Cambridge Soundworks 88CD CD Player
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- Device Type: Player
- Number of Discs: 1
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Nice Sound -- Not Worth the Price and Hassle
Pros
Good Sound
Cons
Defective/Unreliable; Expensive to Repair; Long Turnaround on Repairs; Poor AM/FM Reception
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
Not worth the price and hassle. Original CD reader broke within 5 months of purchase; replacement unit's CD reader broke within 5 months as well.
In Dec. 2004, I was looking for a Radio/CD player with good sound that was relatively easy to operate for my parents who are in their 80s. They were raised in homes without electricity, so although they have embraced technology in many ways -- they even have a PC -- these new electronic media devices with lots of bells and whistles can still be rather intimidating to them.
After much research and good reviews at the time, the Cambridge Soundworks 88CD seemed to be the perfect answer. Good sound for old ears and relative simplicity in operation. I purchased the Model 88CD on eBay, new in box. The radio never worked well, nothing on AM and only a few FM stations would come in. They live in a rural area, but their old AM/FM radio that probably cost less than $25.00, which they've had for many years works great with no auxiliary antenna.
Between Dec. 2004 and May 2005, the 88CD player had had very little use. However, in May 2005, the CD reader would click-click-click, trying to read even when there was no CD inserted. When a CD was inserted, it wouldn't play at all. I contacted Cambridge and they agreed to fix it, but I had to pay $50.00 -- they wouldn't honor the warranty. They actually replaced the whole unit, but the repair took several weeks. At one point they said they hadn't received it for repair, when they actually had. I had to prove I had sent it using documentation from the shipper.
The radio reception on the replacement unit remained dismal, but at least the CD player worked. The sound was clear, although a little strong on the base side. The 88CD came in handy when my dad was in the nursing home for a few weeks after surgery in July 2005. I played relaxing music for him at night while he was going to sleep, and I think that was helpful to him.
After Dad came home, the player was used very little but worked OK. In Dec. '05 and it started skipping on every CD. I played holiday CDs on the computer. Just push it in and it plays, very simple.
I am in the process of having this second unit returned again to Cambridge. They have agreed to cover shipping and repairs at their expense. They are upfront about the turnaround time, but it remains to be unsatisfactory to me. The customer service person that I have dealt with most at Cambridge has been very personable and I believe as helpful as he could be -- he indicated it wasn't his decision not to honor the warranty initially -- but I do regret this expensive purchase nevertheless.
After much research and good reviews at the time, the Cambridge Soundworks 88CD seemed to be the perfect answer. Good sound for old ears and relative simplicity in operation. I purchased the Model 88CD on eBay, new in box. The radio never worked well, nothing on AM and only a few FM stations would come in. They live in a rural area, but their old AM/FM radio that probably cost less than $25.00, which they've had for many years works great with no auxiliary antenna.
Between Dec. 2004 and May 2005, the 88CD player had had very little use. However, in May 2005, the CD reader would click-click-click, trying to read even when there was no CD inserted. When a CD was inserted, it wouldn't play at all. I contacted Cambridge and they agreed to fix it, but I had to pay $50.00 -- they wouldn't honor the warranty. They actually replaced the whole unit, but the repair took several weeks. At one point they said they hadn't received it for repair, when they actually had. I had to prove I had sent it using documentation from the shipper.
The radio reception on the replacement unit remained dismal, but at least the CD player worked. The sound was clear, although a little strong on the base side. The 88CD came in handy when my dad was in the nursing home for a few weeks after surgery in July 2005. I played relaxing music for him at night while he was going to sleep, and I think that was helpful to him.
After Dad came home, the player was used very little but worked OK. In Dec. '05 and it started skipping on every CD. I played holiday CDs on the computer. Just push it in and it plays, very simple.
I am in the process of having this second unit returned again to Cambridge. They have agreed to cover shipping and repairs at their expense. They are upfront about the turnaround time, but it remains to be unsatisfactory to me. The customer service person that I have dealt with most at Cambridge has been very personable and I believe as helpful as he could be -- he indicated it wasn't his decision not to honor the warranty initially -- but I do regret this expensive purchase nevertheless.
