Sony D-E340C Silver Personal CD player

I'd say the only three minor downfalls are:

No track program function - a lot of people don't use it but I think it's great. The ability to select a specific set tracks you want to play from the album (very good for albums where you might only like 2-4 of the tracks) is missing, unfortunately.

Volume - I think it would be nice if it could be a bit louder. I'm not one for blasting out music any more, I play my music at a much more sensible volume these days but it is quieter than some people would like. If I'm listening to it on a train or on my riding my bike at 15mph or faster, then it can be quite hard to hear the music clearly.

The battery compartment cover - it's a bit flimsy and can come loose quite easily.

oher than that it's a good machine. One major advantage is the battery life, which is superior to the CD player I had before, which was a real energy hog and maybe you'd get 3 hours usage from Duracell batteries!

Also, I find it REALLY doesn't like CDs that I've burned myself, and won't play them, despite the fact that it's supposed to be able to cope with CDRs.

So if you're going to be using it indoors, it's pretty good. But out and about, I'd spend the extra money and get something else.

The key thing to remember in making your decision is - PABU.

(P) PRICE
My primary reason for getting this particular model was the price. For the price alone, I would be doing an injustice by not buying it (or that is what I told my conscience to convince myself to fork over the cash!). But, honestly, if you read the other reviews in this category one thing that is agreed is the phenomenal price.

(A) APPEARANCE
This is no different from any other Sony item in that it is a stylish item. I loved the luminescent orange writing across the silver. You wouldn't have thought it would work but it does - really excellent.

(B) BATTERY LIFE
The clincher for me was the battery life. When you are on the go you can not lug around an AC-adaptor and an extension cable! Thus, Sony has provided a light model with a phenomenal battery life of approx one and a half days using just two AA batteries.

(U) USABILITY
A very useful and easy to use LCD (Liquid Crystal Display - for you and me in the know) with just one button doing all the jobs and the number of times you press this 'special' button determining the mode. Press this button once and you can play the same track over and over again until you have rinsed it dry! Press the button twice, and the walkman plays the CD all over again once it has finished - perfect for long journeys in the car or on the train. And, a separate button exists for turning on bass mode for those exceptional tracks, and trust me it really does make a difference!

The only downside I suppose is if you are a jogger because there is no SHOCK PROTECTION (for those of you who don't know what this means and don't worry I didn't either). In fact the definition is quite simple: it does not protect from shock i.e. any sudden movements makes the CD player skip tracks. Of course, if you are not a jogger (because you are in ship-shape form like myself??) then look no further than this Sony model.
You can not do any better for quality for the price.

The sound does not go very high but for me the problem can be easily rectified with a good set of headphones and speakers. It plays loud enough, considering that the purpose of the CD Walkman is for your ears only (!!).
Of course, if you like your music to be loud you can always get a micro-system!!

An amazing and fantastic CD Walkman!!