PANASONIC RX-D29 Portable CD / Radio / Cassette Stereo

Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointing
Review: After reading the reviews that were already posted here, I purchased this item with great anticipation. I ended up returning it to Amazon.com within one week. The only thing I enjoyed was the cosmetic appearance and light weight for carrying. I was terribly disappointed in several important features. Most importantly, the sound quality was surprisingly poor. It only sounded reasonably good with the "sound virtualizer" turned on. The four preset equalizer options always worsened the sound. Classical instrumental music sounded okay, but music containing vocals had a serious balance problem; the vocals were too soft in contrast to the instruments and it was quite difficult to hear the lyrics clearly. I tested the same CDs on an older, much cheaper boombox and did not encounter the same problem. Many important features are only accessible from the remote control, so if the remote became damaged or lost, many of these functions would also be lost. The interface is not user-friendly or intuitive. For example, there is no general on/off or power button for turning on the CD player. You have to load a CD and then press play in order to "wake up" the boombox. Then, if you want to display the summarized track information or the total playing time, you have to STOP the CD while it is playing. You cannot use the search button to go backwards from the first track on a CD to the last one; I therefore could not access hidden bonus tracks on a collection of newly-released CDs that happen to have them hidden before the first track instead of after the final track. Most CD players have search buttons that do allow you to search backwards from the first track or forward from the last track to the first. Many of the other features on this box (including programming a desired sequence of tracks or accessing the radio presets) also require a bizarre set of steps using the remote control. I found myself having to refer repeatedly to the user manual, and it would've taken me a long time to memorize the steps. The designers should have put more control buttons right on the box and not just on the remote control. The display is small and poorly lit. The cassette player is also rather poorly made. I tried to listen to an audiobook and heard too much white noise when I set the volume high enough to comfortably hear the narrator (not very loud). The cassette player is only for "normal setting" tapes (not high position or metal). The radio had fair-to-poor reception despite the digital tuner. This boombox actually made me want to turn off my music or book, and that is why I decided to return it.

Rating:
Summary: A good boombox
Review: I like this bookbox. Its feature is good and not heavy. Price is ok. If the price can be lower, it will be a perfect boombox. The function is good for radio, CD, tape and MP3. But one disadvantage: when I try to record tapes from CDs by this boombox, the sound is not excellent.




Rating:
Summary: Got what I was looking for!
Review: I was looking for a Boombox with the following features
- Should play mp3 files,
- Must have tape deck and
- Must have a remote
This was the only boombox that met all those criteria. It recognized my mp3 files without any problems. Sound is pretty decent. I give 4 stars instead of 5, because it did not sound as good as some of the similar sized Sony boomboxes. Overall I am very satisfied.

Rating:
Summary: Finally found a boom box which plays mp3
Review: I was looking for a branded boom box, which plays mp3 as well. This boom box satisfies what I was looking for,

1. Plays mp3
2. Plays cassette
3. Has FM radio

Reproduces sound clearly, has additional options like sleep timer and sound virtualized.

Following options would have made the product very good.

1. Line in/out
2. Display that reads mp3 tags


Rating:
Summary: This boombox is a keeper!
Review: Panasonic RXD29 has an extremely hard-to-find combination of features: CD, MP3, cassette, AM/FM, in this sleek and classy-looking, lightweight boombox. I want to play audio books on CD or cassette, as well as our extensive downloaded collection of Old-Time Radio (OTR) MP3's, while working on a variety of projects. The boombox format is essential; it goes to the studio, garage, kitchen, etc. The choice of AC or DC current, plus battery backup on clock and radio presets, makes it extremely practical, and the remote control adds convenience.

Sound quality seems excellent for the price. It would rate 5 stars, but the controls are a bit small and complex, and the radio antenna seems vulnerable. Also, the hollow spaces in the back could be enlarged a tiny bit, or the remote reduced in size, so the remote could be tucked in.

Despite these problems, I'm considering buying two more as gifts, and think it's a super value for the price. As my daughter said, "Cool box, Mom!"

Rating:
Summary: Unique system in boom box category
Review: Wanna looking for a boombox at affordable price having all stuff - CD-R,RW, Mp3 and cassette compatibilities in one system. Go for this Panasonic RX-D29. Sound is nice at its price but not beatable to SONY.....But Sony dont provide all above stuff in one boombox. One more word of caution for RX-D29 dont rely on remote will not serve you properly for a long time.
Otherwise, look is amazing and light in weight perfect for a small sized room.

Rating:
Summary: Well Worth The Money!
Review: When it comes to personal stereos, I have always owned a Panasonic. This rises way above the standards I have come to expect from Panasonic. First of all, I believe this is the best sounded stereo I have purchased. I think the customer who said it sounded like crap must have gotten a defected one. It can happen, no company is perfect. Mp3 playback is great, the remote works through objects and stays working for quite a distance, alarm and clock are easy to set. One downside is that it doesn't play the mp3 cds on random. kind of a downer but an overall good product. Hopefully Panasonic will make up for this in future products.