CD Players

JVC XL-FZ258BK 5-CD Changer

Keep 5 of your favorite albums ready to play instantly whenever you want with this 5 disc CD changer Other features include - optical digital out Remote control with disc keys&numeric pad 10 keypad for direct track access Continuous play Programmable for up to 32 tracks for 5 discs Stabilizing clamper

Although it's a budget model, the JVC XL-FZ258BK five-disc carousel player still satisfies many requirements for ergonomic operation and quality sound reproduction. JVC equips the XL-FZ258BK with play exchange, which lets you change any four discs while one is playing. An optical digital output lets you record direct to CD-R or minidisc for pure digital copies and also facilitates integration with a surround receiver and home theater.

JVC has long been recognized for its dedication to high sound quality. Accordingly, this player offers JVC's exclusive P.E.M. D.D. (Pulse Edge Modulation Differential-Linearity-Errorless) digital-to-analog (D/A) converter, touted by many as one of the most accurate and "musical" one-bit D/As available. The converter is designed to render all the delicacy and subtlety of recorded music, and an 8x oversampling digital filter lends a helping hand.

Conveniences include continuous play and smart random play, five individual disc-select keys on the front panel, and a remote control with 10-key pad for direct disc and track access. The XL-FZ258BK also offers a 20-track program chart, resume functionality (letting you pick up where you left off before you turned off the player), program play (up to 32 tracks and/or discs), and four-way repeat (which lets you repeat all tracks, a single track, programmed tracks, and random-play options).

JVC has thoughtfully provided an independent volume control for the player's headphone jack, and the unit comes with a disc-stabilizing clamper to reduce potentially sound-degrading internal vibrations.

JVC's enhanced Compu Link control system uses intuitive technology to foster communication between various JVC components. This unit comes with a one-year warranty on parts and a 90-day warranty on labor.

Sony CFD-S350 CD/Cassette Portable Boombox (Silver)

The CFD-S350 CD Radio Cassette Recorder gives portable music a sleek new look. It delivers rich bass and crisper highs, for more dynamic sound. The digital tuner lets you pick up your favorite radio stations while the CD player and tape deck lets you bring your favorite mixes with you, anywhere you go. Synchronized CD/cassette dubbing All-new chassis design Clear display for easy reading ands control

Take high quality music with you wherever you roam with the stylish Sony CFD-S350 boombox. With a CD player, as well as a cassette deck and radio tuner, you can play those favorites you still have on tape, as well as audio CDs and CD-R/RWs.

The built in "Wide Stage" convex speakers offer rich bass and crisp highs, giving you dynamic sound at your next backyard party or beach outing. A clear LCD display makes it easy to control CD, radio and cassette functions. With 20-track RMS programming, you can play your CD music in the order you choose, and there are shuffle and repeat modes, as well. Meanwhile, synchronized CD/cassette dubbing makes it easy to make mix tapes of your favorite tunes. Lastly, a slim 10-key remote control lets you control the unit from afar.

What's in the Box
CFD-S350 CD radio cassette recorder, AC power cord, remote control.

Sony SCD-CE595 5-Disc CD/Super Audio CD Player

Plays CD and Super Audio CD Formats / 5 Disc Changer / Multiple Mode Play / Remote Control

Offering a tantalizing blend of convenience and quality, Sony's amazingly affordable 5-disc Super Audio CD (SACD)/CD changer makes music listening exciting again. Now you can spin hours of consecutive music and enjoy premium-quality sound all from the same carousel player.

Depending on the disc, SACD music releases provide super high-fidelity multichannel and/or stereo sound--far greater in resolution than standard audio CDs. The system employ's Sony's proprietary DSD (Direct Stream Digital) digital-to-analog conversion. A 1-bit system operating at an extremely high sampling frequency of 2.8224 MHz (64 times that of standard CD), DSD production begins by converting analog audio (i.e., the original sound signal) to digital without filtering or other techniques that might compromise the integrity of the source. DSD allows for a frequency response that can extend to 100,000 Hz and a dynamic range greater than 120 dB.

Multichannel releases offers special, discrete sound mixes created to take advantage of a home theater's front left/right, rear left/right, center channel, and subwoofer configuration, the better to envelop you in your favorite music as you've never heard it before. Most reissued multichannel discs also offer superior-sounding 2-channel (stereo) versions of the albums as you know them.

The SCD-CE595 performs its own decoding of SACD signals, passing high-resolution analog, not digital, audio to your integrated amplifier or surround receiver. This means you'll need an audio/video receiver with multichannel analog-audio inputs to appreciate multichannel SACD releases. Built-in SACD multichannel speaker management helps you tailor the individual outputs to your system.

Choose from a set of stereo and a set of multichannel analog-audio outputs, and--for use with standard CDs--there's also an optical digital-audio output that simplifies hookup with CD and/or minidisc recorders and other audio gear.

What's in the Box
CD/SACD changer, remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, and warranty/registration information.

Onkyo DXC390 6 Disc CD Player

6-disc carousel * plays CDs, audio CD-Rs & CD-RWs, and MP3 CDs * optical and coaxial digital outputs * 40-track programming * random play and repeat * Next Selection * AccuPulse Quartz System * Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry * remote with direct track/disc access * anti-resonant chassis * signal-to-noise ratio 98 dB * 17-1/8"W x 5-3/16"H x 18-1/4"D * warranty: 1 year

Music lovers rejoice! Those looking for the ultimate in CD playback from an audiophile-grade component will be impressed with a high-precision, multi-bit D/A converter and 128 x oversampling. Others looking for convenience will thrill at the sight of 6-disc capability, 6 repeat modes, 40 track programming—and no worries about interruptions to your music, with the ability to change 5 discs while the last one is still playing. All will marvel at the crystal-clear playback, enhanced by our exclusive VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry), for a smoother sounding audio signal. Just as crucial to your sonic enjoyment is Direct Digital Path, a heavily shielded, high-quality cable that protects the delicate audio signal from noise emitted by the surrounding circuits. Housed in a sturdy chassis graced with a brushed aluminum front panel, the DX-C390 is ready to provide hours of uninterrupted music—for the soundtrack to your life.

Key Technology Features:
192 kHz/24bit AD Converters: Costly, extremely powerful digital-to-analog converters , that not only boast a dynamic range of 120 dB, they process information faster and are virtually resistant to clock jitter, to ensure the best possible performance from DVD-Audio, DVD-Video and audio CD.

RI (Remote Interactive): With Onkyo's exclusive RI (Remote Interactive) system capability, you can integrate and operate all compatible components through a single remote control. What's more, RI capability enables you to simply connect the iPod® to your receiver through Onkyo's RI Dock for the iPod (DS-A1). Your iPod effectively becomes another Onkyo component from which you can relish a fuller sound that just can't be experienced through headphones. RI capability will also give you remote operability of your iPod for hands-off control over your digital music.

VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry): Conventional D/A conversion methods reduce digital pulse noise at the conversion stage but can't remove it completely. Previously only found on our high-end components, VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry) employs a unique D/A conversion circuit to overcome this problem. Data is converted between sampling points and these points are joined with analog vectors in real-time to produce a smooth output wave form. The result — a virtually noiseless, smooth analog signal based on the digital source to bring out even the most subtle of nuances in your music, movie soundtracks and even MP3s.

MP3 Playback: This audio format achieves about a 10:1 compression over conventional CD audio. What does this mean? You can store many more songs using the same amount of space. For example, a standard 650MB CD can hold more than 200 songs in MP3 format. Various bitrates allow for higher or lower quality, depending on the desired sound quality of the final recording.

Sony CDPCX455 400 Disc MegaStorage CD Changer

400-disc changer * plays CDs, audio CD-Rs & CD-RWs, and MP3 CDs * optical digital output * 32-track programming, repeat, & random play * dual front-panel jog dials for disc/track selection * Disc Memo for up to 600 CDs * Memo Search and Memo Scan * 8 Artist Files * CD Text display * input for a (PS/2-compatible) PC keyboard * 13-character fluorescent display * remote control * Advanced Mega Control with No-Delay and X-Fade play * Control A1-II * 1-bit Hybrid Pulse D/A converter * signal-to-noise ratio 108 dB * 16-7/8"W x 7-1/2"H x 21-1/4"D * warranty: 1 year

The CDPCX455 400-disc CD changer puts hours upon hours of music at your fingertips with features like cross-fade sound, text display, and an organization feature that makes it easy to find your favorite songs and albums. Because the CDPCX455 plays MP3s as well as CDs, you can expand the already-massive capacity of the player, and literally play the CDPCX455 for days on end.

The CDPCX455 can play audio CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs, as well as CDs with MP3 files. You can program the CDPCX455 to play CDs or tracks one by one, in random order, or in your own customized order. A history search allows you to return to CDs that you have recently played, and you can browse through all of your CDs by name, so you'll never lose track of what CDs are in the player or what order they are in. You can also custom-label CDs stored in the CDPCX455 for quicker retrieval. The CDPCX455 includes a jog dial control that gives you quick access to individual CDs or tracks. With the jog dial, you can listen to snippets of music or skip tracks you don't like quickly.

For power users or music lovers with a deep library of CDs, the CDPCX455 can synch up with another CD changer. You'll never have to wait for a disc to change to keep the music playing, thanks to a cross-fade feature that brings the audio of one CD down at the same time that a new disc starts to play. By adding a second changer, you can expand your access up to 800 CDs total, and both changers can be controlled by a single remote.

The hybrid pulse digital-to-audio converter reproduces a warm, natural sound from your CDs, making you feel like you were there when the music was recorded. You can easily connect the CDPCX455 to an audio receiver with analog RCA-type and digital optical outputs. An analog connection instantly synchs the CDPCX455 to another changer, and a Control A-1II cord links the CDPCX455 to any other Sony components in your audio system or home theater. A headphone jack is also featured.

What's in the Box
CD changer unit, RCA audio cord, ControlA-1II cord, remote control, two AA batteries, owner's manual.

Sony CDP-CE375 5-CD Changer

5-disc carousel design * plays CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs * optical digital output * 32-track programming * wireless remote with volume control * headphone jack * front-panel direct disc access * 1-bit D/A converters * signal-to-noise ratio 102 dB * 17"W x 4-3/8"H x 17-1/4"D * warranty: 1 year

The Sony CDP-CE375 5-disc changer features a carousel tray and play exchange, with a play 1/exchange 4 system. The CDP-CE375 plays both regular CDs and CD-R/RW so you can also listen to your own mixes on your home audio system. The front panel features a 7-segment fluorescent display along with a jog dial with Direct Access track selection.

Features include play exchange, repeat play, track scan, and a fade in/fade out function for five seconds of fading time on either end of the track. The CDP-CE375 has a 32-track programmable memory and a peak-level search feature, which scans through the disc for the loudest section to set correct volume levels.

The CDP-CE375 has several audio options to connect the CD changer to your home audio system, including two analog outputs (1 RCA and 1 fixed/variable), one digital output, and one headphone jack.

What's in the Box
CD player, Remote Commander remote control, 2 AA batteries, 1 RCA cable, user's manual, and warranty information.

Sony RCDW500C Compact Disc Player / Recorder

5-CD changer + 1-CD-R/RW recorder * plays CDs, audio CD-Rs & CD-RWs, and MP3 CDs; records to audio CD-Rs & CD-RWs * internal high-speed dubbing (4X) * Super Bit Mapping improves sound quality on recordings from analog sources * high-speed finalizing * CD Text entry for CD-Rs & CD-RWs * optical digital input/output * analog input/output * 25-track programming, repeat, and random play * remote control * headphone jack with volume control * SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) * CD playback signal-to-noise ratio 98 dB * 16-7/8"W x 4-1/4"H x 16-7/8"D * warranty: 1 year

With a five-CD/dual-deck capacity and 4x dubbing speed, the Sony RCD-W500C does much more than merely play your favorite CDs--it lets you mix and burn your own. The device records on both CD-R and CD-RW formats, and is compatible with CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3 playback. To improve the recording quality, the RCD-W500C uses Super Bit Mapping technology to reduce low-level noise in the background, and High Speed Finalizing to prepare your recorded CDs for playback. You can also enter your own title and track information using the CD text entry feature.

Sony packs in such additional features as 24-step program play, two-mode repeat play (track/disc), one-touch synchro-start recording (which minimizes the awkward gap between songs on recorded discs), and a full-featured remote control. The unit also delivers a 24-bit analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog converter, plus a headphone jack with a separate volume control for listening in private. The company ensures that its listeners receive the best possible sound by using gold-plated audio terminals for its digital input and output (optical) and analog input and output (RCA type) outlets. The RCD-W500C carries a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

What's in the Box
RCD-W500C CD player and recorder, Remote Commander remote control, two RCA audio cables, two AA batteries, and user's manual.

Pioneer PD-M426 6-Disc Magazine CD Changer

Stores and plays up to 6 CDs at a time in easily interchangeable cartridges Additional disc magazine may be purchased as options

Easy to manage and outfitted with a nice array of features, the Pioneer PD-M426 CD changer stores up to six CDs at once in its removable magazine, keeping the music flowing for hours. A magazine CD changer is ideal for listeners who like to organize their music by theme or artist. All they need to do is remove one magazine and insert another whenever they want to enjoy a different genre or set of CDs (each additional magazine is sold separately). It's a great way to downshift from upbeat dance tunes to mellow trance music while hosting a party, or to listen to a favorite artist's entire catalogue while cleaning the house.

The audio sounds smooth and precise thanks to the 1-bit digital-to-analog converter and the low-noise, low-loss laser pickup. Among the playback functions are 32-track programming, which lets the listener create a custom soundtrack (the programmed tracks even stay in the memory after the unit shuts off); random play (one or all discs); and five unique repeat modes. An added convenience derives from the Delete Program Playback function, which lets listeners delete tracks or discs that they don't want to play without removing the CDs from the magazine.

Additional features include Hi-Lite Scan, which plays roughly 10 seconds from the first track on either one or all the discs; timer playback when connected to an external timer unit; a programmable pause function (useful when recording onto a cassette); a full-function remote control; and system remote in/out jacks. The remote jacks let users connect the CD changer to a compatible Pioneer receiver, and then control the changer using the receiver's remote.

The PD-M426 measures 16.56 by 4.12 by 11.56 inches (W x H x D) and carries a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

What's in the Box
PD-M426 CD changer, one magazine, remote control, user's manual.

Pioneer PD-F1009 301-Disc Changer

A CD changer that holds a massive 301 CDs for the ultimate in CD storage & playback 1-Bit D/A Converter CD Text Compatible (Titles) Optical Digital Output Best Selection Memory (20) Previous Disc Scan (20) CD-Deck Synchronization Jog dial (on unit) Color - Black

Pioneer's PD-F1009 301-CD jukebox takes advantage of its megastorage capacity with fun, easy-to-use features. Be aware, however, that its tremendous conveniences comes at a small price: the PD-F1009's sound quality, while satisfactory, does not equal that of most comparably priced single-disc or five-disc players.

The PD-F1009 excels in other areas, however. In addition to its standard features (play, repeat, program, etc.), the PD-F1009 has a few that are more unusual and, it turns out, perfect for a CD jukebox. The Best Play feature lets you commit any 20 tracks to the PD-F1009's memory. Just hit the Best button (on the remote only) while a track is playing, and the player will automatically store that track in memory. Later, when you hit Best Play, the unit plays back up to 20 tracks in sequence. (Curiously, Best Play plays tracks back in reverse order.)

Another cool feature is Previous Scan, which simply plays (likewise in reverse order) the opening 10 seconds of the last 20 discs played. The PD-F1009 also lets you create up to five custom files, or groups, with no limit to the number of CDs in each file. This is a terrific way to file discs by genre or artist.

In addition, the PD-F1009 is one of the few players we know of (megachanger or otherwise) that is compatible with both CD-Rs and CD-RWs--most only play CD-Rs. The PD-F1009's CD Text feature scans and displays disc and song titles, but only if a CD is encoded with this information (most new ones are).

Finally, the PD-F1009 has an optical digital output for use with outboard digital processors, minidisc, and CD recorders, as well as the capability for CD-recorder synchronization with other Pioneer equipment.

Where the PD-F1009 falls short is in its musical presentation. Through the analog outputs, everything sounds a little dull. From an audiophile standpoint, the midrange lacks openness, the top end lacks extension and sparkle, and the bass is sluggish and overly soft. If you have a surround receiver with an optical digital input, we highly recommend listening through the PD-F1009's digital output, which sounds just fine.

We like the PD-F1009's features, which Pioneer has executed nicely and at an attractive price. We strongly recommend the PD-F1009 for background music; serious listeners will want to reach for an optical cable to take advantage of the changer's digital output. --Wayne Garcia

Pros:

• Huge disc-storage capacity
• CD-R and CD-RW compatible
• Excellent array of features
• Digital output

Cons:

• Sound from analog outputs is dull
• No headphone jack

Clarion M475 MARINE Stereo Receiver and CD Player

Offering boating enthusiasts the best possible marine audio products is at the heart of Clarion's goals for their marine audio product line. With expanded control for the iPod, playback of MP3 and WMA files and class leading sonic performance - Clarion is the natural choice for both boating enthusiasts and boat builders alike. The M475 has CeNET Control of: TV Tuner, 6-Disc CD Changer, Satellite Receiver and iPod. Developed by Clarion, CeNET is a component connection system crafted for plug and play system upgrades. CeNET-equipped components aren't hampered by noise generated by the transfer of control signals. Save your favorite music with 18 FM and 6 AM Presets. MP3 and WMA compatible with ID3 - TAG display. This feature allows you to view what you are listening to. Satellite ready with subscription. Bluetooth Interface ready (Optional) - adapter not included. MAGNA BASS EX dynamic bass enhancement Built - in amplifier canceller Detachable control panel 50 Watts 4 Built - in Amplifier High visibility single line display Rotary Volume Control Front panel 3.5mm Auxiliary Input with Level Control 6 ch - 2V RCA Output CeNET Control of - TV Tuner, 6-Disc CD Changer, Satellite Receiver and iPod (Satellite Radio requires optional subscription, antenna, and tuner) Bluetooth Interface ready (Optional) - adapter not included Meets ASTM B117 Meets ASTM D4329 HumiSeal Coated PCB Sealed Stainless Steel Chassis