Mp3 file I have on CD-R, with no skips or discontinuities.

Here are the "problems" allegedly experienced by other amateur reviewers:

1. Hiss at all times? This is absolutely NOT the case with mine.Using either the phones supplied, or other better quality ones, I don't hear any line out hiss.

2. Bad sound, worse than other units?Not so!If the equalizer is set for flat reproduction, the sound is equivalent on high quality classical music CDs in my collection to any of my other regular portable CD players.Mp3 files sound absolutely the same as played back thru my Windows' computers.

3. Skipping?Not so in my unit.It takes effort to make it skip: banging on the lid will do it but this is also true of my other half-dozen CD-only portables.It seems no more sensitive to shaking than my Sony or Panasonic CD portable units.

4. Playing part of a CD audio or MP3 track, then quitting? Well, this has never once happened to me in more than a year of use with thousands of tracks played, on either CDs or CDRs.

5. Terrible battery life?Not really; I find it rather close to the claim in the manual.With a brand new pair of high grade alkaline batteries I can usually listen to one or two half-hour old time radio shows daily FOR THREE WEEKS to A MONTH before the batteries need to be replaced.Battery drain may be reduced -- as I use the machine -- by using an external headphone amp and keeping the RCA's volume level on the low side.I employ an inexpensive Koss three-band external equalizer/headphone driver since its graphic equalizer sliders are easier and quicker to use than the programmable equalizer in the RCA player (and have more control range.)

6. Not audiophile sound quality?Perhaps this is partly true.I find that when playing my finest quality classical music audio CDs that the RCA player has a noticeable sampling artefact at the start and close of some tracks, especially on old CDs made without dither.This would suggest that the D-A conversion and filtering is imperfect and not absolutely linear at the lowest part of the dynamic range, where sound levels drop below (say) -45 to -55 dB.For example, my Panasonic SX-SL270 handles the "fade in from black" of the very faintest music tracks seamlessly, while the RCA 2480 produces -- for a few milliseconds -- a slight faint crackle/thud until consistent sample amplitudes are at an appreciable volume.This is not noticeable DURING THE ACTUAL MUSIC but in the 'dead zones' in lead in/lead out tracks; with normal music playing I cannot hear any sampling artefacts at all.I find this inconsequential, and it does not seem to happen at all on Mp3 tracks (or at least the ones I have on CD-R.)

7. Low volume?Not at all; with the headphones supplied, I found the volume level generally higher than my Sony players, and quite sufficient for the music and radio programs that I have on CD.I can only imagine that people who like to play back (say) rap, with a driving, intense, extremely low-frequency bass down to perhaps 30 or 40 Hz would not find the dynamic range and power output of either the RCA's internal amp, or supplied phones, satisfactory; but portables do not handle this type of program material as well as high powered car or home stereo equipment operated from much higher current power sources than two little AA cells!

8. Instructions unclear?As far as I'm concerned, the supplied manual was a model of clarity, and the actual functionality (though somewhat cumbersome at first) is quite logical once you absorb the idea of what to do, step by step.The display provides more information than any other portable I've seen, and the ability to search the root and directories of CD-Rs containing huge numbers of files is quite exemplary and straightforward.I think the average VCR is an order of magnitude more complicated and confusing than this little device!

9. Unreliable.That is not true of the unit that I purchased.It worked correctly from the instant I put in the batteries and first disk; it still works fine a year later after hundreds and hundreds of hours' use.

I can only assume that people who have found this unit to be entirely UNsatisfactory have failed to observe the following conditions:

a. They haven't read the instructions;
b. They are using lousy batteries; maybe even carbon-zinc cheapies;
c. Their CDs are in TERRIBLE shape;
d. They have allowed the unit to become very dirty, so that the lens is not clean and clear;
e. They have subjected it to some severe physical damage, or left it in 100-degree sun for hours at a time (which will dry up the tiny capacitors on the circuit board);
f. They work for COMPETING COMPANIES (!) and are publishing disinformation to discourage people from considering this product;
g. Or -- let's face it -- they just don't know what they're talking about, have ridiculous expectations, and are almost never satisfied.

For the record, I have been a salesman of high end audio, have designed professional recording equipment, and have many years' background as a recording and audio engineer.The RCA is one of my more satisfactory items of home electronics; I recommend it to people who have expectations of actually receiving a product that lives up pretty well to its published specs (if not pleasing ignoramuses and clumsy folks with lousy, damaged CDs and the expectations that a $60 battery-operated portable will operate and sound like a multi-thousand dollar AC-operated device.)
- 8H Haggis

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Product Description:
The RCA RP2480 personal CD player combines slim styling with advanced features--including support for MP3 and Windows Media Audio formats and SmartTrax navigation--making it a great choice for all-night study sessions at the coffeehouse or jogs through the park. It even includes MusicMatch MP3 recording software for burning your own MP3 CDs with up to 10 hours of music each. On-the-go users will appreciate the unit's espXtreme anti-skip protection, which varies from 45 seconds for audio CDs to 200 seconds for MP3 and WMA files, so you can enjoy shock-resistant, uninterrupted music playback even in turbulent conditions. The SmartTrax navigation technology, meanwhile, helps you quickly access specific songs or playlists using a library of computer-generated ID tags that identify digital audio files by title, artist, album, year, genre and track number. The SmartTrax file management system can even "read" song data from your recordable CDs, letting you view track names and create playlists at the touch of a button. To make it easier to navigate through SmartTrax data, the RP2480 includes a three-line dot-matrix display and offers 30-track/folder programmability.
Playback functions include track programming for creating your own custom soundtrack, CD-R and CD-RW compatibility, repeat and shuffle play, resume (starts playing the CD from where it left off), intro scan, and song skip/search. The device's audio performance is enhanced by the digital bass boost system, which ensures a deep, rich overall sound that belies the CD player's compact size, and three equalizer presets that let you customize the audio based on genre and listener preferences. Add in the pair of clip-on stereo headphones, which fit neatly on the ear and stay on while you exercise, and you're ready to rock.

Style-conscious users, meanwhile, will delight in the sleek white color with black highlights. The RP2480 runs for up to 20 hours on two AA batteries, making it a great fit for long road trips and marathon study sessions. And at 5.2 by 1.02 by 5.63 inches, it always takes up a minimum of space wherever you use it. It's also backed by a one-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box
CD player, clip-on stereo headphones, MusicMatch software on CD-ROM, user's manual.

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SIRIUS ST4-TK1 Starmate 4 Plug-and-Play Satellite Radio Receiver with Car Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Overall, the Starmate 4 is OK, but it has some significant design flaws that some thoughtful engineering could have easily fixed.I wish I had bought the Sportster 4. First, unlike the Sportster 4, this model does NOT incorporate the Auxillary Input feature for plugging in your MP3 player or other audio devices.Many of the online merchants advertise this, but it is not present on the Starmate 4 car dock.The addition of the Starmate 4 dock increases the size of the Starmate, which is thinner than previous models, but is now functionally larger in size because of the addition of the dock.A major design flaw (in my opinion) is that the antenna, power and auxillary output from the car dock are located on the back of the unit, rather than the bottom or sides.So, although the unit is physically thinner than previous models, by the time you install it, it is functionally thicker than previous models.In short, the footprint of the new Starmate is larger than previous models when you factor in the docking cradle and the location of the antenna, power, and audio connections.Since I bought this unit for a smaller footprint than the Sportster 4, I am dissappointed.I had hoped to install it flush with my dashboard by attaching velcro to the back of the unit similar to the way you could with the Starmate Replay.

The positive is that it DOES have a docking cradle which makes it much easier to move from the car to the home.If you don't need to move the unit around, then the Starmate 4 does not have any functionality that doesn't exist in the Starmate Replay.The addition on an auxillary input jack similar to the Sportster 4 would have offered a significant upgrade.If the designers for the next generation of radios are listening, I'd suggest spending time thinking about how people actually have to install these devices.Place the connectors on the bottom or sides of the docking cradle or provide a method of giving the user options. My 2006 Prius does not have any smooth surfaces for using the suction cup except for the windshield which slopes too much to allow convenient installation. Likewise the air conditioning vents don't work well in my vehicle for installation.Frankly, I'm sorry I spent the extra money for this unit.But, if you want a unit that can be moved easily from car to home, this is a good option. For flexibility, the Sportster 4 might be a better option since it does supply additional functionality for the same price.

Update:I've had this for 9-months now and it has worked flawlessly.However, I stand by my human factors design concerns stated in the initial review and think that a dock design could be created to give the user options for where the wires plug into the dock.We all jury-rig these radios into our cars, regardless of our personal preferences.The design of the radio, combined with the configuration of my car (Prius), required that I purchase an aftermarket windshield mount since the one that came with the radio would not work in my car.

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Product Description:
SIRIUS Starmate 4 combines all of the exciting and easy-to-use features of the Starmate family, and offers up a simple, sleek design as well as SIRIUS Universal docking capability. It has a large widescreen LCD, and the slim unit is easily portable. Artist name, song titles, and up to five lines of text are displayed on the screen. The Starmate 4 replays up to 44 minutes of content and can pause, rewind, and fast forward.

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Pioneer Airware MyFi XM Portable Satellite Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I don't normally submit "product opinions" (I know, shame on me) but this portable XM radio from Pioneer is so good that I felt that I had to. I had been considering getting some kind of a satellite radio for my car for more than 6 months and when I found out that a friend of mine had a Delphi XM unit in his car I knew that the time had come to finally make a move:-)

I was thinking of getting a Delphi MyFi but then discovered that the Pioneer AirWare had recently hit the store shelves. I like the Pioneer brand and also liked the looks (and controls) of the Pioneer unit more than those of the MyFi .. so I picked up an AirWare at the local Circuit City (can get it cheaper elsewhere for sure). I have had it for 3 weeks now and during this time have used it EXTENSIVELY in the car, in my home office and also on business trips. It works great !

I am especially impressed by the effectiveness of the built-in FM transmitter ... I have used a few built-in and external FM transmitters in my time over the past few years but haven't had much luck with them (too much interference from other radio stations). I was pleasantly surprised (and relieved) to discover that the AirWare's transmitter is VERY effective ... I have been driving around the Connecticut/ Westchester County/NYC/Long Island region quite a bit since I got it, without having to switch FM frequencies at all !

The features and sound quality of the unit are great. It is very useful that you can record up to 5 hours of audio (via a "scheduled record" function) that you can then listen to offline when the satellite reception is not up to snuff. Another neat feature is that if you hear a song or artist that you like, you can press a button and from then on whenever that same song or artist is playing on any of the 150+ channels the unit beeps and displays a message so that, if you want, you can press the same button and the unit automatically switches to the relevant channel.

The AirWare comes with everything that you neeed to set it up at home or in a car. When using the AirWare in my car I use the "vent mount" to secure it (in its cradle) to an air vent. I have the antenna magnetically-mounted outside on the front part of the car roof. On some of the more tree-lined roads of Connecticut, satellite reception can sometimes be spotty ... you need to have line-of-sight to the XM satellites which are positioned in the southern sky .. but generally reception is very good.All-in-all I am very happy that I got it ... it is a very, very well designed and executed product ... plus the breadth and quality of the XM programming is great.

In summary I can heartily recommend both the Pioneer AirWare and the XM service !

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Product Description:
Imagine having Satellite radio in your hand, in your pocket, on your hip, in your car, in the mountains, at home, anywhere. Well, it's here. With the Pioneer AirWare XM2go Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver, you can take XM radio anywhere you want to go. Now you can stay connected to the world in your car, at home, in the office, or by the beach. Pick up the AirWare XM2go, tune in to XM satellite broadcasts, stuff the receiver into your pocket, and you're ready to go.
This receiver comes with a home kit that includes a docking station, antenna, RCA cables, wireless remote, and AD adaptor that will bring XM radio right into your living room. Toss in the vehicle docking station, antenna, and 12-volt DC power converter, and you've got XM on four wheels. Pioneer doesn't stop there, though. With a set of stereo headphones, a rechargeable battery (up to five ours of use), and belt clip, you'll be tuning into the satellite airwaves anywhere your feet might take you.
The built-in memory effortlessly records and stores up to five hours of broadcasting. With this feature you never miss your favorite broadcast. The built-in FM transmitter enables your XM2go radio to play through any car stereo, home stereo, or boom box with a simple frequency tune. And, of course, no XM receiver would be complete without an informative LCD display that shows channel, artist, and song information, as well as personalized stock ticker and sports scores. All of this functionality is at your fingertips with the easy-to-use numeric keypad and scroll wheel. Add 30 presets and you've got one-touch tuning to your favorite channels.
The AirWare XM2go is the perfect introduction to XM satellite radio. It's portable, easy-to-use and requires no special installation. Listen to music, sports, talk, comedy, drama, news and kids programming, from coast to coast. For more information about XM Radio digital-quality sound, coast-to-coast coverage, and more than 150 channels of satellite radio entertainment, visit XMradio.com.
What's in the Box
AirWare XM radio receiver, home docking station, home antenna, AC adapter, wireless remote control, 2 AAA batteries, audio cable, car docking station, car antenna, cigarette lighter adapter, cassette adapter, swivel/flush/vent mounts, rechargeable battery, headphones, belt clip, and protective case.

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Fisher Price Kid Tough FP3 Song & Story Player - Pink Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this for my 5 year-old for her birthday.She absolutely loves it and mastered the operation within minutes.Downloading stories from the website was a little tricky, but in the end was worth the time ($1.99 for most stories).Copying songs from CDs was the best feature.You can pick and delete the songs you want.You can even assign a picture to each song or to a collection of songs.For example, for High School Musical, I assigned a school bus; for the Aquamarine soundtrack, a starfish; Princess and the Pauper, a princess.Anyway, you get the idea.She also really likes the story reading function.I look forward to trying out the speaker/boom box accessory.The headphones seemed bulky to me, but my 5 year old loves how they fit and they don't slide off of her head!

I gave it 5 stars even though we had to return the first one.The play/pause button didn't work consistently, even right out of the box.It is marketed as a "kid tough" design, but we may have just had a bad player, as the replacement one seems to work fine, even after dropping it a few times.I also recommend the blue case; the pink one is very pale pink and all of the ones in store were already scuffed up and dirty.

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Product Description:
The Kid-Tough FP3 Player in Pink is a real digital player designed just for preschoolers. It's tough enough and easy enough for kids to use. We've also made it easy for parents to download hundreds of songs and stories onto the player from the Fisher-Price FP3 Song & Story Online Store, or from any CD. The Kid-Tough FP3 Player features: A backlit 1.4-inch LCD screen that uses icons to help kids recognize and choose their favorite songs and stories all by themselves; big buttons that make it easy to navigate; Kid-tough design that stands up to preschoolers play. Holds two hours of entertainment that's approximately 30 songs or 15 stories. Add an SD memory card to store even more. Headphones are sized just right for little ones and play at a safe volume; breakaway neck strap; six songs and two stories pre-loaded. With the software CD we've included, you can: access the Fisher-Price FP3 Song & Story Online Store; browse hundreds of kid-appropriate songs and stories, all in one place; read expert recommendations to help you choose and purchase online, anytime; copy music from CDs you already own to your player; change and manage your player's songs and stories; player software requirements: Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP; Intel Pentium III 500 MHz or above; 256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM or higher recommended); 150 MB free hard-disc space for full installation; Video Graphics Card with 1024 x 768 resolution or higher; Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 with SP1 or later; Macromedia Flash plug-in; USBport; Optional for Online Store: Internet connection (broadband connection recommended). Requires 2 AAA (LR03) alkaline batteries.

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Logitech Squeezebox Wi-Fi Internet Radio and Wireless Music Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
-Amazing sound quality
-Burr-Brown DAC (pretty much the best around)
-Easy to configure
-Great interface
-Rock-solid performance (no waiting when you hit play, and no network issues)
-Created for IT people by IT people, but doesn't require a lot of IT literacy to get up and running (and their documentation is great).
-Price

Cons:
-The only thing I can think of is that it would be cool to have a USB port with USB Mass Storage Device support so you can plug a USB HDD directly in to this puppy and rock and roll.But, this is just nit-picking, and they probably didn't include USB because it would increase the price and wouldn't offer a lot of performance to a lot of people.Details:
Every once in a while there is a product so genius that it reminds me why I love technology.I had read up about the Squeezebox and I figured it would be really cool.When I picked it up I immediately noticed that it was small.Smaller and sleeker than I expected.It seems to be made of high-quality materials, and at this point I'm feeling pretty unimpressed about the whole thing (since I figured the sound quality would let me down like most digital audio devices... *cough* *cough* *iPod* *cough* *cough*).

My brother and I plug it in to his Denon receiver and B&W speakers, and we power it on.I immediately notice that I like the interface.It's snappy, and the slide transitions actually look pretty cool.The screen is also pretty nice, so I'm starting to feel good about things at this point.

The configuration of this device was a breeze.It auto-detects networks (with broadcast SSID turned on) and I was able to get it on the network in a matter of minutes without reading the manual.The SlimServer software for the PC is also pretty easy to install and configure, and I noticed that they released the source code for the server software.

I first listened to some streaming radio, and I have to say: I was impressed with the quality of the radio stations.I hate MP3 compression (I use FLAC), but the classical stations actually sounded pretty good to my ears.The best part is that the radio stations just work.No problems.No weird network timeouts.Just on-demand radio by Genre, City, Etc.

After playing around with the radio, I decided to listen to some FLAC that I am really familiar with to get an idea of the DAC and the fidelity of the player.My brother and I were blown away by the sound quality of my FLAC files.It sounds about as good as his Denon CD player, and it puts every other digital audio player I have ever heard to complete and utter shame.

There are a lot of things I like about this product.The fact that they release the source and allow you to create custom plug-ins is cool.Everything about this seems like it's created by some friggin' good engineers that want other IT people to appreciate it.

This thing is simply amazing.For price-to-performance, you can't beat it!

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Product Description:

The Logitech Squeezebox enables you to stream your favorite music to your stereo--even when your computer is off. You'll be able to tune in to thousands of Internet radio stations as well as listen to online music services such as Pandora and Rhapsody when connected to your home's wireless network. Additionally, you can play songs from your personal library stored on your computer.

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Pioneer Inno Portable XM2go Radio with MP3 Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been an XM subscriber since my first SkyFi when Opie and Anthony started in October 2004.I added a MyFi when those launched and appreciated its features (ability to store songs, built-in FM modulator, auto on/off in the car, more presets for all the great music channels), but found its on-the-hip portability sketchy.

I purchased an Inno a few weeks ago and am blown away by the improved portability over my MyFi.
1. The reception is better--I can even get a signal in the gym (lots of windows, granted, but the old MyFi reception broke up too much for usefulness indoors).
2.The styling is sleeker.This thing is less than half the size of the old MyFi--about the size of my cellphone.
3. The store-on-the-go/auto-recording features are great.I've been recording Bob Dylan's theme time radio hour when they air it during the night so I've got it the next AM.Only fluke is that recording labels are not always EXACTLY the start and finish of each song.Sometimes you get a second or two of the song before/after.
The negatives that keep it from getting 4 stars--I miss the preset buttons from the MyFi.I had 30 presets, so could always find the right music/comedy/news/etc. for the moment.The Inno doesn't have any presets (unless I've missed something).The XM/Napster software doesn't work on the Mac, which is frustrating.Also, I'd ordered a car kit and still haven't received it.

In the end, though, this little radio is a HUGE step forward.

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Product Description:
XM Radio is a satellite based radio system. It requires a monthly subscription fee for reception. Pioneer's Inno is the complete entertainment package. It's a satellite radio that lets you listen to live XM broadcasts at home, on the go, and even in the car (car kit sold separately). The Inno lets you store individual songs or entire blocks of XM programming and listen to them anytime you'd like. Or you can upload some of your favorite MP3 and WMA files, and create playlists that include MP3s/WMAs and the songs you've recorded from XM.
The Pioneer Inno offers the long-awaited combination of MP3 and live XM Satellite Radio reception in a sleek, handheld device.The wearable radio delivers XM's over 170 digital radio channels of commercial-free music and premier sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming live and nationwide.It plays MP3s and WMAs, and it has a time-shifting memory mode for storage and playback of XM content. A particularly innovative feature of the Inno allows the user to ?bookmark? songs heard on XM, connect the Inno to a personal computer, and instantly purchase the songs from the XM + Napster online music download service.
The Pioneer Inno has 1GB of memory storage for MP3 files, WMA files, and XM programming, to hold up to 50 hours of content.At only 4.4 ounces and 3.4? x 1.9? x .67?, the Inno is extremely light and easy to take along anywhere. In addition to the XM + Napster feature of the Inno, it has a full-color 180 X 180 pixels TFT display and a user-friendly interface for saving and deleting content.Users can build personal playlists using a mix of XM content and tracks from their own digital music collection. The Inno has a memory buffer to make it easy to store an entire track heard in XM, even if the user starts storing it in the middle of a song.

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2GB WMA/MP3 Digital Audio Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Wanted something inexpensive that I could run off a battery to listen to material too lengthy for a CD.This is perfect---it holds all the material I wanted with room for more and sounds good in the playback.It was easy to load using a windows vista/windows media player system.I have the very, very cute pink model.My minor complaint is that I haven't figured out how to light up the display without resorting to adjusting the volume but that is not a big deal when one considers how cheaply you can carry around lots of material to listen to.

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Product Description:
Item #: V46588.
Product Type: Digital player - flash based
Sound Output Mode: Stereo
Supported Digital Audio Standards: WMA, MP3, protected WMA (DRM)
Built-in Display: LCD
Flash Memory: 2 GB
Supported Flash Memory Cards: MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
Headphones: Headphones - binaural - ear-bud - stereo
PC Interface Supported: USB
Battery: 1 x battery - AAA type
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2GB WMA/MP3 Digital Audio Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Had mine for less than three weeks now, it is my first ever!For the money, pretty thrilled! I wanted to avoid buying music from Proprietary people, so I got this.I got in over 300 songs.Package claimed 1000 songs, which if you have 1000 1.9MB songs, yes you might get them in.I could not.I like the equalizer settings, but can tell you I like the headphones I already own for bass response over the earbuds included. The Win32 memory may make it where you can't record the tracks in the order you wanted. If I had to add a downside, there is no clip, or holder, or case.It is very light.OVERALL, for me and my friends, I have bought 5 so far!

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Product Description:
Plays MP3 and WMA audio. Virtual hard drive USB mass storage. Retractable USB port. LCD display with white backlight. File compatibility: MP3, WMA. Integrated flash memory. Stereo headphone jack. CD power: 1 "AAA" battery, not included. Includes 1 set of stereo earbuds. 2 GB.

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Denon DCM-290 CD/CD-R/RW 5 Disc Changer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm being critical here- this is a good-sounding player.My critique would be that the sound isn't balanced- it's weighted toward the highs.Not much lows or low mids.Bright-sounding (I'm sensitive to this) but not harsh.
Nice amount of detail- I can understand lyrics on some songs that I never could before (our previous changer was a JVC).Changer is less "clunky" sounding than our JVC.

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Product Description:
Denon DCM-290 CD/CD-R/RW 5 Disc CD Changer

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Sirius SLH2 Home Install Kit for the Stiletto 2 Portable Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Most of the reviewers of this product are failing to mention its most salient value-add, which is the enablement of convenient upright desktop listening when the radio is far from a window. The base allows easy attachment to the included AC charger and antenna as well as your stereo speakers. The external indoor/outdoor antenna with 21' cable costs $34.99 by itself. So you are getting the dock, charger and remote control for only $15. This is great value from my perspective.

My particular application is the recording of various CNBC programs both in the morning and in the evening. This allows me to listen to the programs during my urban commute and fast forward through the commercials. This content is extremely valuable as I work in the financial services industry and need to absorb as much news as possible before the stock market opens. The dock and its external antenna allows me to listen to the radio where is it most convenient for listening but not necessarily the best location for reception. My urban commute is generally on a bicycle, in a taxi or on a bus/subway, so having a robust method of listening to programs like CNBC Squawk Box for 30 minutes that would be otherwise be wasted is a big productivity gain.

As reception deep inside my thick-walled prewar high rise is limited, the remote antenna dramatically improves the quality of the recordings and the overall user experience. Before purchasing this dock, I would place the Stiletto 2 on the window ledge so I could record key programs. This made listening to recorded programs while it was still recording not feasible. Now, I have the Stiletto 2 on my dresser plugged into a surplus pair of computer speakers. This allows for uninterrupted recording while I am listening to recently recorded or live programs. When I am ready to leave, I quickly remove the Stiletto 2, plug in the headphones and head out the door. My one issue with the dock is that it does not accommodate the case that Sirius itself sells. So, I have to spend a few extra seconds placing the Stiletto 2 in its case. This is very minor issue, however.

One other change I would suggest to Sirius engineers is that they provide a slightly more flexible antenna mounting mechanism. For those using the antenna indoors, it would be helpful to have suction cups or adhesive mounts so it could be affixed directly to glass. While the current antenna pivots on a base, there is a limited range of motion. So even if the user wanted to use double-sided tape to attach the base to the window pane, the actual antenna would be facing into the room. In my application, I used double sided tape to attach the base to a relatively narrow window ledge. This has worked fine and I am very happy with the reception.

In summary, this home dock is an excellent value. It improves reception and make access to the radio more convenient. I would especially recommend this product for anyone who wants to record important programs and/or listen to the radio while the recording is in progress.

Pros
Dramatically improves reception
Great value
Enables quality recording of shows while the radio is in the most convenient location
Easy upright placement close to external speakers for easy menu navigation

Cons
Doesn't accommodate a case (minor)
Antenna mounting orientation is limited

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Product Description:
Sirius slh2 sirius(tm) stiletto 2 portable radio home kit stereo audio output to connect home audio system or powered speakers; headphone jack to listen to sl2 while docked without speakers; pc sync to manage your mp3 & wma files; charges stiletto 2 while docked; compatible with stiletto 2 radios; compact, sleek design with high gloss finish; includes home dock, remote control, indoor/outdoor home antenna with 21-ft cable, audio cables, usb cable, pc software & ac power adapter

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Delphi MyFi Portable Satellite Radio with Altec Lansing XM2GO Boom Box Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This product was better than advertised. The Boom Box alone was worth more than the cost. Everything was exactly as described. The only surprise was receiving more than expected. We now have a second car antenna for our other car, second home antenna and spare radio. The second home antenna allows us to use the radio in two rooms. After shopping for new products could not believe that we would be able to find something so good in this price range. We would not hesitate to order from this company again.

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Creative Zen Stone 2 GB MP3 Player with Built-in Speaker and Clip (Blue) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you're looking for something fancy, this definitely isn't the player for you.If really just want something that plays your favorite songs because you're either new to this technology and are afraid of something too complicated or are looking for a basic extra player to take to the gym or to keep your sanity while on the bus/train every day, then keep reading.

NOTE:this does NOT work with subscription music programs.If that's how you get most of your music, you have now been warned to look elsewhere.Any music that you have truly "bought", however, should work -- licensed files are going to be more complicated to transfer than their DRM-free counterparts, of course, but both will work.

Presuming you don't mind the lack of a screen. . . what's not to like about this player?Not only is it small and easy to control like an iPod shuffle, but it also includes a little speaker if you'd like to easily let someone else in the room listen in and lets you transfer music by dragging and dropping the files into it.No quirky transfer software necessary!(It does include an optional software program if you'd like one, though.)Oh, and did I mention this is generally selling for around $40 or less at the time of this writing. . . and comparable iPods aren't?

The in-box earbuds aren't anything spectacular if sound quality is a major concern to you, but this is easily fixed by plugging in a better pair -- the player will put them to good use.The battery life isn't exactly spectacular for not having the huge power drain of a screen, but that's likely forgivable if you're near a computer to be able to plug this in regularly.The cable's a standard mini USB, so no worries if you lose the tiny little one that comes with it.

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Product Description:
Powered with a built-in speaker, share your music out loud with your friends. Small but impressively built, the new ZEN Stone is the answer to ready music on the move. Carry it on you as you dance to the beat of your workout music. Featuring user-friendly plug-and-play capabilities, transfer files smoothly from the computer to your ZEN Stone and take pleasure in a selection of up to 500 songs as you bask in 20 hours of continuous audio playback. You can even download the free integrated software Creative Media Lite to enhance your ZEN Stone s performance. Tiny in size? But definitely big in value. Dark Blue Color.

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JBL OnTour Portable Music Box Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Impressive sound compared to other portables.I have a set of Wharfedale Loudman's used for 2 years. They're good value for the $40 I paid, but the "On Tour" has much more "depth"The sound is pure, rich, "on" I've listened to some of the more expensive portable alternatives and didn't think they beat the LoudMan's so didn't buy.Took a chance on these based on a review and the brand name.Doesn't have boom box volume, won't blow you out of the room, but there's plenty of volume without setting on max.And even on max setting, there's no sense that you're on the edge of distortion.

They're heavier than I expected, just less than 14 oz, exceptionally well made, sized more like a hip flask than the 'glasses' case described in one review.This isn't for your pocket, but OK for a brief case or tucked in the corner of a suitcase.I use mine in small group meetings and on travel.

The folks who designed this created a winner.

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Product Description:
Share your music while on the road with the Harman JBL on Tour portable speaker system, which features an integrated protective cover that slides open to reveal a pair of full-range speakers. The slightly curved chassis measures 7 by 1.4 by 3.5 inches (W x H x D) when closed. When open, the cover shifts focus to serve as a stand, pointing the speakers upward to produce optimal sound on a flat surface. The system is compatible with most portable audio players thanks to its stereo mini-jack connection, which hooks up to such devices as the iPod, iPod mini, and a variety of other MP3 players, CD players, desktop computers, and laptops. The JBL on Tour is also easy to control, with a touch volume pad that both manages the volume and mutes the sound when desired. The speakers also remember the previous volume setting once the system shuts down.
Unlike many portable speaker systems, the JBL on Tour prides itself on its steady bass and clear, accurate audio. The device employs Harman's digital amplifier technology and Odyssey aluminum-domed transducers to deliver a full, rich frequency response that extends from low bass notes to high-end tones. In addition, the system uses computer-optimized equalization to improve the soundstage and an advanced energy management system that keeps the unit from wasting battery power during use. Additional features include gripping rubber feet below the speakers, an audio input cable, and a universal AC adapter. When used as a portable system, the JBL on Tour provides more than 24 hours of continuous play on four AAA batteries. The device also includes a low battery alert.
What's in the Box
JBL on Tour speaker system, audio input cable, AC adapter, user's manual.

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GPX CDPM5004 Portable CD/MP3 Player with Anti-Skip Protection Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This CD Player has almost everything you could need, Bass Boost, fourty-five second anti-skip on cds, one hundred second on MP3 (which is really cool because it actually stops moving the CD, but still plays the music [it memorizes the songs for two minutes, and then memorizes the next two almost unnoticably] during those two minutes) In the month that I've had it the only time it's skipped is when the batteries run low, and I think that the anti-skip (with the stopping of the cd) with the MP3's actually adds to battery life.

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Product Description:
The GPX CDPM5004 personal CD player gives listeners access to both their CD and MP3 catalogs in an affordable, lightweight package. The device is compatible with CD, CD-R, and CD-RW formats, but also plays compressed MP3 files when loaded on a CD-R disc, making it a far more affordable alternative to Flash memory MP3 players. And as a further incentive to digital music fans, it's also quite eye-catching, with a half-moon-shaped window that reveals the spinning CD inside. Active listeners who plan to take the CD player jogging or on bumpy car trips will welcome the anti-skip protection (ASP), which stores the music data for a set time to safeguard against interruptions from jostling. The ASP runs for 120 seconds for MP3 files and 45 seconds when playing CDs.
Ultimately, however, it's the music that makes the machine, and the CDPM5004 delivers on this count, too, with a bass boost system that fills out the lower frequencies to create an impressive overall sound. Other features include 64-track programming, a two-line LCD display, random and repeat play, directory select, CD intro, song skip/search, and a low battery indicator. The device runs on two AA batteries (not included) and comeswith stereo headphones and a belt clip for portable use. It also carries a 90-day warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box
CD player, stereo headphones, belt clip, user's manual.

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