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Panasonic SC-PM25 Executive Microsystem

Panasonic SC-PM25 Executive Microsystem

List Price: $279.95
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: quite a neat little system
Review: A classy system from Panasonic which puts sound quality first instead of too much needless gimmicks. It exudes quite a sense of build quality too -- some of the knobs and buttons even seem like real aluminium. The remote, although capable, seems a little low rent compared with the finish of the rest of the system. The blue display is hard to read from over a foot or so away. A pity the headphone socket is a after-thought item on the back of the casing -- one would have thought on a personal system like this it would have been on the face plate for ease of use. The kind of bi-wiring to the speakers may help sound quality, but complicates things if you want to extend the speaker leads. Heavy cassette users may wish for a more accessible cassette mechanism -- if anything goes wrong, or even for relatively basic cleaning operations, the system will have to be taken to a service agent, or you would have to open the casing yourself.

But this is just little niggles -- all in all its a very nice sounding, nice looking micro system, which I highly recommend.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great sound
Review: Don't be fooled by its size. The sound is great for this system especially on the bass. Remote has lots of control including sleep timer, bass, treble, repeat, dim and so on. I really like the blue display except the words and sign can hardly be seen from 6 feet away. This one even comes with the cassette, but I have not used it yet. Great system for bedroom and office.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Just like the "bigger" brothers
Review: Exceptional sound quality for a product of that category, and a good design. The sound quality is very close to the systems twice as expensive as this one.
It deserves an optical input because it would fit nicely as a part of a budget DVD system at home.
The range of the remote controller is insufficient (does not work well if distance is more than 4 meters).

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Nice Looking Executive system
Review: Nice Looks and Size attracted me to the system. Was also on clearance at a local Staples. I compared the sound to similar systems and found it pleasing. The features are respectable and looks nice in my office. It is hard to read display over 10 feet away my only complaint. I have owned and listened to it 1 day now.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Nice Looking Executive system
Review: Nice Looks and Size attracted me to the system. Was also on clearance at a local Staples. I compared the sound to similar systems and found it pleasing. The features are respectable and looks nice in my office. It is hard to read display over 10 feet away my only complaint. I have owned and listened to it 1 day now.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Can't Miss With The Panasonic PM25
Review: The sound from this Panasonic PM25 mini-stereo is great. The highs are spacial and clear but not harsh and the bass is full and accurate and the midrange capable and seemless. You probably won't want to play the bass at full output if you live in an apartment complex (what Panasonic calls a super-woofer in this unit is actually 2 subwoofers). The clarity of the sound is in a class with the best mini-system stereos and better than any boombox that I know of. The subwoofer sound is not muddy and rounds out the quality of the sound. Although it won't shake the walls, you can play it loud enough to have the neighbors in your apartment complex banging on your door. This unit sounds as good as or better than all of the cutsie mini-systems now selling for twice as much and most without sub-woofers. (Which is probably why you don't see this unit on the shelf as it will outperform most of the more highly profitable and expensive mini-systems). You should be delighted if you buy this system as it is (lb for lb) one of the best sounding mini-systems out there. This unit has a blue back-lite display with two retro-looking (but now modern - so old it's new) vertical blue-neon like LCD's on the side of the unit and a remote control (you can turn this extra backlight and LCD side bars off if you don't like it). It also has a seperate bass and teble control from the remote but no EQ pre-sets. Most functions for playing music can be done at the main unit but some optional functions can only be done from the remote.

To digress a little, I had an older make Aiwa mini-system with a sub-woofer in it that I loved. (I recommend if you want good sound to be sure your mini-system has a subwoofer or at least an outlet for one). Although I was greatly pleased with the older Aiwa, I have to give the edge in sound and looks to this newer Panasonic. (in all fairness I haven't heard the newer Aiwa XRM200 or others). Other contenders in my search for an attractive and capable mini-sytem with were the Pioneer NS-33, JVC FS-P7 & FS-P5. The Pioneer costs a bit more but is very compact and attractive like the newer executive mini-systems and lacking a cassette (which the others have). Of the JVC units, FS-P5 to me looked the best and had a larger 4 3/4" woofer which should really put out but no sub-woofer. (The 4 3/4 inch woofer should put out a much fuller sounding midrange than the other units with their 3" woofer and should produce decent bass - but would lack the some of the lower bass tones from the subwoofer) The FS-P7 had a subwoofer but to me compromised it's appearance a bit over the FS-P5 with two large swivel knobs that made it look like a droid from starwars. However, it did have subwoofers built into it unlike the FS-P5. I would have loved to hear them all though and compare. My dream system would look like the Pioneer NS-33, JVC FS-P5, or Panasonic PM25 and have the same large 4 3/4" woofer as the FS-P5 for enhanced midrange along with a sub-woofer in the same size speaker cabinet as the FS-P5 JVC or Panasonic PM25 and would sound better than my Panasonic if possible. I haven't heard the JVC but am not about to send my Panasonic back as I love it! (JVC would probably have to port the speaker box and down fire the sub-woofer to get it all in a modest size speaker box). However, the 3" woofer in the Panasonic unit produces quality mid-range and highs and as mentioned, has subwoofers for extended bass tones.[....]

Pro's:

1. Great sound for the size and attractive modern look.
2. Subwoofers and wood speaker boxes.
3. What looks like real wood veneer - I really can't tell.
4. Seperate bass and treble controls.
5. Should be great for office, bedroom, apartment, dorm room, - or as a main stereo for the space or budget minded.
6. Remote (also has alternate main functions on amplifier).

Con's:

1. Display hard to see from the couch to operate remote.
2. No EQ presets (why won't they let you set our own?)

Unless you expect the Panasonic PDM25 system to sound like Bose 301's driven by a Harmon Kardon Amplifier at full tilt you won't be dissapointed. The sound is quality, strong, and silky smooth for anything it's size - regardless of price.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Can't Miss With The Panasonic PM25
Review: The sound from this Panasonic PM25 mini-stereo is great. The highs are spacial and clear but not harsh and the bass is full and accurate and the midrange seemless. You probably won't want to play the bass at full output if you live in an aparment complex (what Panasonic calls a super-woofer in this unit is actually 2 subwoofers). The clarity of the sound is in a class with the best mini-system stereos and better than any boombox that I know of. The subwoofer sound is not muddy and rounds out the quality of the sound. Although it won't shake the walls, you can play it loud enough to have the neighbors in your apartment complex banging on your door. This unit sounds as good as or better than all of the cutsie mini-systems now selling for twice as much and without sub-woofers. (Which is probably why you don't see this unit on the shelf as it will outperform most of the more highly profitable and expensive mini-systems). You should be delighted if you buy this system as it is (lb for lb) one of the best sounding mini-systems out there. This unit has a blue back-lite display with two retro-looking (but now modern - so old it's new) vertical blue-neon like LCD's on the side of the unit and a remote control (you can turn this extra backlight and LCD side bars off if you don't like it). It also has a seperate bass and teble control from the remote but no EQ pre-sets. Most functions for playing music can be done at the main unit but some optional functions can only be done from the remote.

I had an older make Aiwa mini-system with a sub-woofer in it that I loved. (I recommend if you want good sound to be sure your mini-system has a subwoofer or at least an outlet for one). Although I was greatly pleased with the older Aiwa, I have to give the edge in sound and looks to this Panasonic. (in all fairness I haven't heard the newer Aiwa XRM200). Other contenders in my search for an attractive and capable mini-sytem with were the JVC FS-P7 and FS-P5. The FS-P5 to me looked the best and had a larger 4 3/4" woofer but no sub-woofer). The FS-P7 had a subwoofer but to me compromised it's appearance a bit over the FS-P7 with two large swivel knobs that made it look like a droid from starwars. I would have loved to hear them though and compare. My dream system would look like the FS-P5 or Panasonic and have the same large 4 3/4" woofer for enhanced midrange with a sub-woofer in the same size speaker cabinet and would sound better than my Panasonic if possible (I haven't heard the JVC but am not about to send my Panasonic back as I love it! -JVC would probably have to port the speaker box and down fire the sub-woofer). The 3" woofer in the Panasonic unit however produces quality mid-range and highs.

Pro's: Great sound for the size and attractive modern look.
Subwoofers and wood speaker boxes with what looks like
real wood veneer.
Seperate bass and treble controls & a remote.
Great for office, bedroom, apartment, dorm room,
- or as a main stereo for the budget minded.

Con's: Display is a bit hard to see from the couch when
using the remote - but so what.
No EQ presets (why won't they let you set our own?)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Can't Miss With The Panasonic PM25
Review: The sound from this Panasonic PM25 mini-stereo is great. The highs are spacial and clear but not harsh and the bass is full and accurate and the midrange seemless. You probably won't want to play the bass at full output if you live in an aparment complex (what Panasonic calls a super-woofer in this unit is actually 2 subwoofers). The clarity of the sound is in a class with the best mini-system stereos and better than any boombox that I know of. The subwoofer sound is not muddy and rounds out the quality of the sound. Although it won't shake the walls, you can play it loud enough to have the neighbors in your apartment complex banging on your door. This unit sounds as good as or better than all of the cutsie mini-systems now selling for twice as much and without sub-woofers. (Which is probably why you don't see this unit on the shelf as it will outperform most of the more highly profitable and expensive mini-systems). You should be delighted if you buy this system as it is (lb for lb) one of the best sounding mini-systems out there. This unit has a blue back-lite display with two retro-looking (but now modern - so old it's new) vertical blue-neon like LCD's on the side of the unit and a remote control (you can turn this extra backlight and LCD side bars off if you don't like it). It also has a seperate bass and teble control from the remote but no EQ pre-sets. Most functions for playing music can be done at the main unit but some optional functions can only be done from the remote.

I had an older make Aiwa mini-system with a sub-woofer in it that I loved. (I recommend if you want good sound to be sure your mini-system has a subwoofer or at least an outlet for one). Although I was greatly pleased with the older Aiwa, I have to give the edge in sound and looks to this Panasonic. (in all fairness I haven't heard the newer Aiwa XRM200). Other contenders in my search for an attractive and capable mini-sytem with were the JVC FS-P7 and FS-P5. The FS-P5 to me looked the best and had a larger 4 3/4" woofer but no sub-woofer). The FS-P7 had a subwoofer but to me compromised it's appearance a bit over the FS-P7 with two large swivel knobs that made it look like a droid from starwars. I would have loved to hear them though and compare. My dream system would look like the FS-P5 or Panasonic and have the same large 4 3/4" woofer for enhanced midrange with a sub-woofer in the same size speaker cabinet and would sound better than my Panasonic if possible (I haven't heard the JVC but am not about to send my Panasonic back as I love it! -JVC would probably have to port the speaker box and down fire the sub-woofer). The 3" woofer in the Panasonic unit however produces quality mid-range and highs.

Pro's: Great sound for the size and attractive modern look.
Subwoofers and wood speaker boxes with what looks like
real wood veneer.
Seperate bass and treble controls & a remote.
Great for office, bedroom, apartment, dorm room,
- or as a main stereo for the budget minded.

Con's: Display is a bit hard to see from the couch when
using the remote - but so what.
No EQ presets (why won't they let you set our own?)


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