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Yamaha MCX-1000 MusicCAST Digital Audio Server Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought one of the MusicCast systems as soon as it was available (after drooling over it at a couple of trade shows). The first thing I did was upgrade the harddrive to 200GB. Required a trip by my dealer to my house, but it gave me much more capacity. The interface is very intuitive. It's very fast at copying from cd to the internal disk. In the background, it converts from PCM to whatever MP3 compression level you've set for default (I always use 320KB). You can remove the PCM version to save space (I keep it for critical listening stuff, but my wife doesn't care, so her PCM's are deleted immediately :-) I have a couple of the MCX-A10 terminals scattered around the house. I've had them connect through ethernet and wireless and seems to work fine for both. Yamaha just released a software update that allows access to the MusicCast database through a web browser. This makes it very easy to fix titles, artists, etc. (You can plug a keyboard into the MusicCast, but it requires powering down which is too much trouble for me). I have to say that the most annoying thing about the MusicCast is the GraceNote CDDB database. Yamaha's implementation is great. The CDDB database is a mess. Album titles are inconistent, misspelled, etc. That's why having the browser editing is such a big deal to me. The best endorsement I can give is that my wife really likes the MusicCast. She was sceptical, but after seeing how it works and being able to browse her music, she's sold. Highly recommended for anyone who just wants to be able to enjoy their music without having to deal with PC's.

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The YAMAHA MCX-1000 Digital Audio Server stores and broadcasts music content wirelessly via 802.11b and CAT-5 Ethernet to any location within your home. Separately sold MCX-A10 MusicCAST clients retrieve and play back audio stored on the MCX-1000. Copies CD to hard drive in Linear PCM formatRecords external sources at 1X via Analog or Digital inputsAnalog level control on front panelCreates CDs at up to 8X using built-in CD-Recorder from hard drive PCM filesPS/2 port for connecting optional PC keyboardHeadphone jack w/ level controlIR remote controlDimensions -4-3/4H x 17-1/8W x 15-5/8D; weighs 24.2 pounds

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Memorex 700MB/80-Minute 52x CD-R Media (100-Pack Spindle) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Before I start, I would like to remind people that compatability problems still exist with CDRW burners. Some media brands will just work better on certain hardware/burners. On reviews like these, it's best to state your burner as well so readers will have an idea of what media matches best with what hardware/burner. I would also like to remind people that compatability problems exists between CDRs and late model CD players - wether on a boombox or on your car's player.
Ok now onto my review... I have a LiteOn CDRW 40x burner (on my old PC), Teac DVD+/CDRW combo burner and an LG-Hitachi 48x CDRW burner. Memorex media works flawlessly on all these burners! Music CDs that I made plays perfectly on all my components - 5-disc Sony caroussel from the early 90s, my DVD player from 2000 and the rest of my CD players in the house and not to mention my car's CD player. No problems at all.
The only problem I encountered was when I made VCDs using these disc. They "sometimes" wouldn't work on my Panasonic DVD/VCD player (year 2000). They would give me playback problems such as pixelation and audio skipping! But when using another brand, such as TDK or Fuji, I don't get these playback problems. The Memorex VCD would work on my dirt-cheat Apex though. Further, establishing the idea that media do have compatability problems.
Considering my hardware, the brands that gave me no problems at all were: TDK, Fuji and Maxell - they just work flawlessly on whatever I throw at them. I would put the Memorex up there with the other brands but they seem to be only good when it comes to music and data but now much on video projects. But since most people use their CDRs for music and data anyway, these CDRs are still a great buy in my opinion! I currently have TDKs and Memorexs.

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Philips DC199B/37 iPod Docking Audio 2.1 30-Watt System Review

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(More customer reviews)I was looking for a replacement to my 8-year-old (annoying beep, beep) alarm clock. I also wanted to get speakers for my laptop. So, I thought, let's get an all-in-one. I was originally going to get the iHome IH9 Alarm Clock for iPod (Black), because of the iPod attachment. However, I chose this product over it because 1) you can put the speakers anywhere, 2) it has better sound (in my opinion), 3) you can also plug in a USB stick or other peripheral that has MP3 or WMA files. It's sound is good for something so small, and even has a built-in subwoofer for bass, and for added bass has "Dynamic Bass Boost" which has great response. Remote control works good, as does the iPod dock, and the USB drive. The FM tuner doesn't work that well for me, then again, I didn't buy it for that. Has an alarm and sleep function, both are handy. When the alarm goes off, the music turns on gradually to a max of 12, which is pretty loud. So if you're one of those people that, to wake up, one must also have to wake the dead, I recommend putting war sounds on your iPod for this purpose. Keeps track of time pretty well, a concern since one of the reviewers for the aforementioned product mentioned that on his review (of the iHome). Good sound, good looks, that's what you're looking at. If you can pay the price, this is a good 2.1 solution. I plan on keeping mine around for a long time. Thank you for checking this review. God bless you richly.

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Philips DC199 iPod Docking Entertainment System allows you to dock and play your digital music out loud. It dleviers dynamic sound and essential functionalities that you let you enjoy music just the way you like it. Play and charge your Ipod. Enjoy MP3/WMA music directly form your portable USB devices. Digital tuning for station presets. Enrich your sound experience with this 2.1 system with built in subwoofer. 4" woofers for improved bass and extended sound spectrum. 30 watt RMS- 2 X7.5W plus 15W. Dynamic Bass Boost for deep and dramatic sound. Wake up and sleep timer. Single remote control for the system and the iPod.3.5mm line in. Compatible with iPod, iPod minim iPod nano, iPod with color display, iPod 5th Generation

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ION TTUSB05 USB Turntable Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First and foremost, it works well and easy to use with very little setup hassle. If you simply want to record your records to a computer, this does the job. There is no feedback, no grounding issues and quality is pretty good. The turntable though is cheesy as far as quality feel. It reminds me of a turntable I had as a kid, but what can you expect for @ $100? I might also note that the needle (not a cartridge) does not look user replaceable so you need to be extra careful, but it does have a cueing button to gently set down tone arm onto a record which is nice. Yes, this also has a built in hard shell dust cover too. The Audacity software program is ok and instructions could be clearer, but it works. I simply use this program to transfer the music to my computer then i use a higher quality program to remove any clicks, pops, etc.. All and all, this is a good turntable for the money.

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The ION iTTUSB 05 USB Turntable is the perfect tool for recording and archiving your vinyl record collection. Take your music anywhere!Are your treasured vinyl records collecting dust? Transfer your valuable music collection to CD quickly and easily with this outrageously popular turntable. All you need is a computer with a USB connection and you're ready to bring your record collection into the 21st century! The iTTUSB 05 features easy to use controls, auto-return after playback and a dust cover. Plus, a line level output allows you to connect directly to your existing home stereo system. All this and the easy-to-use Audacity software will have you reliving those melodic memories of days gone by!

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Power Line 0900-78 140/200-Watt Pivoting Inverter with USB Charging Port Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this item at Wal-mart while on a business trip. I left my charger for my GPS at home and the GPS uses a mini-usb charging port. It worked perfectly for the GPS which draws a very small amount of power. I then used it with my laptop which uses a 70 watt adapter, well below the rated 140 watts. The unit fried in less than an hour. It burned out two fuses in my car. I foolishly tried it in a second cigarette outlet after it blew the fuse in the first one.
The unit smelled of burned electrical circuitry. I thought that perhaps I just got a defective unit until I read a review on Amazon about another Powerline brand inverter where the customer had the same experience with two units.
The unit is very compact and light. It easily fits into my computer bag and is 1/3 or less the weight of the typical converter. In that respect the unit is perfect but don't expect it to last long running a laptop. If they make it more durable for a laptop or any device pulling over 50 watts, this would be a great item.

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140w Inverter with USB charge port prvides an AC plug for your car.TVs (upto 13") TV/DVD combos, TV/VCR combos, Gaming console, Mobile office equipment, Fans, Laptops, Camcorders, Mobile phones, PDAs, portable DVD players are ideal applications for this inverter. Includes one 3-pronged outlet, 1 USB port and Low-voltage safety shut-off disengages power when the vehicles battery supply drops below 10v.

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Clarion VZ309 3.5-Inch Single-DIN Multimedia Station with USB Port Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)To put it politely, I have been disappointed by the performance and feature set of this receiver. In fact, I thought it was so bad that this couldn't have been a product developed by Clarion. I think this is a re-badged Clarion which was designed/engineered by a low-tier manufacturer. The fact that the HD Tuner that works with this receiver doesn't work with any other seems to point in that direction too. But this is a review, so I will be specific about it.
Usually, people write the positives and negatives when writing a review. I will do the same. So, here's what I like about it:
1. Looks: It is a handsome looking deck. I am not a fan of the flashing LEDs and rotating colors. This has very minimalistic and simplistic, OEM type design that complements the rest of the dash.
2. Build quality is great. Definitely does not look like a made in China item that you can buy at an auto parts store.
3. Nice, large screen - crisp and clear.
4. Sounds is good, although nothing earth-shattering for a 200W amp.
5. HD Tuner works well, get stations fast and clear.
Now, before I list the things I don't like about it, let me explain something. A lot of people will mention a LACK OF FEATURE as a negative. I kind of find it unfair. I mean, before you buy something, you should know what features it has or doesn't have. For example, this receiver doesn't have Bluetooth. Now, it will be unfair for me to say this is a bad receiver because of that.
On the other hand, things that are wrong with it, or designs that are inconvenient can be fairly mentioned in the list of CONS. So, I will start with it:
1. If you start your car before you attach the faceplate, the receiver will remain turned off. You have to press the power button to turn in on - every time. With most receivers, if you turned off your receiver before you remove your car keys, it will remain off until you turn in on manually. Same way, if you left your receiver turned ON, and turned the car off (remove keys), it will come on automatically next time you turn on ignition and put the faceplate. This doesn't do that. Very inconvenient.
2. The "power"/ON button is not lit when the unit is off. So, coupled with the issue #1, it is a major inconvenience at night. You come in, start the car, put the faceplate back on - and nothing. Now you will have to blindly look for the power button to turn it on.
3. If there is a CD/DVD in the drive, it will always start in the CD/DVD source, regardless of last source you were listening to when it was turned off.
4. USB slot is also not lit, so, inserting a USB drive at night takes a few tries.
5. Most of the buttons have more than one functions. One function is printed right on the button, the other function for the same button is printed right below it. However, ONLY the button is lit, not the print below it. For example, the power button also acts as the mute button. But when the receiver is on, only the power symbol is lit, not "MUTE" which is written right below it. It is true for all buttons with more than one functions.
6. The dreaded DVD-loop issue. If you switched to a different source or turned the unit off while playing a DVD, next time it will only loop in the chapter it was last playing. Definitely a bad programming issue.
7. If you "mute" the unit while playing a CD or songs from USB, the mute will be automatically canceled and sound will come back on after the next song comes on. Really annoying - specially if you are on the phone with someone and suddenly the music comes on. I know this is not meant to be or that it is not a feature because the mute symbol stays on the display, even though the sound is heard. Again, bad programming.
8. The faceplate anchor design is merit-less at best. It has two plastic anchors sticking out from the unit where the faceplate latches on. These are plastic anchors about 1" long and they are just sticking out. If one of the breaks, the whole unit is useless. I will post a pic to show what I mean.
9. Absolutely no display customization. What comes with is what you get - and what comes with it is nothing. You can't change the display color/wallpaper/font/size - nothing.
10. USB operation is ridiculous at best. It shows all the songs in one list and the only way to navigate through them without the remote is to go up and down, which is painfully slow. You can go folder to folder using the remote. With the "UP" and "DOWN" symbols being not lit, it's inconvenient at night.
EDIT: I discovered that you can press and hold the up or down button to navigate from folder to folder. No mention of this in the manual.
11. If your mp3 folders have a pic such as an album art, this unit will get stuck at that, and it will ask you to put the parking brake on to view it - instead of just not showing the pic and moving on to the next song. If you have a lot of albums, you will need to manually remove all the album arts from the USB drive.
12. In the USB mode, it "eats" about 1 sec from the beginning of a song when it moves starts the next track. It's not as noticeable with the songs that start slow, but clearly annoying when a song starts out loud or with a beat, for example, Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. Don't know if this applies to CD tracks too.
13. It will recognize only 512 songs total in your USB drive. Now-a-days people have their whole music collection on a single chip. 512 songs limitation sets you back to 1999.
14. A lot of the DVD operations can only be performed using the remote. There are buttons on the faceplate that are inactive during DVD play which they could have easily put some functions on.
15. It is not compatible with all USB drives. I don't know which ones are okay but I have a USB drive that works fine everywhere but this gives me an error saying "UBS Bad".
16. No dedicated button for "search", meaning fast forward or reverse. So, if you want to FF a song or DVD chapter, you will have to press and hold ">>|" for about 5 secs and then it will do it only at 2x speed. Do the same again (another 5 secs) to go 4x. If you let go before that, it will just skip to the next song or chapter - and you will have to do it again.
17. The internal clock loses time like crazy!! It would be half to a minute behind in just a week.
18. No permanent brightness setting for the screen. All you have is Normal -> Dim -> Off, using the Dim button. You can't set the brightness to your liking. To make matter worse, the setting using "Dim" button is temporary. Once the unit is re-started (turn off/turn on), it goes to full brightness.
19. Finally, THIS UNIT IS SLOW!!! Navigating through songs or tuning stations, skipping songs, switching sources - much slower than even the cheapest receivers out there.
Now, some of things that I would have love to see and I could expect in a $400 receiver:
1. This unit should have been AT LEAST bluetooth ready.
2. It has this huge, rotary volume knob which is also used for Bass/Treble settings by pushing it. I think this would have been more useful is this was programmed to be used as "Enter" button, and putting the "Bass/Treble" settings in the settings menu. Now, the "AS" button acts as enter which is not even lit.
3. When the ignition is on and the faceplate is not on, there is a little triangle blue LED that flashes to show where to enter CD/DVD. I wish this LED would blink all the time so it would act as a theft deterrent.
4. When you enter the "Settings" menu where you can change equalizer/loudness etc, the music stops. So, you have no way to instantly compare the effect of different EQ or loudness settings. Wish the music didn't stop.
5. The faceplate carry-case/box is CHEAP!!! They should have included a little better case.
Like the title says, the only thing that makes things even is the ultra-low pricing of Amazon, which sometimes even include a free HD tuner. Otherwise, for more price I would suggest getting something else.

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Clarion's VZ309 is a true multimedia station with a DVD/ CD receiver; USB connector that supports playback of MP3, WMA and JPEG files; front AUX inputs for portable audio players; and optional iPod audio and video playback (CCUIPOD2). The brilliant 3.5 inch display lets you control it all. All this in a small one-DIN package.

Enjoy a Wide Variety of Media The built-in optical disc drive is compatible with DVD-Video, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, CD-DA, HDCD, CD-R and CD-RW, so you're assured access to a wide variety of visual and musical entertainment.
You can also play back MP3/WMA files from disc, complete with ID3-Tag display of artist/track info on the screen.
3.5-inch LCD Screen The 3.5-inch LCD displays operational status of your iPod, CD and DVD playback, radio functions and more. It offers maximum usability within minimum dimensions.
iPod Playback Just connect your iPod to the VZ309 using the optional CCUIPOD1 to control your iPod from the source unit. Please see the Clarion website for iPod models that can beconnected.
Front USB Input Grab a USB drive with some of your favorite MP3/WMA tracks and enjoy them right from the front of the unit.
HD/SAT Radio Ready You can connect optional tuners and enjoy the benefits of high-definition and XM satellite radio.
AM/FM Radio Catch up on the news or listen to your favorite stations. Get quick access to your favorites with 18 FM and 6 AM station presets.
Auxiliary Input Use the front 3.5mm auxiliary input to connect external audio devices like MP3 players, etc.
Rear AV Output A rear AV output allows you to send your signal to a second monitor in the back seat.
Dedicated Rear vision Camera RCA Input Add a rear vision camera to see the area behind your vehicle, for added safety and convenience.
Room to Grow With 50 Watts through four channels, and a 24-bit D/A converter, the VZ309 gives you great sound to start. But it also includes 6 channels of preamp output and a subwoofer volume control, so you can easily add external amplifiers and build a monster system.
Remote Included A full-featured remote control is included.
What's in the Box VZ309 Source unit, Mounting bracket, Removable face plate case, Trim plate, Remote control unit, Battery (CR2025), Owner's manual, Installation manual, Installation hardware

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RCA RP5130 512MB USB 140 Hour MP3 Recording Digital Voice Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the first digital recorder I've owned, but I would say this one works great. It's easy to use and as small as a cell phone, so it's easy to carry. I like the lock function to keep it from recording/deleting when in a pocket or purse. There's plenty of time available on it. The sound quality is good for what you're paying. I use it mostly to record my voice lessons and performances, and I've been pleased with the results. The best part is the ability to transfer the files directly to my computer, which can be converted into .wav files and played on an MP3 player. The software comes pre-installed on the recorder and is very easy to use. I definitely recommend this recorder.

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Get all your facts straight when you record with your RCA Digital Voice Recorder. This small but important device can store hours of recorded information, as well as data files on the large included flash memory. Also easily connect to the PC with the built-in USB connection, and record in mp3 format. Email, Save, Share, and Edit your recordings as you wish.

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IS301 Home Audio System Ipod® Integration Dock Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this off Amazon for $179 and free shipping. There were lots of price variations, from $179 to $249. This Ipod dock works with almost all Ipod models to date. A little pricy but well worth it for me. I had my music system set up in our sunroom with additional speakers in our party room and also outside on the patio. My Ipod had been connected to my receiver (not a Marantz), so unless I was in the sunroom, I had to get up and go over to the Ipod/receiver to change music. Now I can actually carry the Ipod around with me room to room and select music regardless of where I am in the house. I admit that this dock was an overkill for me because it does alot of things I'm not taking advantage of (e.g., video). Also because my stereo is not Marantz, the remote won't let me change the volume. (maybe an excuse to buy me a new receiver, huh?)...Anyway the box is filled with goodies, as the product description shows. If you're looking for a solid wireless Ipod dock, look no further, you've found it!

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iPod Dock

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Logitech Z-4 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I cannot possibly imagine what the other reviewers expected. These are $70 computer speakers, not a multi-thousand dollar audiophile surround sound speaker system. For what these are, they deliver truly impressive sound - smooth, room vibrating, bass, crisp highs, and a midrange nearly perfect for computer games. If you prefer music, the midrange can be improved with only minor adjustments in a graphics equalizer - available in Windows Media Player (under "Enhancements" of the "View" menu) and any other decent media player. With a little equalizer tweaking, these speakers deliver exceptional music performance and are a true pleasure to listen to (rock, classic rock, jazz, or country).
Don't overdo the bass. If you're using an equalizer, leave the bass control centered on the remote (use this control to tweak individual songs) and adjust the bass up a very tiny amount with the equalizer. Many move equalizer sliders much too far, resulting in grossly inaccurate sound. Anyway, the bass should balance with the remaining sound, not overwhelm it (or steal power away from the mid-range, resulting in, surprise, muffled sound). In most listening environments, to add punch to the bass, the middle bass should be equal to the very lowest bass setting. If the bass is set correctly, the mid-range usually requires no adjustment. However, many listening environments also benefit from a tiny amount of additional treble (again, not too much - balance). All that should get you in the ballpark. From there, you can adjust for your preference, environment, computer's sound card, and connection (speaker or laptop headphone outputs). None of this should require anything more than gentle tweaking, not huge adjustments.
Are these speakers perfect? Of course not. I have over two thousand dollars invested in the speakers for my home entertainment system, with two 250-watt amplifiers driving those speakers. Now that is a system I expect near perfect sound from (but even it is tweaked with an equalizer). These $70 computer speakers, on the other hand, sound just fine for $70 computer speakers. Indeed, they sound better than anything else tried in this price range. My local store has speakers hooked up to allow for comparison testing. Nothing in this price range sounded better than the Logitech Z4. In fact, the only speakers with better sound were one costing about $160 and another costing just over $250. Obviously, neither of those sounded as good as the multi-thousand dollar surround system either.
One reviewer mentioned (in the subject line) that the speaker is not that loud. Again, I can't possibly imagine what was expected. These speakers are so loud, one would have to scream in the loudest voice to be heard anywhere in the vicinity of these speakers. These speakers are obviously not disco speakers, but, again, are very fine computer speakers.
The Logitech Z4 speakers are very easy to hook up. The only connection to the computer is the audio output - the speaker output of a desktop or earphone/speaker output of a laptop. Everything else plugs into the back of the sub-woofer (floor placement under a desk recommended). The satellite speakers sit on either side of the computer display, with the wired remote control located for convenience. The only controls, overall volume and bass volume, are on the remote. The entire system is powered directly by a wall outlet (no adapters). There does not appear to be a multi-voltage version available for international use.
The sub-woofer housing is made of particle-board wood (painted black with plastic silver trim) with a black metal screen on the front. The satellite speakers (black with silver speakers, trim, and base) are plastic balanced on a sturdy metal base. There is no cover over the satellite speakers. There is a single blue light on the power button (no flashing light gimmicks here). Finally, there is a headphone jack and audio-in jack (for MP3 players or whatever) on the front of the remote control.
All in all, I'm very satisfied with these speakers. Clearly some have different sound preferences, but I suspect most will enjoy these speakers as much as I do.

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2.1 Speaker System - 8.5W per Satellite, 23W Subwoofer, 40W, 80W

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Personal CD Player with 60 Sec. Anti Skip & Stereo Headphones Review

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(More customer reviews)I put this on my wishlist because I didn't want friends spending a lot of money, but I could use a CD player. It feels flimsy and cheap. It goes through batteries like crazy. There is no way to stop it at a particular location and re-start later at that same location. If you hit pause and are delayed coming back, the batteries are dead. The left side of the headset already stopped working (I've had it for about 1 1/2 months of minor use). I do not recommend this to anyone. It's very annoying.

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Personal CD Player with 60 Second Anti Skip & Stereo Headphones

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Onkyo TX-SR508 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)The sound from my ten year old Onkyo TX-DS474 was now inferior and I had read very good reviews of the Onkyo SR 507, so decided to pre order the brand new SR 508. It arrived from Amazon on April 29th. I used the built in equalizer to set up the speakers, connected the receiver with brand new HDMI v1.4 cables and connected it to my Dish satellite receiver, my Panasonic BluRay DVD player and my Panasonic HDTV. The sound was excellent. Whereas before we had to turn up the volume too loud to follow dialog on some shows, or else it was not clear, with the SR 508 the sound was so much clearer that we could keep the volume much lower.
After about three days I noticed that although I would assign the input as cab/sat, the receiver indicated ipod (now no ipod dock was connected to the receiver) but the sound still came through from the satellite box. Strange but no problem. Then exactly one week after receiving the receiver, in the middle of watching a show, the picture and sound went blank. No pushing of different buttons on the remote would make it work. My first reaction was a bad HDMI cable, so I changed it. Nothing. I switched to the DVD player, but again blank. So then I hooked up the satellite box and the DVD player directly to the TV by separate HDMI cables, turned on the TV speakers, and the TV works again. Obviously the SR 508 suddenly failed and would not even work as a pass through. I am returning the set to Amazon for a replacement. If the replacement works fine for a reasonable amount of time, I will update this review.
I chose Onkyo partially because of its RIHD feature in conjunction with Panasonic. In my experience that only works so-so. Turning on the BluRay DVD player did switch the receiver directly to DVD. But turning it off does not switch back automatically to cab/sat. Turning off the TV also turns off the Onkyo, but not vice versa. You still have to turn on the Onkyo receiver separately.
One unexpected problem with the receiver is that the zone 2 input works only with an analog signal. On my DS-474, I have set up output B to speakers in my screened in porch to be able to listen to CDs or TV there. The B speakers work with digital. Now all my signal inputs for zone 2 are digital, so it appears that the zone 2 feature is useless. Bummer!
I should specify that I am not at all techie, so there may be work arounds that I don't know!
Update#1: The unit failed Thursday evening, I requested a replacement online from Amazon on Friday noon, it arrived at my house on Saturday at about 2pm. I'm sure everyone would agree that that is outstanding customer service from Amazon. I have now (Sunday) installed the replacement unit and again it appears to be working great. Provided it continues to do so, I will add a second update and change my rating to four stars. I remain disappointed that the zone 2 is not digital, hence not 5 stars.
Update #2: Four days after installing the second receiver, it also failed in the same way. However, at the bottom of the "Troubleshooting" page in the user manual, I found the following comment: "The AV receiver contains a microcomputer for signal processing and control functions. In very rare situations, severe interference, noise from an external source, or static electricity may cause it to lock up. In the unlikely event this happens, unplug the power cord from the wall outlet, wait at least five seconds and then plug it in again."
That worked and it has not locked up again in the last ten days. However, I certainly take issue with the "rare circumstances" and "unlikely event" and I can't imagine any special event that may have caused it. My receiver is in a cabinet with the plug behind it, so unplugging is quite inconvenient. This said, the sound from the receiver is really clear so, if this problem does not recur frequently, I will be happy with the purchase. I'm changing my rating from one star to three stars.

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Reciever, Onkyo ,Tx SR508 Stereo

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Altec Lansing 2-PC USB & AC POWERED PORTABLE ( XT2 ) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)These are the best sounding portable USB speakers I've heard. I also love the flat style of the speakers and case. It makes it easy to pack into a laptop case or a suitcase for portability.
They're made of a sturdy plastic with aluminum grills and flip-under stands, which makes them very durable - important if you travel. I've never used the auxiliary input, so I can't comment as to how well it works with a portable audio device.
The biggest con for me is the lack of a headphone jack. When these speakers are connected to your laptop, it disables the built-in speakers and sound card (naturally). To switch to headphones, you have to disconnect the USB connection, then close and relaunch whatever application you're using with audio. It's a minor nuisance, but enough for me to take away a star. Another minor nuisance is the fact that it disables the use of any hard volume control buttons you have on your laptop, and volume is controlled either via the speaker itself, or through your control panel. Again, the workaround is to not use the USB cable and connect from your computer's headphone out into the auxiliary input, but that requires an extra cable in addition to the USB or AC cable, which defeats half the purpose of USB speakers.
A good buy to me. Well worth the money, but before buying you should be aware of the two issues stated above. If using headphones and hard volume controls are not that important to you, this is the ultimate buy.

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Altec Lansing XT2 Altec Lansing Speakers 2 Piece USB & AC Powered.

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Alpine iDA-X305 - Radio / digital player - Full-DIN - in-dash - 50 Watts x 4 Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This review will be pretty in depth, but will focus primarily on the important things. I'm going to start with the iPod/iPhone stuff first, since I would imagine this is a big reason why many people are looking into this deck.
I will preface this by saying I bought this because I needed a deck that could play music from my iPhone 3G.
*****
UPDATE: I can confirm that the iPhone/iPod 3.0 OS Software is compatible with this deck. In fact, it makes the experience a TINY bit easier because the iPod app no longer launches when you plug in your iPhone/iPod, which means you can be doing something on your phone and not worry about it getting exited when you plug the phone in. It still switches the source to iPod/iPhone, but at least the iPod application on the phone doesn't launch.
*****[iPod/iPhone/USB Stuff]
*******************
This deck supports an impressive amount iPods, iPhone 2G and iPhone 3G, Flash Drives, and most likely many other USB based players. It has a USB port in the back of the unit that screws in to avoid it coming unplugged during normal road bumps, etc. The USB cable they provide you with is nice and long. In my case, it would run almost all the way to the back of my SUV (Buick Rendezvous). It comes with a special iPod/iPhone connector that will charge the iPhone while you play music. Using a normal iPhone cable does not work, the deck gives you an error and throws a fit.
The iPod/iPhone functionality is very solid. It offers most all the sorting types of the iPod (Album, Artist, Song, Playlist) and even will show album art. Though the album art shows up fine when it is smaller, changing the view type to the album art only screen results in blurry/pixelated art work. I was slightly disappointed that there is no "Genius" functionality here, but that feature is pretty new, even to the iPod.
You can advance songs, go back a song, pause, and turn on song or album shuffle on the deck itself.
I personally find it difficult to use the deck to scroll through music, because of how unresponsive the knob is. Turning the knob is very similiar to setting your 10 speed bike to the highest speed. Even though you are pedaling REALLY fast, the tires are moving at a slower pace than if it were at a low speed. If you turn the dial really fast, it only advances 2, 3, maybe 4 spaces on the screen. This makes it hard to scroll through lots of artists, albums, or songs.
Additionally, plugging the iPhone or iPod touch into the stereo cuts off your use of the iPod application, so controlling the song play through your iPod (which I would prefer) is not possible.
Here is the bad part: it is very inconsistent and stubborn when it comes to recognizing my iPhone. If I have the iPod application up and running, then I plug it into the stereo, it will either give me an error on the deck, or tell me the device was not made for the iPhone. This means I have to close the iPod application, then plug it in to the stereo. This wouldn't be so bad, but it also seems to react differently based on whether or not a song is playing, paused, or no activity whatsoever. If I am playing a song when I plug it in, all sorts of crazy stuff happens and I end up having to unplug and replug and then pause and then quit out of the iPod app, and unplug again, then replug before it will work.
Again, wouldn't be so bad, but I find myself spending alot of time just trying to get a song playing instead of just plugging it in and driving.
Also, there is no option to not automatically switch to the iPod source when I plug in the phone. This sucks because if I just want to charge my phone, it will automatically switch the radio to the iPod source, forcing me to push source again to get back. This wouldn't be so bad, but I sometimes listen to Pandora Radio Application through my stereo, and if I am listening to it on my headphones while walking to my vehicle, plugging it into the stereo causes the application to quit, effectively cutting off my music, forcing me to relaunch Pandora and wait for it to buffer my song again. (This may be a personal problem, but it is relevant). It would be nice to turn off Auto Switch as far as the source goes.
Other than no Genius support, not being able to control from the iPhone/iPod itself, and the auto source switch, the iPhone/iPod functionality works well. I just wish I could get in my truck, turn it on, plug in my phone and leave. Instead, getting a song going is a chore. I end up sitting in my truck fidgeting with the deck instead of getting on the road.
[General Use]
***********
You WILL need to read the manual (comes on a CD in the box) in order to figure out some of the functions of this stereo. Though some of it is pretty straight forward, other functions are hidden, or are a string of button presses and knob turns to get to. They managed to make even simple tasks like setting a station preset slightly difficult.
I found it strange this unit does not support RDS, so you will miss out on the useful information that radio stations have to offer in the way of song artist and title, etc..
The clean face plate comes at the price of having to use menus to get to everything, but I expected as much, and boy are there alot of menus.
Two of the front buttons are dedicated to functions that are not even built into the deck itself, so this is kind of frustrating, especially since these addons will cost you upwards of $150 each. It seems like something better could have been put in those 2 slots (but maybe it's just me who may not be buying both addons).
All the buttons and knobs are easy to use and control, though I wish the knob itself was a little bit "stiffer." Turning the knob has inconsistent functionality. Turning it very slowly ensures you advanced to the next item in a list with every tick (clicks are very close to each other), and turning it very quickly has mixed results (sometimes it will advance you only 1 list item, sometimes a few more). Whatever the case, it is cumbersome to scroll through long lists, even with the inclusion of the "percentage" scrolling type set on, which lets you advance to a specific percentage in your music list, etc. This is kind of useless, since I don't memorize, or care to memorize what percent Metallica or any other artist is at...
Additionally, the ring of the knob can be pressed in and turned a quarter of the way to the right or left. This functionality has different uses depending on what menu, feature, or functionality you are using from the stereo.
All buttons are easy to press and sturdy. The face plate itself is very light (a good thing in my opinion) and only the button portion comes off, the LCD stays attached to the unit, making it easier to carry, but the screen itself may still be enough to tempt somebody. The back button is pretty useful and works well, especially when you are new to this unit, because you WILL venture into the wrong menu several times.
You can change the color of the interface from Blue to Red, as well as change the background using the ones built into the unit, or via a flash drive by downloading wallpapers from Alpine's media website.
[Sound]
*******
The deck sounds great. I can crank it up pretty loud (with lotsa room to go higher) and everything still sounds crisp and clear. There is a ton of room for turning volume up and down on this unit, so you will be able to find the volume level that is JUST right all the time. Has separate controls for subwoofer volume and all the fun equalizer stuff you could want (gotta look in the manual for how to do it).
[Expandability]
************
This thing can do pretty much anything you need, but it will cost you big money. It is ready to accept HD Radio, Sirius Satellite, Bluetooth Connectivity, and even an Imprint Sound Processor... but each accessory will cost you $150 plus. It is great they have support for these things, but they are expensive and probably could have been included in the stereo itself, especially when you consider the price tag this baby has. I knew it didn't come with these things when I bought it, but still, when they dedicated 2 of the very few buttons on the face plate to items that are not available in the unit by default, it is kind of frustrating.
There is no CD player built into this unit.
[Final Word]
**********
This is a great unit and has much to offer in the end of owning something fresh and great looking. It definitely stands out and has a nice LCD screen that is put to pretty good use. I wish you could adjust the size of the text on screen, as I like to have more words on screen over having it be more readable.
I hope there is a firmware update to add in genius functionality for the iPod/iPhone and fix the difficulties that can occur with plugging the phone in and getting it to be recognized.
I would definitely suggest this unit to anybody looking for a good deck that supports iPhone/iPod and is looking for ease of use and nice LCD screen space and use. Although it can be a difficult adjustment changing songs with the deck itself, it is stille very likely the best implementation of iPod/iPhone use in a deck to date. Hopefully we will see a firmware update that lets you control the unit from the phone.
If you are looking for expandability, then this is also your unit. You can do pretty much anything you feel if you are willing to pay the price for the addons. It has a nice lengthy USB and all the connections you need for your iPhone or iPod.
*************
* 4/5 Stars
*************

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Memory Presets: Preset Stations (FM:12 / AM:6)
Memory: Auto Memory
Seek Mode: Local / DX Selection
Built-In or Ready: Built-In or Ready HD Radio' Ready
Connection: Alpine TUA-T500HD / TUA-T550HD Required
Signal Switching: Automatic Digital / Analog
Multi-Casting: Multi-Cast HD1,HD2,HD3
Supports iTunesA? Tagging: Supports iTunesA? Tagging (TUA-T550HD Required)
Built-In or Ready: Built-In or Ready Parrot Bluetooth Ready
Connection: Alpine KCE-400BT Required. Features may differ between phone model and service providers.
Hands Free: Hands Free Calling
Redial Function: Redial Function
Phone Book: Phone Book Transfer
Call History (Dialed, Received, Missed): Dialed, Received, Missed
Adjusting the volume when receiving a Call: Adjusting the volume when receiving a Call
Voice Dial Operation: Voice Dial Operation
Streaming Music: Streaming Music Playback
Streaming Music Control: Streaming

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Audio-Technica ATH ANC3BK NoiseCancel Earphone BK Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Update 12/Dec/2010 - Still going strong after about 200K miles of travel :)
I bought these to use with my faithful iPod which is full of music extending from:
* House, Electro, Techno (minus, Trapez, Traum Records etc), requiring a decent and tight bass response and good crisp uppers for all those 808/909 kicks and bass lines and tight hi hats
* Classical to new and old Heavy Metal (Gustav Mahler to Iron Maiden :)
* Indie/rock/acoustic (e.g. The Eels, 1980's Ska bands, Punk)
* Abstract electronics (Venetian Snares, Luke Vibert, AFX, Mr 76 etc - lots of Warp records stuff)
I'm also a DJ and musician, so have experience with a wide variety of listening conditions, studio monitors, studio headphones, and my faithful Sony MDR-V700 cans when mixing vinyl techno/house. I'm also VERY careful with my ears and use custom fitted earpieces for sound management at gigs and shows.
I travel quite extensively so what I wanted was:
1. Earphones that are comfortable
2. Excellent noise suppression - block general noise - people coughing, babies crying, annoying people chatting whilst standing near your seat on the plane etc.
3. Excellent noise cancellation
4. Excellent dynamic range given the spectrum of my listening library
5. Not over the top pricing
6. Good enough to not need extra amplifier to get a decent dynamic range (like some of my Koss Studio Headphones)
7. No fatigue both physical and due to the characteristics of the drivers - too 'brittle' a high end and its over after 30 minutes - think cheap JBL monitors crushing the mids and highs into a distorted mush. I can't stand that. Since noise canceling is an acoustic process, it was important that this didn't mush up my choons :)
8. Sturdiness - nothing worse than a cable getting snared and having to "tie" it to get a proper contact. Nooooo !I've had quite a few different pairs of noise canceling phones in the past - the very early Philips over the ear ones (both two recent models which i was quite happy with) being the ones I'd settled on and used for about 5 years due to value and meeting most of the above. However, since one of my two pairs plastic broke - they were about 5 years old and used heavily, and I was not too happy about the need to drive them quite hard from my 80G 5G iPod to get a decent level which also meant that it introduced a bit of distortion - the iPod amp isnt actually that great by the way - I decided to look at some other options including Sennheiser top of the range, Bose QC range, the current Philips as well as Etymotic and Shure passive noise canceling. I was prepared to invest in something decent up to $400.
Anyhow, after much research and trying a few out my conclusions were:
* the Bose models were nice, but hugely over the top in price given their performance - especially whilst they did well in noise canceling, this appeared to be at the expense of phase alignment and actually changing the EQ spectrum quite vividly. Sounds were good but it sounded like a kind of flattening effect across the mids which for my music which in the main tends to be somewhat "V" in EQ was a bit odd sounding. I just felt given the price it should have been much better.
* Sennheiser - excellent all round but could not help feeling way too expensive (and a bit bulky)
* The Philips models were the same as my old ones - still perfectly serviceable but still a little lacking and needing driving a little hard - but can be had for pretty low dollars
* The Audio Technica just stood way above the rest on the price/sound quality/value/curve. The downsides are slight and similar to all the others anyhow: Yes, as with ANY noise canceling headphones since we are dealing with an acoustic process by which sound waves of any reasonable magnitude arriving at the earpiece in the range say up to 1500 Hz (aircraft engine noise, train noise, most conversations) are rapidly inverted and "played" into the earpiece at a level to actively cancel out anything arriving at your eardrum - more or less - there are bound to be acoustic artifacts and changes in EQ spectrum/Phase and so on.
However the AT's were much nicer in this regard. Couple this with the nice rubber noise isolation buds (use the largest you can to block noise and have them slot nicely into your ear canal), pressing the "NC on" button is pure bliss. One thing I did note- if you connect them to nothing and use them, you will "hear" the noise canceling process - but this is eliminated when the music is created or if you are in even a slightly noisy environment (e.g. bar, cafe, restaurant, shop).
So, I actually ended up buying both the in-ear buds listed here since they are so compact and hugely effective for creating my own silent or music filled world on trains and planes, as well as the AT over the ear ones - ATH ANC7's. The latter are very comfortable if a little compact over the ear and have excellent performance also - and nice cabling - removable cable and a nice case that also happens to fit my ipod inside too.
Paid $99 for the in ear via one of amazons sellers, and $127 for the over the ear ones. That's TWO pairs of really excellent headphones for less than the Bose or Sennheisers which were getting into la la land on price.
So, I can get close to my Studio and DJ can performance out of these and its made my ipod and other music listening experiences (eg. plane's movie system) really quite pleasurable. I can also use them to sleep on a noise plane or train - so effective you have to watch to make sure you don't miss announcements like your stops. If push came to shove, I reckon I could easily use the over the ears for a bit of impromptu DJ'ing if I had to - they are really great in this regard as they work perfectly without being powered - unlike some others. So, both be used when batteries are dead too.
Hope this helps - just a happy customer of these nice cans.
Mark

Click Here to see more reviews about: Audio-Technica ATH ANC3BK NoiseCancel Earphone BK

Audio-Technica's ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling In-Ear Headphones reduce distracting background noise by 85% while offering the superior sound that makes Audio-Technica a world-leading pro audio company. Engineered to create a comfortable listening environment in areas with high ambient noise, these in-ear headphones feature a miniature microphone in each earpiece that picks up ambient noise (such as traffic, air-handling systems, etc.). Electronics in the control box create a noise-cancelling wave that is 180 degrees out of phase with the ambient noise. This wave acts like a noise eraser: it cancels out the annoying sounds that surround you without diminishing the audio you want to hear. The result is a peaceful enclave to enjoy the music or movies of your choice. Wherever you happen to find yourself--on a busy subway, in a noisy office, or settling in for a long flight--there is no better way to experience audio or immerse yourself a quiet environment.

ATH-ANC3 Features
Ultra-compact in-ear design is ideal for travel
Advanced electronics cancel up to 85% (20 dB) of background noise
Innovative ANC circuitry delivers an exceptionally pure audio signal in noise-cancelling mode
Ideal for use with all audio sources, including MP3 & other portable players
Soft interchangeable ear pieces (small, medium & large) provide a custom fit
Monitor switch deactivates noise cancellation/audio so you can listen outside when you need to
Audio functions (in passive mode) even without battery
Sleek control box offers on/off and monitor switches and clothing clip
Two-pin airline adapter connects to in-flight entertainment
Hard carrying case protects headphones & accessories
Y cable includes an adjustable sleeve and extension for secure, comfortable fit
A single AAA battery powers noise-cancelling electronics
Gold-plated mini-plug provides exceptional corrosion resistance, superb conductivity and low noise

About Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones Audio-Technica's ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint in-ear headphones use active noise-cancelling technology to reduce distracting background noise by up to 85%, providing an exceptionally comfortable and restful listening environment in areas with high ambient noise. Active noise-cancelling headphones have components not present in ordinary headphones:
Microphone--Noise-cancelling headphones feature a miniature microphone in the earpiece that picks up ambient noise (such as traffic, air-handling systems, etc.)
Noise-canceling circuitry--Electronics in the ear piece create a noise-cancelling wave that is 180° out of phase with the ambient noise. This wave acts like a noise eraser: it cancels out the annoying sounds that surround you without diminishing the audio you want to hear. The result is a peaceful enclave to enjoy the music or movies of your choice.
Battery--The noise-cancelling electronics are battery-powered.

What's in the Box ATH-ANC3 Headphones (black), Detachable .5 m cable with gold-plated 3.5 mm (1/8-inch) stereo mini plug and jack, Gold-plated airline adapter, Protective carrying case, Replaceable rubber tips, Battery

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Archos 105 2 GB Flash Video MP3 Player (Gray) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My Archos xs 100 stopped working - it had a small harddrive that crashed (again). The Archos 105 is solid state. I use this mp3 player primarily for listening to recorded books from the library. The player needed to have bookmark capability, which this does. The short story is that this player works like I need it to, the price was right and has features (video player) that I haven't even gotten to yet.

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The ARCHOS 105, the ultra mini MP3 player from ARCHOS, gives you 2GB* of storage for video, music and photos. It features a 1.8'' color screen to view photos or play movies. The ARCHOS 105 allows you to take all your music collection with you - no matter where you roam. A single touch fills your ears with your favourite songs and your eyes with your favourite photos or movies.

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