JVC XL-Z232BK CD Player

Rating:
Summary: Impossible to over-rate this one!
Review: If you prefer a dedicated, serious, quality single disk player over the many multi-disk changers out there, than this could be the one for you. It lives up to my expectations completely, with no reservations. The sound is outstanding throughout the spectrum, and the easy up front controls make using the remote control optional. The styling fits in perfectly with the rest of my audio stack. Operation is crisp and responsive, controls are straight forward and easy to find and understand. The disk transport system is solid and even, not at all flimsy or noisy. Built solidly and with a quality feel, this one's a winner!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent sound from a cheap unit.
Review: The XL-Z232BK is a nice-sounding single-disc player, perfect for those of us who do not trust multiple-disc models. The sound is rich and creamy. Both low and high frequencies sound very smooth, with little distortion. It sounds almost as clean as the thrice-as-expensive Marantz unit I borrowed when I was shopping around. The controls are so easy that the manual is totally unnecessary; the remote also has nice buttons which, although small, are well-organized and quite responsive. Likewise, the display on the main unit is easy to see and not at all annoying. Further sweetening the pot is the player's small footprint. It is about half as deep as my receiver, and fits nicely on a small shelf amongst my books. All in all, this is a pleasant little unit that won't break the bank. I like it a lot.