Nice sound. Good price.

Don''t have random play on single disc.

This is a very nice unit, especially for the money. I first bought a Sony (can''t remember the model) but had to return it because it got stuck while playing a CD or something like that. Went back and decide to get the Kenwood because it was in the same price range. When I came back and hooked it up. I found that the sound is nicer and warmer than the Sony I returned !!! The Sony produced sounds that were somewhat higher and less pleasant. I was glad that I got this one instead. I just bought a Denon receiver (DRA685) and now the sound is even livelier than before. So, match it with a nice receiver and you''ll get a great sound. Match it with an ok receiver, and you''ll still get great sound. Money well spent, IMHO.

Excellent specs compared to any make, and the best of any Kenwood changer model available.

Kenwood spent way too much time with text capability. The other item that tends to irritate me, is not being able to visually see how many tracks are left.

Before I bought this unit, I spent an hour comparing the 206 to other brands (each being more expensive). We used the same amp and speakers to compare the CD players. The speakers were top of the line Mirage and Sonus Faber (which is the only reliable way to compare CD Players). The test revealed no audible difference between the 206 and players costing over three times as much. The 206 has the best specs of any of the Kenwood CD players, no matter model or price and it shows during the test. We varied the type of music to get different range and mixtures of instrument contact. The 206 truly shines throughout the test by reproducing what was on the CD. This is the purpose of any equipment, that is to reproduce what's there, and not create something new. With the results I got from the comparison's, I can recommend this unit to anyone, especially those who don't have an unlimited budget.

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo, Marantz, Sony, Yamaha, and Harman Kardon.

Two digital outs, Coaxil and Optical

Poor display, an annoying "POP!", IR "compatibility" with Kenwood universal remote

I purchased this product to accompany my Kenwood VR 309 receiver amplifier. I liked the features that it had, two digital outs, decided I could live with the low STN ratio.

I owned the changer for two weeks and decided I could not live with the kwirks any longer. My first annoyance occoured when I noticed a very audible pop in between tracks. The pop also came up when ever I would press pause and play. I first thought it was due to an optical connection so I converted to the Coaxil. The problem stayed.

Furthermore, the unit is basically featureless in conjunction with Kenwood universal remotes. You cannot display time left..., nor can you cue back and forward. You have to pick up the CD player's remote to do that.

Lastly, the display is insufficient. I don't need disc titling when barely one percent of my collection would display anyting.

Kenwood has chosed to build a CD player with many bells and whistles, but lacks integtity. What good is an optical out(for cd burning) if everytime I press play the POP! is recorded too. Sorry to be a curve buster on this rating, but I was not satisfied and am opting for a Sony 5 disc changer at the same price.

Similar Products Used:

Teac 5 disc changer

sharp looks, quiet, fast

problems reading certain disks, problems with random

I received this player as an Xmas gift this past year, and was pleased with it's overall good looks and sound quality.

...until...

I put a couple of my older jazz CDs in, hit random, and it wouldn't play 2/5 of them. I thought it might be the discs, so I took them to 2 other players I have and they worked fine. Went back to the store w/ the discs to try 'em out on the floor model, where they seemed to work fine. Exchanged my player for another one, took it home and the discs played fine.

...until...

Two days later my wife and I were listening to some discs on random with some friends when one of them--different than the other ones I had problems with--started playing all the way through in order. Glancing at the player, I noticed that 'random' was no longer selected. Assuming it got bumped or something, I started the whole thing again. Sure enough, when it hit that disc it kicked itself out of random and started playing the whole disc in order once again. By now I was convinced it was a design problem (my guess is buggy software), so I took it back and got the Technics SL-PD8 (I have a Technics single-disc player going on 9 years old that still works great!). YMMV, but I found it interesting to note that when I returned the second CD-206, the store I bought it from (Circuit City) remarked that they didn't have anymore in stock and hadn't, in fact, ordered any more. Coincidence? You decide.

Similar Products Used:

Technics, Panasonic, Philips/Magnivox

I have this unit for about six months and I had had have any problem with it.The sound quality it's OK and I like the connection options: optical and coaxial digital connections and the usual analog ones.

My only complain is the auto play feature, which starts playing the first CD in the tray every time you turn the player on. And you don't have the option to disable this other than removing the CDs from the tray. It's pretty annoying in fact. I wouldn't buy this unit if I new it.

Nice Looking. Good Sound

Auto play on startup

The auto play at power an can be a little annoyance but if you power on you are there to push the stop button anyhow. The two digital as well as analog outputs give you a nice option for output and the sound quality is fine.

Coaxial and Digital outputs. DRIVE circuity for a great sound quality

Once the CD player is turned on, a CD will automaticly play

Connected the CD-206 to my Kenwood V-309 Reciver. The Coaxial ouput allowed me to use my Dolby Digital sound, which gave a crisp CD quality. I am very impressed and it was well worth the $149.99....

Similar Products Used:

Earlier Kenwood CD players. This one is the best.

This isn't a review as much as is it a response to David Rue. First, I don't work for Kenwood. I have a very similar 2 year old CD-204 and it's features are available on the CD-206. You mentioned a "low STN." I believe you are implying a poor signal to noise ratio. The unit is spec'd at 100 dB S/N, hardly poor.
You also mentioned the inability to cue back or forward and display time remaining without using the remote. That feature is available on the player as well as on the remote. I know because the owners manual for the 204 and 206 are the same. I have also performed these operations on the player directly.
Your issues with a popping noise sounds like a quality issue specific to your unit. I have never heard it on the 204.
By the way, after 2 years of listening to the CD-204, I am still pleased with it. This is after listening to highly regarded models like the Meridian 508.24
I am rating this unit only because I'm required to.

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood CD-204

This Cd player is definitly worth buying, it has very good sound quality. It is very quiet and it goes very well with a technics reciever and Energy speakers. And all the highs and lows are accurate as can be. I highly recommend this product to some one who loves cds.