Sony DNF430 MP3/ATRAC CD Walkman Portable Compact Disc Player with AM/FM/TV/Weather Digital Tuner
by Sony
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List Price: Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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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: Nice little player, very functional for walkers
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm very impressed with the sound quality of this nice little player. The tuner gets excellent reception, especially considering the area in which I live. On some stations it gets better reception than my car radios.
I'm a little skeptical about the single AA battery and how long it will last.
Like some of the other reviewers, I had problems with the little earplugs. They're easily dislodged while walking, especially if the remote is held in one hand. The latter happens because the earplugs connect to the back of the remote - not directly to the walkman. As a result the two wires eventually become twisted up and tangled, thus yanking on the plugs.
I tried other headsets I had around the house and settled on my old-fashioned Panasonic headset with large earpads (but not so large I can't hear what's going on around me). It stays in place, is very stable, and provides much better sound than those little buttons.
Another thing I found useful is to attach the little remote control to a coat or shirt pocket button via the keyring it has on one end. That eliminates the earplug yanking that occurred when the wires got twisted. For me it's easier to access this way than the walkman itself, especially on cold days when I have the player stuffed deep in a heavy coat pocket. Now that I've had a little practice I can just tap it with a finger to get what I want.
It all works for me this way. Not a bad little toy at all. I gave it 4 stars because of those troublesome earplugs; otherwise it would have rated a 5.
UPDATE: as I suspected, the single AA battery turned out to be an issue. In addition to having a very short life, there's no audible warning when the battery is low. A CD suddenly stops playing, and that's that. If you press "Play" again, THEN an audible warning tone is heard. I don't have the option to modify the rating in this editing form, but if I did I'd downgrade it another star to 3.
It's too bad Sony compromised the quality on this one with those cheap headphones and that single battery design.
Upright Ape
Customer Review: Good, clean digital sound; clunky interface
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm always on the hunt for a good portable CD player, as I listen to classical music exclusively. Classical music demands the most out of a hi-fi system, and MP3 players simply don't cut it for me. I got the D-NF430 because it also has FM/AM/TV/WB which will come in handy when the next disaster, natural or manmade, strikes. (Short-wave, anyone?)
Like most Sony hi-fi systems, the D-NF430 has very clean and pleasing sound output over a good pair of earphones. The digital processor inside the unit does an admirable job expressing the rich spectrum of sounds from masterpieces by Beethoven and alike. This model also operates faster than my previous D-NE320, from starting up to skipping ahead. The radio works well, too.
However, compared to Panasonic portable CD players, of which I own a few models, Sony CD "walkmans" tend to be harder to use. The D-NF430 has a very strange arrangement of buttons, and functions you might often use, like random play and EQ adjustment, are relegated to a hard-to-access menu system. Panasonic, on the other hand, allows you to do everything via dedicated buttons. The location of the Hold button on this unit is also unconventional. (Hint: it's at the bottom.)
What's more, this unit is relatively bulky. Made in Malaysia (a country hostile towards the U.S.), the build quality is not among the best; on my new unit, for instance, the tune+/group+ button feels really flimsy like it's going to just fall off anytime. On the positive side, the player gives you amazing battery life on a single AA alkaline.
In short, this is a good value-oriented player that gives you good-quality sound and good radio functions. You can also play MP3 files burned on CD-R/CD-RW discs -- up to 30 hours on a single AA battery. The interface could be better, but the price is right.
Customer Review: Mavalous sound but last no more than 1 hour
Summary: 4 Stars
I don't know how to write this review. First of all, I think you need to order this cd player in a PHYSICAL STORE just in case it breakdowns in a day or two, and you can return/exchange w/o hassle.
This cd player provides audiophil-like sound, even with provided cheap-looking earphone. You get thick, rich sound stage with good transparency, clear but comfortable highs, clean and solid bass. It's way better than the panasonic 590 that I've tried. The earphone looks cheap but has very good sound quality, its very sensitive, easy to push. In other words, with it, I can use volume level 20, with Koss KSC-75, I have to raise the volume level to 30 to reach the same loudness.
Only 2 drawbacks, 1. the roller button is a very lousy design, and the operating menu did not give clear instruction either. 2. I wish it would last. Many other reviews mentioned the same problem. That's why I decided buying it from Bestbuy. Mine lasted for about an hour then it would not even power up. I'm going to best today and try my luck again. The excellent sound quality of 430 made me want to give it a 5 stars review, however, if it won't even work, what good does it do? --that is 4 stars.
update: I got my second one and it has been working for 3 days so far, however, this one has very loud motor sound. About every 15 seconds of playing the cd motor will give a quite loud motor squeezing sound,I mean, every 15 seconds. It gets annoying at night when everything is quiet. Also , this cd player reads a lot slower than the last one--it takes about 5-10 seconds to read a cd then start to play. I guess I need to make another trip to bestbuy and change my rating from 4 stars to 3 stars.
Customer Review: Depends on what you are looking for
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this CD player as a replacement for the one I had been using for 6 years before. This one is kind of expensive, but it includes a lot of features. It works just fine for me, and the battery life is surprisingly long for just one battery. The only problem I really have with it is the center button that controls scrolling and the volume. It is difficult to move, and since it doubles as the play/pause button, it gets a little annoying. It feels kind of weak, and though it hasn't broken yet, I fear it will one day.Other than that, it is a very nice CD player. If you want a cheap CD player, buy something else. If you like the features of this one, then this is your best bet.
Also, don't listen to all the idiots here that are complaining because they got defectives. SOMETIMES products are defective. Take them back to the store and get another. Stop giving the product a bad review because you are upset that yours doesn't work like everyone else's.
Customer Review: Great little player!
Summary: 4 Stars
I had been trying to decide between a CD or mp3 player. I walk a lot, as well as work out at the gym. I basically like to either listen to the radio, or play disco (yes, disco) music to get my juices flowing.
I settled on the CD player, as I really don't want to bother downloading songs, when I have a dozen CDs that will do what I want.
I am absolutely delighted with this player. The sound is clear, and the radio stations come in strongly. Even while on a treadmill, the player never skipped.
I was not completely thrilled with the controls, but in short order, learned to master them. Forget about the earbuds, which I could not keep from falling out of my ears. I bought a separate set of Sony earphones. The remote control is a nice touch, but I have yet to use it.
Yes, the personal CD player is an anachronism, but suits the bill perfectly for me.