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Sony CMT-EH45 DAB
by londonchemist
When you own about two thousand cd`s and pretty much breathe and live for the art of music, having the right type of equipment is essential. I would say that buying this speaker system from Sony is a choice that I didn`t regret making, however it`s a system I wouldn`t recommend using in larger rooms such as the living room or kitchen, ... however it could function well in a bedroom or hobby room, the sound restriced and functioning best in smaller areas. That aside, this is a system that I found very easy to get a hang of, it took no time at all learning how to use all features, and I would recommend this system especially for teenagers and younger users! Seeing as the cost also is reasonable, there`s not much to complain about...
I bought this system on a holiday in Europe, paying 100.99 for it, however you can probably find it costing less in the U.K... This system comes with a cd-player, DAB and FM radio, cassette player and the opportunity of plugging in your mp3-player. In other words, this system covers the whole lot! The sound is very clear and good balanced in all occasions of use, yet I find it most enjoyable while listening to cd`s. In purchasing this product you will receive the following; the micro system itself, a remote control, the manual, a wire antenna and two speakers. Notice the fact that there`s no batteries included, two AA batteries will be needed in order to power the system. As far as these systems go, I was very pleased with the quality of radio signals I received, the sound and presentation of radio was very good and clear in sound, which one cannot say for all systems of this sort... The same goes for playing audio cd`s, the sound is very good and lovely to listen to, while for me the mp3-player plugged in doesn`t offer the same type of sound quality, yet all right to listen to when wanting such... Easy to use, good sound quality and a modern design, this system is easy to recommend, especially for teenagers enjoying listening to music in their bedroom... Affordable and good quality, an overall good choice product!
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Philips MC M7
by SoadFan
~Tell me about the Philips MC M7~
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Having had a few music systems in our time, we have had some good and some bad experiences. One of the music systems we had was replaced twice yet still failed, so when a few years ago we were looking to replace one of our units, we turned towards the Phillips ... branded music systems.
Our Phillips MC M7 mini system proved to be so very good that when our other systems needed replacing, we went on to choose further phillips models, including the much more updated 'Streamuim' models which have proved to be really great. The Phillips MC M7 has been a cracking little sound system thats still going strong and is pumping out music with a really pleasing sound quality.
Thinking back to when we piked the unit put from a well known retailer, I know that we went armed with a series of cd's which all had different music styles. We really wanted to know how the sound system would work for us. I would 100% recommend that you do the same when looking for a music system. Also take along your ipod or MP3 player if the unit you are keen on has that type of compatibility.
We found this little system to be very adept at producing good quality sounds, with a decent level of bass and treble and a few added features which when combined with the price, made the Phillips MC M7 the one for us. As I recall we paid around £169 or so for the product and it was a price I feel was well worth spending, when I consider the fact that we are still getting reliable and clear sounds from the unit even now.
~The product design~
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The design of the unit is very simple, modern and easy on the eye. We bought it for the upstairs of the house and so wanted something that wasn't a harsh black shade. I feel that the soft light wood tones of the speaker cases and the sleek silver fronted mirrored design of the sound system unit, with minimal detailing makes for a relaxing looking bit of kit.
Whilst you may not feel that looks are of much importance when choosing a sound system, I do feel that you need to think about how the system will sit in its surroundings and what impact that may have on how you use the music system. This unit is compact and neat and doesn't jar the senses and seemed a much better choice than many of the units that screamed plastic fantastic at us.
We didn't want to pick a nasty looking behemoth and I do take the view that you don't really want a great big lump of industrial looking music equipment sat in your bedroom drowning out everything in its path of an evening. So this little unit with its sleek and warming lightness of appearance was for us, just what we felt would suit the mood.
~Back to basics!~
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The basics of the model are simple and easy to grasp. Once you switch on the power you can select the way you want to listen to your music. You can choose from a cd, the radio, or even a tape cassette. Yes this baby has a cassette deck and no ipod connector. We haven't found the lack of ipod connection to be a problem at all, as the other units we have do have this feature and we generally use this system to listen to cds or the radio.
The speakers on the unit are very good when you consider their compact stature. In this case less really is more. The casings are not overly sized, but do have a really good set of speakers set within them. Each speaker gives you a full 50 watts of sound, via a set of ferro fluid dome tweeters and a flat metal cone woofer. All this is well contained behind a series of simple and elegant silver panels which do not restrict the noise output in any way, but do enhance the look of the speakers.
~What is the sound like?~
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These little gems of speakers can be set via the treble and base settings to pump out your sounds as smoothly and lightly or as base pumpingly and ear splitingly loud as you fancy. In either setting the speakers do not disappoint. When used on a soft and quiet sound setting, with the addition of a little more treble, you are able to detect all the little delightful twinkles, tones and percussion noises in some of the gentle night time radio muzak that Bob Harris plays on Radio 2 at a certain late hour.
Classical music comes out of these speakers in a dreamy and surreal way and if you close your eyes, you can imagine yourself right there in the moment listening to the music being played live. The fact that there is an 'Incredible Surround Sound' setting on the sound system, means that the wide flow effect of the speakers is maximized, when you apply that setting and that a very realistic and clear toned music all around you sensation is heightened to the nnth degree.
Switch to daytime mode and the sound system takes on a whole new agenda. This little system rocks! It doesn't matter what type of music genre you throw at the Phillips MC M7 the little unit copes with it all. From rock to pop, metal to indie we have had no complaints with the quality and texture of the sounds that the unit produces.
A favorite way to check out the musical talents of any sound system has been to throw on a System Of A Down cd and see whether a sound system can work its magic on it. Well this little unit, once enhanced with a Serj/ System Of A Down cd, can near enough burn your ears off with its pumping base and smooth deep toned sound low lights. You hear every little noise and tone, every little inclination and intonation of the voices and instruments used and lose nothing in quality or clarity, even when the sound is set ear scorchingly high.
~Pump up the volume!~
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If you do like your music loud, you can easily crack up the volume onto a higher setting and the quality and clearness is not at all effected. The resulting tones and sounds still come out as crystal clear as they do on the lower less bassy settings. There is no muffling of the sound at all and you can just sit back and enjoy the incredible sounds that the Phillips MC M7 can pump out.
On the louder and more excitable settings the unit does not skip a beat and artists such as Lady Gaga come across as playing for you in your own home mini euro disco, Audioslave take on a whole new level of rock based artistry, Bjork can scream and cajole using the entire highs and lows of her vocal range and not break into an icelandic sweat. American feel good bands like Greenday can sing up a storm and the classic mellow and iconic sounds of the Eagles ring out loud and clear without distortion or lack of clarity.
~How do you rate it?~
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In summary, I have nothing but praise for this little sound unit and speaker combo. It performs really well and has lost nothing over the few years we have owned and used it. It was very reasonable to buy and still looks very modern and sleek without being too in your face.
The sound quality and over all tone is still very good and the purchase of the unit did lead us on to purchase other Phillips systems, which are also of an equally good standard. I feel that this means that Phillips are heading in the right direction with their music systems and as such would not hesitate to recommend that you check out their range, when purchasing your next sound system.
In terms of rating the product, I cannot give it any less than a full 5 stars, as it still works a well as it did when new and was a very good purchase in terms of sound quality and value for money.
~Extra product notes ~
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The unit comes complete with 2 light wood 50 watt speakers
1 x silver toned mirror fronted control unit with FM/MW radio antenna built in
1 x reliable and handy remote control unit which requires 2 x AA batteries
All manuals are included
1 x power cable included
All connector wires for the speakers included
The unit is also compatible with copied cds in MP3 format.
There is also an easy to programme on/ off feature you can choose to set up.
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Denon D-M30
by victorias_books
I owned a Denon D-M30 Hi Fi for many years, and I loved it. Not only does it deliver fantastic sound quality, but for £245 it is a very versatile and hard wearing product.
The dimensions of the decks are 210 x 95 x 326mm, and they weigh 2.9kg each. The hi fi is comprised of 3 - 5 decks, depending on your choice. The tuning ... deck will be present, and you can choose whether to purchase the cassette deck, CD deck, mini disk deck and radio to accompany it.
The decks are silver in appearance, and equipped with larger than adequate display screens on which you can see how long the media has been playing, time left to run, etc. There is a dial and the standard Play, Stop, etc, if you wish to operate the deck manually. I usually use the remote control for this, the sensor for which is located in the uppermost level. The buttons for manual operation require a bit of force for the action to be detected, and although the deck is endowed with a non-slip coating on its underside, it can still slip out of place somewhat if you happen to push it too hard.
When inserting cassettes, CDs and mini disks you must push the button on the bottom left of the appropriate deck, and the tray will extend outwards. You simply slot the disk into the crevice, and either push the tray back in manually, or wait a few seconds for it to retract automatically. I have discovered that when the automatic function kicks in the tray can draw in a swift speed, and my finger once became stuck in the machine. This caused the tray to cease movement, and I was able to hit the eject button and release my digit. I experienced some discomfort, but thankfully the 'bite' was not so aggressive that it drew blood.
On the tuning deck there is a large volume dial. If you enjoy listening to music at high volumes you will certainly appreciate this feature, as it enables you to select eardrum shattering levels (although I would not, of course, recommend this, for the sake of your neighbours!) I frequently listen to loud music, and even when it is distinctly audible through the double glazing I find I have reached only a third of the hi fi's maximum volume capacity. The tuning deck also features dials for bass, treble and balance. You can focus the dials centrally to select Flat sound, or in increments of +1 or -1 down to -5 to the right and +5 to the left. On the right is a larger dial that is the rec selector, and on the left is the input selector. The dials are all very smooth to operate and will respond immediately to your request.
The remote control that accompanies the hi fi package runs on two AA batteries, and in the entire time I owned the hi fi I had cause to change the batteries only once. The remote is equipped with 53 buttons, so you can control a great deal from a distance. Some features you can operate, as well as the standard volume, On, Play, Stop, Rewind and Fast Forward, are sleep, dimmer, standby, shuffle, clean, aux, phono and CD sync. One complaint I have about the remote control is that you sometimes have to align yourself perfectly with the sensor in order for the signal to be detected, but if the batteries are fresh this is slightly less problematic.
This is a fantastic hi fi that is both stylish and durable. It is endowed with a huge array of features, so you are able to modify the sound that emits from it to your requirements. It delivers a gorgeous, rich bass and those who crave their music loud will be enchanted by this model.
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