Cambridge Soundworks 88CD CD Player
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- Device Type: Player
- Number of Discs: 1
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Very good sound, but....
Pros
Bass, multi-function remote, portability, Loud sound
Cons
radio reception could be better
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you can find one, buy it.
The sound reproduced from the CSW 88cd is without a doubt pleasing to the ears. But, I really believe it depends on your taste of music. If you mainly listen to rock, rap or country, you'd probably want to buy a different unit.
The CSW 88cd was meant for jazz, blues or any genre of music that's not artificially created or synthesized. The bass is deep-- no doubt about it, especially considering the size and weight of the unit (12 pounds, about the size of a metropolitan-area phone book). The 4" enclosed subwoofer is powered, not passive. The horizontal, external bass port comes out under the front left speaker. I like the manual knob on the back that allows the user to increase or decrease the amount of bass. Bose doesn't have this function.
I've heard the Bose Wave Radio. Bose makes a good product-- at a somewhat hefty price. I got my CSW 88cd for $180 four months ago and haven't had any problems. And as far as quality-of-sound, I find it almost indistinguishable between the Bose and CSW 88cd radio. The 88cd's trumpet "highs" are clear and crisp; the bass vibrations can be heard (and felt) on the countertop. The bass reproduces best from the 88cd when it comes from a vertical instrument that doesn't require electricity. To achieve the best sound, use the cd.
The credit card size remote is good up to around 18 feet.
It has (6) individual buttons for the (6) radio station presets. The CSW 88cd has (3) sound fields: Stereo, Wide and Mono. Bose doesn't offer this option.
The radio reception is lacking. I live in the D.C. (Alexandria) area; oddly, the radio gets better reception when not using the external (wire) antenna. I've heard some R & B via the radio and it's not too bad. Anita Baker comes through very well.
There are (19) buttons on the face of the unit; (8) on top, including the large "snooze/mute" button. It can be mildly confusing because all of the buttons on the front are the same size and shape. However, I like having the option of setting/choosing a function from either the unit itself or via the remote. The new Bose Wave doesn't have this option.
One manner that might suggest what a quality unit the CSW 88cd is vs. the (older) Bose Wave Radio would be to check Ebay. There are innumerable Bose radios for auction, both old and new. Rarely will a person find a CSW model 88cd up for auction. This might be a good indicator that people who own the 88cd tend to keep it for a reason.
I know CSW has an newer model-- the 740cd. I've never heard it play music. But again, I've seen quite a few of the 740's up for auction while the model 88cd seems to remain elusive.
I recently heard the Bose Sound Dock for iPod. It sounds better than either the CSW 88cd or the (new) Bose Wave radio, but it has (2) shortcomings: 1)You need an iPod and 2) It's not an all-inclusive system-- it's a speaker, nothing more. That aside, the Bose Sound Dock does sound outstanding, but again at a somewhat hefty price of around $300.
Remember the CSW 88cd is a small unit and probably won't replace your tv-theatre home surround sound system. That aside, it does produce loud, crisp sound with very good clarity and deep, natural bass that can easily be heard throughout a couple of rooms in your residence.
The CSW 88cd was meant for jazz, blues or any genre of music that's not artificially created or synthesized. The bass is deep-- no doubt about it, especially considering the size and weight of the unit (12 pounds, about the size of a metropolitan-area phone book). The 4" enclosed subwoofer is powered, not passive. The horizontal, external bass port comes out under the front left speaker. I like the manual knob on the back that allows the user to increase or decrease the amount of bass. Bose doesn't have this function.
I've heard the Bose Wave Radio. Bose makes a good product-- at a somewhat hefty price. I got my CSW 88cd for $180 four months ago and haven't had any problems. And as far as quality-of-sound, I find it almost indistinguishable between the Bose and CSW 88cd radio. The 88cd's trumpet "highs" are clear and crisp; the bass vibrations can be heard (and felt) on the countertop. The bass reproduces best from the 88cd when it comes from a vertical instrument that doesn't require electricity. To achieve the best sound, use the cd.
The credit card size remote is good up to around 18 feet.
It has (6) individual buttons for the (6) radio station presets. The CSW 88cd has (3) sound fields: Stereo, Wide and Mono. Bose doesn't offer this option.
The radio reception is lacking. I live in the D.C. (Alexandria) area; oddly, the radio gets better reception when not using the external (wire) antenna. I've heard some R & B via the radio and it's not too bad. Anita Baker comes through very well.
There are (19) buttons on the face of the unit; (8) on top, including the large "snooze/mute" button. It can be mildly confusing because all of the buttons on the front are the same size and shape. However, I like having the option of setting/choosing a function from either the unit itself or via the remote. The new Bose Wave doesn't have this option.
One manner that might suggest what a quality unit the CSW 88cd is vs. the (older) Bose Wave Radio would be to check Ebay. There are innumerable Bose radios for auction, both old and new. Rarely will a person find a CSW model 88cd up for auction. This might be a good indicator that people who own the 88cd tend to keep it for a reason.
I know CSW has an newer model-- the 740cd. I've never heard it play music. But again, I've seen quite a few of the 740's up for auction while the model 88cd seems to remain elusive.
I recently heard the Bose Sound Dock for iPod. It sounds better than either the CSW 88cd or the (new) Bose Wave radio, but it has (2) shortcomings: 1)You need an iPod and 2) It's not an all-inclusive system-- it's a speaker, nothing more. That aside, the Bose Sound Dock does sound outstanding, but again at a somewhat hefty price of around $300.
Remember the CSW 88cd is a small unit and probably won't replace your tv-theatre home surround sound system. That aside, it does produce loud, crisp sound with very good clarity and deep, natural bass that can easily be heard throughout a couple of rooms in your residence.
