Rating: 
Summary: High End DAC For Poor Folks
Review: (...)about the carousel on this model: yes, it scans all 5-discs before playing one if it is *not* already playing another. I have no idea why, but also I don't feel that the wait is excessive. Ironically, the display model at the store had a broken carousel. Even after reading his review below, I still bought one. I have used it for about 20 hours in the past 3 days, and it has given me no trouble.The reason that one purchases this CD player is for its HDCD capability and its DAC (an 18-bit Burr-Brown). Most models that have this kind of DAC are approaching (dollar amount) in cost. Look at other models costing less than (dollar amount), and you will exclusively see 1-bit DAC's. If all you listen to is pop music, you can probably pick a cheaper model player and never notice the difference. However, if you appreciate superior music, but you don't have (dollar amount) for a Krell KPS 25sc, then this player may be a good choice. What disappoints me in this model is the frequency response and THD compared to cheap models (dollar amount) like the Sony CDP-CE5## line. Then again, I am trusting the manufacturer's published statistics, and Harman/Kardon may be more honest than Sony.
Rating: 
Summary: 12 months on and no problems at all
Review: After 12 months of use I still have not experienced any of the problems described in some of the other reviews of this model. I play CDR and CD/RW for compilation CDs that I recorded myself, extensively and they all play on this model with no problems. It has not manifested any other problems either. I do not find the few seconds it takes to cycle through the discs after closing the carousel a problem and have no problem with its approach to random track play. The remote is simply laid out and easy to use.
I am very happy with the features and superior sound quality from this elegantly styled and very reasonably priced player.
Rating:
Summary: HK FL8380 - Great sound for a song.
Review: After 2 months of constant use I have to declare that this player is a great reproducer considering it's price. Although the machine acted very strangely the fist time I played a disc (skipping, pausing ect.). I followed the instructions in the owners manual for doing a cold reboot and everything has been fine since then. I just built my first REAL stereo system. This CD player with the HK 3370 Reciever, a pair of Totem Arro's and Straight Wire cables and interconnects. My listening room is small, with spare furnishings and hardwood floors. This setup is very intimate. I'm hearing things on well known CD's that I've never heard before. HDCD disc playback is fantastic, there is a real improvement in resolution and imaging. This machine uses the well regarded Burr-Brown DAC chip. I don't think you can get HDCD playback at this pricepoint from any other manufacturer. This is also the first disc-changer player I've owned. Some reviews said it was quiet. If so, I'd hate to own a noisy changer. Silent it is not. Programming is easy, you just need to read a bit about it in the owners manual. I really love the ability to dim the display (from the recievers remote). This player seems well built and it's faceplate is modern and stylish. Pairing with the HK 3370 receiver seems to be a good match. I think the player is slightly warm whereas the amp is clean & crisp. Yes, the little inventory thing the carosel does when powered up or when the drawer is closed is a little irritating. It only takes about 3 seconds, then the machine is ready to play anything from any disc. I've just created an audio compilation CD-R on my PC using Nero Burning ROM. The Disc played just fine and I was able to rearrange play order of the tracks just like a regular cd. I have no idea why a previous reviewer had trouble. If you want great CD & HDCD playback at a bargain price this player would be a good choice. I think you'd have to pay ... more for a model with the same features from any other manufacturer. Considering some of the problems other reviewers have had with quality control I feel lucky. However I did not buy from a gray-market web site at the lowest possible price either.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Start/ Poor Finish
Review: As another reviewer said, the HDCD sound is truly remarkable - I feel like I happened upon some high-end audiophile's piece of equipment at regular lay-person-like-me prices. I played the "Time Out" (Brubeck) HDCD, compared it to my older version of same and I was stunned by the richness and completeness of the HDCD sound, the 3-D soundstage, the detail of the sound. I don't care if the damned thing cycles through "all 5 CDs" before playing. That just doesn't take long and it doesn't ruin my extraordinarily good audio experience once it's up and running. If you want a CD player where it's main strength is that it is quick to play CDs with average sound, then forget this one. However, if you want a CD player that, after - come on - a relatively short preamble cycle through the CDs, then proceeds to produce sound of extraordinary quality, then get this thing. Personally, I choose noticeably better sound quality over simple "speed." . . . Those "speed critics" kinda sound like someone saying tube amps [are bad] because they have to warm up before you can use them . . . . . . Moral: Good things come to those who wait, even if you wait a very short amount of time. The only minus is that HDCD appears not to have caught on; fewer are being released as time goes on. . . . a real shame. . . .
Rating:
Summary: I don't know - Seems Just Great To Me
Review: As another reviewer said, the HDCD sound is truly remarkable - I feel like I happened upon some high-end audiophile's piece of equipment at regular lay-person-like-me prices. I played the "Time Out" (Brubeck) HDCD, compared it to my older version of same and I was stunned by the richness and completeness of the HDCD sound, the 3-D soundstage, the detail of the sound. I don't care if the damned thing cycles through "all 5 CDs" before playing. That just doesn't take long and it doesn't ruin my extraordinarily good audio experience once it's up and running. If you want a CD player where it's main strength is that it is quick to play CDs with average sound, then forget this one. However, if you want a CD player that, after - come on - a relatively short preamble cycle through the CDs, then proceeds to produce sound of extraordinary quality, then get this thing. Personally, I choose noticeably better sound quality over simple "speed." . . . Those "speed critics" kinda sound like someone saying tube amps [are bad] because they have to warm up before you can use them . . . . . . Moral: Good things come to those who wait, even if you wait a very short amount of time. The only minus is that HDCD appears not to have caught on; fewer are being released as time goes on. . . . a real shame. . . .
Rating: 
Summary: Fairly irritating disappointment
Review: Despite claims to the contrary, this model DOES NOT deal well with CD-R's or enhanced CD's. I make compilations constantly, and these homemade compilations play on all machines but my Harman Kardon FL 8380. Other irritants include the fact that it takes forever to turn on, and it then must cycle through every CD in the machine before allowing you to play music. This cycling happens even after you replace a disc. After a disc is through playing, it returns to that disc if you've opened the machine during the time that disc is playing. The sound is terrific, but the other factors override the sound for me. I will be replacing this machine even though I've only owned it for 6 months
Rating:
Summary: Great Start/ Poor Finish
Review: I LOVED this player when I first got it. It was recommended to me by my best friend who is a professional sound designer. Mine went for 2 1/2 years with no problem. . .and then one day it began to skip and not register a cd here and there. Forget any homemade compilations, it doesn't recognize CD-R or CD-RW at all. Finally, it just throws temper tantrums when it feels like it, so now I am on-line buying a new one to replace it. I was lucky though - I called my best friend to see how his behaved and it gave out 6-8 months before mine and was thrown in the trash. For the $, go somewhere else.
Rating:
Summary: Mine works perfectly
Review: I picked up this unit to replace a Sony CD changer (which never worked properly) and I couldn't be happier. Well I could be a little happier. I wish you could access the "Random" function without the remote. But in terms of audio quality and quiet operation it's great.
Rating:
Summary: Mine works perfectly
Review: I picked up this unit to replace a Sony CD changer (which never worked properly) and I couldn't be happier. Well I could be a little happier. I wish you could access the "Random" function without the remote. But in terms of audio quality and quiet operation it's great.
Rating:
Summary: What a Piece Of
Review: I received this DVD player from a raffle through BMW NA and it didn't work from the get go. It wouldn't turn on and it wouldn'tplay DVD's. This piece of equipment is horrible. DON'T BUY IT IT IS NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE I'M ABOUT 1 STEP FROM THROWING IT OUT THE WINDOW>
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