Delete Bank (ability to remember what songs you don't want to hear on each CD)

Time between discs is too long (and loud), entering in all the data

This is the cheapest 200 disc unit that has the "Delete Bank" (not play the tracks you don't like), which is a must in 200 disc changer. Who likes every single song out of 200 cd's? The other manufacturers (JVC, Pioneer) who didn't include this feature dropped the ball and shouldn't even be considered. I'm sure this will be a common feature a year from now.

This unit has quit a few shortcomings though. The display line to show each CD artist and title is only 13 characters, which causes the need to be creative and cryptic when entering them. Also, this line shares itself with the time and song number, so when a cd is playing the name and title disappear. My biggest complaint is when you are playing random between all discs in a group (which is why you buy it for, right?) it takes 15-20 seconds between songs (changing CD's) and you always hear the carasel spinning back and forth which is pretty loud. This makes for music followed by dead silence followed by a loud spinning sound followed by silence and then finally music again.

Also another problem is with CD recordings themselves. If you are having a party playing music on random discs, then the loudness of each CD varies from different recording levels. This causes some cd's to be too low and others to be too loud, so that you are constantly finding the reciever and turning the volume up and down.

Also, the manual says if you don't use your CD playing in 30 days, the data memory may be lost. Which sucks, because it is very tedious to input everthing (I'm still doing mine, and it may go on forever).

The 200 CD personal jukebox is a great idea, but is still unperfected.

It's a jukebox!

Noisy, slow, discs can only be in one group

Had this player for just over two years now, and haven't had a problem with it. The price was more than it would have been in the US. But it works as advertised. Sound quality from the analogue output isn't stunning, but it's fine for a "casual listener". The noise of the mechanism as discs change is a bit distracting, and it takes quite a while too. Only other serious criticism is that though you can assign discs to "groups" (so you can shuffle play only jazz CDs, for example), you can't assign a disc to more than one group.

But these are niggles. The plusses are more important, because these Sony jukeboxes are just ideal as the centre of a whole house audio system. I've got two together up in a spare bedroom where the PC is. The outputs from each go into a passive mixer, then into the sound card on the computer. Output from sound card goes to a little FM transmitter. So I can listen to CDs and MP3s all over the house. Got a wireless IR extender to let me control the CD players from anywhere in the house too. When my Slink-E (www.nirvis.com) arrives I'll be able to control the players from the PC and download all the track/genre information from www.cddb.com.

I'm giving it three stars for value, but four overall because whatever the shortcomings of this particular product, the basic concept is so good.

Similar Products Used:

CDP-CX235

I recently purchased this changer for $225 at Ultimate Electronics. The positives for the player are its good sound output, the ability to program the player to skip certain tracks, the ability to group the cd's into 8 groups regardless of position in the player, and the text output for cd's which are equipped with it. This makes it very easy to organize your cd collection by music category or by specific listener. The player also supports the ability to work with multiple changers of the same brand. The negatives, in my opinion, would be that when grouping the cd's into groups you can only include each cd into one group, there does not seem to be any way to display the total time left in a programed mix, or on an individual cd, and when inputing your own information for a cd, such as the title and artist, they can only be 13 characters long. This is not enough space to include the necessary info. Also, you cannot add or remove cd's while it is playing.
Overall, In spite of these weaknesses, I think that this is a great unit for the money.

Well, this thing is getting worse (see my first post). Over the last few weeks, the unit has been unable to read some discs. Sometimes it will take 30 seconds to read and then only play small segments of the tracks. The fix is to unplug the unit for a minute and power up again. Down side is that some of the disc programming is lost.What a giant pain in the ass!
Problem is that when I unplug the unit to return to Best Buy, it seems to reset itself and works fine in the service dept.
Looks like the problems of the earlier units have carried over into this model. This purchase is a regret. I would stay away from Sony bulk storage changers for a while until more reviews (or new models) are in.
I am contacting Sony to address the problems and will post the results.
Peter
desert100@hotmail.com

Pro: Delete track feature - for tracks you don't ever want to hear Easy to search for a CD once you enter all the names
Sounds great
Can enter CD titles with door open

Cons: Only 13 character CD titles can be entered
can't display time remaining
Takes 15 seconds to switch between CDs
If any keys are pressed on the remote or player during the first 15
seconds after power on, the player would not play. Worked Ok
everytime I waited more than 15 seconds.
Legs barely fit lengthwise in shelf.


Overall - Good so far.

Huge capacity
Delete Bank
CD Text capability
Build quality

Time to change discs
No shuffle disc option
Small(ish) display
Disc memo 13 character capacity

This is my brief review for the CX235 but no option for that model. This seemed the closest.

Having only got this player a week ago I have so far been fairly impressed with it. I have had absolutely no problems loading discs nor has the machine exhibited any problems whilst playing/changing the discs. To be able to have all my CDs (140+) loaded and readily available is just wicked - and with room to spare for future purchases as well!

At first I was rather disappointed with the Memo facility only allowing you to input 13 characters and no track info and then even further surprised to find almost no CDs with CD Text info, thus rendering that facility on the player pretty useless. But hey, there is more than one way to skin a c*t (sorry animal lovers) and I suddenly struck on a great idea (Well, I thought so anyway). A few people have mentioned how these changers chew up there discs so I am now in the process of copying all of my CDs (one at a time) using my PC, Adaptec Easy CD Creator v4 and it's CD Text via CDDB (Internet database) facility.

This may seem a bit arduous but I am doing about 6 each evening so will all be done in around 3 weeks. Why do this? Well

1. If a disc gets chewed I still have the original
2. The original is still available for use in another CD player in the house or car
3. Friends can still borrow a CD (but would rather they borrow the copy in all honesty!)

but best of all

4. All my discs will have FULL CD Text info, including track titles, which scroll beautifully on the display of the CX235.

...and for just 50pence (UK) per disc.

When complete I think I shall be in Nirvanah.

I was going to upgrade to the CX350 for the benefit of the keyboard input but now I have no need of that whatsoever. This little baby (OK BIG baby) does everything I could want and the weaknesses outlined above are really of little consequence. Linked with my Pronto this is real heaven. I would recommend this unit to anyone and add that if you have a PC with CD Recorder use CD Text capable copying software and backup your collection. Even if you don't want or aren't bothered by CD Text info (makes it far easier to group and select your CDs) it gives added peace of mind.

***** for value as only paid £169.
**** overall as display could be a tad bigger.