I paid USD420 for this piece of near-junk in Mar. 2007. Initially I bought a lower grade model (1 step down) and to my amazement, when I put put in the first CD, it wouldn't even work, couldn't read, i.e. wouldn't even spin, just dead. So I brought it back to the shop immediately, and got a new one. Tried it there, this time, when the salesman took the CD out, there was several droplets of water on it!!! I called up their service center and filed a complaint, and they recommended this "better version", the C542. Being 24 bit, the sound is better, acceptable.

After 1 year and 2 months, when the warranty JUST expired, this C542 started to skip tracks, always around the 4th/5th song, vertually with every CD (they're originals, and scratch free). I remember an old trick which I used with my previous CD player. So I opened the CD player and wiped the steel rod which the CD head travelled on with engine oil (any hardware store has it), as I figured the problem was caused by a slight tug at the same spot. It worked. No more skipping.

For the last 3 years, every 7-8 months, the same problem came up, and I had to do the same exercise.

I wouldn't advice anyone buying NAD junks unless you're prepared to face challenges that you never had with CD players in your life.