Panasonic SHOCKWAVE SL-SW860 Personal CD Player
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A Humvee among Discmen...
Pros
Excellent construction, impressive sound quality, attractive design...
Cons
Sound output somewhat low, the supplied headphones seem to be worth less than the packaging
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you want a high-quality, durable portable CD player with clear sound and elegant design, you can't do much better than the Panasonic SL-SW860 Shockwave.
I bought my Panasonic Shockwave CD player in October 2001 to replace my Sony CD Walkman which unfortunately ceased to stop working a week earlier.
First Opinions:
After opening up the package, I was impressed by the weight and solidity of the Shockwave compared to my old CD Walkman, it was much heavier and had a solid, impenetrable feel that my previous unit sorely lacked.
Sound quality:
The Shockwave has great treble and midrange response with a mildly "dark" sound, but the bass can be flat without the S-XBS, and sometimes the S-XBS can make bass sound mildly boomy. Unfortunately, the bass boost level is not adjustable. Another minor complaint is that the headphone output may be a little low at times, this is especially noticeable when listening to CDs mastered and recorded during the 1980's-early 1990s. I notice that my CDs that I have bought recently and were manufactured seem to play clearer and louder.
Controls and Nomenclature
The Shockwave is relatively easy-to-use, with an elegant control panel consisting of eight buttons with four being used for basic playback functions and the other four being used for repeat, anti-shock, memory and bass boost. With the supplied grip strap, it is meant to be held with your palm underneath the unit, and your three middle fingers grasping the top. This makes for easy manipulation of the controls with your free hand.
Living with the Shockwave
I bring it with me to school everyday and listen to it at home and sometimes connected to the stereo in my car. I find it a bit heavy and on the bulky side, but the durability of this player makes up for it. I try to treat my electronics the best that I can, but most of them get inadvertently bumped and dropped sometimes, and the Shockwave is no exception. But unlike the Sony I previously owned, the Shockwave still looks great and doesn't get scratched or dented easily. (Note: Please NEVER attempt the following at home!!!) I once inadvertently spilled some water onto my Shockwave and the rubber around the buttons and the LCD repelled it away and it wiped off easily, compared to regular CD players, where that would be a major problem; to say the least.
Conclusion
The SL-SW860 is a great unit for almost everybody who is in the market for a portable CD player, and the tradeoffs for weight and bulkiness are nothing due to its high durability and quality.
Thank you very much for reading this review!- Johnny
First Opinions:
After opening up the package, I was impressed by the weight and solidity of the Shockwave compared to my old CD Walkman, it was much heavier and had a solid, impenetrable feel that my previous unit sorely lacked.
Sound quality:
The Shockwave has great treble and midrange response with a mildly "dark" sound, but the bass can be flat without the S-XBS, and sometimes the S-XBS can make bass sound mildly boomy. Unfortunately, the bass boost level is not adjustable. Another minor complaint is that the headphone output may be a little low at times, this is especially noticeable when listening to CDs mastered and recorded during the 1980's-early 1990s. I notice that my CDs that I have bought recently and were manufactured seem to play clearer and louder.
Controls and Nomenclature
The Shockwave is relatively easy-to-use, with an elegant control panel consisting of eight buttons with four being used for basic playback functions and the other four being used for repeat, anti-shock, memory and bass boost. With the supplied grip strap, it is meant to be held with your palm underneath the unit, and your three middle fingers grasping the top. This makes for easy manipulation of the controls with your free hand.
Living with the Shockwave
I bring it with me to school everyday and listen to it at home and sometimes connected to the stereo in my car. I find it a bit heavy and on the bulky side, but the durability of this player makes up for it. I try to treat my electronics the best that I can, but most of them get inadvertently bumped and dropped sometimes, and the Shockwave is no exception. But unlike the Sony I previously owned, the Shockwave still looks great and doesn't get scratched or dented easily. (Note: Please NEVER attempt the following at home!!!) I once inadvertently spilled some water onto my Shockwave and the rubber around the buttons and the LCD repelled it away and it wiped off easily, compared to regular CD players, where that would be a major problem; to say the least.
Conclusion
The SL-SW860 is a great unit for almost everybody who is in the market for a portable CD player, and the tradeoffs for weight and bulkiness are nothing due to its high durability and quality.
Thank you very much for reading this review!- Johnny
