Price Paid:  $170.00 from J C Penney

Summary:
Over all, the system supplies useful entertainment and utilities for our family. A few disappointments popped up since we took ownership.

Strengths:
We like the fact the product included a 5 disc CD changer, dual cassette recorder/dubber, and a Phonograph record player. Not too many stereos on the market included the record players, and we own records, tapes and CD's.

Weaknesses:
About 3 months after we purchased the system, the phonograph on/off switch quit working. Under normal operation, the turntable turns on when you lift the armiture, move it out from the record a llittle, and then swing it back toward the record. I contacted the Warranty service center and they would fix it, but I would have to mail it to them and include $50 for shipping and handling. I fixed it myself. By opening the unit, I discovered that a glob of sticky vasciline worked its way in between the contacts on the On/Off switch. As a tell-tale sign of questionable quality, the labeling on the phonograph seems to have been written by someone who does not understand English: "Before first time play with record. Motion tone arm forward spindle. Kept turnable autostop. The motion tone arm back to rest-position. NOTE: To start operation lift tone arm from the rest."

Similar Products Used:
N/A

Price Paid:  $200.00 from JC Penney

Summary:
Wanted something compact, with a turntable and cd changer - this seemed to fit the bill, and was a nice looking set. And, at the time, I thought Memorex was a good brand.

Strengths:
Has turntable and cd changer in one, is compact, and looks good.

Weaknesses:
With probably less than 20 hours of play time the entire system failed. Looks like power is going in, but NOTHING works, and since it was past 90 days (don't listen that much) Memorex would not replace.

Price Paid:  $100.00 from J.C. Penney

Summary:
We purchased the stereo on sale. It was a catalog return. It seemed to have everything, including a phonograph player and a remote control. We have been very happy with it and have not had trouble with anything going out on it.

Strengths:
It has excellent sound and was a very good stereo for the money. Even if we had paid full retail price for it, I would still think it was a very good value. It is light weight and very easy to move but not so much that it gets bumped out of the way.

Weaknesses:
The remote is difficult to use. Most remotes have 3 buttons across. This one has 4. The placement of the function buttons is a little strange and its been difficult for me to use. The volume button is at the very bottom of the remote. Since it is the button most frequently used, it would be better if it was closer to the top where the natural position of the hand is. The stereo has a clock but the clock does not continue to display. The stereo returns back to the function display.

Similar Products Used:
Emerson, Teac. The Emerson was great. The Teac had a weird quirk. The radio would just stop playing for no reason and then start again. It was also extremely heavy for a bookcase stereo. It had all se

Price Paid:  $225.00 from J.C. Penney Online C

Summary:
We really were excited when we received our system. We wanted a system with a turntable to play our records(which we still have). This system seemed to have it all, AM/FM Stereo Radio, Turntable, 5 CD changer, dual cassette recorder and Remote Control. Good speaker system also. However, we ordered this on June 1st and it kept being backordered until it finally arrived on August 1st. It played perfectly, until last week, Monday, November 18th, 2002, it stopped reading the cd's...no matter what cd's we put in, it would light up, but no sound, and no cd info on the screen panel. The radio still works, the tape decks still work and the turntable still works, but not the CD Changer.

Strengths:
It has everything you would want in a system. Right size, etc...

Weaknesses:
The CD Changer quit reading or playing CD's in less than 3 months actual usage, probably only used 12 hours or less (the cd changer)...Can't seem to get any help from JC Penney online

Similar Products Used:
Sony product, my son has one, it operates perfectly. He has had this one for quite a few years. no problems with it, (I guess we should have paid more and got one of those!)