Rating: 
Summary: Amazing MP3 player
Review: Being a student and having to work to buy this kind of things, I searched for different options for an MP3 player. After reading reviews from dozens of players, I finally decided for the SL-CT710 by Panasonic, which seemed to be the best option. And now I can say I made the best decision to acquire it; I got exactly what I expected:
-Amazing sound quality, the best quality anyone can expect. The equalizer settings work well. The volume output is good enough, even for a loud envirnoment (playing audio tracks or MP3 files). And really, it does not skip.
-The rectangular NiCd rechargeable batteries last for days and days. You may use either the rechargeable batteries or the external tube for AA batteries, or both.
-It can play MP3 files from different encoding sources, even my really old files from more than 5 years ago.
-Reads a CD full of MP3's so fast, ready to play in a matter of seconds.
-Really light and sleek design, better than what I was expecting when I ordered it!
-The remote control works amazing, easy to use, also with different display settings (Album, artist, file name, song title, just whatever you may want to read). It's great when carrying the player on your backpack and using it at night (good backlight).
About the pause function: Pressing the Play/Stop button once pauses the track. To continue playing again, press Play/Stop once more.
This is the list of the minor flaws that The SL-CT710 presents:
-Cannot search forward or backward within an MP3 track.
-No software for managing MP3 music files.
-Cannot play unfinalized MP3 discs.
-The included heaphones are terrible. You must buy a separate set of headphones along with this player.
I gave it 5 stars because I do not care or do not need any of those features. And for all the previous reasons, this player is outstanding, the best one you might buy. It's worth the price. I absolutely recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: In terms of sound quality, nothing beats a good CD player
Review: Despite all the current hoopla surrounding MP3 players -- don't get me wrong, MP3 players such as the Rio Karma and the Apple iPod are great portable audio devices -- if you want the best-sounding music, nothing beats a high-quality CD player like this one. Compressed music *is* compressed music, and you lose a lot of subtle but significant audio qualities when you compress, whether into MP3, AAC or WMA.
So that's the big picture. Micro-wise, this is one of the best portable CD players. Sony also makes some good players, but not all of them can play MP3 files. (Sony likes to promote its own proprietary technology, ATRAC). This stylish and super-thin Panasonic CT710 has a superior DAC (digital analog converter) that gives crisp, clean, rich, high-quality sound output when you put on a pair of good headphones. Speaking of which, the included digital earphones are pretty good, and one cord is longer than the other so you can hang it around your neck. But, of course, you can use your own favorite headphones, and you can plug them into either the wired remote control, or into the main unit itself. The volume output could be a little higher when playing back MP3 files, but that's not a problem for me since I rarely use this for MP3. (Plus, MP3 support on the CT710 is minimal. For example, you can't search forward or backward within an MP3 track. This is one stupid design decision Panasonic should do away with.)
The inline remote is nice and has an information LCD that can show ID3 tags for MP3 files. When you press a button on the remote, the LCD backlight comes on for about 5 seconds. It's a bit short for reading MP3 ID tags in the dark, but beats not having backlight at all. Although the remote lack a pause button, because the player remember the exact point where you pressed the stop button, when you press play again, it picks up exactly where you stopped. Of course, you can pause by pressing the play/pause button on the main unit. The difference is when you pause, the disc keeps on spinning and you can resume quickly, whereas after you stop, the disc stops spinning, and when you press play, it takes a few seconds for the player to spin up the disc and find the resume point. Oh, the remote has its own hold button separate from the main unit's hold button, so it's cool that you can control the player any way you like.
Battery life has always been a strong point on Panasonic's portable audio products, and this one is no exception. With the rectangular NiCd rechargeable batteries, I get about 10 hours of real-world usage on each charge. The battery lasts longer when playing MP3 files vs. audio CDs. The package comes with a battery tube that can hold two AA batteries and extend the play time tremendously. BTW, you can use either the NiCD batteries, the external AA batteries, or both. Panasonic claims up to 120 hours of MP3 play (encoded at 128kbps) when using both battery sources.
The player has some simple equalizer settings: S-XBS (super bass), S-XBS Plus, Train (which reduces sound leaks during train rides), and Live. The buttons on the main unit are semi-clear plastic and lights up when the player is playing or charging, which looks kinda cool in the dark. So far, all my CD-Rs and CD-RWs play without any problems, which is not the case with my DVD players that claim to fully support CD-RW.
Bottom line: this is a truly thin and compact CD player that lets you enjoy the ultimate quality in CD music. It's definitely my top pick for a portable CD player. When you carry it with you, people will think you have a high-end CD discman. And remember, mp3's are for amateurs, not audiophiles.
Rating:
Summary: Great Player at a great price
Review: Great sound--has so many different sound levels!! the x-tra bass is my fav. Of course the earphones suck but just replace them with better ones!! the LCD monitor is great and handy. People complain about the no pause and no ff through MP3 function but who cares?! Sound and performance are the most important things and this player delivers!! the buttons light up too. cool.
Rating: 
Summary: almost there
Review: I bought this a few days ago. The first impressions are quite positive. Slick and slim. It feels like a good player.
Good stuff is written on the box, so I will focus on what is missing:the remote cannot pause the headphone cable is way too short, it is hard to find a place to attach the remote, it just hangs loose in the air, hence it is not comfortable since the earbuds tend to drop out when you move a lot no word if the firmware is upgradable, support for other media types in time would be good comes with no software for managing your music files, an mp3 ripper would be nice along with this product overall:
I liked the product... If you do not mind the remote swinging back and forth, or buying a new pair of headphones, this is a good gadget
Rating:
Summary: Worth the price!!!
Review: I bought this CD player last month while I was visiting the US. I had irrepairable damage on my previous Panasonic mp3 player, and I was apprehensive to shell out money on this one. But I did it anyway, and I don't regret it at all! This CD player is a gem, and the included rechargable batteries are a bonus. The sound quality is excellent, and I beg to differ from some of the other reviewers about the earphones: they're really good, if not the best. The instruction manual is comprehensive to the T, but easy to understand and follow. The remote's a really cool addition too, and for those who didn't find the Pause button: pressing the Play/Stop button once during play pauses the track. To start playing again, press Play/Stop once more. If you have money to shell out on an mp3-CD player and aren't sure which one to get, don't hesitate in getting the SL-CT710. Its worth the price!!! Enjoy!!!
Rating: 
Summary: A little Overrated
Review: I bought this product based on many positive reviews and was a little disappointed in it. It definitely delivered on style and small size, but there are two things that make me frustrated with my purchase. First, the cover is very flimsy and just waiting to be snapped off. I am sure this is what people come to expect with electronics that have a functional life of 2 years, but I am afraid to do much anything active with this guy for fear of breakage. Changing CD's is a continual process of fear that I might put a few too many grams per square inch pressure on the lid and watch it snap off. Pretty frustrating, but I can manage, I just keep it in my bag when I am listening and use caution when changing discs. A forgivable problem. This next one is not so forgivable - You cannot fast-forward through MP3 files. What gives? Did Panasonic just decide that consumers only need to FF through CD audio, and because you can fit vast quantities of audio on one MP3 CD you have no possible reason to FF through the multitude of songs? Very frustrating. Much less forgivable. So to sum up: The plusses - small size, sleek design, great battery life, nice corded LCD remote The minuses - flimsy design, terrible headphones, cannot FF through MP3. If I knew what I know now about this one I probably wouldn't buy it unless it were $20 cheaper.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: I got this MP3/CD player for my birthday. I like almost everything about it. The sound quality is great (especially at S-XBS+ mode). The higher sounds are not cut as much as it's made out to be. If you want, you can set it to "Live" EQ mode anyway. It's played all my regular CDs, a non-writable 700MB mp3 CD, and a rewritable data MP3 CD. It's even played a badly damaged CD perfectly where everything else choked on it. In MP3 mode, the songs start playing after it scans the CD for about 5-10 seconds.
The CD player itself looks very cool and is thin. The manual is comprehensive, but there's no software included (which could have made it easier to burn songs in sorted order) These are only things that bother me:
- Included earphones are too short.
- Lights on CD player constantly flash when playing.
- SXBS+ mode cuts higher pitch sounds a bit
- Recharging the batteries takes a while.
- Extra battery compartment is slightly inconvenient. They're all minor problems though. The sticker on the back says it's made in Japan, unlike other flimsy junk you can find. Definately worth buying.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: I got this MP3/CD player for my birthday. I like almost everything about it. The sound quality is great (especially at XSBS+ mode). The higher sounds are not cut as much as it's made out to be. If you want, you can set it to "Live" EQ mode anyway. It's played all my regular CDs and a rewritable data MP3 CDs. The songs start playing after it scans the CD for about 5 seconds.
The CD player itself looks very cool and is thin. The manual is comprehensive, but there's no software included (which could have made it easier to burn songs in sorted order) These are only things that bother me:
- Included earphones are too short.
- Lights on CD player constantly flash when playing.
- SBXS+ mode cuts higher pitch sounds a bit
- Recharging the batteries takes a while.
- Extra battery compartment is slightly inconvenient. They're all minor problems though. The sticker on the back says it's made in Japan, unlike other flimsy junk you can find. Definately worth buying.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent CD/MP3 player
Review: I have wanted an Ipod for a while now, since I have all my CDs ripped on my computer. However, the cost has been a deterrent for me. When my last portable CD player stopped working, I decided to get other Panasonic.
There are several reasons that I was already leaning toward getting a Panasonic. They are known for having the best sound quality among the portable CD players...most "audiophiles" that get the crazy amplified headphones buy Panasonic portable CD players. Also, the last one I had was a Panasonic. I mentioned that it stopped working, but that's not Panasonic's fault. I accidentally dropped it when on a roof. It rolled off and fell ten feet, landing on a concrete sidewalk. I was so sad, because I liked it so much. When I gathered it up from the mud and snow, the batteries had fallen out, and the hinge to the lid was cracked. I was surprised it was still in one piece. I was even more surprised when it worked after I put the batteries back in! It worked for a couple more years, but I had to clamp the lid shut with a big paper clip.
Needless to say, I'm impressed with the quality and durability of Panasonic. I love this little cd player. It is remarkably thin and light. The small rechargable batteries have excellent life. They are advertised to last a continuous 20 hours in ideal conditions. (playing mp3s) I have observed mine lasting over 15 hours, better than I expected.
The actual cd player does not have a screen, but the included remote has a good, backlit screen. Some functions are controllable only through the remote, don't lose it. Overall, it is pretty intuitive and easy to use. The EQ is good, it has flat, S-XBS, S-XBS+, train, and live settings.
The sound quality is excellent. I wish my computer sounded as good, but I would need to get a high-end sound card. Now I usually plug this cd player into my high-power THX speakers because it sounds so much better.
The included earbuds are easily the worst part of the package. They're not the worst I have heard, but they're pretty uncomfortable. Get the Sony MDR-EX51LP Fontopia Headphones, even if you don't get this cd player. They are by far the most comfortable in-ear headphones I've ever used, and rival the sound quality of my $100 Kenwood studio headphones. It sounds like you have a sub in your head.
Other reiviewers complained that this cd player does not search through mp3s, which is true. If you hold down the fast-forward or backward buttons when playing mp3s, it skips through folders. (a handy function when you have a folder for each album) It would be nice to have, but I don't search through songs often, so I'm ok with it. (You can search through songs when playing a regular cd)
If you are looking for an alternative to a hard-disk mp3 player, this is a great option. You can fit 700 megs of music on a burnable cd, (more than most flash memory players) for less money, and almost the same size in this cd player. Better battery life, to boot.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome sound
Review: I recieved this Discman a few weeks ago - so far everything is excellent. The only complaint I have is the ear bud thingys. Quite frankly, they make your ears sore, and the left one falls out frequently because for some reason they decided to make that cord shorter then the right side. I would suggest using another pair of headphones with this - I got Panasonic RP-HS71 Clip-Type Stereo Headphones and they work great with the SL-CT710!
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