mstroud

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $400.00 from sharper image

Summary:
Nice design, sound (for what it is), and concept but it performs poorly.

Lid Problems same as described in numerous other reviews. Releived to know it is a common issue.. but is there a remedy? Please share if there is.

Thnx,

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Sharper Image

Summary:
I really loved my sound scape 3 when I purchased it. After 3 years, the unit failed to start recognizing the CD. I sent it back for service ($115.00) and it worked for about another year. Now it is not recognizing the CDs again, and therefore, I can't play them. Does anybody know a quick fix? I love the alarm--very peaceful, but it is a very expensive alarm clock!

Strengths:
alarm

Weaknesses:
Won't play CDs.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I have owned the SS 3 for a few years and am just ready to toss it in the junk pile when I read these other reviews. I wish I had seen them earlier. I have had the same lid problems as othes that just comes and goes. now the speaker on the main unit goes in and out. AND the programing is so illogical I have to keep the manual in my nightstand to just re set the time and presets everytime the power goes out. What a pain. I will never buy Nakamichi again.

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Asaftas Ardendoem

Summary:
I don't know about other Nakamichi products, but this one was probably made by engineers with a drink problem. While the SS3 is in itself a great concept (a clock radio-cd that sits on both sides of the bed) and looks impressive, it has many flaws. It seems to me that it wasn't built the way it should have been. I see hardware and software problems with the design. A - HARDWARE PROBLEMS: A1 - THE LID NIGHTMARE EXPLAINED: Many people have problems with the lid mechanism, which seems to have a mind of its own. It really suffers from poor design, and it took me quite some time to figure what was wrong, since I'm not a technician. After we push the lid control button, in order for the unit to "know" that the lid has actually opened or closed, it relies on two tiny switches that are inside the unit, attached to the lid. Over time, these switches wear out and stop sending the message properly. The result is that it keeps bouncing up or down (depending on which one is bad), to the point where you can't use it any longer. As the nearest Nakamichi repair center is about 600 miles away frow where I am, and convinced it shouldn't be rocket science to fix it, I decided to do it myself. It's not exactly hard but is quite tricky. UPDATE: after receiving more than one hundred requests for information on how to fix the lid from desperate owners of the SS3, I've put together a web page describing the process to make it easier for everyone: http://www.geocities.com/cagamba/index.html Just for the record, I've heard of people stacking up books on the unit to keep it closed, people shelving their units, giving them away or throwing them in the trash altogether and so on. A2 - Too many cables connecting the units. They make up a lot of clutter and are great... to collect dust under your bed. Don't know what's the deal here, but it seems like they wanted people to awe at the many connections needed. They should have condensed all the cables into one only cable. A3 - The remote control can only be used on the main unit. It totally defeats its purpose since if you are the "chosen one" to get the side of the bed that gets the auxiliary unit, the only control you have there is the "snooze", so you cannot change stations, play CDs and so on. You eventually can bounce the signal from the remote control on the wall, but it doesn't work all the time and it's very aggravating to do it as you wake up. In order to fix this, I'm dead serious into considering connecting both units with fiber optics. A4 - Remote control design is not intuitive, many buttons have more than one function. It's confusing. B - SOFTWARE PROBLEMS B1 - The memory for radio stations is divided in "FM1, FM2 and AM1", each with 10 presets. Why not unite the FM presets in one only program? You end up forgetting there are more stations on the dial since you always use the same division. B2 - Radio station programming is awkward and if you unplug the unit for a few seconds, the memory is gone. It should have a battery-operated backup. B3 - Alarm programming is awkward. Besides having to push too many buttons in order to get the programming straight, the volume can only be set in jumps of 5: 0,5,10,15,20 and so on. I understand that after 20 (as one listens to music during the day) the loudness of the music gets blurred, but between 0 and 15 (where we normally would set music to wake up) we should have access to all volume levels, since each CD and radio station play at a different level. For me, the optimal level for waking up is BETWEEN 5 and 10. Lame, lame, lame. Note: I appreciate any comments or suggestions. And while we're at it, why not "rate this review" using the drop-down menu on the left? Thanks

Strengths:
Good concept Good looks Good sound quality, with subwoofer.

Weaknesses:
Lid mechanism Radio presets Too many cables No memory backup Repair is a pain Remote control confusing and works on main unit only Programming awkward

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Internet retailer (c

Summary:
Like many of you, I was a die-hard Nakamichi fan, having owned lots of their equipment since the mid 80s, including a CD player that still outperforms my new big-buck DVD player when playing pure Audio. When I was in the market for a high-end clock radio, the Nak SS3 was an easy choice since I hate Bose and am loyal to the Nak brand. Big mistake. The sound from the SS3 is fine considering its compact size, but the lid problems which surfaced early in its life have been the source of constant frustration. When the problem first reared its ugly head, I promptly sent it back for repair, but the unit performed flawlessly for them and no repairs were made (ie: they probably didn't want to or know how to repair the phantom lid). The lid is so problematic that I hesitate to open the unit to change the alarm or the CD, so, the unit more or less serves as a very expensive alarm clock. Easily the biggest piece of crap Nakamichi ever made. Not sure I would buy the brand again, given the SS3's problems and Nak's attitude about the problems attributed to the SS3.

Strengths:
Looks. Sound.

Weaknesses:
Lid design. Remote.

Similar Products Used:
None