Sony DNF430 MP3/ATRAC CD Walkman Portable Compact Disc Player with AM/FM/TV/Weather Digital Tuner
by Sony
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony DNF430 MP3/ATRAC CD Walkman Portable Compact Disc Player with AM/FM/TV/Weather Digital Tuner
Customer Review: A Good One
Summary: 5 Stars
This a good Player, Good Song & beautiful player. Buy it nowCustomer Review: Sony DNF430 MP3/ATRAC CD Walkman Portable Compact Disc Player with AM/FM/TV/Weather Digital Tuner
Summary: 5 Stars
Excellent item.Customer Review: I like it but it has some problems
Summary: 4 Stars
Well, I bought this product so I could play my mp3 discs on it on the go other than just on my stereo system, and since the space is only limited by the amount of CDs you can hold. I'm using it as a supplement to my HD mp3 player and stereo system but I'm finding I use it more than those even.
While my stereo and HD mp3 player can play mp3s just fine this sometimes has problems. when I was using my mp3 discs I made with windows media player everything seemed to be fine at first. Then, I noticed the cd player would stop for several seconds between tracks and make a crunching sound like the cd was stopping and then spinning again. I thought this was normal. Also, the mp3 discs started skipping at certain spots (the shock protection doesn't seem to work for this) and some wouldn't even play all the time. I tried them on my stereo and computer at the same spots and there was no skipping or anything. So, I started burning mp3 discs using another program and it fixed the crunching sound and the long pause but it still skips in some spots but not as much as before. So, in other words I don't think it handles MP3 discs well with any kind of error on it no matter how small or even discs without errors. I haven't used it much for regular CDs but it seems to play them fine.
The sound isn't all that great even with better earbuds and messing with the equilizer trying to make it better. My HD MP3 player and stereo(it's a cheap one BTW) sound quite a bit better. There seems to be a lot of static, fuzz with this player.
The battery lasts a long time. I'm using sony rechargeables and get 13 hours of playback, and I'm under estimating quite a bit I think.
This is a nice player but just be aware that it's not the best machine that plays mp3s.
Edit: The more I use this the more I don't like it. O.K., I realize playing audio CDs work fine. The problem is that it plays mp3 cds horribly, even after trying different software, different file systems and after finally getting it to work without the long pauses in beetween tracks. I reburned many CDs just to get it to work with this thing. It still skips and won't play all mp3 files or it will just play a few. Just when I think it won't skip or stop playing them it does. Like I said none of the options work for this problem. Sometimes it does it in the same spot which could mean that the disc is not right , but I doubt it because my Sony Stereo plays all my mp3 discs just fine, so it's probably not my fault. I don't know if it's because of the power saving technology or what but this is unacceptable for something of this price and the main reason why I bought this unit. I could of just used my old citizen that I got for a few bucks if I just wanted to listen to regular audio cds, and it sounds almost as good. I got a feeling all of these sony cd walkmans of this model(and probably other models too) are the same and it's probably just not mine. That's why I really don't want to waste time and money sending it back and getting it fixed or replaced just for the same thing to happen. I would be interested in hearing what other people that use this mainly for mp3 discs think. Most of the reviews here don't really cover the mp3 aspect.
If this worked properly I think it would be even better than those flash or hard drive mp3 players.
EDIT: 3-30-08
OK, this is what I found out and why some don't work properly and the problem with the skipping every once in a while. If the file name is too long, there is anything else on the disc including album art or you use an incompatable file system, it won't play it properly even if it appears too at first. It still plays ATRACS smoother than MP3 discs, in other words no half to two second wait between tracks.
The problem with ATRAC is it doesn't sound too great even at higher bit rates, and Sony has pretty much dumped the format and Sonic Stage. The MP3 discs work that are made using Sonic Stage but Itunes does it better. Do NOT make a regular data disc of MP3s even if you don't put anything else on it because it probably won't work right, especially if you use one of those free burning programs.
Other than that it works great now that I got it figured out and after spending lots of money on discs trying to find a way to get it to work.
Customer Review: Good Sound and Operability
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased these as a replacement for a failed older Sony, and was astounded at the improvement in sound quality. Cleaner highs, deeper bass, and better detail in the midrange. It has sufficient power to drive my hifi headphones (Grado SR60, highly recommended) loud and clear (the earbuds that come with the player I found useless).
Single battery life is very good. I get about 12 hours out of a single battery playing cds. The "up to 40 hours" spec refers to MP3 play. My Grados use a bit more power than most cans, so you'll should get close to the 20 hour CD spec with small headphones run at a modest volume. The parametric equalizer and other tone controls are very flexible, enabling one to compensate for cheap headsets, although I run flat with the Grados. Listening with this unit has taught me how poor a lot of European jazz recordings from secondary sources really are and has broken me of the foolish habit of going for "bargain" CDs.
The controls can be a bit twitchy, but they are very intuitive and I find it easy to control in the dark or in my pocket. Setting options and features (tone controls, playing sequence, etc.) is unusually easy. The first thing you're going to want to do is disable the annoying beep that otherwise accompanies the use of transport functions. For portable use, the controls are easy to accidently trigger, especially the off button. Use the hold switch underneath the unit to disable the buttons on the body when listening while physically active.
Makes a great skip free car unit. If you are replacing a Sony for car use as I was, you will be pleased to know that their old style car remote control works with this unit. Don't use the car power adaptor from an old Sony though, as the old units were 4.5V and this one uses 3V DC power. Same precaution with any AC adaptor you might have (none included with the player).
The included mini remote is unusual in that it has a volume control, not just transport functions. Nice for personal use, not so useful for the car.
The radio reception was modest, at best. Since the headphone wires are the FM antenna, you can improve reception with headphones with a long cord. There is a nifty scan and set feature that makes setting and resetting the radio station preset buttons a breeze. Personally, I consider the radio a nice bonus, but the sound quality and battery life make it well worth the price even if there were no radio.
Despite the many features (don't lose the manual), size and weight are similar to most pocket CD players. The protrusion-free circular case slides easily in and out of pocket. Display is easy to read, and I like the feature that displays remaining CD playing time. While I have not gotten great longevity from Sony CD players in the past (2-3 years), this one seems better built than its predecessors. Looks handsome too.
Tip: if you buy this unit, be careful not to accidently hit the radio button while not in use. If you accidentally fire up a CD, you will only lose an hour of battery life, but the radio ...
Customer Review: A superb Walkman--but with a few minor disappointments
Summary: 4 Stars
This Walkman by Sony offers serious music lovers the opportunity to listen to MP3 files stored on a CD, a regular CD (of course); AM and FM radio and seven TV stations. It even sports a weather digital tuner! The remote comes in handy if you don't want to carry the actual player in your hands as you walk about town. Moreover, it only uses a single AA battery at a time and you get lots of play time out of that single battery. Even better still, this portable CD player weighs in at only one pound--this very lightweight machine poses no hindrance if you use it as you walk through the streets. Great!
At first glance the controls on the Walkman itself appear intimidating but after about ten minutes tops you learn all the important and most commonly used functions. The controls also make it easy to adjust the levels of bass and change equalizer settings. Other functions, including listening to a TV station, require more concentration and time to learn. However, the instruction manual is fairly clear and if you have questions you can always contact Sony customer support by phone or Internet.
The product description on this page indicates that software for making "ATRAC" CDs comes packaged with this player. However, when I bought this just last week there was no such bundled software. Instead, the product manual indicates that I need to download the relevant software from the Sony website. However, there remains no extra charge to download the relevant software to make an "ATRAC" CD. The advantage of making an "ATRAC" CD is that you can fit much, much more music onto an "ATRAC" CD than you ever could otherwise when making your own CDs. Indeed, the owner's manual for this Walkman states that you can fit about 30 CDs' worth of sound onto one "ATRAC" CD. Excellent!
However, I noticed some disappointments. First, Sony advertises this Walkman as being for the music enthusiast--and they are right. This means that the average layperson like me will have to spend a couple of hours learning how to use ALL the functions of this Walkman. The capabilities of this little machine impress me greatly; but there will be a learning curve for persons like myself. I did not anticipate that. In addition, the buttons are rather small so you need to be careful of how you touch them with your fingers. Finally, the earbuds hurt my ears almost from the very start of listening to a CD on this Walkman. I strongly suggest you purchase a better quality headset or earphones that will be more comfortable.
Overall, music enthusiasts will be thrilled with this Walkman. The abundant features amaze me and I believe you will be impressed, too. The quality of the sound is excellent; you can even make the sound constant at a certain level at which the product manual indicates that you won't hurt your hearing as you listen to music or talk on this CD. The shockproof memory and "skip-free G protection" impress me, too. I highly recommend this portable CD player for music lovers everywhere. In addition, if you have the time to learn how to use this machine to its greatest potential, any layperson like me will also come to cherish this Walkman.