[Steve999]

I have had the new Sony D-NE300 portable CD player for a couple of days now. I got it from Best Buy fr $60. I give it a 10/10.

For things that matter to me:

Sound quality is exceptional to these very humble years. There is no audible hiss and no obvious audible distortion or frequency response anomaly for my uses.

It shows time elapsed or time remaining for MP3 or CD tracks.

It fast forwards and goes fast backwards for MP3 or CD tracks.

It has a 3-band parametric equalizer. Each band is adjustable to three different ranges of frequencies (for example there are three alternate ranges of bass frequencies) and for each of the three bands (treble, bass, midrange) the range of settings is up three notches, neutral or down three notches. The settings are very clearly displayed graphically so it's easy to get a hang of it.

The display shows CD Text and MP3 ID-tags.

The controls are extremely easy to use.

The unit is surprisingly lightweight and looks pretty cool.

There's no line out, but I'm very pleased with the performance of the headphone out.

I don't quite know how all of this was achieved for $60. It clearly bests my Sony D-CJ01 and my I-River IMP 350 for features. It very easily bests the IMP 350 for sound quality, IMHO. The EQ on the D-NE300 is clearly superior to the EQ on the IMP350 for my uses. For example, with the D-NE300 you can adjust treble and bass both up and down, not just up, and you can adjust the midrange up or down too.

I don't have a pair of headphones that cannot easily benefit from subtle use of the D-NE300s EQ feature. I suspect the EQ is done in the digital domain, so no noise or distortion is added.

For some reason, the amp seems pretty robust for its 5 mw rating. For example, bass is very full and extended. Don't know quite how to explain it.

The G1 and G2 shock protection settings are now menu options rather than hand-switch controls (as with older Sony PDCPs).

Something new is happening here, and I don't know what it is. I think there has been some sort of technological change and improvement.

It also comes with software for ATRAC3plus CDs (Sonic Stage 2), but I personally do not intend to use that feature.

Worth a try if you're in the market for a new PDCP. This one looks to me like a new low-cost classic and the new portable workhorse for my CD and MP3 collection, anyway.

Thanks for reading.

 

[bangraman]

The HP redbook sound is rather good and as you say, belies the 5mw output. The MP3 sound isn't bad at all either.


There may be a problem with the Line Out of the D-NE series. I've not got to the bottom of it as I've lost interest

but I will get back to it shortly. There are also drastically few problems with MP3's compared to older Sony 'MP3 Players', although packet write (which is now supported by the way) and VBR does seem to cause problems. Once again, a case of lost interest prevented me documenting exactly how and why these issues occur, but they do exist.

 

[Steve999]

Thanks for the reply. I haven't had any problems with my ~ 192 kbps VBR MP3s, but I don't doubt you've come across some VBR problems. As the D-NE300 has no line out, I can't judge the D-NE series line out based on it.

I notice in the manual that "packet-written" MP3s are indeed now supported but you can't fast forward or fast-rewind through them. Mine are obviously not packet-written, because FF and F-rewind works great on my MP3 discs.

Quote:

Originally posted by bangraman The HP redbook sound is rather good and as you say, belies the 5mw output. The MP3 sound isn't bad at all either. There may be a problem with the Line Out of the D-NE series. I've not got to the bottom of it as I've lost interest but I will get back to it shortly. There are also drastically few problems with MP3's compared to older Sony 'MP3 Players', although packet write (which is now supported by the way) and VBR does seem to cause problems...

 

[Earwax]

How is the navigation on the player? For example, how hard is it to pop in a disc and start playing the 2nd track on the 6th Album? (assuming each album is in it's own folder and properly tagged) Is the navigation based on folders or tags?

 

[Steve999]

Earwax --

The short answer I think is that navigation is real easy and that it's based on folders.

I'm no expert, this is only my third MP3 device, but navigation through MP3 files was extremely easy for me. I believe it is through folders. There is a plus folder (to the right) and minus folder (to the left) control on either side of the central control panel and you very easily and nearly instantaneously move through albums that way, and then you can use the forward and backward navigation keys to select tracks (short presses), and also use the backward and forward navigation controls (long-presses) to fast-forward or fast-rewind within tracks.

By way of comparison, it was substantially easier to naviage MP3s with the D-NE300 than with my Sony D-CJ01 or my Iriver IMP-350. I think it would be for nearly anyone.

Wait a minute... I'm popping an MP3 disc in right now.... it loads MUCH faster than the IMP350 or D-CJ01 BTW. It seemed to be 15 or 30 seconds for a six or seven album MP3 disc, but don't quote me on that. Edit: It was just about exactly 30 seconds for a six-CD MP3 disc.

A one-push display button on the unit cycles through various types of display options -- track title, time remining, time elapsed, bitrate, sampling rate/artist/name of CD etc.

The D-NE300 comes with no adapter and no remote by the way... it's nothing but the beef.

It accepts a 4.5v adapter. If it can charge batteries they don't tell you about it in the manual.

I am using my own NIMH AA rechargables. Battery life seems to be top-notch all the way. I've been on the same set for two days and the battery indicator is still full.

Hope this helps.

Quote:

Originally posted by Earwax How is the navigation on the player? For example, how hard is it to pop in a disc and start playing the 2nd track on the 6th Album? (assuming each album is in it's own folder and properly tagged) Is the navigation based on folders or tags?

 

[Damage]

Coming from using D-NE300 then a D-NE900...

The Navigation is easy, but is somewhat counterintuitutive. The Up/Down functionality on the D-NE300 is rather easy to use in conjunction with the group -/+ buttons. It's not a problem with 70 or 80 files (high bitrate MP3s or ATRAC3 files). It does become very cumbersome when you're trying to navigate through 50-60 folders, each with 10, 20 odd songs, trying to find the right one becomes something of a "Find the Waldo" scenario of sorts.

It's slightly worse with the jog-wheel units (D-NE900s for example) with the 5-way joystick. When you use the menu functionality, you have to use the jog-wheel to traverse through the menu option rather than the built in joystick... Becomes rather annoying after awhile.

I'm wondering if the line-out issues have to do with the fact that these units no longer has a dedicated line-out port? The sound does seem distorted on my CD->Tape patch in my car audio system...

The navigation gets a general thumbs in the middle for me.

The Sound Quality on the D-NE300 was rather amazing, given the fact that it is only a "$60 unit." Even as a Cd/MP3 player, that little D-NE300s going to make a lot of people happy.

 

[megamagic]

I guess sony decided to make something more competitive with irivers offerings considering that the imp-350 is only about $70 now on ebay...I still remember the early sony ones with dot matrix display...quite a difference

 

[Damage]

Not iRiver, but more like an Apple in someone's eye. The D-NE900's navigational screen reminds me a bit of iPod's. That, with the Jog Wheel use probably more so at a jab towards Apple more than anyone else. Remember, as much as iRiver is considered one of the Net's favorite MP3 player makers, they are small fries compared to companies like Sony and Apple.

It'll be interesting how Apple will defend their Scroll Wheel of Litigation vs. Sony, as I'd suspect Sony would be more than likely to be more successful at stopping Apple from using the wheel design vs. Apple stopping Sony. After all, Sony's been using a variation of the Jog Wheel, Scrolly Wheel, Wheel design since the mid 90s (their cell phones, I remember had one of those).

I also remember one of those early Sony MP3 players around early 2002, when I was eyeing several models for purchase... I opted to go with the IMP-250 (Rio Branded one vs. iRiver, but it's the big fat brother of SlimX IMP-350). I did give one as a gift to a friend overseas. Unfortunately, I've no idea how much its enjoyed over there... I'm halfway betting, however, that person was probably the only one that owned such thing.

 

[blessingx]

Thanks for the review Steve999. This PCDP seems quite interesting for the price. How's the battery life holding up?

 

[Steve999]

Edit: Welcome fellow member of Team Trying to Leave Head-Fi!!

Still on the first pair of NIMH AAs. Battery life is as good as I've seen.

Quote:

Originally posted by blessingx Thanks for the review Steve999. This PCDP seems quite interesting for the price. How's the battery life holding up?

 

[cdeviney]

Our family already has the Sony D-NE510 and D-NF610. Yesterday we added the D-NF400.

WOW! Many more options than the previous two and Sonic Stage 2.0 is a VAST improvement over 1.0.

Battery life is up to 80 hours with MP3 or ATRAC. G-protection is really good for skip-proof.

Here is the manual if anyone is interested:

http://sonydb.isomedia.com/perl/docu...00&template=EN

The new series of players take care of the complaints posted in the reviews sections at www.amazon.com and www.epinions.com

The 400 includes AM/FM/TV/Weather.

VERY happy with the new model! $80

 

[Steve999]

Cool! I'm still loving my $60 D-NE300, still cookin' on the same set of NIMH AAs. Definitely my favorite PCDP I've ever owned. And I've owned many.

Does the D-NF400 come with an adapter? Does it charge batteries? I ask just so people can get a feel for the features as you move up the line.

The D-NE300 doesn't come with an adapter and the manual doesn't say it can charge batteries.

Quote:

Originally posted by cdeviney Our family already has the Sony D-NE510 and D-NF610. Yesterday we added the D-NF400. WOW! Many more options than the previous two and Sonic Stage 2.0 is a VAST improvement over 1.0. Battery life is up to 80 hours with MP3 or ATRAC. G-protection is really good for skip-proof. The 400 includes AM/FM/TV/Weather. VERY happy with the new model! $80

 

[cdeviney]

No adapter with the D-NF400 and there is no mention in the manual of recharging the batteries internally.

I would guess that the only difference between the D-NE300 and D-NF400 is the AM/FM/TV/Weather.

I think the only difference between our older D-NE510 and D-NF610 is the AM/FM/TV/Weather.

Sonic Stage 2.0 is very nice and "professional" looking compared to SS1.0. Now the ATRAC files are saved on the computer's hard drive, for future CD burns.

Anyone looking for a very nice PCDP should definitely consider the new Sony line-up.

I mostly use the 610 for audio books. I get about 30 CDs onto one CD at the lowest ATRAC encoding.

My older daughter uses the 510 with a cassette adapter in her car, using the Sony auto power adapter (from Ebay).

These two models are "bulkier" than the new 400 because the displays and controls on the 510 and 610 are at the "front" which is perfect for us, as they are easy to access in the car and in a carrying case (for me while walking).

The new 400 is round and the buttons are on the top, making it smaller/more compact than the older two models.

You really get a lot of bang for the buck with the new Sony PCDPs.

 

[Steve999]

I agree wholeheartedly, you do get a lot of bang for the buck with these new Sony PCDPs.

As you may or may not know, the ATRAC3plus compression (out with the new models) is supposed to provide superior sound quality to the old ATRAC3 compression. I'll never know, because I'll never use it. But I just thought I'd give you a heads up.

Quote:

Originally posted by cdeviney I would guess that the only difference between the D-NE300 and D-NF400 is the AM/FM/TV/Weather. Sonic Stage 2.0 is very nice and "professional" looking compared to SS1.0. Now the ATRAC files are saved on the computer's hard drive, for future CD burns. Anyone looking for a very nice PCDP should definitely consider the new Sony line-up. You really get a lot of bang for the buck with the new Sony PCDPs.

 

[cdeviney]

I have used the ATRAC3plus ... 48 for audio books and 64 for my music CDs ... you can really put a LOT onto one CD ! 64 is supposed to be equivalent to 128kbps for MP3.