Customer Reviews:
 Amazing MP3 player October 5, 2004
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
Being a student and having to work to buy this kind of things, I searched for different options for an MP3 player. After reading reviews from dozens of players, I finally decided for the SL-CT710 by Panasonic, which seemed to be the best option. And now I can say I made the best decision to acquire it; I got exactly what I expected:
-Amazing sound quality, the best quality anyone can expect. The equalizer settings work well. The volume output is good enough, even for a loud envirnoment (playing audio tracks or MP3 files). And really, it does not skip.
-The rectangular NiCd rechargeable batteries last for days and days. You may use either the rechargeable batteries or the external tube for AA batteries, or both.
-It can play MP3 files from different encoding sources, even my really old files from more than 5 years ago.
-Reads a CD full of MP3's so fast, ready to play in a matter of seconds.
-Really light and sleek design, better than what I was expecting when I ordered it!
-The remote control works amazing, easy to use, also with different display settings (Album, artist, file name, song title, just whatever you may want to read). It's great when carrying the player on your backpack and using it at night (good backlight).
About the pause function: Pressing the Play/Stop button once pauses the track. To continue playing again, press Play/Stop once more.
This is the list of the minor flaws that The SL-CT710 presents:
-Cannot search forward or backward within an MP3 track.
-No software for managing MP3 music files.
-Cannot play unfinalized MP3 discs.
-The included heaphones are terrible. You must buy a separate set of headphones along with this player.
I gave it 5 stars because I do not care or do not need any of those features. And for all the previous reasons, this player is outstanding, the best one you might buy. It's worth the price. I absolutely recommend it.
In terms of sound quality, nothing beats a good CD player August 24, 2004
24 out of 26 found this review helpful
Despite all the current hoopla surrounding MP3 players -- don't get me wrong, MP3 players such as the Rio Karma and the Apple iPod are great portable audio devices -- if you want the best-sounding music, nothing beats a high-quality CD player like this one. Compressed music *is* compressed music, and you lose a lot of subtle but significant audio qualities when you compress, whether into MP3, AAC or WMA.
So that's the big picture. Micro-wise, this is one of the best portable CD players. Sony also makes some good players, but not all of them can play MP3 files. (Sony likes to promote its own proprietary technology, ATRAC). This stylish and super-thin Panasonic CT710 has a superior DAC (digital analog converter) that gives crisp, clean, rich, high-quality sound output when you put on a pair of good headphones. Speaking of which, the included digital earphones are pretty good, and one cord is longer than the other so you can hang it around your neck. But, of course, you can use your own favorite headphones, and you can plug them into either the wired remote control, or into the main unit itself. The volume output could be a little higher when playing back MP3 files, but that's not a problem for me since I rarely use this for MP3. (Plus, MP3 support on the CT710 is minimal. For example, you can't search forward or backward within an MP3 track. This is one stupid design decision Panasonic should do away with.)
The inline remote is nice and has an information LCD that can show ID3 tags for MP3 files. When you press a button on the remote, the LCD backlight comes on for about 5 seconds. It's a bit short for reading MP3 ID tags in the dark, but beats not having backlight at all. Although the remote lack a pause button, because the player remember the exact point where you pressed the stop button, when you press play again, it picks up exactly where you stopped. Of course, you can pause by pressing the play/pause button on the main unit. The difference is when you pause, the disc keeps on spinning and you can resume quickly, whereas after you stop, the disc stops spinning, and when you press play, it takes a few seconds for the player to spin up the disc and find the resume point. Oh, the remote has its own hold button separate from the main unit's hold button, so it's cool that you can control the player any way you like.
Battery life has always been a strong point on Panasonic's portable audio products, and this one is no exception. With the rectangular NiCd rechargeable batteries, I get about 10 hours of real-world usage on each charge. The battery lasts longer when playing MP3 files vs. audio CDs. The package comes with a battery tube that can hold two AA batteries and extend the play time tremendously. BTW, you can use either the NiCD batteries, the external AA batteries, or both. Panasonic claims up to 120 hours of MP3 play (encoded at 128kbps) when using both battery sources.
The player has some simple equalizer settings: S-XBS (super bass), S-XBS Plus, Train (which reduces sound leaks during train rides), and Live. The buttons on the main unit are semi-clear plastic and lights up when the player is playing or charging, which looks kinda cool in the dark. So far, all my CD-Rs and CD-RWs play without any problems, which is not the case with my DVD players that claim to fully support CD-RW.
Bottom line: this is a truly thin and compact CD player that lets you enjoy the ultimate quality in CD music. It's definitely my top pick for a portable CD player. When you carry it with you, people will think you have a high-end CD discman. And remember, mp3's are for amateurs, not audiophiles.
Best Deal August 9, 2004
2 out of 10 found this review helpful
It is a very food deal.The piece is very slim,we dont even feel we are holding it.One more nice thing is it has rechargeable batteries within itself..
Great Player at a great price July 20, 2004
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
Great sound--has so many different sound levels!! the x-tra bass is my fav. Of course the earphones suck but just replace them with better ones!! the LCD monitor is great and handy. People complain about the no pause and no ff through MP3 function but who cares?! Sound and performance are the most important things and this player delivers!! the buttons light up too. cool.
 almost there July 19, 2004
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
I bought this a few days ago. The first impressions are quite positive. Slick and slim. It feels like a good player.
Good stuff is written on the box, so I will focus on what is missing:the remote cannot pause the headphone cable is way too short, it is hard to find a place to attach the remote, it just hangs loose in the air, hence it is not comfortable since the earbuds tend to drop out when you move a lot no word if the firmware is upgradable, support for other media types in time would be good comes with no software for managing your music files, an mp3 ripper would be nice along with this product overall:
I liked the product... If you do not mind the remote swinging back and forth, or buying a new pair of headphones, this is a good gadget
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