I hadn't even realised it, but I don't play CDs anymore.  In fact, in order to review this unit, I had to go rummaging through my storage boxes in order to find all my CDs.  Long ago, I converted them all to MP3.  This unit can play CDs and even cassettes (don't get me started on how long it's been since I've even seen a tape).

The system has a total RMS of 120W and as such is capable of a good amount of volume without deafening the neighbours.  It's not a high end system by any means and the sound quality is a bit of a mixed bag but for its price tag it's a good option for basic music playback.  The speakers sound great at moderate volume with a good mix of low and high end and are capable of impressive bass.  At higher volumes, they begin to distort.  There are graphic equaliser presets which can improve the sound quality and you are able to individually set treble and bass to your tastes.

There was also a little loss in detail at times too. Some of the finer details like percussion lost out to heavier sounds like electric guitar and vocals.  The music used in the test was widely varied with everything from Bass-heavy Rap and Hip Hop to quiet vocal performances, loud rock numbers and classical instrumental tracks.  When it comes to classical, the sound space was good but some of the instruments tended to overpower others.  In all honesty, you can't really expect a unit like this to have perfect fidelity so for its price, it does well.

The CD ripping feature worked well enough, although it was a little confusing to know what was going on at times as the screen on the front panel doesn't offer up a great deal of information about the progress of the transfer.  Songs are transferred at 128Kbs which is reasonable but not particularly mind blowing.  An option for 320Kbs would have been good in order to create the best quality possible. When using the USB mode to rip CDs, there is some white noise interference from the internal circuits as you access the drive.  It isn't all that annoying and only seems to happen during the ripping process. This may be a fault with our test unit but should be mentioned nonetheless.

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