This unit sports all the features you would expect from a high end player including an optical input which is a must for anyone who will want to do a lot of recording from CDs (just make sure that your CD player has the optical output). The unit is also very easy to use and commands are never more than three button presses away. The jog dial removes any need for repeated button pressing when naming tracks etc. The sound quality is superb and helped greatly by the good quality headphones. The in line control is very good and it includes a back-lit LCD screen. This prevents the need for suggestive pocket fumblings when on the move. There are a few lovely touches; when playing a track the name scrolls across the LCD screen but when a track is unnamed, rather than a blank screen being shown an animation of a fish swims across the display. The only downside to this player is that it is fairly bulky compared to some of the later models however this is only a small quibble and the unit is still very compact.