Pioneer PD-F1007 301-Disc CD Changer
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- Device Type: Changer
- Number of Discs: 301
- Outputs: Digital Audio Optical x 1 Headphone Jack
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How many does that hold?
Pros
capacity, great value
Cons
no keyboard title input
Recommended it?
Yes
Let me start by saying that if you are the type that revels in the differences between a $1000 CD player and a $10000 CD player, this is not the changer for you. But if you are looking for a value-oriented product that really delivers in the convenience and features department, look no further.
First, some good things about the player. Capacity--301 discs. (Update--There are now 400 disc changers available, but 301 is still a lot.) Price--I got my first one (more on that in a minute) delivered to me for $289 from Smile Photo and Video. Expandability--You can "slave" one unit to another for a total of 602 discs at your fingertips. CD Text compatibility/labeling. Headphone output with volume control--powerful enough to drive my Sennheiser HD 520 II's. Speed--the PD-F1007 can change CDs much faster than I ever could. Physical Size--smaller than some lesser-capacity changers, although still pretty huge.
Now for the bad. Both have to do with the otherwise great CD text/labeling system. First, they omitted a feature from previous Pioneer megachangers--the ability to enter titles with a computer keyboard. Of my 350+ CDs, only 4 have CD text information. I entered the rest by hand via the jog wheel. It works pretty well, but took forever. I estimate I spent 8 hours entering titles. Even worse, you can only enter 12 characters of information for the title, and 12 for the artist. This is pretty limiting. Personally, I would have paid an extra $50 for a keyboard input and more memory so I wouldn't have to come up with so many confusing abbreviations! To add insult to injury, I lost all the titles I had entered. Probably the result of a power surge. Since then I have solved the problem. I numbered a bunch of pages in some CD binders and put all my liner notes in them. Not very elegant, but practical.
Despite those problems, I liked the changer enough to buy a second PD-F1007. It is connected to the first one in a master/slave configuration (the two changers only occupy one input on my receiver).
The second changer I got was a floor model (which goes against my instincts) from a local electronics store. I have had it now for a couple of months. The "master/slave" setup works well. It is neat to watch the units work together and it is nice to never have to stop the music--play music from one while searching around on the other one.
The transport seems bulletproof on both players (which get a lot of use). I get around having to use the small, difficult-to-use supplied remote by using a great backlit learning remote from Radio Shack.
Something I have noticed is that these players are excellent at playing badly scratched discs. I found a CD that literally was missing chunks of the reflective layer, and every part of it that was physically present still played. These players just focus right through any but the most severe surface scratches. Amazing.
Unfortunately for Pioneer, Sony was quick to see the potential in this market and is now offering what is essentially an identical product for the same price--with one exception. The Sony unit includes a keyboard input for entering titles. I don't have time to go through the cumbersome title entering process again with my Pioneer changers, but if I had a keyboard input... I've bought Pioneer equipment for years and have never been disappointed, but all things being equal, I would have to go with the Sony if I was just starting now.
I saw that at the last CES Pioneer showed a 300 DVD changer. That would be nice. In a year or two, what I'll really want is a changer that will handle high-def DVDs, DVD audio discs, CD, and CD-R. And I want it to connect to my PC for control purposes. Are you listening Pioneer? I would pay a LOT for one of those.
Overall, I praise Pioneer for delivering a great product at such a low price. It really puts pressure on the other manufacturers. The Pioneer PD-F1007 is a great buy for people with lots of CDs who want convenience and value. But if you're interested in putting in your titles, I'd give the Sony changer a hard look.
First, some good things about the player. Capacity--301 discs. (Update--There are now 400 disc changers available, but 301 is still a lot.) Price--I got my first one (more on that in a minute) delivered to me for $289 from Smile Photo and Video. Expandability--You can "slave" one unit to another for a total of 602 discs at your fingertips. CD Text compatibility/labeling. Headphone output with volume control--powerful enough to drive my Sennheiser HD 520 II's. Speed--the PD-F1007 can change CDs much faster than I ever could. Physical Size--smaller than some lesser-capacity changers, although still pretty huge.
Now for the bad. Both have to do with the otherwise great CD text/labeling system. First, they omitted a feature from previous Pioneer megachangers--the ability to enter titles with a computer keyboard. Of my 350+ CDs, only 4 have CD text information. I entered the rest by hand via the jog wheel. It works pretty well, but took forever. I estimate I spent 8 hours entering titles. Even worse, you can only enter 12 characters of information for the title, and 12 for the artist. This is pretty limiting. Personally, I would have paid an extra $50 for a keyboard input and more memory so I wouldn't have to come up with so many confusing abbreviations! To add insult to injury, I lost all the titles I had entered. Probably the result of a power surge. Since then I have solved the problem. I numbered a bunch of pages in some CD binders and put all my liner notes in them. Not very elegant, but practical.
Despite those problems, I liked the changer enough to buy a second PD-F1007. It is connected to the first one in a master/slave configuration (the two changers only occupy one input on my receiver).
The second changer I got was a floor model (which goes against my instincts) from a local electronics store. I have had it now for a couple of months. The "master/slave" setup works well. It is neat to watch the units work together and it is nice to never have to stop the music--play music from one while searching around on the other one.
The transport seems bulletproof on both players (which get a lot of use). I get around having to use the small, difficult-to-use supplied remote by using a great backlit learning remote from Radio Shack.
Something I have noticed is that these players are excellent at playing badly scratched discs. I found a CD that literally was missing chunks of the reflective layer, and every part of it that was physically present still played. These players just focus right through any but the most severe surface scratches. Amazing.
Unfortunately for Pioneer, Sony was quick to see the potential in this market and is now offering what is essentially an identical product for the same price--with one exception. The Sony unit includes a keyboard input for entering titles. I don't have time to go through the cumbersome title entering process again with my Pioneer changers, but if I had a keyboard input... I've bought Pioneer equipment for years and have never been disappointed, but all things being equal, I would have to go with the Sony if I was just starting now.
I saw that at the last CES Pioneer showed a 300 DVD changer. That would be nice. In a year or two, what I'll really want is a changer that will handle high-def DVDs, DVD audio discs, CD, and CD-R. And I want it to connect to my PC for control purposes. Are you listening Pioneer? I would pay a LOT for one of those.
Overall, I praise Pioneer for delivering a great product at such a low price. It really puts pressure on the other manufacturers. The Pioneer PD-F1007 is a great buy for people with lots of CDs who want convenience and value. But if you're interested in putting in your titles, I'd give the Sony changer a hard look.
