RCA RP2520 MP3 Personal CD Player - Red

Rating:
Summary: No complaints
Review: I have used this player for over a month now for mp3 discs that I have burned on my laptop or have gotten from a manufacturer (for example, audio books on mp3 CD). I have had no problems. The older RCA mp3 CD player had that proprietary (sp?) Smartrax system that was confusing until you read all about it in the manual--then it was okay for navigating. This model avoids the confusion by adding two buttons for navigating through file folders. So if you favor unabridged audio books on mp3 cd, this player will work great. I just drove 780 miles from central Texas to St. Louis for the holidays, and it played two complete novels fine on just two batteries. When you stop the player and then come back later and turn it on, it even remembers the track you left off on. (I have not yet played a regular CD or a CD-RW disc on the player, so the comments by the other two customers may be correct. But good, reliable mp3 cd players are pretty hard to come by, so the performance of this player satisfies me.)

Rating:
Summary: I got violated.
Review: This could very well be the worst MP3 CD player I've ever owned. I had a RioVolt last year, that started breaking down after 2 months. I thought that was a terrible product.

This RCA, however, didn't even wait 2 months. It was a piece of junk from the beginning. The headphones had to be PULLED OUT a quarter inch for both channels of the stock headphones to be audible. That was okay, a minor flow, I thought. I put in an MP3 CD that I'd tested previously and found to be working fine. It took about 45 seconds for it to read the disc, and another 10 to load the first track. For a minute, it played normally, then stalled. I tried switching to another track on a different album (on the disc), and it refused to play at all. Often, it never reads the discs (no disc, it claims), or when it DOES play, it never stays stable for more than a few minutes.

As far as redbook audio CDs go, it often skips around, ignoring tracks or refusing to play at all. As we speak, I'm FIGHTING to get it to play the new Fates Warning album. I JUST took it out of the jewel case. It's never been played, no scratches... and this thing acts like it's diseased. Funny, the computer has no problem with it.

I always laugh at people when they say they'll never buy something from so-and-so company ever again because of a bad experience, but now I understand their angst. RCA should be ashamed to have this product on shelves. F*ck RCA.

Rating:
Summary: Works wonderful except for one flaw
Review: This thing works well as long as you are using original cds or cd-r media. MP3 and audio playback was great. Once you insert a CD-RW media things take a turn for the worst. Whether you burn as a audio cd or as an MP3 cd, the playback is full of pops, crackles and interruptions. If you use CD-RWs then avoid this player, otherwise it will serve you well.