Price Paid:  $105.00 from Fred Meyer

Summary:
I purchased this unit as a gift, and the recipient was quite ecstatic upon realizing it came with a remote control. We set it up in the room and it's elegant appearance fit in perfectly. It only took a few minutes to connect the supplied antennas and hook up the speakers, which are bi-amplified. I was anxious to hear the sound... and it was splendid. The controls are easy to operate, the 3 CD drawer worked flawlessly. The lack of a cassette player was not a major concern. There are provisions for 2 AUX jacks that can be used for a cassette deck or MP3 player. It's rated at 30 watts but it sounds more like 120 due to the bi-amplification. The remote has a neat cradle to hold it so it won't get lost when not being used. There isn't much that can be done without the remote. This is a classy stereo. It may not fit everyone's idea of the ultimate sound machine, but it sure made my little girl happy. That's what mattered to me.

Strengths:
Appearance was a big factor in my choosing this unit. This stereo isn't just pretty, it has the look of high quality componentry, something that is lacking in many tabletop stereos. The bi-amplification gives it the effective power of a much larger amplifier. The sound is clear and rich, with bass notes strong and deep. The remote control is a great plus. Being able to access up to 30 user programmable radio stations from across the room is awesome. It placed me high up the ladder of appreciation from the one I gave this stereo to as a gift.

Weaknesses:
Main weakness... if you lose the remote you lose so much functionality it becomes a frustration to try and do anything but play CDs. Also... the unit I purchased had no batteries for the remote included. It would have been nice to have hooks on the backs of the speakers to enable wall mounting, but that's not a big deal. If there are any other weaknesses, I haven't found them yet.