Sony CMT-EX1 CD Mini Audio System
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- Number of Discs: 1
- Sound Type: Virtual Surround
- Functions: CD Player
- Output Power: 30 Watt
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A Class Act
Pros
Great Sound. Great Looking.
Cons
The remote.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The nice thing about coughing up the dough for this system, is that it gives you buyers' remorse in reverse. The longer you have it, the happier you get.
The name says it all. Well, I don't have a clue what CMT-EXI is all about, but a compact component system is definitely what this is. Primarily a single CD player, it also has an am/fm tuner and digital clock readout.
Compact design that is a boon for folks without a lot of room to spare. If you have space for three shoe boxes, you can squeeze this puppy into your digs. A bit of a tweaker freak myself, I was reluctant to give up a graphic equalizer in a new stereo system, but I haven't missed it for one second. The mix always seems perfect. I also wondered if I would miss a multiple CD player, but I don't at all. If you have a CD writer, where you can custom mix your own selected CDs, a multiple CD player becomes extraneous.
The sound is superb. Don't let the size fool you. Mine is sitting in a large room, and I have minimal acoustical aids such as carpet and wood, yet the sound comes through rich and pure and strong without rattles, no matter how high I crank the volume. I like it loud, but I have never maxed out the volume on this stereo.
The looks are attention-getting without being gaudy. Simplicity rules. The CD loads vertically from the top of the unit, like putting toast in a toaster, and you see the CD spinning as it plays. Since this is a relatively novel design, it usually sparks a comment from guests. In addition, the wood speakers and player look good anywhere, and the blue lights behind the buttons are just plain cool.
Another nice aspect of the "toaster" design is that it helps keep dust out of your system. The CD tray goes back down in case you space out and leave it open. It automatically closes after 60 seconds, which, if you're intending on leaving it open, is plenty of time to change CDs. When the tray goes back down, a little lip comes across the opening to seal out the dust.
A remote is a wonderful thing to have. Saves a lot of steps when that song-that-you-absolutely-can't-bear comes on. You no longer have to scream in agony and run all the way across the room, possibly banging your shins on the furniture, to skip that one song on the CD or radio that you just can't stand. Instead, you just press a button. Presto! The offending song is skipped, or the radio station is changed.
However, while I am enthusiastic about remotes in general, I would have to give down checks to this one. It's too bad that the exquisite attention to design wasn't carried through to the remote. It resembles one of the earliest TV remotes, and takes awhile to get used to because the buttons don't instantly make sense. Still, it is something that anyone can adapt to, and while it might not be exciting to look at, it certainly performs all the necessary functions reliably.
The price did seem high when I bought it. The fact that I purchased it in southern Spain, where all electronics are expensive, didn't help. I paid the equivalent of 380 US dollars, about 50 of which was tax (ouch), but the longer I have it the happier I am that I spent the money. In my case, this system replaced a broken boom box. If you are purchasing your first decent CD system, I think this would be a good investment. It has everything you need, and if one day down the road you decide you need something with more bells and whistles, this will be a perfect second system that you will be able to fit anywhere.
A final note in regard to the space it occupies: The "toaster" style CD load-in means that you do need to leave a bit of room at the top of this player _ say, the length of one and a half CD covers, to be comfortable. Mine is free-standing on a table with nothing above it, so it's not a problem, but if you were placing this system into a shelf-unit, this would be a consideration.
Compact design that is a boon for folks without a lot of room to spare. If you have space for three shoe boxes, you can squeeze this puppy into your digs. A bit of a tweaker freak myself, I was reluctant to give up a graphic equalizer in a new stereo system, but I haven't missed it for one second. The mix always seems perfect. I also wondered if I would miss a multiple CD player, but I don't at all. If you have a CD writer, where you can custom mix your own selected CDs, a multiple CD player becomes extraneous.
The sound is superb. Don't let the size fool you. Mine is sitting in a large room, and I have minimal acoustical aids such as carpet and wood, yet the sound comes through rich and pure and strong without rattles, no matter how high I crank the volume. I like it loud, but I have never maxed out the volume on this stereo.
The looks are attention-getting without being gaudy. Simplicity rules. The CD loads vertically from the top of the unit, like putting toast in a toaster, and you see the CD spinning as it plays. Since this is a relatively novel design, it usually sparks a comment from guests. In addition, the wood speakers and player look good anywhere, and the blue lights behind the buttons are just plain cool.
Another nice aspect of the "toaster" design is that it helps keep dust out of your system. The CD tray goes back down in case you space out and leave it open. It automatically closes after 60 seconds, which, if you're intending on leaving it open, is plenty of time to change CDs. When the tray goes back down, a little lip comes across the opening to seal out the dust.
A remote is a wonderful thing to have. Saves a lot of steps when that song-that-you-absolutely-can't-bear comes on. You no longer have to scream in agony and run all the way across the room, possibly banging your shins on the furniture, to skip that one song on the CD or radio that you just can't stand. Instead, you just press a button. Presto! The offending song is skipped, or the radio station is changed.
However, while I am enthusiastic about remotes in general, I would have to give down checks to this one. It's too bad that the exquisite attention to design wasn't carried through to the remote. It resembles one of the earliest TV remotes, and takes awhile to get used to because the buttons don't instantly make sense. Still, it is something that anyone can adapt to, and while it might not be exciting to look at, it certainly performs all the necessary functions reliably.
The price did seem high when I bought it. The fact that I purchased it in southern Spain, where all electronics are expensive, didn't help. I paid the equivalent of 380 US dollars, about 50 of which was tax (ouch), but the longer I have it the happier I am that I spent the money. In my case, this system replaced a broken boom box. If you are purchasing your first decent CD system, I think this would be a good investment. It has everything you need, and if one day down the road you decide you need something with more bells and whistles, this will be a perfect second system that you will be able to fit anywhere.
A final note in regard to the space it occupies: The "toaster" style CD load-in means that you do need to leave a bit of room at the top of this player _ say, the length of one and a half CD covers, to be comfortable. Mine is free-standing on a table with nothing above it, so it's not a problem, but if you were placing this system into a shelf-unit, this would be a consideration.
