Need help buying my first portable CD player, please.

[How786]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the market to purchase my first portable CD player. I have a large budget so price is not an issue. What is unique will be my use of the unit: it will mainly be used to log audio CDs containing the spoken word. (It will rarely be used for music.)

In logging, I need to pause and play a lot and sometimes rewind a tad. So, a remore would be nice and large pause/play buttons would be nice.

I'm totally new to this area. What durable unit would suit my needs, please?

I'd really appreciate any help you can give.

Thanks

How786

[Guest Stuge]

Welcome to Atraclife !

Sony's Highend cd player models are D-NE920 & D-NE20.

D-NE20 review

[How786]

I appreciate your quick reply especially since I need the player ASAP. I'd already read the review and found it very discouraging which is why I posted my question. Heck, he gives it a 50 and makes many negative observations.

Did I read it wrong?

Thanks

How

[pata2001]

I would not go high-end for your purpose. Any plain PCDPs will probably do. If you use MP3, don't buy panasonic models since they cannot do fast-forward/rewind on MP3s. Sony D-NE330 is probably more than sufficient for your needs.

[How786]

I would not go high-end for your purpose. Any plain PCDPs will probably do. If you use MP3, don't buy panasonic models since they cannot do fast-forward/rewind on MP3s. Sony D-NE330 is probably more than sufficient for your needs.

Does this model have a remote?

Thanks

How

[Guest Stuge]

Does this model have a remote?

Thanks

How

No,D-NE300 is not supplied with remote.

Hey ,May i know in which country do you live ?

It seems that D-NE300 is not available in US Sony style(US),but still you can look ebay.

[pata2001]

Does this model have a remote?

Thanks

How

The US version includes a non-LCD clip remote (not the regular stick style remote). It should be compatible with other Sony remotes.

[Guest Stuge]

The US version includes a non-LCD clip remote (not the regular stick style remote). It should be compatible with other Sony remotes.

Hey ,From where did you get this info ?

Sony Uk site says it doesn't have remote.

[JustAnUnCoolCat]

re - The poor review.

I found the high-end D-NE's to be pretty ok as it goes.

Hell, i've owned two (D-NE1 from the original ATRAC CD walkman series, D-NE20 from the third gen series).

Having never had a file playback prob such as the reviewer indicated, can't comment on that.

But yes, there is something to be said about media tolerence (it's really a tolerence thing, not 'compatability').

All i'll say is.. when you use good or high-grade media, or plain and simply good grade unbranded if that's your thing, the D-NE's have proven damn stable for me re media tolerence.

Two thing to note about media mind, and this is both a trait i noticed with the D-NE series, and also the later iRiver IMP series (particularly those built from and including the 550 model) -

1) Try to use media that's extremely opaque on it's top-side (aka label/print side).

2) Stick to conventional recordable media colours re the record side colour.

The more opaque the top side is (hold it up to a strong light, top side facing the light so you look at the record side) - if you are getting a lovely corona effect where light is passing on the outside, but little or no perceptable light is leaking through or illuminating the disc itself, then your odds of good tolerence are high.. very high

For some reason, the D-NE's definately seem to work better with the conventional media colours re the record side colour.

For me, and i use mostly RW's mind, combine a really opague disc with silver colouring (most RW's are very silver or near silver colour) and the tolerence of the media is almost bombproof. Sure, it tails off as the disc gets damaged over time.. but show me a disc that don't get hard to read when it gets progressively ferked up...??

For CD-R's, and CD-RW's, i always suggest sticking to the plain cooking versions of a known good media. Fancy stuff can be troublesome.. and if you get persistent probs, fancy ultra cool brands and types can simply be money down the drain.

I stick to TDK and Maxell's (subsitute other brands here, where you know the same media is repacked under other names) - the kind that are often used for media distribution.

As it goes, harking right back to analog recording days, i found that good commercial grade distribution grade tapes were also very reliable and hard-wearing.

It's a combination of that experience (from analog days) and also from working a lot with CD mastering, that i give the advice given.

A last factor to mention..

Recording/Burning speeds - whilst it's so tempting to go for broke and whack in your mega meltdown hi-speed media into a burner and set it to hypergalatic warpdrive burn speeds, mega speed burning on mega speed grade media is not a guaranteed security that you burn really discs that almost anything capable of reading the disc will be tolerent of.

1. Reduce the CPU load on the machine burning.

2. Use a good reference burner soft to do a simulation burn using your intended media.., from this you can find out what the real stable reliable max burn speed is in your particular setup. Nero is damn good for deciding this, so grab a demo copy for reference use.

3. Knowing whether you can, time and time again with very very few (preferably zero) fails - discounting faulty media instances, burn at a given speed... apply a further caution and set a burn rate half of the determined max.

So that translates to, in SS and disc burning, if the media is ultra-speed rated and your drive can handle it, pick the medium speed option. You can try the ultra speed high speed option, but the odds are way better if you employ patience and opt for the lower burn rate.

After all, is the time you think you will save by mega speed burning really time saved, if you end up with a poor or unreadable disc and end up reburning it time and time again til you get a good one.. or even then opt for playing safe..??

Better to play safe and employ patience.

Hope this all helps..

'Tom Kat'

[How786]

re - The poor review.

I found the high-end D-NE's to be pretty ok as it goes.

Hell, i've owned two (D-NE1 from the original ATRAC CD walkman series, D-NE20 from the third gen series).

Having never had a file playback prob such as the reviewer indicated, can't comment on that.

But yes, there is something to be said about media tolerence (it's really a tolerence thing, not 'compatability').

All i'll say is.. when you use good or high-grade media, or plain and simply good grade unbranded if that's your thing, the D-NE's have proven damn stable for me re media tolerence.

Two thing to note about media mind, and this is both a trait i noticed with the D-NE series, and also the later iRiver IMP series (particularly those built from and including the 550 model) -

1) Try to use media that's extremely opaque on it's top-side (aka label/print side).

2) Stick to conventional recordable media colours re the record side colour.

The more opaque the top side is (hold it up to a strong light, top side facing the light so you look at the record side) - if you are getting a lovely corona effect where light is passing on the outside, but little or no perceptable light is leaking through or illuminating the disc itself, then your odds of good tolerence are high.. very high

For some reason, the D-NE's definately seem to work better with the conventional media colours re the record side colour.

For me, and i use mostly RW's mind, combine a really opague disc with silver colouring (most RW's are very silver or near silver colour) and the tolerence of the media is almost bombproof. Sure, it tails off as the disc gets damaged over time.. but show me a disc that don't get hard to read when it gets progressively ferked up...??

For CD-R's, and CD-RW's, i always suggest sticking to the plain cooking versions of a known good media. Fancy stuff can be troublesome.. and if you get persistent probs, fancy ultra cool brands and types can simply be money down the drain.

I stick to TDK and Maxell's (subsitute other brands here, where you know the same media is repacked under other names) - the kind that are often used for media distribution.

As it goes, harking right back to analog recording days, i found that good commercial grade distribution grade tapes were also very reliable and hard-wearing.

It's a combination of that experience (from analog days) and also from working a lot with CD mastering, that i give the advice given.

A last factor to mention..

Recording/Burning speeds - whilst it's so tempting to go for broke and whack in your mega meltdown hi-speed media into a burner and set it to hypergalatic warpdrive burn speeds, mega speed burning on mega speed grade media is not a guaranteed security that you burn really discs that almost anything capable of reading the disc will be tolerent of.

1. Reduce the CPU load on the machine burning.

2. Use a good reference burner soft to do a simulation burn using your intended media.., from this you can find out what the real stable reliable max burn speed is in your particular setup. Nero is damn good for deciding this, so grab a demo copy for reference use.

3. Knowing whether you can, time and time again with very very few (preferably zero) fails - discounting faulty media instances, burn at a given speed... apply a further caution and set a burn rate half of the determined max.

So that translates to, in SS and disc burning, if the media is ultra-speed rated and your drive can handle it, pick the medium speed option. You can try the ultra speed high speed option, but the odds are way better if you employ patience and opt for the lower burn rate.

After all, is the time you think you will save by mega speed burning really time saved, if you end up with a poor or unreadable disc and end up reburning it time and time again til you get a good one.. or even then opt for playing safe..??

Better to play safe and employ patience.

Hope this all helps..

'Tom Kat'

FYI, I've been involved in archiving for many years. We've done a GREAT DEAL of expensive testing of all the media that is avaialble. For anyone who wants the greatest longevity, Mitsui Gold CDs win hands down. (There is much indepedant testing and research that confirms their patented dye is far more archival than that of any competitor. Joe Iracdi and others have published studies regarding the superior nature of Mitsui's phthalocyanine dye.

Many people publish 'feelings' and 'opinions' based on no data as I'm sure you are aware.

<S>

Best Regards

How

[JustAnUnCoolCat]

Well, you tend know well about the fact that using sane and rational tried and tested methods/media and writer kit (or simply playing safe and being patient not obsessively out for getting the max done in the min time) and overall setup, works out the best )

Never took too much interest in whose's dye is used in the media i use, as i tend to stick to what i know is tried and tested (by me) and simply don't touch what aint broken.

But the important thing is, you will clearly have a strategy for getting it right - so go with it, as that's the assessment any sane and rational person would give

I might read into that study if i really find myself that desperate for reading material

No disrespect intend to the folks who did the study, but i respect the findings of people who pay for their mistakes from calling it wrong way more that academic (or non academic) 'lab coat' definitive findings.

I treat science and scientfic findings a bit like the diff between Physics in the textbook and in the real world.

'If it don't work, it's Physics' (referring to how the outcome in the real world rarely fits the straight line model of consistency and pattern perfection of science in the lab).

Be Cool Always

'Tom Kat'

[maxthrusters]

I recently bought a DNE920. The choice was between that and a DNE20, because I required the optical-out feature.

I chose the 920 because it has a backlit LCD right on the unit. I'm pleased with the sound, weight, appearance, battery life. I am not pleased with the results making ATRAC CDs, as the process has either failed or the completed compilation had sound quality issues. No such problems with MP3 or store-bought CDs.