Home > Consumer Reviews > Philips AZ9101 Blue Personal CD Player

There are many reasons to buy a Philips CD player, but the most important one is that they sound much better than every other brand I've tried. You may read or hear that all CD players sound the same, but it isn't true at all. There are significant, audible, differences between different brands and models and Philips CD players just sound better. If you're doubtful, just play one of your favorite CDs in a Philips and in any other brand; you'll hear the difference.

Some people might complain that the Philips player will not play as loudly as some other brands. They play loudly enough to hear clearly, but not loudly enough to damage your hearing, which may be the idea behind limiting how loudly they play.

The headphones which come with the player are OK, but if you replace them with a pair of Sennheiser headphones, you'll really hear how good these CD players are!

I bought this player after about a month of reading reviews and considering all the different brands and options, and I am sure that I made the right choice. This CD player is excellent for three main reasons.

1. Sound quality - It is outstanding. Others have reported distortion at max bass and volume levels. I think it may be the result of the headphones. The headphones that come with the player leave much to be desired. Go get a nice set of headphones and you will be able to hear the very high quality of this player. From rap to punk to rock to classical, it all sounds great in this player.

2. CDRW capability - It is extremely nice to have a player that you can use just one disc with. I just burn a mix that fits my mood that day, and the next day I can make another mix using the same disc, and this player plays them all! It saves me from burning a few hundred CDR's. If you have a burner you need this CD player.

3. Two great features - 3rd generation ESP and the hold feature. The ESP on this unit actually helps with battery life instead of sapping it. Add to that the fact that this thing just plain don't skip (even when held upside down), and the ESP on this player gets an A++++. The hold feature is just a little extra, but its really nice if you use the player in a backpack, hippack, or other place where the buttons could get inadvertently pushed.

Cons? Like I said above, the headphones are subpar. Go buy a good pair and you will love this player. As far as the complaints about low volume, its made that way so that you won't have tinnitus in ten years. Put the DBBS on setting two, crank the volume up, and this player will meet your needs.

Oh, and this think is amazingly light too....and....and....

I could keep going, but you get the picture. Simply put, buy this player right now! You'll be glad you did.

I like this one. I just bought it and think the anti-skip protection is awesome! You can almost drop it on the floor with no interruption! I think the headphones could use some improvement, but over all, sounds are clear and true. It is a great low priced player for the active person!

I originally bought the Sony D-EJ611 cd player. It was a nice machine, but I ended up returning because of a dispute that I had with the store. This unit compares favorably with Sony's player. The sound is actually really good. Sony's only sounded good with the bass boost on, but this one sounds good even during the normal mode. The bass is a bit weaker than Sony's unit, but the overall sound is better. Unlike previous reviews, I found that the volume actually isn't that soft. The output doesn't seem to be as strong as some other units, but only those people who have been deafened by years of listening to booming car systems would complain. I have to concur that the headphones, although durable, should be replaced. First, they are a bit uncomfortable because they don't fit the contour of the head perfectly. Second, the bass on the headphones is nice, but the overall sound is a bit muddled. I listened to the unit with $10 sony earbuds, and the sound was crystal clear but was too lacking in bass so I use the unit with a pair of translucent green Koss i40 headphones. The player sounds great with these. Overall, I'm very pleased with the unit. It holds its own with more expensively priced cd players. Some minor complaints:The top flips open very fast when you slide the latch. I'm a little worried that the hinges will wear out over time. 20 hours is okay, but other units have more battery life.

I must admit I'm not a big audiophile or expert with Cd players but I know that the Philips AZ9101 fits all of my needs and surpasses them. The techno new-age design makes it attractive and the buttons are easy to use. The anti-skip is great and not once has it skipped, even when jostled quite alot. The bass is rich, and sounds well on the included heaphones, unlike many CD players that include poor-quality headphones. The best feature is the ability to lock the keys so that if the stop button is accidentally pressed, the CD won't stop and another option lets you resume where you stopped if you accidentally pressed it, a must for any jogger. The Philips AZ9109 just shows how price doesn't matter with the quality all the time.