ByronStatics Portable CD Player

Outdated tech? Yes but still useful. As for it being a player to carry while jogging or commuting you're much better off getting a cheap MP3 player - it can carry thousands of songs, sound just as good, much better sorting/playing functions, rechargable and is much much smaller. So why would I want a portable CD player? So I can plug it directly into my active speakers (powdered) that I use in my workshop. Just connect using a 3.5mm to double RCA cable and that's it. I still buy CDs and I get a bunch collected before I rip them into the computer so this allows me to listen to them immediately. Since space is limited this Byron Statics is a perfect fit. I don't see myself ever carrying this around and since there is no case I'm not even sure how I would. Plus when using on a workbench I don't need batteries because I can use it plugged in (cable provided but no adapter). The player has a lot more funtions than I will ever use such as programming tracks or random play. If listening to audio books there is a feature that allows you to speed it up. I guess you can do that with music but I'm not sure why you'd want to. You can lock the controls so if you are carrying it you won't accidentally hit one. Another interesting feature is the EQ function. They are all the usual presets -jazz/rock/bass/pop etc. No custom feature. I played around with them and I like it either off or jazz. The rest do not sound good in my headphones. The overall build quality is pretty good. It's the standard glossy brittle plastic so if you drop it you may be putting it in the garbage. The buttons have a nice feel and are responsive. Design looks good, button placement is where they need to be, white print on black is easy to read, LCD screen is easy to see. DC (micro USB) and headphone jack are next to one another. Lock button is on the bottom. Door button is a slider so the lid doesn't accidentally open. Spring loaded hinge makes loading easier. CD locks in place correctly. Four tiny rubber feet on the bottom keeps the player from sliding around. Sound quality is what you would expect. After all it's a CD player. The power output is plenty enough for any headphone. Works great with the Koss Porta-Pros. To my surprise it even powered my BeyerDynamic DT990 250 ohm headphone which requires more power than most. If you're looking for a desktop CD player I highly recommend this one. For being out on the move I can't see why you'd want a CD player but if you do it can operate on two AA batteries . Mine is black but comes in numerous colors. Unfortunately the cable is white. It alos comes with the worst sounding earbuds I have ever heard. Byron Statics would have been better off not providing them. Highly recommended for desktop use.