Cambridge Soundworks 88CD CD Player

I was visiting a friend in Santa Barbara last weekend, and he had recently purchased this radio/CD player, so I thought I'd give it a listen and maybe a review.

The Cambridge Soundworks Model 88CD looks like a modern version of your parents' alarm clock/radio. It's a little more than a foot wide, around 10 inches deep, and maybe five or six inches tall. I think you can choose between a silver or black finish. My friend's was black, and it looked really slick.

In addition to the clock/radio, the Model 88CD includes a CD player. The CD carriage is located on the right side of the top of the unit.

I couldn't find much literature on the speakers used in the Model 88CD (including in the User Manual, which I looked through), but a dedicated powered 4" bass speaker (don't call it a sub-woofer if it doesn't play below 40hz) is built somewhere into the unit. The regular stereo speakers are not detachable. A phase switch allows for some kid of audio wizardry that makes regular stereo sound bigger and more diffuse.

There were a bunch of buttons on the front of the unit (I like simplicity and was initially put off by all the buttons) but getting the CD going was intuitive. That's what we mostly listened to.

The sound of this little unit was awesome! The midrange was smooth and natural, without that digital hash that often drives me nuts with inexpensive CD players. The highs sounded extended but not edgy. And the bass was shocking! I asked my buddy if there was a subwoofer hooked up to the 88CD (there was not), or if what I was hearing was coming from the little modern clock radio in front of me. The bass had IMPACT and sounded tight and deep. Objectively, It couldn't really go that deep (the laws of physics simply don't allow it from such a small unit), but it SOUNDED like it was flat to 40 hz. I was impressed.

When we switched to FM, my friend warned that he didn't have the best antenna hooked up. Still, even in the hills above Santa Barbara, we were able to pull in several stations from Santa Barbara and nearby. The sound was good--I didn't notice any distortion or fading in and out.

There are input jacks on the back of the Model 88CD, meaning that you can hook up an external source (a tape deck, for example) to play through it--a nice touch.

As I mentioned, there are several small buttons on the front of the unit, which I found confusing at first. But getting used to the layout was pretty easy. Among the functions controlled by these buttons are setting the time, alarm, selecting function (CD or radio), station presets, and so on. A simple pushbutton allows you to choose whether to be awakened by radio or CD. The 88CD comes with a remote control, but I didn't use it.

I asked my friend what his favorite and least favorite things are about his new toy. He said he really likes the sound quality and the fact that the CD or radio, when functioning as an alarm clock, turns on smoothly, without any annoying pops or extraneous noises. His only complaint was that you have to wake up to the first track on a CD; you can't program it to wake you up to your favorite song.

For me, it was the attractive, understated appearance and the amazing sound that turned my head. I like the sound of this thing as much as that of some more expensive Bose units I've heard, and the understated appearance is much more attractive than anything I've seen from Bose lately (I generally find Cambridge Soundworks's equipment to be tastefully designed). Even with all the buttons on the front, this thing looks attractive and functional.

The retail price is $350 or so, but you should be able to get one for about $270. If you're looking for a small, attractive unit than can play radio and CDs, also function as an alarm clock, and provide sound that approaches "high fidelity," the Cambridge Soundworks Model 88CD Table Radio and CD Player should definitely be on your short list of units to audition. In addition, I believe all Cambridge Soundworks products carry a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Highly recommended.