Price Paid:  $298.00 from Tweeter

Summary:
I needed a unit to master multi-track digital recordings of my band. I walked into Tweeter, bought a Pioneer unit off of their bargain shelf only to find out that it was defective. Bought the CDR-D651 off of the same shelf the following day for a good price and have been very happy with the results. It maintains the high frequencies actually takes some of the edge off of the originals and gives them a somewhat warmer, more natural, analog tone. The only issue I have had so far is that while recording from some old, analog cassette tapes to the CD''s there is no way to set the threshold level while recording. The Pioneer unit had a way to set a threshold level, so that when recording from analog, it would auto- matically set the markers between songs. Some of my tapes have an ambient noise level high enough for the unit to sense that a song is still playing. I have to resort to manually placing track markings. No big deal, though, the unit seems solidly built and sounds good. The S/N ration and dynamic range are a little less than the Pioneer.

Strengths:
Solidly built, warm, natural sound.... Easy to use once you get past the owners manual.

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Dave's Video, Studio City

Summary:
As mentioned above, this recorder has so many ways to record CD's, it's sometimes confusing. The manual is no help here. I wasted many disks doing trial-and-error until I figured everything out. I do a lot of custom self-recording so I'm not just burning complete CD's. Sometimes I like to start recording a song in the middle (after superflous needless stuff has passed) and I can do it with the D651. The one thing that bothers me about this unit is that it conforms to the audio piracy code, so once you create a first-pass digital recorded CD, this can then only be recorded in the "analog" mode. (Most other CD recorders do the same.) This is not a big thing except that if you use this CD as a source, the audio levels can only be adjusted via the "analog" audio level controller rather than the automatic digital level control (which is does when first-pass CD's are made). Having two trays is great, especially since I make a lot of mixed-source CD's. So not only can I use the built-in CD tray, I have two other CD players attached, my receiver, tape deck and VCR, all acting as audio sources. This D651 allows you to make idiot-proof one-touch recordings of an entire CD or do one song at a time with almost unlimited controls.

Strengths:
Very powerful and capable. Allows almost unlimited variations of recording CD's. Well built machine.

Weaknesses:
The manual does not do justice to this very capable machine and so it takes a long time of self-experimentation and several wasted disks to figure out the full power available at your fingertips.

Similar Products Used:
Single drawer CD recorders.

Price Paid:  $299.00 from Richer Sounds

Summary:
I have spend 3 months looking for a CD recorder, and initially was going to go for the Pioneer CDR 609. The YAMAHA beats it in every department, and as i wanted a good machine for playback also this really fit the bill. The machine looks great in the middle of my other separates, and also seems to be solidly built. After about 30 mins of perusing the manual, i was able to record my first CD. The double speed option is good also. Finalisation is taking about 2 minutes or so with 74 min discs. I have not tried with 80 min ones yet. Perfect reproduction of the original using Verbatim/JVC discs. Can randmonly play from both trays or just one. CD Text also, but takes a while to type in using the remote. Good thing is that you can type in the text for the track you are recording the CD rather than hsving to wait for it to finish and then have to do them all. A very good machine. I am very pleased with it. Buy one!

Strengths:
Playback is excellent, added a lot to the sound over my Technics 490. No problems at all recording so far, and as it is a twin drawer device you just put in the CD's and hit record, away it goes. Mainly purchased to record my own stuff, but have recorded off my old tapes with no problems as yet. Comes in black or silver. Easy to use, good manual.

Weaknesses:
Cheap cables supplied in box - but better than nothing; also
Yamaha included optical cable. Does not close the CD drawers if left open when you power off. Also, when put a CDR/CDRW in the recording drawer takes a few seconds to read as it does OPC to adjust the laser for the disc.