Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with 15-Second ASP and Car Kit

Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with 15-Second ASP and Car Kit

Product Description
Amazon.com Review
Simplicity, economy and durability--all of these came to mind when we tested the programmable Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with Car Kit. While the Citizen CD-117 would not be our first choice for a portable CD player if we needed all the bells and whistles that are on the market today, we did find it to be a nicely designed, well-built player that delivers great sound at an affordable price.

Simplicity
Citizen made the smart choice to keep things simple. A set of standard, conveniently-located skip/search, play/pause, and programming buttons all make for easy operation. Programming functions, clearly laid out in the easy-to-read disc display, allow users to repeat individual tracks, repeat the entire CD from start to finish, or shuffle the tracks randomly. We found the "hold" feature, which prevents users from accidentally pressing the buttons, especially useful during workouts.

Durability
We took the CD-117 anti-skip protection to task, and it took almost everything we dished out. There was nary a skip when we dropped the player from a height of three feet. Under normal walking conditions, and during our strenuous workouts, the player proved to be a stellar performer in the anti-skip department.

Sound
To give the CD-117 its ultimate test, we threw some Miles Davis, Mozart and Bruce Springsteen at it. Granted, we're not talking about a high-end sound system here, but surprisingly, Miles' trumpet held up especially well, from its very lows to its screeching heights. The sound lacks depth, however, so the richly produced symphonic elements of Mozart and some of Springsteen didn't come through, and the "bass boost system" that Citizen boasts about didn't boost much. But the main faults we found with the player had to do with volume and the earphones. We played virtually all of our music with the volume set to maximum, but we still wanted more amplification. And while the earphones delivered crisp, clear sound, they were hard to wear comfortably.

Although Citizen offers no information about battery life in the manual or on its Web site, we found the CD-117 still playing after 6 hours of straight testing with the anti-skip function on.

Overall, the CD-117, with its excellent sound quality and durable design, is a strong option for anyone looking for an economical portable CD player.

Pros

Produces clear, crisp sound at a great price

Excellent anti-skip protection

Cons

Needs more amplification

Headphones are difficult to fit comfortably

Product Description:
Citizen's record of achievement is distinguished by many firsts. Today Citizen is successful in many areas of business - information equipment, electronic equipment, industrial machinery and equipment, jewellery and spectacles - and its Research and Development facilities are second to none, resulting in the development of technology that leads quickly to new products.PRODUCT FEATURES: Personal CD Player with 15 Second Anti-Shock Function; 20 Track Programmable; Skip/Search Functions; Battery Recharge Function; Bass Boost System; LCD Display; Operates on 2 "AA" Batteries (Not Included); Includes Stereo Headphone, AC Adapter and Car Kit.

Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with 15-Second ASP and Car Kit

Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with 15-Second ASP and Car Kit

Average customer rating:

Noisy Cassette Adapter
Good for the price!
For this price, you won't get it wrong
Not the best performer on the block

Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with 15-Second ASP and Car Kit

Manufacturer: CITIZEN
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

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Sennheiser MX500 Lightweight In-Ear Headphones (Blue)
Sony CPA-9C MiniDisc and Discman Cassette Adapter
Sony MDR-E829V Fontopia Earbuds with In-line Volume Control
Memorex High Performance AA Alkaline Batteries, 50 Pack

Product Features:

Portable CD player with kit for playing through car stereo
Bass boost system enhances low frequencies for fuller sound
20-track programmable memory; 15-second anti-skip protection
Includes cigarette lighter power adapter and cassette adapter
1-year full-replacement warranty

ASIN: B00011KNC8

Product Description

Citizen's record of achievement is distinguished by many firsts. Today Citizen is successful in many areas of business - information equipment, electronic equipment, industrial machinery and equipment, jewellery and spectacles - and its Research and Development facilities are second to none, resulting in the development of technology that leads quickly to new products.PRODUCT FEATURES: Personal CD Player with 15 Second Anti-Shock Function; 20 Track Programmable; Skip/Search Functions; Battery Recharge Function; Bass Boost System; LCD Display; Operates on 2 "AA" Batteries (Not Included); Includes Stereo Headphone, AC Adapter and Car Kit.

Amazon.com Review

Simplicity, economy and durability--all of these came to mind when we tested the programmable Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with Car Kit. While the Citizen CD-117 would not be our first choice for a portable CD player if we needed all the bells and whistles that are on the market today, we did find it to be a nicely designed, well-built player that delivers great sound at an affordable price.

Although Citizen offers no information about battery life in the manual or on its Web site, we found the CD-117 still playing after 6 hours of straight testing with the anti-skip function on.

Overall, the CD-117, with its excellent sound quality and durable design, is a strong option for anyone looking for an economical portable CD player.

Pros

Produces clear, crisp sound at a great price
Excellent anti-skip protection

Cons

Needs more amplification
Headphones are difficult to fit comfortably

Customer Reviews:

Noisy Cassette Adapter.......2005-07-07

Good for the price. Used the player in my car for a month. Sound is not bad. Antiskip works fine. The only thing I do not like is the noisy cassette adapter.

Good for the price!.......2005-06-16

When I saw how much Amazon was selling this package for, I had to jump on it. As the previous reviewer pointed out, the car kit alone (tape adapter and cigarette lighter plug) would usually set you back more than this package. So, keeping in mind that the CD player is basically free, it's not bad-sounding at all. A little shallow-sounding, yes, but not bad for a mass produced good from China. As for the skips the other reviewer mentioned, there is a few seconds' lag time between the start of a song and loading the 15 second buffer (whose progress you get to see on the display). If you're unlucky enough to hit a bump during these few seconds, yes, you will get a skip. But for the remainder of the song you'll be in skip-free cost-free bliss.

For this price, you won't get it wrong.......2005-06-08

Think of the car kit alone, it'll cost at least half of this price. For this price of both car kit and CD player, you won't get this wrong. Especially the sound quality is really nice, much better than a MP3 player. Also as long as it goes in my car, the ASP seems to work quite well. I'll definitely try it longer to see how it works, but for now I really like it.

Not the best performer on the block.......2005-06-03

Bought three of them for gifts but decided to try one out first. It didn't like the bumps on the road while riding in my car. The Anti-skip feature was very sensitive.

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