Price Paid:  $650.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
If you are looking for a system that will not give you problems and is built to last, pass on this piece of junk. The CD system doesn't play all kinds of CDs, there has been a class action lawsuit against Aiwa for this already (ended in 2003, created for the lawyers, paying only $10 as an award to those unfortunate enough to have bought from Aiwa), and EVERYONE has display problems. Something gets hot and blows inside causing the electronic display to short out making the unit completely unusable until repaired. I've also had spontaneous lockups, the system resets and loses its stored settings. The volume knob on mine broke after 2 years, and the tape deck is broken on my system now after minimal use. I can't hook up any regular type of DVD player to it digitally to use it's DSP functionality, the Aiwa unit is limited to 5 rca audio jacks, or stereo rca just like a VCR. The unit is only Dolby Digital 5.1 if you have a DVD player that automatically decodes the audio into 5 seperate output channels. I am not satisfied with the speakers originally included, the bass isn't very good and a subwoofer should be added. Also, controls are mixed between the remote and the unit, so some functions are only available by using buttons on the unit and some only by using the remote; I often have to get the manual out to figure out how to change something. On the plus side, the radio tuner seems to work just fine as long as your display works. Sort of an expensive radio tuner though.

Strengths:
Radio Tuner

Weaknesses:
Display burns out CD player doesn't play all kinds of CDs Tape Deck Speakers

Price Paid:  $600.00 from PC Richard

Summary:
U GUYS ARE ALL WRONG! I HAVE HAD MINE FOR 5 YEARS AND IT STILL KICKS ASS.... DISPLAY BROKE ONCE IN 5 YEARS AND ITS AMAZING I LOVE IT U ALL SUCK

Strengths:
AMAZING

Weaknesses:
NONE

Price Paid:  $500.00

Summary:
Unit was great at first but not designed or built to last more that a couple of years.

Strengths:
Good form factor for my application. Great power output for the size unit at the time I bought it. Bought it new and worked great for approximately two years.

Weaknesses:
Display was repalced and the unit worked fine, then display driver chip went out. Chip is molded into front board and basically was not worth repairing.

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Ebay.com

Summary:
It sucks. It was great for the year or so it worked. Now everytime i look at it, it makes me want to kill a aiwa support specialist.

Strengths:
none...

Weaknesses:
The f*** display broke 30 days after the warranty was up and I'm not the first person that this has happened to. $200 pay the extra money and buy a JVC.

Price Paid:  $410.00 from Internet

Summary:
It works, but I always have to bring it in for repairs because it sucks so much. The display always goes out. and the system resets. The display had to be replaced once, and some parts indide had to be replaced. The bass sucks so i had to buy a sub. It doesn't play a bunch of types of cds so i always have to hook up a discman to the MD input.

THE SYSTEM SUCKS!!!

Strengths:
NONE!

Weaknesses:
The whole system.