Home > Consumer Reviews > Philips CDR785 3-CD Integrated CD Recorder

-Philips have repackaged this unit into a new case, but as far as I can tell, it has not changed functionally.
-Last I read...it didn't have fade in and fade out. You can do both by manually adjusting the record volume in real time.
-Philips says you need to use their CD-R media, which by-the-way costs twice as much as any other. Its just not true.
-The analog recording sounds just as good as the digital recording. I can't tell the difference and I have good gear.
-The interface can become confussed on rare occassion. In which case you need to unplug it and plug it back in (just switching off won't do).
-The unit is essentially two seperate pieces of hardware with one integrated interface. You can NOT shuffle or program all 4 CDs together. You are either playing the CD changer, OR the recorder. However, recording from the 3 CD changer is quite easy.
-The unit does quite a lot! but you will have to experiment to figure it out. i.e. using track edit you can combine tracks, but there is no mention of this in the manual

I have had this recorder changer for 5 years and have used it heavily. I have just completed archiving almost four thousand LP and cassette albums (approximately 6000 individual LPs and cassettes), as well as making fair use copies of CDs for my car player. It has been an excellent unit and is still going strong. I have not had many of the problems that some others have complained. It has many virtues and relatively few flaws.

I live in a high dust area and with just regular simple cleaning, it has continued to perform well, while I have gone through two DVD players in the same time. It plays CD-Rs and CD-RWs with no problem, even non-audio CD-Rs copied on my computer. HOWEVER it will only record on the more expensive Audio or Music CD-Rs and CD-RWs. Although the manual says it will only use Phillips media, this is not true. I have had no problems with Sony or Maxell (about a 1% failure rate) and few problems with Memorex and the Walmart off brand (about a 4% failure rate) CD-R audio discs. These usually are failures to initialize or "disc error". Texting is possible but for me is too much trouble for the benefit. Sound quality of the copy is excellent, both in the first generation (digital) and second generation (analog) recordings.

The machine does have some quirks. It is fairly sensitive to voltage fluxuations when in the record mode, especially in the first ten minutes of deck operation. This results in a skip recorded to the end of the disc, ruining the disc if it is a CD-R, and requiring an erase and re-record of the material when using a CD-RW. I have solved this by playing a CD prior to beginning a record session. The unit will occasionally "freeze up". This is remedied by unplugging the unit for about a minute. This has only happened to me about a dozen times in five years. You can not finalize or erase from the remote. Recording from analog sources require you to manually add the tract markers from the remote. This cannot be done without the remote. The changer operation, while quieter than some contemporary machines, is noisier than the new Sony changer (not a recorder) in my daughter's system. There is no changer noise recorded on the target disc when recording a program from the changer side, though. And the CD to CD copying is only at 2X. Also, if you want to do any electronic cleanup of the cassette or LP, you will have to use a CD-RW or use 2 CD-Rs and use the program on your computer to re-record the "cleaned" files. What you get from the recorder itself is a 100% exact copy of what is on the tape or LP surface, "pops", "ticks" and all.

All in all, this machine has been a workhorse and an excellent purchase. It is a shame that Phillips has discontinued it.

I AM VERY PLEASED WITH MY PHILIPS CD RECORDER. IT WAS AN EXCELLENT PRICE; I FOUND IT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION; IT RECORDS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC;AND IT ARRIVED ON TIME AS PROMISED. I WOULD DEFINATELY ORDER VIA AMAZON.COM AGAIN AND I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM BUYING FROM BIL1953 IN THE FUTURE.....THANKS AGAIN

If you like being frustrated, aggravated, and throwing your money away, this is the unit for you!

I have had my last call to Philips customer support. I am done with them, their company and their products. I have given this unit every chance: I have unplugged this unit hundreds of times; I have tried to finalize CDs that the unit itself burned; and I can sing you the entire song from the Philips customer support hold queue.

This unit worked great when I first got it, but it quickly deteriorated. I paid $165 to have it serviced, and that helped problems for a short while. Now, the recorder unit does not even read regular, store-bought CDs: "insert disc."

Do yourself a favor: stay away from this horrible piece of equipment!

This has been a reliable recorder in our home.