[CaptBubba]

Today the UPS guy just dropped off my new Panasonic SL-SW896V. Thanks everyone who helped me decide on what to get. I've been listening to it almost nonstop, and here is my attempt at a review.

Included Accessories: 8/10
The player came with an AC adapter, a remote, and a jogging grip. A coupon for a waist belt was included. These are all great accessories considering that this player is marketed toward joggers. On that note, Panasonic did not include any items that were aimed for other uses (car adaptors, ect.). Why then the 8/10 instead of 10/10? The unit did not come with any batteries. This is an inexcusable oversight for a $200MSRP Cd player in my opinion, for a set of AA's take up minimal room and are cheap.

Instructions: 3/3
The instruction were clear and to the point. Every feature can be quickly located and learned about.

Battery Life: 5/5
With an advertised life of 25 hours on two AA batteries, this player should last plenty long.

Looks: 2/2
Looks great, defiantly not something you will be embarrassed to be seen using in public.

Playback: 45/50

1. Sound Quality: 35/35
   This cd player defiantly does not disappoint in terms of sound. The music is clear and powerful. Even turned all the way up, there is no distortion as far as I can tell. Compared to my regular setup of a Pioneer SX-580 receiver and a Teac PD-D1200 Cdp, the Panasonic has a much cleaner and open sound. Drums come through deep and strong and cymbal crashes are crisp.
2. Skip Protection: 5/5
   With Anti-Shock on, this player simply will not skip. Even with it off, it takes a good solid knock to make the unit skip, and even then it quickly resumes.
3. Radio Reception: 3/5
   Strong stations are easy to pick up in stereo, but weaker stations are all but imposible. AM is also hard to receive, but always is in my area.
4. Cd Compatibility: 2/5
   Cd-R is supported and does work without a hitch. CD-RW is not supported and likewise will not play. Finally, scratched or damaged cds present a problem. Circular scratches stop the player in it's tracks while radial ones don't leave a blip. As an extreme test, I used my Rush "Exit, Stage Left" cd, which has had some of the reflective back ripped off. It refused to play any track where this had occurred, while my Teac plays them, albeit with a skip.

Construction: 23/30

1. Button Placement: 8/15
   This is a mix of good and bad. The most used playback controls such as play and next track have the largest buttons, making them easy to get at. The least used buttons, mostly set once options such as Anti-Shock and *cringe* X-Bass. The layout shows thought and planning. The remote is simple and functional, with the only problem being just another Pot for a volume control instead of a digital control (a minor gripe though). There are two exceptions to this layout, the volume control and the shuffle/resume selector switch. The volume control is somewhat hidden under the lip of the front, and is impossible to get at with the player on a table, and difficult to use any other way. The resume/shuffle switch is located inside the player, meaning that in order to turn of shuffle, one must open the player, remove the cd, and then mess with a tiny switch.
2. Build Quality: 15/15
   Panasonic meant for this player to be dropped, sweated or rained on, and generally not treated nicely. The thing is built like a tank. From the dual locks to hold the cover down to the little plastic shields for unused plugs, it is obvious that this player is not going to fall apart when abused, within reason (then again, what reasonable person would abuse a $200 player?)

Total: 86/100

Final Comments:
I am quite happy with my purchase, especially since I only paid$139 for it. This is an excellent Cd player (with the exception of the included headphones, ick!). This is going to be with me for a long time. The battery life is underlined because I have yet to run out of power, I'll update on the total time it really takes with a pair of 1600Mah NiMH AA's.

I used a pair of Sony MDR-V6's and the following cds to base my review upon:
The Eagles "The Long Run"
Led Zeppelin "Houses of the Holy" (remastered)
Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here" (remastered)
Rush "Exit, Stage Left" (remastered)
Pearl Jam "Yield"
Rolling Stones "Hot Rocks"
London Philharmonic "Symphonic Led Zeppelin"
James Taylor "Greatest Hits"
James Taylor "New Moon Shine"

Thanks to everyone who suggested players for me, and thanks to Neruda for suggesting this one.

Capt.Bubba

 

[joelongwood]

Excellent review, CaptBubba...........and an excellent choice. As i have the SW-SL870, I think you really nailed it with your assessment. The damn thing seems to run forever on two AAs......amazing. And even without anti-skip on, it rarely misses a beat.

Thanks for the review!

 

[ppl]

You might try afixing a set of those round radio Shack Rubber Feet on the Bottom of the Panasonic. I solved the hard to get at while on a table volume control location with this method. also the Rubber feet grip the resting surface alot better than without them Use the Small ones.

 

[Neruda]

thanks for the tip ppl, I might do that. Personally though, I don't mind the volume control.

 

[ppl]

FYI: One of the main Bennifits of the rubber feet is thay make the unit not slide all over the place on smooth table tops and the like. The RS part # is 64-2346. Give it a try if you dont like it just peel them off before 24 hours.