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COPYRIGHT 2002 Consumers Union of the United States, Inc.
There are more reasons than ever to spring for a portable CD player this year or to replace the relic you've been toting around for a decade. Among them:
More value. Models that play standard audio CDs alone (including discs burned using a CD player/recorder) cost about $30 to $100-plus. For $50 or so, you can buy a fine lightweight player with long battery life. Spending more than that may get you a thinner, sleeker unit with more accessories. We tested seven models priced from $42 to $70.
More music. If you want maximum music from one device, get a CD player that can also play MP3 music you've recorded onto CDs. Because the MP3 format compresses music, you can fit 10 hours or more of audio on a disc, rather than the usual 74 or 80 minutes. You will need some computer know-how and a little time to record the MP3 files onto CDs. Using a computer, you can either download music from the Internet or transfer it from your favorite commercial CDs. We tested eight players priced at $80 to $180.
More choices. MiniDisc players have developed a small but loyal following in the U.S. since their 1992 debut. We tested the Sony MZ-N505, $150, which holds up to 5 hours of audio on discs housed in small, square cartridges. We also tested a mini-CD player, the Philips EXP401, $150, which uses 3-inch CDs that can hold more than 3 hours of MP3 music (see "Music Menu," below).
PERFORMANCE ISSUES
Sound quality. With portable CD players, what you hear depends primarily on the accuracy of the audio signal that the device produces and the quality of the headphones, which convert the signal into sound. The headphones included with some players are only fair, so they'll limit your listening experience no matter how good the signal. You can easily and cheaply replace the headphones with a better set to improve the quality of sound you hear. (See "For Your Ears Only" on page 48.)
But the headphones aren't the only limiting factor. While most CD players produce excellent sound, a few fell short of that in our listening tests. The two RCA conventional models had reduced treble, which diminished the sound quality.
We also found that the anti-skip buffer--which typically stores about 10 to 45 seconds of audio so that the player won't miss a beat if jostled--seemed to degrade sound quality on three of the MP3-capable players we tested. The two Sonic-Blue models and the RCA RP-2415 were plagued with distortion when we played standard CDs with the buffer at maximum. Sound quality improved greatly when we set the buffer to minimum. Discs with MP3 files played fine regardless of the buffer setting.
The anti-skip buffer is a near necessity if you're jogging, riding on a bumpy train, or otherwise bouncing the player around. If that's how you will be using your CD player, choose a model that was judged very good or excellent for sound quality with the buffer on. (In the Ratings, we point out which scored lower.) If you'll be connecting your player to good-quality...
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