03.Profiles
Profiles - What to buy
LG FB163
Price: $260
Sound quality: Very good definition and presence. Good bottom notes, sound response and bass tone. Full-sounding and handles rigours very well. Good balance and brought out percussive elements.
Good points - CD and DVD player with component and composite video outputs.
- Consumes less than 1W on standby if switched to power save mode.
- USB port.
- Plays CDs in MP3, WAV and WMA formats.
- Surround-sound effect.
- Can record from audio CD to USB in MP3 format.
Bad points
- Front panel touch volume control is not very responsive.
Sharp XL-DK227NH (A)
Price: $329
Sound quality: Reasonably bright and pleasant, with clearly defined sounds. Not lots of bass but good voice quality and space.
Good points
- Easy to use remote control and on-board controls.
- Consumes less than 1W on standby.
- Subwoofer output.
- Plays CDs in MP3 and WMA formats.
Bad points
Profiles - The rest
Sharp XL-DK257NH (A)
Price: $369
Sound quality: Lead vocal is clear with good balance, mid-range is a bit muddy. Bass, while present, is not well defined.
Good points
- Good sound quality.
- Easy to use remote and on-board controls.
- Consumes less than 1W on standby.
- Subwoofer output, for example to an amplified subwoofer.
- Plays CDs in MP3 and WMA formats.
Bad points
Sony HCD-BX20i (A)
Price: $399
Sound quality: A diminished sense of space and more low to mid-frequency presence. Smooth sound although not much bottom end and depth.
Good points
- Good sound quality.
- Easy to use on-board controls.
- Consumes less than 1W on standby.
- Plays CDs in MP3 format.
- Surround-sound effect.
Bad points
- No preset equalisation choices.
- No bass enhancement function.
Panasonic SA-PM38 (A)
Price: $299
Sound quality: Good clear sound, pretty good tone and sense of space. Not much bottom end or bass in general.
Good points
- Good sound quality.
- Very easy to use remote control and easy to use on-board controls.
- Consumes less than 1W on standby.
- USB port.
- Plays CDs in MP3 format.
- Surround-sound effect.
Bad points
- No line in socket for plugging in an external analogue sound source.
Grundig DMS601/SAA (A)
Price: $499
Sound quality: A good vocal definition complemented with a bright sound.
Good points
- Very good sound quality.
- Easy to use on-board controls.
- CD and DVD player with component, S-video and composite video outputs.
- Line out socket for connecting to an external sound system.
- USB port.
- SD/MMC slot.
- Subwoofer output, for example to an amplified subwoofer.
- Digital audio optical output for connecting to an external sound system.
- Plays CDs in MP3, WAV and WMA formats.
Bad points
- Keys on remote are well spaced but small, and most are indistinct in a grid layout.
JVC CA-UXGP5 (A)
Price: $329
Sound quality: Rich vocal presence, full sounding with a good frequency range.
Good points
- Very good sound quality.
- Easy to use remote and on-board controls.
- Plays CDs in MP3 and WMA formats.
- Surround-sound effect.
Bad points
- No preset equalisation choices.
Philips DC146/79
Price: $180
Sound quality: A very low level, which lacks body. It has very soft volume but nice tones. Not much bass.
Good points
- Good sound quality.
- Easy to use on-board controls.
Bad points
- The earphones/headphones socket is at the rear of the main unit.
- Unable to play CDs in MP3, WAV or WMA format.
- No bass and treble controls or preset equalisation choices.
DGTEC DG-KW1005IR (A)
Price: $499
Sound quality: While it has a reasonable sense of space, the rhythm is murky and it lacks bass.
Good points
- Good sound quality.
- USB port.
- SD/MMC slot.
- Plays CDs in MP3 and WMA formats.
- LAN port and Wi-Fi, and can play music files stored on a PC.
- Internet radio.
Bad points
- Does not have an AM radio.
Thomson AF3iP
Price: $99
Sound quality: Distorts a bit at the lower end and sounds tinny. Sounds a bit hard and there is not much depth. There is good stereo separation but lacks space and dynamics.
Good points
- Good sound quality.
- USB port.
- SD/MMC slot.
- Plays CDs in MP3 and WMA formats.
Bad points
- Most remote control keys are small and indistinct in a grid layout.
- Main unit slides (too lightweight) when a control is pressed.
(A) Discontinued, but may still be available in some stores.