Aiwa AM-HX30 Personal MiniDisc Player
Out of stock |
Similar in Personal Audio Mini Disc Player
- Backlit Display: Yes
- Recordable: Not Recordable
- Built-in Equalizer: No
- Headphones: Yes
- Remote Control: LCD
- Overview
-
Reviews
-
Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Fun While It Lasted
Pros
Good sound, small size, light weight, looks good
Cons
Poor durability
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
Buy it cheap for only a year's worth of fun, or don't buy it at all. 15 months is a pathetically inadequate lifespan.
I bought this unit to replace my first MD player, the Sharp 301, which I've already reviewed here. The Sharp only lasted 12 months before dying, and I'm afraid to admit that the Aiwa didn't do much better. Michael Lee's "Good Features, But Won't Last" review is right on the money, as far as I'm concerned.
Things I liked about the Aiwa AM-HX30:
The sound was very good to my ear, decent bass out of small lightweight headphones, but I was not using the headphones that came with the unit (I used an old yellow Sony pair that isn't terrific, but very lightweight and fits my ears well). The small size and weight was *wonderful* after my experience with the Sharp 301.
I never used the remote so I can't evaluate it--I don't buy portable audio gear so I can be wrapped up in cords and remote controls.
The battery recharger didn't bother me as it has some reviewers. I would put the battery into it at night and remove it in the morning, or go a couple days without recharging and empty the battery, then be forced to recharge it. Battery life was acceptable to me.
Things I did not like about the Aiwa AM-HX30:
This unit developed a skipping problem after 15 months of steady moderate use, and it could not read some of my discs, or it would skip a couple times in a given passage and then shut down. I made sure it was not the discs themselves by playing them in my trusty old Sharp 702 portable recorder. No problems there. So it must be the Aiwa. As of this writing the unit is so prone to skipping and not reading MDs that I do not use it anymore. I even tried a Maxell MD cleaning disc to see if that would help. The Aiwa won't even read it to start it up.
I did not like the clamshell opening, I was always concerned it might allow dirt in and warp out of shape. The buttons were tiny and not as easy to use as my old Sharp 301 player. Sometimes I would press fast forward and it wouldn't do anything; that started happening only a few months into its life. I didn't like the annoying beeps that the unit played when in pause mode.
I would gladly have endured the negative points on the AM-HX30 if only it were still working properly. It had potential to be a terrific MD player. I don't know what it is with me and MD players, I can't find one that lasts more than about a year. I'm very gentle with audio gear, and I wouldn't mind spending more than 130 bucks for a player if it would only last for a few years. I think the Aiwa is good for people who find it at a great price, which I think should be under $100.00 in 2001 as I write this. Just make sure you understand that you may not get much life out of the unit.
Things I liked about the Aiwa AM-HX30:
The sound was very good to my ear, decent bass out of small lightweight headphones, but I was not using the headphones that came with the unit (I used an old yellow Sony pair that isn't terrific, but very lightweight and fits my ears well). The small size and weight was *wonderful* after my experience with the Sharp 301.
I never used the remote so I can't evaluate it--I don't buy portable audio gear so I can be wrapped up in cords and remote controls.
The battery recharger didn't bother me as it has some reviewers. I would put the battery into it at night and remove it in the morning, or go a couple days without recharging and empty the battery, then be forced to recharge it. Battery life was acceptable to me.
Things I did not like about the Aiwa AM-HX30:
This unit developed a skipping problem after 15 months of steady moderate use, and it could not read some of my discs, or it would skip a couple times in a given passage and then shut down. I made sure it was not the discs themselves by playing them in my trusty old Sharp 702 portable recorder. No problems there. So it must be the Aiwa. As of this writing the unit is so prone to skipping and not reading MDs that I do not use it anymore. I even tried a Maxell MD cleaning disc to see if that would help. The Aiwa won't even read it to start it up.
I did not like the clamshell opening, I was always concerned it might allow dirt in and warp out of shape. The buttons were tiny and not as easy to use as my old Sharp 301 player. Sometimes I would press fast forward and it wouldn't do anything; that started happening only a few months into its life. I didn't like the annoying beeps that the unit played when in pause mode.
I would gladly have endured the negative points on the AM-HX30 if only it were still working properly. It had potential to be a terrific MD player. I don't know what it is with me and MD players, I can't find one that lasts more than about a year. I'm very gentle with audio gear, and I wouldn't mind spending more than 130 bucks for a player if it would only last for a few years. I think the Aiwa is good for people who find it at a great price, which I think should be under $100.00 in 2001 as I write this. Just make sure you understand that you may not get much life out of the unit.
