tegmen

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $50.00 from Second Hand

Summary:
This review is for the slightly older CDC 655.

I purchased this CD player second hand for $50 New Zealand Dollars.
Originally I purchased it to complement my Yamaha RX 396 receiver, to use in the bedroom.
I love the 5 CD changer system. Load 5 of your favourite CDs and you can mix and match between them. This unit is great for parties, or having drinks with friends. Great in the bedroom where you can load your favourite 5 cds at the time.
The next cd can be loaded without stopping the current one playing.
When skipping to the next Cd, the player finds the next CD relatively quickly.

The unit looks attractive, the black colour blends in to any surroundings, or most other hifi components.

Strengths:
Cd-Rs are played with no problem from my LG dvd/cd burner. Oddly enough, my flatmates CD-rs won't play on this unit, as the CD burner on his PC is a different brand. I wonder how many reviews of CD players have been posted saying "such and such unit won't play Cd-rs", when it is the incompatability between a particular CD burner and CD player that is the issue?

Not having any remote control supplied with this unit, I was pleased to find out my remote from the Yamaha RX 396 receiver will control the cd player!

Sound quality.
OK.The general sound quality from this unit is generally "good". Partnered with the Yamaha RX396 receiver and Energy 2.1e speakers, the unit produces good, sharp clean lively sound. Pop and Jazz is enthusiastic and forward.
However, on classical the music, the unit shows up slight weaknesses.
The sound is slightly harsh and brash.
But we are talking about a low price unit from the 90's.
I compared the sound from the Yamaha to that of a Pioneer DVD player.
The Yamaha is less "boomy" than the DVD player.
The CD player showed superiority in mainaining a consistent volume compared to the DVD player.
The Yamaha sound is rather "lightweight" and edgy, and favours treble and mids over bass.
The DVD player had slighlty more "body" and more bass, but the volume level was inconsistent.
I have ended up using the Yamaha for CD replays.The sound is generally "cleaner" than that from the DVD player.
Which is in general keeping with the view that CD players are better at CD replay than DVD players.
Not surprising really when you consider that CD players are designed for 2 channel stereo replay, and DVD players are designed for video replay and 5:1 audio output.

Has a sound level output for matching output volume with other components.

In general, great for parties, bedrooms etc but for audiophiles doing any serious listening, you will need to look elsewhere.

Weaknesses:
Slightly Edgy/lightweight sound when doing any serious listening with classical music.
Compared this to a 20 year old philips CD160 CD player I had in a drawer.The Philips had more body, more refinement and more "oomph", but the Yamaha had more treble and sharpness.
Most other genres of music sound good.
I'd give it 6.5/10.

The orange LED display is a bit small and hard to read. But this usually isn't a problem.

The unit skips sometimes.
Also the CD loading tray jams sometimes. Often a delicate tap cures this! Friends that have owned similar models have also had this.

Generally I would recommend this product as a fun/cheap purchase where any non-serious listening is required.
Would not purchase one at full retail price for classical music listening.

Similar Products Used:
Philips CD160
Sony micro system
NAD C542 (review to follow shortly)

Price Paid:  $160.00 from used

Summary:
This is a truly magnificent CD changer for the person on a bidget. I purchased one used after extensive listening of a number of units. I can see what some users are refering to as harsh sound and I guess that is truw if the recording is bright. This player is true to the original recording and ugly bad recording will not be covered up by lack of high frequency resolution. I purchased this for my secodary system and tested it extensively in my main system. Honestly when comapared it to my NAD dvd changer and rotel CD changer I could find very litly to criticize!! This player is just as smooth and full sounding as my other two units with detail and dynamics which come very close to true high end units. The built quality is tp notch and it sno picky about what kind of discs it plays heich is very important these days with CD-R's etc. Too bad most of the newer CD players from yamaha are not as solidly built as this one.

Strengths:
Sound Built quality Speed of disc change

Weaknesses:
True to the recording?

Similar Products Used:
ROTEL, NAD, NAKAMICHI

Price Paid:  $150.00 from Sound Advise

Summary:
The first thing I noticed when I listened to this CD player was the harsh, brassy and accentuated upper mid range. It is especially noticeable on reed instruments, sax, trumpets. I tried different artists and mixes, but the coloration is persistent. After 4 or 5 cuts, it becomes tedious to listen much longer. While the imaging and sound stage is excellent - Natural Sound - is a misnomer. I am currently looking for a more balanced sounding CD player to replace this one.

Strengths:
Great ergonomics, features and price

Weaknesses:
Shrill, colored, upper mid range that will fatigue listeners.

Price Paid:  $90.00 from Pawn shop in Florida

Summary:
This is a nice CD player for the money. This is the first year they started putting toslink (optical) dig. outputs on these. I like the design of the player, especially the buttons and the smooth black front panel. PlayXchange is a nice feature, and mind does NOT skip when i open it using playXchange. Sound is good for me, especially for $90, and i like the Yamaha name. I own the RX-V2092 receiver from Yamaha, that i bought used and both of these components are fabulous together. I also like the amber/orange display Yamaha uses for their LCD. This is a minor thing that i like, but i dont think it will make a difference on anybody buying or passing this CD player, but when i select "Time Mode", for every CD i put in it stays in that time mode, rather than reseting like many other CD players do-this means that if you want to see the "remain" time or something, you only select it once and you can play as many CD's as you would like without selecting that mode again because it memorized it. I like this feat. but its kinda dumb.

Overall, great CD player for the money and i am enjoying my CD's for years to come.

Strengths:
Sound, Looks, output level

Weaknesses:
CD tray comes out very far because it does not spin-you have to slide your disc "1" and disc "5" CD's in there which may scratch your CD.

Similar Products Used:
Technics 5 disc, Pioneer single

Summary:
I've owned the 665 for almost two years. It has done a fairly good job though w/in the past 2 weeks it has begun to routinely skip on CD's that themselves don't have skips (I've tested). Luckily it's still under warranty and will be going back next week.

I also own a HHB 850 CD recorder. The sound with the HHB's playback is clearly superior and is leading me to shop around for a better CD player to replace the yamaha 665.

Strengths:
Reasonable price, decent sound.

Weaknesses:
The sound could be better, durability

Similar Products Used:
HHB 850