Denon DND6000 Dual DJ CD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I've owned my Denon DN-D6000 dual deck CD/MP3 player for about 6 months now, and I can do nothing but rave about it.
The build is top-quality and of only the sturdiest materials. The technology in these decks will not be surpassed for years to come. They feature digital coaxial connections to your mixer for richer, more robust sound as well as a special cable (not the typical round MIDI-like cable) that very securely connects the control unit to the player with a push-clip. The controls (push buttons) are firm yet precisely responsive and allow you to make quick adjustments to insure seamless mixing. The large jog wheel is a bit on the sensitive side... but I've honestly never heard anyone ever complain that their equipment was too darn good at doing EXACTLY what it was physically made to do (i.e., you can give the wheel too big of a nudge when making an adjustment and create yourself an instant train wreck.) These decks are slot loading -- no trays to worry about getting stuck, which makes for a much more dependable unit over time. From what I have read, these (Denon) decks are the only ones in the world that allow you to cue a song from the same CD (next track queuing... and the cross fade is user-adjustable). This deck also reads MP3 disks... a feature usually only available on competitor's highest trim players (Such as the Pioneer CDJ-1000 MKIII which costs HUNDREDS more than this deck and is only a single table top). Sampling and 4 effects are onboard and the firmware/software for the unit can be flashed/updated via CD-ROM. When playing an audio CD, you have 20 seconds of shock protection in case the CD player is jarred or moved (while dancing around in the DJ booth, for example). Shock protection varies with MP3 playback and is dependent upon whether the MP3 track is CBR or VBR. I'm thankfully unable to comment about service levels from the Denon Corporation and it's authorized agents because I haven't had the slightest problem.
I purchased mine for $679 plus $35 shipping -- so it's no wonder why I feel they are such an awesome value! (Actually, I would have probably gladly paid more!)
If you're considering buying a dual deck CD player look no further! The Denon name is synonymous with tag lines such as "Top Quality" and "Industry Standard" -- The DN-D6000 lives up to those and then some!

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The Denon DN-D6000 is the latest entry in Denon's line of industry leading products for the professional DJ.The DN-D6000 provides a 15-second onboard sampler, and 70mm Jog Discs for scratching, pitch bend, scan & search and more. The DN-D6000 plays MP3 discs and its Next Track Reserve feature even lets you play (and crossfade!) tracks from the same disc back-to-back. Other features include built-in effects (Flange, Filter, Echo and Echo/Loop), CD Text support, pitch control and pitch bend, CD-R/RW disc compatibility, incredible Denon build quality & reliability, and lots more.Denon DN-D6000 Advanced FeaturesMP3 PlaybackMP3 Seamless Looping with B Point TrimMP3 ScratchingC.B.R. & V.B.R. encoding up to 320 kbpsID3 Tags, (displays Title, Artist, Album)MP3 File Search System (locate your files by name fast and easy)Next Track Function with Cross FadeStoring hundreds of your favorite MP3s on one disc is great. But what if you want to platy other files from the same disc back-to-back? Well, with Denon's world's first Next Track Reserve function, you can search for a song by name and cross fade seamlessly to that file for a smooth non-stop mix.*The crossfade time is user-adjustable.**Also available for CD audio discs as well.15 Second Onboard Samplerwith edit optionsPitch, B-Trim, Volume control, 3-way Playback (Loop, Single, All)3-way BPM CounterAuto BPM, Manual Tap, and Manual BPM value is also possible4 Built In EffectsYou can activate the Effector function by selecting one of the 4 effects.3 Platter EffectsDrag-Start, Brake & Reverse effects can be used for MP3 or CD audio discs.Other FeaturesNew quick-loading Slot-In drivesSeamless Loop: Two seamless loops are available (MP3 or CD)Hot Start: Two Hot Starts can be made on the fly and used as a stut

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Denon DND4500 Dual CD/MP3 Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I had been in the market for a new dual cd player for my business and settled on this Denon. I could not be happier with the results. It is user friendly and does a great job. I felt that it was a great value at the price.

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The DN-D4500 is the successor to Denon's award winning DND4000 and offers many expanded features especially in the area of MP3. Key Adjust, Auto BPM Counter, MP3 Seamless Looping with B-Trim edit, MP3 Hot Starts, MP3 File Search System, MP3 Frame Search, CUE Stutter and wider +/-24/50/100% pitch ranges for audio CD?s are just a few of the enhancements. MP3 File Search System allows you to locate in seconds, hundreds of MP3 tracks on a CD-R/RW by artist name, song title or folder. In addition, MP3 ID3 tags and Audio CD Text are supported on a large, easy-to-read dot matrix flourescent tube display.

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Onkyo C-S5VL C-S5VL Super Audio CD/CD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I listen to classical music and have almost a thousand CD collections. I own a number of CD players as well as dedicated DACs. To my ears Onkyo C-S5VL is the first CD player that is able to reproduce the violins in orchestra as "violins". You could almost hear them being played individually as a group without sounding harsh nor bright. My Spendor BC1 now sounds almost up to its full potential. Many believe Wolfson WM8742 DAC is the best there is in terms of digital to analog conversion. Oh did I say C-S5VL also plays SACD. IMO a good recording of SACD disc with Onkyo C-S5VL is hard to beat. Heads off to Onkyo for the making of a good sounding affordable CD/SACD player.
**update**
I have this player for about 4 months. The strength of this player is its ability to select and use one of five different advanced digital filters that come with WM8742 (applicable to CD only, SACD uses different filters). Out of the five filters, the most notable one is Minimum Phase Anti-Alias Apodising filter (FIL 4). Minimum Phase Anti-Alias Apodising filter is regarded by many as a major break through in improving digital media play back quality in recent years (a filter of a similiar kind is implemented in Meridian 808.2 by a 150 MIPS processor and expensive customary circuitry). This particular filter not only removes the pre-echo artifact that is commonly associated with conventional CD players but also sweep away the digital "glare" that we have almost come to accept as inevitable when listening to music of digital media. To my ears when FIL 4 is employed musical instruments exhibit consistent and substantial improvement in timber, clarity, definition, and tonality. The resulting sound signature is close being analogue. Onkyo C-S5VL enables me to enjoy the music even after hours of listening.

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Sampling audio signals at a rate 64 times higher than CD, Super Audio CD gives you the closest possible approximation of being in the same room as the musicians. Little wonder, then, that it has established itself as the audiophiles\' format of choice. Now, with the C-S5VL, Onkyo makes quality audio more accessible than ever. The C-S5VL is a stellar playback solution for Super Audio CD—as well as regular CDs and WMA- or MP3-encoded discs—and makes an ideal partner for Onkyo\'s slimline A-5VL integrated amplifier. The C-S5VL incorporates Onkyo\'s VLSC\' technology, along with high-end Wolfson DACs, to ensure a pristine conversion of the audio signal from digital to analog. Meanwhile, a high-precision crystal oscillator and jitter-cleaner device work together to stabilize the clock frequency. You get meticulous timing for all digital signals and hence beautifully clear separation of musical instruments. So, if you want to get serious about digital audio playback, open your ears to the C-S5VL.

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Pioneer FH-P8000BT Double-Din In-Dash CD/MP3/WMA/AAC Receiver with Built-In Bluetooth, iPod Control, and Rear USB Input Review

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(More customer reviews)This video shows the basic operation of the unit, since it's hard to explain.
The biggest pro for me is the sound. My stock speakers sounded good with the factory head unit, but they sound like brand new high end speakers with the Pioneer.
A close second is the feature set. The iPod integration is the best that I saw in any unit, and it sure beats the axillary input mod kit that I was running beforehand. The sound from the iPod is great. Also keep in mind that it's a USB input, not just an iPod input. Plug in an external hard drive or thumb drive and you're in buisness, too. The addition of the Bluetooth connectivity was a major selling point, and it delivers a great convenience that I would really miss now that I'm used to it. I can leave my phone out of reach (in the trunk even) and I can still answer it if it rings.
The biggest con is the user interface- it does take a bit to learn the ins and outs, but once you do, very few times is it a bother (the 'pause' option is buried in the function submenu, which is annoying, but since the unit automatically pauses the music for incoming / outgoing calls, it's only a problem in, say, drive thru's).
The pros VASTLY outweigh the cons, and the price is far below what I would expect for a unit with this feature set. That gets this unit a 5 Star rating - iPod, Bluetooth, CD, HD & Satellite Radio ready- there really aren't any features left for you to want!
I purchased it with the wiring harness and the dash kit for my 2005 Mazda3 and it looks quite nice. Check out the video!

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Upgrade your factory two-DIN system with Pioneer's FH-P8000BT. Enjoy hands-free calling or streaming audio with built-in Bluetooth capability, playback of CDs and MP3/WMA/AAC files, direct USB control for your iPod, and plenty more, through a 50W x 4 MOSFET amplifier. Need more? Expand your options by adding HD/SAT radio, or expand your system using the three 4V RCA preamp outputs.


FH-P8000BT Features
Built-in Bluetooth Solution Your calls come in loud & clear with advanced echo cancellation. Setup is easy with simple phone pairing and automatic phonebook transfer.
Simple Phone PairingSimply tilt, turn and push the Rotary Commander to register and use up to three Bluetooth-compatible cell phones.
Transfer All Your Phonebook Information and NumbersUse with Phone Pairing to transfer your entire phonebook at a single time to the headunit, which can memorize up to 3600 different numbers: 400 persons x 3 contacts x 3 phone types (cell phone, home, office, etc.). Compatible Phone with PBAP profile required.
New Echo CancellationAdvanced Echo Cancellation has three levels of adjustment to keep phone calls sounding sufficiently loud and clear.

Note: Not all Bluetooth phones may be compatible, and some features may not be available with all phones.
Bluetooth Wireless Technology for "Wireless Audio" Control and Streaming When you're not utilizing hands-free calling, the FH-P8000BT can use Bluetooth Wireless Technology to feed your appetite for entertainment. Using "wireless audio" control and streaming (AVRCP, A2DP), you can controland listen to a compatible audio player or music phone on your headunit.
Advanced Sound Retriever Hear the detail, warmth and clarity, the way the artist intended it, from all of your highly compressed MP3, WMA and AAC files stored on USB memory device, iPod and portable digital players. By restoring data (especially higher frequencies) that tend to get lost in the digital compression process, Pioneer's Advanced Sound Retriever technology enhances audio reproduction nearly all the way up to 20 kHz frequencies.
USB Direct Control for iPod and more Pioneer's FH-P8000BT is ready to roll with capability for direct connection to your iPod . USB 2.0's speed and capability allow an elevated iPod experience in the car, and nearly limitless expandability for portable media players and USB memory devices.
File search and access are extra-quick. The headunit keeps song, artist, time and album information displays very clear and user-friendly, and control is intuitive through the 7-Way Rotary Commander. The system's wired USB connection provides direct digital signal transfer from the iPod for clean, clear sound.In addition, Pioneer has developed the following new features to make using your iPod in the car extremely easy and convenient:
Alphabetical Speed Search When searching for artist/album, you can initiate alphabet search by pressing "List" button.
Link Search While listening to a specific artist you can hold "List" button down and it will pop up folders containing that specific artist.
Passenger Control Mode Allows passenger to use the iPod directly to browse and select music, while connected to the headunit for playback.
Random (Shuffle) Key Physical Random Button on faceplate (Shuffle) makes it easy to hear something fresh.
Full Featured and High Performance The FH-P8000BT is smartly designed to expand your system, customize your experience, provide superior sound quality and easy operation.

Supertuner IIID AM/FM Tuner Pioneer's legendary Supertuner IIID combines the best of digital and analog tuner technologies to reduce distortion to bring you exceptional FM and AM performance. If you live in an area where reception is weak, you'll hear a big improvement in signal strength. And when you're near tall buildings, Supertuner IIID reduces the effect of multi-path noise, which occurs when the signal is reflecting off of the buildings.
MOSFET 50W x4 Amplifier for the Power Hungry Compared to conventional power supplies, the MOSFET amplification circuit is smaller and more efficient, delivering power with less distortion and absolutely zero on/off switching noise. And that doesn't just mean a boost in volume: it means that your music will be cleaner at higher volumes because you're not pushing the limits of the amplification circuit. Clean, efficient power that will rock your vehicle.
For those who'd like a bit more power, three 4V preamp outputs are also included for system expansion (front/rear/sub).
FH-P8000BT Basic Specs

What's in the Box Pioneer FH-P8000BT Receiver, Wiring Harness, Installation Hardware, Owner's Manual

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Harman Kardon HD990 CD Player with RLS III (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this over a month ago, from another online retailer. Some friends think I'm crazy for investing this much money into, of all things, a CD player at this point in time, but I've never been one for compressed MP3 music. Call me old-fashioned, but I still prefer physical media. The HK 990 does not disappoint. Finally, my CD's sound just as lush, warm, and rounded as my vinyl, without any of that cold harsh metallic sound that plagues most CD players! Paired with my HK 3490, the sound quality is stunning. What more can I say? Controls are easy enough to handle on the machine, yet standing a just a few feet away, no buttons are visible at all on the front face of this marvelously minimalistic design. (I use a universal remote, so I can't comment on the ergonomics of the HK-supplied remote.) To date, the machine has played every kind of CD I've thrown at it with ease; even CD's that skip on other players due to scratches don't skip on this one. The extra bonus of the HD 990 is that there are digital in and out jacks so that you can route the sound from a bluray or other player through its audiophile quality DAC in order to benefit from the upgraded sound (which insures that this machine will still be relevant and useful long after CD's are no more). When I bought my HK3490 two years ago, I wanted this CD player but Harman didn't sell it in the US. At one point, I even thought about importing it, but dealing with the voltage converters would have been too much of a hassle. I'm glad Harman Kardon finally decided to bring more of their audiophile quality music equipment to the US market. Even if it doesn't sell as well here as it does in Europe, it reminds customers of Harman's commitment to good old-fashioned, never-out-of-style stereo music.

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To build a CD player without equal, there are no shortcuts, no compromises, no easy answers. Optimized for precision playback above all, the HD 990 employstwo high-performance stereo digital-to-analog converters to deliver third-generation Real-time Linear Smoothing (RLS III), creating a spacious, richly detailedsound that other players simply cannot duplicate.

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Sony LBT-ZX66i iPod Ready Mini Shelf System Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been listening to my new Sony LBT-ZX66i for the past 3 hours. It does everything it claims to do and does it well. Unlike last year's equivalent model which had a (now obsolete) cassette deck, this year's model gives you a much more useful iPOD dock.(for most full-sized iPODs, such as my iPOD Classic, you can insert your iPOD directly into the LBT-ZX66i's dock. Some older or smaller iPOD's may require an adaptor)
The Sony features a 5-disc carousel-type CD changer, an iPOD dock & AM/FM radio, plus the ability to do Karaoke(there's two microphone inputs via quarter inch plug) and a headphone output which uses full sized quarter inch headphone plug.
This system is powerful and clean, and the "X-Groove" button will provide the outrageous thumping that your disco,rap, hip-hop & Dance music enthusiast craves. But here an important difference: unlike many similar systems from other manufacturers, when the thumping mode("X-Groove") is switched off, the LBT-ZX-66i can provide clear,natural sound, with crisp midrange and highs for those of us who prefer rock, pop,jazz and other types of music. Believe me: even without the added thumping, the LBT-ZX-66i is no slouch in the bass department. The 3-way speakers(with horn-loaded tweeters) are better than you would normally get in a system of this type.
There are number of effects modes optimized for various types of music(Rock,Pop, Salsa,Reggae,Dance,Jazz,Samba,Tango). "Rock" seems to yield the clearest and most natural sound. There's also a simulated surround mode(which I have yet to try), and a 3-band digital equalizer(you can create your own custom E.Q. settings in the unit's memory). I'll eventually experiment with these features. And if you have a turntable, there's a phono input. Programming the FM/AM tuner was easy and the reception and sound quality was fine.
My only complaint is this: the remote control is a bit too basic. There are too many features of the LBT-ZX66i which can't be controlled from the remote control. These features(including the effects modes) can only be selected from the main unit's front panel.
I normally wouldn't comment on the merchant here in a product review,but I'll say this:I've had a great experience buying from "J&R Music World" for the past 29 years, whether directly, or more recently through Amazon. After buying a Plasma T.V. from J&R(via Amazon) and seeing J&R drop the price $200 lower ten days later, I contacted J&R, who gave me a $200 store credit, which I used towards this Sony compact stereo system.
One other thing:this system is fairly large. It is not exactly a shelf system, but if you've got room for it, then go for it. You won't be disappointed. Not that many companies are making this sort of system anymore(JVC doesn't make systems of this size & power any more), but Sony can make this sort of system better. The manufacturing quality is excellent, and it's got enough features that can either be used or not used, so it can be tailored to produce good sound no matter what your musical tastes are.
AS AN UPDATE TO THE ABOVE:The effects modes CAN be selected on the remote control, via a button called "EQ".
Important additional note: if you are planning on playing CD-R's on this unit, I would advise you to try a few of your CD-R's on this unit before buying. While the LBT-ZX66i had no problem playing CD-R's that I recorded on my rack mount pro audio CD recorder or CD's that I recorded on my iMAC computer, I have hundreds of CD's that were recorded by my friend on several PC's that he's owned over the past 5 years. None of these discs can be played on the LBT-ZX66i(which cannot read the table of contents on these discs). The LBT-ZX66i is one of 14 pieces of equipment(and one of four Sony products) in my home which can play CD's, and the only one that can't play these PC-burned CD-R's. All of these CD-R's feature standard CD Audio.

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iPod – Charge, Play, Control 540W Total Power Output (RMS), 5-Disc CD Changer with Play Exchange, CD-R/CD-RW, MP3 Playback, 3-way, Bass Reflex Spkr Sys, 6.7" (17cm) Dual Hybrid Woofers, 1" (2.5cm) Horn Tweeter, Game Sync: Front A/V Input, Big, bright vivid display, AM/FM Tuner, 30-Station Presets, Remote Control with full iPod menu control

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