Price Paid:  $350.00 from Audio Dealer

Summary:
I purchased this system for use in my bedroom, mainly for background listening. It is a nice looking system, with style galore. The Mission speakers certainly have a finish that belies their mini system origins.In use, there is enough power to fill my bedroom with decent quality sound. The speakers struggle at higher volumes,but more than hold their own at normal/ background listening levels. The tuner could be a little more sensitve, as it has some trouble picking up stations that my 3802 receiver picks up rather handily.The CD player is good, with the only gripe being that you can't open it with the remote.Another minor annoyance is the display,I wish you didn't have to hit display on the remote to show time when the unit is off, and the digits could have been somewhat largerso you could read them from the bed.I will probably change out the little Missions at some point for some thing with a little more lower end, such as the Atoms from Paradigm.Maybe...

Strengths:
Sharp, classy looking package Build Quality

Weaknesses:
Radio sensitivity Price is a little too much

Price Paid:  $350.00 from JBSonic, Genval

Summary:
I bought the DM30 a couple of days ago for my bedroom, I coupled it to a pair of good small B&W boxes and the results are above my expectations. The sound is clear and neutral. At a reasonnable volume, it competes easily with my 5 times more expensive main system (High end Yamaha+Tannoy) PS : I do no experience any hum as mentionned in other reviews.

Strengths:
Clear and neutral sound. Enough power for small rooms. Clock/Timer function to be waked up by a good sound. No distortion.

Weaknesses:
Clock/timer functions might be more extended (no dual timer, no way to handle the Clock/timer with the remote)

Price Paid:  $320.00

Summary:
I own Manepan 1.5's hooked up to VTL amps with alot of expensive gear and cables, but I was impressed with the amount of sound you can get from the Denon. It has a very reserved and natural sound without sounding hifi or pathetically trying to exagerate bass and treble(like the yamaha) I bought the Denon on a recommendation from all the British hifi mags. None of them complained about hum, but I really don't trust magazines anyway, there just glorified catalogs that push products for advertising money.But I have found that hum is usually the fault of the power cords being used. If you hook the Denon up to an extension cord that has alot of unfiltered inputs on it than expect hum. Also I think the main reason for the hum is that the Denon has an electrical input on the back that allows you to use it to power another component. That always creates hum and you should never use that option. Buy a line conditioning extension cord, plug everything into it, avoid the electrical input on the Denon and make sure every component is grounded. I have had no problems.

Strengths:
Excellent balanced sound for the money, the Yamaha is way too artificially bright in a cheap attempt to sound detailed.

Weaknesses:
I am not going to pick on this thing for $300.00

Similar Products Used:
Yamaha mini systems

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
All these cheap mini systems have some sort of distortion. So you pick the minisystem with the distortion your ears are less sensitive to or doesn't show up on the type of music that you play. Denon with tyhe little speakers has good harmonics and is not bright like most Jap stuff but, sound is EXTREMELY boxy and shut-in. The $450 Onkyo is much more open but can be a bit bright. Here are two MUCH better systems: http://www.jandr.com/JRProductPage.process?RestartFlow=t&Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=1549&pcount=&Product_Id=2870417&Sort=Mfr_Name,Current_Price,Product_Name This Yamaha MCR-150 is the best I've heard (except for their MCR-250) and at $169 can't be beat (you can hear this at Best Buys but don't pay the $300) get it here: www.shop.store.yahoo.com/jeffminsky/yammcrelmics.html OR TRY: www.shop.store.yahoo.com/jeffminsky/hometheatre.html

Strengths:
non fatiguing

Weaknesses:
BOXY BOXY BOXY

Similar Products Used:
Tamaha

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Etronics.com

Summary:
Overall I am happy with the purchase. I tested several other similar systems at good guys (Teac, Yamah, etc.) and liked the sound of this one the most. It is not as good as my main Denon-Infinity system but great for the price.

Strengths:
Looks nice, compact. Great sound, enough volume to fill up our master bedroom. Remote has great coverage. Point it just about anywhere and it works.

Weaknesses:
TOOO complicated to setup. I expect to be able to program and setup clock/alarm wihout much help from the manual. And I can do that with many other electronic items I own. Not this one. I had to follow the complicated process listed (which worked flawlessly). I still do not know how to do it without the manual. Remote is way too complicated. Common buttons are the same size and located close together. Many times I have powered down the system while attempting to set sleep timer (in the dark). When I first used the system (after litening to shaggy for many days on a camro sound system with the bass turned up, I felt the need for a sub woofer. But now I like it just fine.

Similar Products Used:
Old Sony mini-ssytem.