Sony CFD-S20 Cassette/CD Boombox
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- Weight: 8 lb.
- Functions: CD Player Cassette Deck
- Number of Discs: 1
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Sony CFD-S20CP; Best in its class.
Pros
Super-Long Battery Life, great MP3 playback, Attractive Design, all for a GREAT price.
Cons
Bass distorts if not turned down at high volumes, some songs don't play...
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Sony hit the bullseye on this one. The CFD-S20CP's sound quality, mp3 playback, durability, battery life, and its other features are all way above par.
The Sony CFD-S20CP is simply put a wonderful buy. Considering all that it can do, and how well it does them, it is by far the best CD/MP3 Boombox you can get.
I originally purchased the Sony CFD-S20CP last summer before going on our annual camping trip to northern Minnesota. I listen to a lot of music, and because I had an mp3 player in my car, most of my CDs were already mp3 cds. This is why I chose the CFD-S20CP. I didnt recall even seeing any other mp3 boomboxes at Walmart, which is where I got it. I purchased it for $89, which would prove to be a great investment.
To better describe the features/performance of this product, I will categorize this review into 5 sections: sound quality, mp3 playback, battery life, durability, and other features.
SOUND QUALITY
The Sony CFD-S20CP sounds a lot bigger than it looks. When turned up all the way, there is very little distortion and the treble and highs sound distinct. This is provided the MEGA BASS is turned OFF. At normal volumes, turning on MEGA BASS adds a nice amount of bump to the music without distorting. Press the SOUND button, and you can switch the small EQ from 3 different presets. There is a headphone jack on the front of the player. These different settings are shown on the LCD display. All in all, I was more than satisfied with the loudness and quality of the sound.
MP3 PLAYBACK
Those who have previously or currently have other mp3-playing devices should know some of the common disadvantages associated with mp3 CDs: slow read times, long pauses between songs, and problems with reading certain mp3 files. The Sony CFD-S20CP handles these well. When an mp3 CD is put in, it will automatically begin reading the songs. On average, an mp3 CD with approximately 150 songs will take around 10-15 seconds to be read. Although this may seem long, it is actually nice. Why? Since the Sony CFD-S20CP reads the entire CD immediately, there is no need for it to read the name of the songs again. This is nice when searching through a folder in search of a certain song, because you will not have to wait 2-5 seconds between every song for the device to pull the song name, which is what most players have to do.
The display will read song titles up to 14 characters in length. It can be switched to show either Folder Name, File Name, IDv3 Title, and IDv3 Artist. Switching between folders is easy, the folder up(+) and down(-) buttons sit right by the orange MP3 indicator light. All of this can be done through the included remote.
The Sony CFD-S20CP reads most mp3 files, and most bitrates (probably 96-320kbps). I have had very few songs that it would not read, but every now and then there will be a certain song that it will not play, and a message of 'NOTMP3' will display. I am guessing this is because problems within certain mp3 files.
BATTERY LIFE
Since I was looking for an MP3 boombox I could take with me camping and fishing, battery life played a huge role in my satisfaction with the Sony CFD-S20CP. The CFD-S20CP requires six (6) D-cell batteries, which can be somewhat costly to replace (depending on where you get the batteries, $8-15). I have determined that these batteries will provide a solid 20-30 hours of playback. We go camping for 2 weeks, and in that period, I only had to change the batteries once, which was amazing considering we have it playing about 3-5 hours a day. Battery drain depends also on how loud the volume is turned up. Included with the Sony CFD-S20CP is a plug-in adapter so you don't have to drain the batteries at home or when you are near an outlet.
This performance is huge compared to previous boomboxes I have had. Some 5 or so hours of playback was all I could get out of an equal amount of batteries with the last boombox I had (I think it was a Phillips).
DURABILITY
This was also put to test during my camping trip, and also through use in my boat on several different fishing trips. I have also used it on a few beaches quite a few times, which means there was a lot of sand around. I did get some sand in/around the Sony CFD-S20CP, but it never affected its performance. I also got caught in a few thunderstorms in my boat, which resulted in the CFD-S20CP getting pretty wet. I put it under several towels but it still got quite a bit of water on it, and it continued to perform at 100%. The Sony CFD-S20CP is not completely water-resistant though, as I learned by forgetting it out on a picnic table during a rain storm. At first, the unit would not turn on, and after a few hours of drying it finally did - only to display a very odd language and turn back off. At that point I thought it was ruined, but after letting it dry for about a day in the sun, it began playing fine!
OTHER FEATURES
As I mentioned before, the Sony CFD-S20CP does come with a fully-functional remote, which comes in handy a lot. All of the features can be controlled through the remote. It also has a cassette player, which I have never used, but this means you can dub cassettes from your CDs. There is an antenna that extends, which picks up radio signals (AM/FM) very well. You can preset up to 30 radio stations. Playback modes are SHUFFLE ALL, SHUFFLE FOLDER, PROGRAM, and REPEAT. There is also Mega-Bass as mentioned previously. It can either be turned ON or OFF. There is a handle on the back that extends up and makes carrying the Sony CFD-S20CP more convenient. Again there is also an included DC adapter for plugging it in at home.
All of these features, plus mp3 playback in a very attractive design make the Sony CFD-S20CP the best in its class.
UPDATE NOVEMBER 2005
Well here I am 2 full years later, and I still have my little blue boombox. That thing has been to canada 3 times, mexico, florida, out on the beach covered in sand, and its had beer spilled on it more times than I can count. I live in a fraternity, and the boombox has basically been part of the house since I joined in 2003, getting used at most times on a daily basis. If you can find a used one of these, BUY IT. They are freakin' awesome.
Now here are the specs from sony.com:
Specifications
•
New Compact Design represents high quality and power with a new look in portable entertainment
•
MP3 Playback Capability plays CD-R/RW discs that have been recorded with MP3 compressed data
•
14 Segmented 5 Character LCD Display scrolls up to 64 characters for complete folder/track name information
•
Folder/File Selector is separate control button on remote and main unit for folder selection on MP3 discs, and lets you to use the normal Track selector button to "fast forward" or "fast back" through MP3 files
•
Remote Control provides full function remote control on power on/off, compact disc, tuner and volume, as well as 10-key direct access of CD tracks and tuner presets
•
Digital AM/FM Stereo Tuner provides the most accurate drift-free tuning of AM and FM radio stations and lets you choose from the wide variety of radio talk shows and music programs, with the added enjoyment of stereo sound
•
CD-R/RW Playback Compatibility plays all compact discs including CD-R recordable and CD-RW rewritable, plays all compact discs including your own compilations from CD recorder deck or PC, and provides a great extension of ability to play network audio music from the Internet - a perfect companion for your PC music
•
10 Key Direct Access For CD/Tuner Operation provides convenient one-button access to preset AM/FM stations or tracks on standard CDs
•
Mega Bass. (On/Off) Sound System produces rich, deep, bass tones for more powerful overall sound
•
CD Play Modes (Program, Shuffle, Repeat) lets you hear tracks in multiple modes: in sequence as recorded, in program (RMS) order, all tracks in random (Shuffle) order or a single track over and over
•
4 Electronic Sound Modes (Rock/Pop/Jazz/Vocal) is selected when EQ appears on the LCD display, allowing you to select an appropriate sound adjustment setting for listening to various different types of music
•
Stereo Record/Playback Cassette Deck provides direct recording from the AM/FM Stereo tuner or the CD player, and lets you play back your own cassettes in addition to pre-recorded tapes
•
Synchronized CD/Cassette Dubbing starts cassette recording when compact disc playback begins
•
30 Station Memory Presets (10AM/20FM uses electronic settings for easy one-button tuning of your choice of 10 AM and 20 FM radio stations)
•
Mega Bass. Port Speaker Design integrates common cavity speaker with front firing bass duct to provide powerful, strong bass sound
•
Digital Filter: 8X Oversampling
•
Digital to Analog Conversion: 1 Bit
•
CD Frequency Response: 20-20000Hz, 1,-2dB
•
Tuner Frequency Range: AM: 530-1710kHz, FM: 87.6-108MHz
•
Antenna System: AM: Built-in Ferrite Bar Antenna, FM: Telescopic Antenna
•
Tape System: 4 track, 2 channel stereo cassette
•
Speakers: 4" (10cm) x 2
•
Outputs: Headphone (stereo mini jack)
•
Power Requirements: "D" x 6 Batteries (optional), "AA" x 2 batteries for Remote (optional)
•
Color: Blue
•
Weight: 8 lbs 8 2/3 oz (3.8kg) w/batteries
•
Dimensions(WxHxD): 16 1/2" x 6 1/4" x 11 1/8" (386 x 166 x 252mm)
CLOSING
Thanks for reading this review. Please take the time to rate it and read my other reviews. If you are looking for an even more portable version of the Sony CFD-S20CP, check out their mp3 playing discman, the SONY D-CJ500. Also check later for a review on this product by me.
I originally purchased the Sony CFD-S20CP last summer before going on our annual camping trip to northern Minnesota. I listen to a lot of music, and because I had an mp3 player in my car, most of my CDs were already mp3 cds. This is why I chose the CFD-S20CP. I didnt recall even seeing any other mp3 boomboxes at Walmart, which is where I got it. I purchased it for $89, which would prove to be a great investment.
To better describe the features/performance of this product, I will categorize this review into 5 sections: sound quality, mp3 playback, battery life, durability, and other features.
SOUND QUALITY
The Sony CFD-S20CP sounds a lot bigger than it looks. When turned up all the way, there is very little distortion and the treble and highs sound distinct. This is provided the MEGA BASS is turned OFF. At normal volumes, turning on MEGA BASS adds a nice amount of bump to the music without distorting. Press the SOUND button, and you can switch the small EQ from 3 different presets. There is a headphone jack on the front of the player. These different settings are shown on the LCD display. All in all, I was more than satisfied with the loudness and quality of the sound.
MP3 PLAYBACK
Those who have previously or currently have other mp3-playing devices should know some of the common disadvantages associated with mp3 CDs: slow read times, long pauses between songs, and problems with reading certain mp3 files. The Sony CFD-S20CP handles these well. When an mp3 CD is put in, it will automatically begin reading the songs. On average, an mp3 CD with approximately 150 songs will take around 10-15 seconds to be read. Although this may seem long, it is actually nice. Why? Since the Sony CFD-S20CP reads the entire CD immediately, there is no need for it to read the name of the songs again. This is nice when searching through a folder in search of a certain song, because you will not have to wait 2-5 seconds between every song for the device to pull the song name, which is what most players have to do.
The display will read song titles up to 14 characters in length. It can be switched to show either Folder Name, File Name, IDv3 Title, and IDv3 Artist. Switching between folders is easy, the folder up(+) and down(-) buttons sit right by the orange MP3 indicator light. All of this can be done through the included remote.
The Sony CFD-S20CP reads most mp3 files, and most bitrates (probably 96-320kbps). I have had very few songs that it would not read, but every now and then there will be a certain song that it will not play, and a message of 'NOTMP3' will display. I am guessing this is because problems within certain mp3 files.
BATTERY LIFE
Since I was looking for an MP3 boombox I could take with me camping and fishing, battery life played a huge role in my satisfaction with the Sony CFD-S20CP. The CFD-S20CP requires six (6) D-cell batteries, which can be somewhat costly to replace (depending on where you get the batteries, $8-15). I have determined that these batteries will provide a solid 20-30 hours of playback. We go camping for 2 weeks, and in that period, I only had to change the batteries once, which was amazing considering we have it playing about 3-5 hours a day. Battery drain depends also on how loud the volume is turned up. Included with the Sony CFD-S20CP is a plug-in adapter so you don't have to drain the batteries at home or when you are near an outlet.
This performance is huge compared to previous boomboxes I have had. Some 5 or so hours of playback was all I could get out of an equal amount of batteries with the last boombox I had (I think it was a Phillips).
DURABILITY
This was also put to test during my camping trip, and also through use in my boat on several different fishing trips. I have also used it on a few beaches quite a few times, which means there was a lot of sand around. I did get some sand in/around the Sony CFD-S20CP, but it never affected its performance. I also got caught in a few thunderstorms in my boat, which resulted in the CFD-S20CP getting pretty wet. I put it under several towels but it still got quite a bit of water on it, and it continued to perform at 100%. The Sony CFD-S20CP is not completely water-resistant though, as I learned by forgetting it out on a picnic table during a rain storm. At first, the unit would not turn on, and after a few hours of drying it finally did - only to display a very odd language and turn back off. At that point I thought it was ruined, but after letting it dry for about a day in the sun, it began playing fine!
OTHER FEATURES
As I mentioned before, the Sony CFD-S20CP does come with a fully-functional remote, which comes in handy a lot. All of the features can be controlled through the remote. It also has a cassette player, which I have never used, but this means you can dub cassettes from your CDs. There is an antenna that extends, which picks up radio signals (AM/FM) very well. You can preset up to 30 radio stations. Playback modes are SHUFFLE ALL, SHUFFLE FOLDER, PROGRAM, and REPEAT. There is also Mega-Bass as mentioned previously. It can either be turned ON or OFF. There is a handle on the back that extends up and makes carrying the Sony CFD-S20CP more convenient. Again there is also an included DC adapter for plugging it in at home.
All of these features, plus mp3 playback in a very attractive design make the Sony CFD-S20CP the best in its class.
UPDATE NOVEMBER 2005
Well here I am 2 full years later, and I still have my little blue boombox. That thing has been to canada 3 times, mexico, florida, out on the beach covered in sand, and its had beer spilled on it more times than I can count. I live in a fraternity, and the boombox has basically been part of the house since I joined in 2003, getting used at most times on a daily basis. If you can find a used one of these, BUY IT. They are freakin' awesome.
Now here are the specs from sony.com:
Specifications
•
New Compact Design represents high quality and power with a new look in portable entertainment
•
MP3 Playback Capability plays CD-R/RW discs that have been recorded with MP3 compressed data
•
14 Segmented 5 Character LCD Display scrolls up to 64 characters for complete folder/track name information
•
Folder/File Selector is separate control button on remote and main unit for folder selection on MP3 discs, and lets you to use the normal Track selector button to "fast forward" or "fast back" through MP3 files
•
Remote Control provides full function remote control on power on/off, compact disc, tuner and volume, as well as 10-key direct access of CD tracks and tuner presets
•
Digital AM/FM Stereo Tuner provides the most accurate drift-free tuning of AM and FM radio stations and lets you choose from the wide variety of radio talk shows and music programs, with the added enjoyment of stereo sound
•
CD-R/RW Playback Compatibility plays all compact discs including CD-R recordable and CD-RW rewritable, plays all compact discs including your own compilations from CD recorder deck or PC, and provides a great extension of ability to play network audio music from the Internet - a perfect companion for your PC music
•
10 Key Direct Access For CD/Tuner Operation provides convenient one-button access to preset AM/FM stations or tracks on standard CDs
•
Mega Bass. (On/Off) Sound System produces rich, deep, bass tones for more powerful overall sound
•
CD Play Modes (Program, Shuffle, Repeat) lets you hear tracks in multiple modes: in sequence as recorded, in program (RMS) order, all tracks in random (Shuffle) order or a single track over and over
•
4 Electronic Sound Modes (Rock/Pop/Jazz/Vocal) is selected when EQ appears on the LCD display, allowing you to select an appropriate sound adjustment setting for listening to various different types of music
•
Stereo Record/Playback Cassette Deck provides direct recording from the AM/FM Stereo tuner or the CD player, and lets you play back your own cassettes in addition to pre-recorded tapes
•
Synchronized CD/Cassette Dubbing starts cassette recording when compact disc playback begins
•
30 Station Memory Presets (10AM/20FM uses electronic settings for easy one-button tuning of your choice of 10 AM and 20 FM radio stations)
•
Mega Bass. Port Speaker Design integrates common cavity speaker with front firing bass duct to provide powerful, strong bass sound
•
Digital Filter: 8X Oversampling
•
Digital to Analog Conversion: 1 Bit
•
CD Frequency Response: 20-20000Hz, 1,-2dB
•
Tuner Frequency Range: AM: 530-1710kHz, FM: 87.6-108MHz
•
Antenna System: AM: Built-in Ferrite Bar Antenna, FM: Telescopic Antenna
•
Tape System: 4 track, 2 channel stereo cassette
•
Speakers: 4" (10cm) x 2
•
Outputs: Headphone (stereo mini jack)
•
Power Requirements: "D" x 6 Batteries (optional), "AA" x 2 batteries for Remote (optional)
•
Color: Blue
•
Weight: 8 lbs 8 2/3 oz (3.8kg) w/batteries
•
Dimensions(WxHxD): 16 1/2" x 6 1/4" x 11 1/8" (386 x 166 x 252mm)
CLOSING
Thanks for reading this review. Please take the time to rate it and read my other reviews. If you are looking for an even more portable version of the Sony CFD-S20CP, check out their mp3 playing discman, the SONY D-CJ500. Also check later for a review on this product by me.
