Home > Consumer Reviews > Technics SL-PD8 5-CD Changer

For the price, I have seen few components that offer the variety of features and the quality of sound that the SL-PD8 can. The unit is slightly bulky but very sturdy. The single significant drawback is somewhat inconvenient placement of some controls, particularly the Skip button, which is difficult to reach with the drawer open. Other than that, the unit is very easy to use considering its impressive selection of features.

Perhaps the most unusual feature is the Spiral Play capability, which plays the first track of each disc, then the second, the third, and so on, delivering the variety of the more common random play mode and the reliability of straight through play in a single function. I find this to be the most frequently used function in my household.

The sound quality is quite good. Although the upper frequencies are slightly tinny and occasionally a bit indistinct, they are more than adequate for even classical music. The midranges make for dynamic vocals and the low end is most impressive.

Certainly, there are better technical units out there, but none are anywhere near this price range and, consequently, do not offer the value of this Technics deck. For the home audiophile who wants solid performance without busting the budget, this is a very good choice.

After reviewing the reviews, ordering the player, then reading the instructions ( very helpful) but the unit is very forgiving. It is easy to use, has great sound quality (mine is coupled with a Technics Amp - by coincidence). Only took me a few minutes to explain to the other half and she got it the first time. Just so happens the remote is nice but since my amp is a Technics they both work. Only draw back I see is the disk skip button is awkward to reach when the platter is open and that you "must not" close the door by hand. You must use the button which is as hard to reach as the disk skip button with the door open.

First of all, the Technics SL-PD8 comes with a remote (I believe it is the SL-PD6 that lacks a remote control). The Technics SL-PD10, I believe, adds a pitch control to vary the speed of playback.

The Technics mentioned above have a lot of features for the money, but the layout of the control panel leaves much to be desired. The buttons are generally small and close together. But what is really bad is the placement of the "Disc Skip" button, which is just above the door near the middle. When the door is closed, this is not a problem, but when the door is open and you want to change which discs are exposed, it is just about the worst place it could be. And to make matters worse, it is a very narrow button (vertically, not horizontally), so it is extra inconvenient. Also, the remote is not a good shape (at least for my hand), and it uses the same buttons for selecting the disc and the track, so you have to push "Disc" then "1" (or whatever disc number you want), where the "1" is the same "1" you push for selecting the track.

I personally own the pd-10 version which is essentially the same unit with a remote function (quite handy since I'm a lazy guy:). All in all, I am pleased with the CD player's performance... for the money I think that this is a great unit. You will find it hard to find other players in the same price range with as many features.

i got this cd player because it was inexpensive and i thought it would be nice to have a Technics cd player to go with my Technics reciever. Over all this was a good cd player but there a few things that bugged me about it. First, there was no repeat function for a single song so i always had to keep on hitting the back button every 4 or so min. Second, it couldn't read cd-r or cd-rw cds very well - it would skip and crakle about half-way through the cd. And last, it looked cheap with the 0-10 phone style buttons on the front cover. Over all, it was preaty good but for those reasons, i later returned it.