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Rating: 
Summary: Great Sound in a Simple, Elegant, Affordable Package
Review: I was looking for a simple, good-sounding little stereo for my dad, when I found the Panasonic SC-PM03 (which apparently is mechanically identical to the PM01). I couldn't believe the rich, full sound coming out of this cute little stereo! For comparison, I tried a Sony model that was $100 more expensive, and the Sony's sound quality didn't come close. I'm not kidding when I say that the PM03 sounds as good as a Bose Wave Radio or JVC Kaboom Box -- and for $100-150 less. It also is very easy to operate, with only about eleven buttons on the main unit (and a few more auxiliary controls behind a door). Basically, if you're looking for an easy-to-use CD stereo with great sound, you should definitely audition a PM03. I don't think you will be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Great Sound in a Simple, Elegant, Affordable Package
Review: I was looking for a simple, good-sounding little stereo for my dad, when I found the Panasonic SC-PM03 (which apparently is mechanically identical to the PM01). I couldn't believe the rich, full sound coming out of this cute little stereo! For comparison, I tried a Sony model that was $100 more expensive, and the Sony's sound quality didn't come close. I'm not kidding when I say that the PM03 sounds as good as a Bose Wave Radio or JVC Kaboom Box -- and for $100-150 less. It also is very easy to operate, with only about eleven buttons on the main unit (and a few more auxiliary controls behind a door). Basically, if you're looking for an easy-to-use CD stereo with great sound, you should definitely audition a PM03. I don't think you will be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: great design but with an annoying flaw
Review: i've got the SC-PM03, which appears to be electrically the same but with slightly different finish (oak veneer speaker boxes, silver main body).this is a good choice for an office or small workspace. the AM and FM reception are both top-notch, and an external AM loop antenna lets you null out RF noise from nearby computers. the speakers are nice (removable grills, tweeter and woofer). the overall finish is good and not plasticy. there's a minimum number of front-panel buttons, and some of the lesser-used functions which turn the unit into a rather expensive alarm clock are hidden behind a hinged door. the blue-backlit LCD display and little "night light" on the CD door assembly are cute. the problem (which has been noted elsewhere on the internet) is with the volume- and sadly both the 01 and 03 models suffer from it: there's about 15-20 dB (on the volume readout) difference between radio levels and CD levels. this means setting the unit to full volume to get all the detail on many classical CD's, only to have to crank things down to -20 dB to listen to the radio. when at full volume, the CD player does great, but it's irksome that the amplifier could be pushed harder except for this design glitch. taking this beyound your basic "boom box" are bass and treble controls, an "audio expander" system which seems to do nicely on most of my classical CD's, and the exclusion of a tape player. the remote was initially confusing, having far too many buttons. it also appears many functions are only available through the remote, so don't loose it! for the bucks, a good little unit. maybe panasonic will fix the audio level glitch on the next model, which would make it an outstanding value.
Rating:
Summary: great design but with an annoying flaw
Review: i've got the SC-PM03, which appears to be electrically the same but with slightly different finish (oak veneer speaker boxes, silver main body). this is a good choice for an office or small workspace. the AM and FM reception are both top-notch, and an external AM loop antenna lets you null out RF noise from nearby computers. the speakers are nice (removable grills, tweeter and woofer). the overall finish is good and not plasticy. there's a minimum number of front-panel buttons, and some of the lesser-used functions which turn the unit into a rather expensive alarm clock are hidden behind a hinged door. the blue-backlit LCD display and little "night light" on the CD door assembly are cute. the problem (which has been noted elsewhere on the internet) is with the volume- and sadly both the 01 and 03 models suffer from it: there's about 15-20 dB (on the volume readout) difference between radio levels and CD levels. this means setting the unit to full volume to get all the detail on many classical CD's, only to have to crank things down to -20 dB to listen to the radio. when at full volume, the CD player does great, but it's irksome that the amplifier could be pushed harder except for this design glitch. taking this beyound your basic "boom box" are bass and treble controls, an "audio expander" system which seems to do nicely on most of my classical CD's, and the exclusion of a tape player. the remote was initially confusing, having far too many buttons. it also appears many functions are only available through the remote, so don't loose it! for the bucks, a good little unit. maybe panasonic will fix the audio level glitch on the next model, which would make it an outstanding value.
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