Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

2018 UPDATE AT END--------------- Before I bought the NAXA NPB-428, I read the reviews on Amazon, all the questions and answers, asked a question of my own, then compared this to a couple of other radio/cd players. I also went to major electronics store websites and discount mega-stores and searched for a stereo capable of doing what I needed. I was willing to have a device with fewer features, as another reviewer noted such comprehensive devices are hard to find. I did find a much more expensive Sony unit but it lacked mp3 cd disc playing. I have many such discs, I use them in my car as they are easy and inexpensive to prepare and offer many hours of entertainment. I also like to use them for audio books to listen to while ill or before sleep, but with digital mp3 players so popular, the disc is not a standard feature. I also still have many cassette tapes around. It's hard to part with the Hawaiian music tapes I picked up in Hawaii, the comedy tapes of Prairie Home Companion, or out of print music from years ago. This NAXA unit provides a basic am/fm radio, regular and mp3 cd playing, cassette tape, and a USB port which can be used for other devices like a memory stick. An AUX IN can be used for MP3 players and other devices (no controls for AUX other than volume control, use the device controls for more). The "remote" is only for CD and mp3 playing but that is fine for me as I plan to keep the stereo near my bed. You do need to be near the unit and in a fairly straight line to use remote. It does not have a volume control which would be handy, but if all the funtions were available on the remote the unti would end up costing a lot more. I worry a bit about dependability at such a price (I was willing to spend more) and will report problems if I come across them in this review at a later date. For now what I did to protect myself was buy a 3 year extended warranty for only $7.99, that way if the NAXA proves unreliable I will at least get 3 years of operation, certainly worth the price of the unit. I have had bad luck with similar devices in the past few years, a $200 device died after a year, a cheap "mini-boom box" has a tinny sound and is unreliable, I often have to insert a cd several times before it is recognized and will play, no information on the LCD screen except "CD" and only a simple dial with numbers on it for the radio. Then a retro style radio I bought last year is awful sounding and stations drift a lot. I will use the NAXA to replace both these items. Setup: performed without reading the booklet, but I will read the booklet as I always do with such things. Speakers can be left detached or attached to the sides of the main unit by pressing the speakers onto tabs. A simple insertion of wires from the speakers into the back of the main unit (labeled Speaker L and R), 2 AAA batteries in the remote, AC power plugs into the back. Turn power on by depressing button. Choose mode of operation by switch on front. AM/FM Radio: okay, not great, overall it meets my needs even if AM has a bit of static. There is an LCD display screen for tuning in. FM Stereo switch for stations with a strong FM signal and an indicator light will glow. A BASS boost button helps most music, some radios call this a Music/Talk button since less bass is usually best for talk. The dials for tuning and volume have little raised dots on them to help rotation of the dials. CD: seems to work fine, programmable, random play and other functions, I usually just press play and let it rip! CD MP3: seems okay, the only thing I haven't mastered is choosing "folders", when you make an MP3 disc you can have multiple folders for different music artists or different albums, in the past when I want to go to another folder I have been in the habit of pressing NEXT FOLDER button (like on my car stereo) but this requires you press FOLDER+/+10 button which advances you 10 tracks or by holding down you can choose exactly which folder you want. The information displayed on the LCD is folder number and track number, some more sophisticated units will display the name of the folder and track. In this case I need to remember what is on the disc if I want a particular track. When you shut power off, MP3 will reset back to the first track, some MP3 players will remember where you were at last, this one doesn't. Cassette: seems to be fine, works as a regular cassette player. Place the cassette tape open side downward with full reel to left. Does not have reverse play operation, just basic play, auto shut-off at end of tape. You can record from either radio or CD. USB Port: seems fine, works similar to the MP3 disc, you can select folder if any, and tracks, scan forward or backward to find a particular part of a track, use Folder+/+10 for folder and track selection, and there is a regular Forward and Backward track selection. You can use the remote to choose between CD and USB or press the USB button on the unit. Remote: works for CD, CD MP3 disc, and USB port playing, has Back, Next, Play/Pause, Stop, CD/USB choice, +10 MP3, and Program/P-Mode buttons. Overall sound: Okay for an inexpensive unit, the Bass Boost helps music, there is no other frequency control. Loud enough for a small room. Overall operation: Simple enough except for what I said about Folder selection. If one uses the FOLDER+/+10 button on the unit, you can select FOLDER or just jump ahead 10 tracks, the FOLDER-/-10 is for the reverse direction. The REMOTE only has +10 function. SInce I use folders I need to use the button on the unit. Overall decision: I think this is a fine unit for an inexpensive price, I am glad to have included the 3 year extended warranty as I wonder about reliability. I won't give this a 5 star rating as the quality is not that sort but all functions seem okay and that is good enough for what I need in the bedroom. Specifications (from the booklet); Power: AC 110/220V (or 8 D size batteries), Power consumption: 20 Watts Weight: 4.4 kg (about 11 pounds) Dimensions: 455 mm (L) x 230 mm (W) x 220 mm (H) CD Freq response: 100Hz-16KHz Cassette Freq Response: 125Hz-6.3KHz Power Output: 2.5 Watts x 2 UPDATE 2018, CD R function flakey. Regular CDs and MP3 CDS play fine. Cassette player makes a lot of extra noise from mechanism. Radio doesn't pull in the stations I like but I don't live near a metropolitan area, rather 60 miles away. USB works fine but is a bit confusing on how it woks. I still consider this a good buy, expect it to last 3-4 years. I may buy another of the same as I really like MP3 disc capability and that's not easy to find. I've made so many of these discs, I can play them in my car, but playing at home is nice too.