Price Paid:  $40.00 from Goodwill

Summary:
I picked this up as a stereo for my computer room. My parents have had a similiar Aiwa unit for a decade and it sounds great. Not great bass, but remember it is just a bookshelf system and it does have an output for Sub-Woofer, surround and center channel speakers. The CD player didn't work when I brought it home, but in the process of cleaning the unit up, I also cleaned a thick layer of dust off the CD optics and what do you know? The CD player works just fine. I haven't tried the cassette player and recorder yet, but as that format is effectively dead who cares? This stereo also has an auxilliary input so there will be my video and/or mp3 player input!

Don't be too proud to shop Goodwill once in a while!

Strengths:
Sound quality, Center Surround and sub-woofer speaker jacks, aux. input

Weaknesses:
Low end sound not too impressive. See my summary

Similar Products Used:
Aiwa bookshelf unit.

Price Paid:  $0.00 from I don't remember

Summary:
My parents got me this when I was in 3rd grade, and for the first few months, it was working fine. Then the CD player stopped working and my parents wanted to throw it out, but my older brother offered to take it and "fix it." He couldnt fix it so then I took it back. After a few tweaks, the CD player started to work again. I used a "Q-Tip" and cleaned the lenses ever time the CD skipped. That seemed to work a lot! I liked having my own system for a while, until a couple of days ago (12/05/03)that I came home from school and I saw that someone had put "wood glue" beneath the CD tray, and cut a rubber band that was supposed to spin the carousel. I knew that my dad did it. He was always gettin' mad whenever he couldn't figure out how to work the damn thing. Well I still am &*%$ing pissed at him. I'll just get another one then!

Strengths:
The system worked well with other speakers! I hooked up 2 speaker towers that had 2- 8 inch subs, 1 mid, and 2 tweeters in each tower. The peak power of each tower was 400. I combined the factory speakers with the 2 towers. It was actually too loud though. It says on the system that the max power was 160 watts but it was really loud. The bass of the tower was clean. People actually complimented me at my parties! It played music really cool but not "the best!" It was "ok" watching it with movies and tv. Overall, the system was cool. I'd give it an 8 out of 10.

Weaknesses:
Though I gave it an 8, the system lacked the quality of the bass in the factory speakers. It was very not clean. It was horrible! It sounded so horrible, that I had to get new speakers! The "Dolby Pro Logic" feature was quiet when I wanted to hear the voices but then too loud in "loud" parts of movies. The system was just a hassle. It "broke" after a few months but just the fact of using the Q-Tip to clean the lenses each time it skipped was a big hassle! It took so much of my time!

Similar Products Used:
-None-

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
My experience with this system has been HORRIBLE, as with every Aiwa system I've ever seen, The cd player ceases to fuction after about a year.. My friend has the same system, same problems.. After the cd player stopped reading cds, I opened it up, cleaned the lens.. Yeah, worked fine again for about 2 weeks, now doesn't work again.. I finally got so irritated with it i ripped the cd tray completely out of the system, so there is a gaping hole now.. As for the cass #1, got stuck MANY times, finally started using Cass #2.. The Dolby surround bites, BBE Isn't an option when using dolby surround (BBE is what gives the system highs on AIWA systems), the rear speakers you can barely hear.. The front speakers are notorious for the smallest tweeters going south.. The systems' main fuction in life now is for my computer and MP3s via the Aux port.. Would never buy another AIWA system, BAD NEWS..

Strengths:
WHAT strengths? Oh wait.. The Karaoke mode still works.. Sorta...

Weaknesses:
CD PLAYER, Cassette Deck #1, Tweeters in front speakers, Rear speakers (no power)..

Similar Products Used:
Bose, Panasonic

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Gift

Summary:
I listen to music all the time, first thing I do when I wake up is turn on some music. When I received this system as a gift from my aunt in 2001, the CD player had already been broken and the tape decks were also non-functional. So far I've used it connected to a computer with the AUX connector for immense MP3 audio playback and games. Does very poorly in Normal Dolby Pro Logic in terms of high-frequency system response. I noticed after a few sound tests that the left front speaker had problems with high-frequency and made popping noises when you raised the treble too high. I had the same problem with all modes of surround. System gets definitely loud, I got it with the sub included which performed quite well up to a certain point. After a few other tests I noticed that the smallest tweeters on both front left and right speakers weren't working, which denied me the high-frequency sound I was supposed to be getting from them. The same front and left front channel speakers also have issues with high, bass levels. Way too many problems to be considered a decent audio system, I wouldn't have bought it, but it was a gift.

Strengths:
Loud, somewhat powerful.

Weaknesses:
Rear speakers have very poor frequency ranges, CD-Player doesn't work whatsoever, Tape decks lock up, Front left and right tweeters don't work,

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
I would not consider myself a AIWA Basher,But the truth is if indeed there are so many of us out here who have had these same problems (such as cds not being recognized by the machine and cassette doors locking up with the tapes in them ) then even with this lawsuit that allows you to have the system repaired for free ,Who is to say that it will work for long after the trouble this time??????

Strengths:
Good Speakers ,Good Sound,and it will function as a home theater with the right setup.Now hooked up to a Kenwood 5 disc Changer

Weaknesses:
CD Player,Cassette player Door

Similar Products Used:
none