tracking, quiet, 300 disc storage, optical out

none at price

My main system is a Sony DVP-S7000, Adcom GDA-700, Adcom GFP-750, Adcom GFA-5802, PB Stratus Gold, Kimber Hero XLR, Kimber 8TC. Not the money no object system but very good value and return. So why buy a mass market mega changer then? Well to be honest it's for the computer. I have the Sony on my computer table using the optical out to a SoundBlaster Live! 5.1 Platinum. On another note that computer part is a dream for me, digital in/out, plug for my bass guitar and all inputs go out the digital out! So from there the Sony heads out to the Adcom GDA-700 via coax digital out. The sound is the same as the Sony DVP-S7000 since all either drive does is pull bits.

Now this wasn't my first choice. Since this is a toy, I opted for the Technics SL-MC7 first. After getting the original one replaced with another boxed model it was returned. Both players had problems tracking some CDs, original CDs, worse yet, 3 of my favorites. They also had a JVC that was cheaper than the Sony but I was done trying to save a few bucks in exchange for less than trouble free operation. That said I did grab a same day replacement contract for 3 years :) Those previous problem discs track perfectly on the Sony. The movement and noise level of the Sony is less than the Technics too. All and all a great piece for a mega changer. 5 for value and 5 for overall in my application.

Regis Poirier

Similar Products Used:

Technics SL-MC7

Numerous. See review....

Limited to 13 characters to manually input disc name and artist. SIZE!! This thing is HUGE!! Slow disc access times (same for all big changers)

I am anything but a Sony fan but in this case they finally have a product that I am pleased with. I have been searching for a 300 disc changer so that I can have most of my collection on-line and I am amazed at the value of these units now. I narrowed my search down to the new Sony CDP-CX335 and the new Pioneer PD-F1039 and purchased both at the same time for comparison. Both are similiarly priced and offer similiar features but I found the Sony to be the better value for a variety of reasons (albeit some of them are trivial!)

Sony display is blue. Easy to read and well laid out.
Pioneer is amber. Personally I found the amber difficult to read from a distance and layout doesn't look as 'professional' as the Sony.

Both displays have CD-Text for CD's that are encoded but the Sony scrolls the text faster across the screen and seems less annoying somehow.

The Sony still backlights the CD's inside the rack which makes for easier loading (and it looks cool!) The Pioneer for some reason has eliminated the backlighting in this new model (my guess is to further differentiate it from their "Elite" line of changers which are still backlit) On a seperate note, does anyone know why the internal backlighting in the Sony changes color from amber to green to blue depending on the rack position? I haven't been able to figure out the logic behind this and there is nothing about it in the manual.

Pioneer 1039 offers a very cool single play slot on the rack which is easy to get at and has a seperate play and access button on the front panel for this CD. Sony identifies slot one with a reverse highlighted logo on the tray and does offer a quickplay button for this slot but it is not as convenient as the Pioneer setup. However, Sony has a button for disc ejection and it kicks the disc up a little bit for easy extraction from all 300 slots (works great BTW). Pioneer does not have this so removing the discs is more difficult other than their single play slot which has a little extra space on either side for your fingers. The Sony 'kicker' works much better overall.

Both units allow you to input Text information via a PS/2 computer keyboard connector on the front panel so that you can label discs that do not have this information on the CD already. Pioneer is way better for this as you can enter artist AND title information. Sony limits you to 13 characters so you have to get creative on the labels. For me this was not a concern as I duplicate all my original CD's on my computer and put complete CD-Text information on the new disc at that time. Both units will display complete CD-Text information including title, artist, and track title if encoded.

Both units seem to be well built but I have heard that these big 300 disc units can be fussy. If you think about it, 300 discs is a lot of weight to deal with in such a confined space so I guess time will tell. For the first time ever I did purchase the extended warranty ($40 Canadian = approx. $26 U.S.) from London Drugs Audio which gives me a full 3 years over the counter exchange warranty. Seems like pretty cheap insurance. On a lesser note, the door opening on the Pioneer is kind of noisy and doesn't seem as refined or smooth as the Sony. The Pioneer unit is smaller however so those of you with really tight space may appreciate the Pioneer... the Sony unit is HUUUUGGE and really deep. Looking internally the Sony rolls the CD's off the rack into the back corner of the unit which requires extra space. Pioneer rolls their CD's into the center of the spindle so they can shorten up their case. In my situation, I have the space for the Sony and the physical dimensions across the front seem to match my other components better (Marantz 7000).

Both units have optical out so I didn't really get a chance to compare them for sound quality. I find most units in this price range sound pretty much the same anyways using their analog outputs but I am pretty confident that my Marantz has better DACs than either unit so both sounded pretty much identical using the optical out.

Both units allow you to categorize your music by genre and offer easy search modes. The remote on the Sony is WAY BETTER than the Pioneer remote in both usability and look and feel. The Pioneer remote has really tiny buttons. Neither remote is backlit.

Other things in the Sony's favour are the fact that you can have 3 of these units connected together for over 900 CD's On-line (why?) and the fact that the control system for Sony is supported by a lot of computer controlled after market products whereas the Pioneer is not. Not a big deal but I'm sure it matters to somebody.....

Only big downside to either of these units is disc change speed. Figure around 8 to 12 seconds to change a disc depending on its position in the rack. If you are used to the quick change speed of a five disc unit you may be dissapointed. This also means you may want to load your different discs by genre together in the rack to minimize the random access times. Also, neither unit will allow you to change a disc while another is playing but that shouldn't be much of a concern considering you have 300 discs on-line already!

Overall, I just personally found the Sony to be the more 'polished' of the two units. There were certainly no glaring problems with the Pioneer but I think in this case, Sony just has the better product. Thanks and apologies for the length of this review!

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer PDF-1039 (300+1 changer)

Hold 300 CDs, Keyboard input

Labeling individual tracks

I love this CD changer. I can finally fit most of my CDs into one unit. The keyboard input is great and easy to use.

The speed of this unit compared to others is the same. If you have 300 cds in a changer you can't expect it to work miracles with speed. I test drove some other systems and they all are comparable in speed.

I have an entire Sony system and have had no problems with any components, you can't beat sony reliability.

Similar Products Used:

Sony 5 disc changer

Digital optical out, cd text, keyboard input, memo scan,remote

the changer is huge and long, 10 second delay from slot to slot

This mega changer holds 300 discs and I've had no complaints...i hooked it via optical out and the sound is crisp and awesome...the cd text is great if yourr cd is text compatible but if not dont worry...plug in a keyboard(120 ma or less) and type the titles yourself...it has memo scan too...this feature scans all your discs by displaying the title and slot while playing a cd to be able to jump tto the next cd....you can group your cd's as well...it also has a 32 hit list which i love...this channger is great...the only crappy this is it is big...make sure you have room for it...changing discs takes about 10 seconds but its common in all...the remote is very user friendly no probs there
I highly recommend this Sony changer...cream of the crop

Similar Products Used:

sony, pioneer, realistic, phillips

Capacity, Digital Output, Decent Remote, Plays CD-R's, Ability to connect additional units

Disc Labeling, Size, Small Feet, Finiky Keyboard Input, Disc Grouping

Strengths:
This seems to be a good, solid unit. The remote is good, better than that of the Pioneer and Kenwood. Though I won't use it much if at all. I programmed most of the commands into my receivers remote.

Disc change time is decent, anywhere from 8-16 seconds depending on how far the carousel has to rotate.

It will play CD-R's. I have not tried CD-RW's.

As far as the internal DAC's I can't comment on. Unit is digitally connected to my receiver, as I know it has MUCH better DAC's.


Weaknesses;
Disc labeling only gives you 13 characters to work with. Very difficult if you own many CD's from the same artist with long names. Have to get really creative to name them.

Yes the unit is big because it holds 300 CD's. But the Pioneer holds 301 and comes in a smaller package. It would have helped if there were larger feet. The back feet are only 1/2" x 1/2" square! If they were larger I would have been able to set it inside my entertainment center with the back of the unit hanging out but the small feet fall off of the back. I think I finally found a real need to try out Vibrapods!

The keyboard entry is great though finiky. I found it to not always release the CAPS LOCK after repeated try's to release it and occasionally put in double characters or not put the character in at all.

Disc grouping only allows a CD to be placed into one group. Though it could fit into more groups depending on the CD and what you label your groups.


Overall I am pleased with this unit and it is getting my 230+ CD collection back into playing.

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer PD-F1009, old Kenwood carousel

300 cds

limited caharacter imput, can't label individual tracks

I agree with the other reviews ,here ,on the main characteristics of this player. However, after about 30 hrs. of use and loading over 200 CDs the pickup mechanism jammed causing damage to more than one CD b/4 extraction of said CDs. I'm now more than a little gun shy concerning these huge multiple CD players. If you look at the internal mechanics and operation of this machine ,i.e.CD pickup,it does not inspire great confidence for long term use. I think a long term service contract might be worthwhile(I usually shun them) when purchasing these machines because they will never hold up under even moderate use.

Similar Products Used:

Philips 5 disc changer