Easy to record, easy to understand. Fast-forward function in playback is VERY slow. When it works, it works well.

Phillips Magnavox service just plain blows. It took me three attempts to get a reliable working DVD from them, and now I have a "universal: CD recorder that works with only some CDs. Next time I buy anything else and lower my blood pressure.

Got a good deal even though I had reservations about the Phillips brand. I was right. Many recordings are flawless, and when it works, it works well. What they don't tell you anywhere is that many brands of CDR "may be incompatible" with their unit, and there is no way to tell until after the recording is done and finalized - at which point it may truncate the recording, or even finalize the disc with 2-3 seconds of data. P-M recommended specific brands of CDRs finally, but offered no recourse for the 130 or so CDRs I have left from the brands that don't work. Next time, I will buy ANY other brand first.

Easy to record, easy to understand. Fast-forward function in playback is VERY slow. When it works, it works well.

Phillips Magnavox service just plain blows. It took me three attempts to get a reliable working DVD from them, and now I have a "universal: CD recorder that works with only some CDs. Next time I buy anything else and lower my blood pressure.

Got a good deal even though I had reservations about the Phillips brand. I was right. Many recordings are flawless, and when it works, it works well. What they don't tell you anywhere is that many brands of CDR "may be incompatible" with their unit, and there is no way to tell until after the recording is done and finalized - at which point it may truncate the recording, or even finalize the disc with 2-3 seconds of data. P-M recommended specific brands of CDRs finally, but offered no recourse for the 130 or so CDRs I have left from the brands that don't work. Next time, I will buy ANY other brand first.

Cool looks and features

Durability

I have used this unit for about 6-10 sessions then it started locking up. It would start recording,then the volume, tracks and all the buttons would lock up [freeze]. I would have to power it off [unplug] to remove the CD or stop the player. The unit was later reconditioned by Philips but has the same problem. I should have stuck with the CDR765.

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PC

makes perfect digital dubs, easy to use, affordable

no digital record level control, remote uses AAA batteries

Unit cost $309 (new but discontinued) at UBID.com.
Great price!
Looks attractive (but different than most audio components).
Makes perfect digital clones.
Very easy to use (if recording digitally).
Has gold plated in/out/phono sockets. Classy!
Has every kind of digital in/out.
I have yet to record an analog source.
I use optical cable. Have yet to use coaxial cable.

Remote uses AAA batteries (all my other remotes use AA).
Record level meters are in large 3db steps (1db is better).
NO DIGITAL RECORD LEVEL CONTROL (new models now have this).
I use TDK or Samsung cd-ra discs. No compatability errors.
If CD player mistracks or you lose power during recording,
cd-ra must be discarded. You can't make mistakes!
CD player performance is average (just use to record).
For the money, can not be beat.
But, new models are almost as cheap and have digital level
control, so I would go with a 2000 model.

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none

The CDR880 has done exactly what I wanted it to do: given me a way to take a lot of my music with me in the car. I cannot notice any difference in sound quality on my car stereo between the original recording and the recorded CD. And on my CD player at home, I can only notice a slight difference in sound quality (not enough to merit a lower rating). The playback sound quality from the CDR880 is not as good as my existing player, but that's not why I bought the unit.
My only complaint about the unit is really just a limitation of the technology: there's no room for error when recording. I make primarily mix CDs, and twice I began recording when the music in the player was not ready. Two almost-blank CDs ended in the trash. There's no going back once the record button is pushed.

When it works, it does a good job of recording.

Terrible customer service (repairs). Too fragile. Appears to have intrinsic engineering design flaws.

This unit worked fine for 4 recording sessions then it died. The unit would not finalize a CD. I sent it to Philips repairs in Knoxville. They broke the door. Sent it back. They sent it back to me with a still broken door. Sent it back. They fixed the door. But it still did not finalize. Sent it back requesting a new unit. They sent me a new CDR770 (not a CDR880). This whole process took two months. Their repair center was anything but eager to help. They destroyed my packing. Sams Club was clueless (as always), they didn't even know they carried this unit, until I showed the receipt. Until I hear that Philips has reworked their customer service centers they can kiss this customer goodbye.

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CDR on PC.

digital and analog recordings are as good as the original, unit is very easy to use

a little bit too much plastic (though built more solid than most current models), no correction possible when you have made a mistake while recording, it does not accept all 80min CD-R's

A very good unit for recording own CDs from digital and analog sources. It is very easy to use, like a cassette deck. You can compile your own CDs easily, even from digital and analog sources on the same CD, and until the CD is not finalized yet you can also add tracks in later "sessions". But sometimes you have to discard CD-R's when you have made a mistake (for example you recorded the wrong source, or when you backup an old vinyl record and the needle skips, or when the telephone/doorbell rings you cannot always stop the recording process immediately). After this happened a few times, I now use CD-RW's when I copy "unknown" analog sources and edit those recordings with my PC, where I burn the "final" CD. But in general, you don't need to use computer CD-R's on this unit any more, because audio CD-R's are much less expensive than they were in the late 90s. This Philips CD-R recorder now has completely replaced my cassette decks for recording purposes. My old cassettes often do sound dull or play too slowly - my CD-R's will have a very much longer lifetime with the same sound quality as when they were new.

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CD-ROM burner in PC

Great as CD recorder

CD replay

Great as a CD-recorder, I can´t tell the difference between original and copy. This is what is needed for a recorder! Not perfect as a player but who cares?? For that we have the cd player as source. It mantains the HDCD signal!!

System:
Arcam DV88 (Note: it doesn´t send time flags in digital signal!!)
Marantz 72SE cd player
Meridian 568 surround processor
Meridian DSP5000 speakers
Meridian M60C centre speaker
Meridian M33 surround speakers

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Computer CD-roms recorders

This is a fantastic stand alone product.I reccomend usingcomputer cd-r's instead of the expensive audio ones.Just pull the drawer open and switch discs in stand-by mode before you hit play to begin recording.The discs I record
sound better than the original.I go from the tape loop out of my receiver,into a TDS-II Harmonic Enhancer(review at www.soundstage.com).The TDS-II goes into a Musical Fidelity X-10D,then into the analog input of my cd recorder.The discs I record this way will blow anything available at any price out of the water,guaranteed.Next,don't use this recorder as a player,use it as a transport!I have it connected to a Monarchy Audio DIP jitter reducer,then to a Musical Fidelity X-ACT DAC.Both the X-10D and the X-ACT are
plugged into the X-PSU power supply upgrade.So for under a grand I have a digital front end that sounds deep,lush,
and rich,plus it records discs that sound better than the originals.All of these products are available at www.audioadvisor.com.

Good value, high-end recorder. Very easy to use. Good remotecontrol. Very innovative.

A little to much plastic.

This product from Philips, must be rated in 3 different ways. As a digital recorder. As an analog recorder, and as cdplayer.

First as a digitalrecorder: The recording is as good as the original recording. Some say even better. However I don't think that's the case. If there should be anything about it, it has to be that the CD-r, is easy'er to read from the laser, than the original. But the sound is as good the original. Because the CDR880 clone the original material, bit for bit, it also record the HDCD-subcodes. Be shure to use another digital coaxcable than the one Philips gives you. A cheap god way is to use 75ohm coax cable, as the one used to televisions.

As an analog recorder: The Philips CDR880 uses one of the best A/D-converters availeble. It's Philips own converter, and even with high-end recordplayers it gives a god clean sound. A little less detailed, but with the same basic sound. The sound is as god or better than any highend taperecorder. An the dynamics gives you enough headroom to record opera and orchestral classical music.

As a cdplayer the Philips CDR880 is quite ordinary. The sound is as good as normal cdplayers half the price, or less. That is normal. Most people wound't bye this player, and use it as primary cdplayer. It can be improved, with a new Clock device and new upamp's. The D/A converter is also Philips own, TDA1315 (the same as Cambridge CD-6 uses). However don't expect highend sound from it. Use it as a highend recorder.

I give it 4 stars, but individually graduating is nessesery:

Record:
Analog: 4 stars ****
Digital: 5 stars *****

Player: 3 stars ***