Home > Consumer Reviews > Aiwa XR-M191 Executive Microsystem

My expectations weren't too high, but I was pleasantly surprised at the performance of this little system. Mostly I was relieved that the speakers were good ones. Too many "boom boxes" do that and nothing else, but these are bass-reflex speakers without any ugly bass boost built-in to the amplifier. As a result the bass is simple and undistorted. I was even more impressed with the tweeter-midrange components which are true hifi ones. Their low distortion is really evident and sets this system apart from all of the other similar ones I've seen for under... This system is good enough for a classical music lover, even. The sound sparkles without muddy distortion. As far as the features go, the unit isn't adequately described on the page. The back of the unit has a stereo input marked "video" but which many people probably will use as a connection for their computer sound output. It was really important to me to have an external line input, and there wasn't a clue on the page about whether it was present or not, but I was relieved to see it there when it arrived. The "graphic equalizer" is just 3 preset equalizations you can choose from. How a manufacturer can get away with calling that a "graphic equalizer" is beyond me. But the audio component industry has been allowed to publish misleading specifications for decades and I guess manufacturers feel they have no choice. On the other hand, the 3 settings are probably all you need. No one's going to blow the windows out with this low power unit, but the sound quality more than makes up for that. The Cassette recorder/player is auto-reverse, an important feature you don't usually see in the lowest cost units. No dolby. The CD player and AM-FM radios work fine. The AM radio is better than average, in fact. The styling and the electric-blue on silver color scheme is attractive, and the bright plasma display is pleasant to use. I'm very happy with the system and wanted to recommend it to others. I've never seen anything as good for this price.

Before buying this mini-system, I read the November 2000 and February 2001 issues of Consumer Reports for testing results on various brands. Then I went to Circuit City, Best Buy, K Mart, and Costco to compare the units. I listened to their radios, played test CD's, and tried the controls on all the models.

Finally, this is the champion, why?
1. It has a rich and pure sound, unusually beautiful for its size.
2. It does not take a lot of space, because unlike many others, its tray takes only one CD.
3. It has a classic and simple appearance.
4. It has fewer movable parts, therefore more likely to be trouble-free.

However, this system is not for you if you prefer
1. Very loud output instead of the quality of sound.
2. One that can be moved around in one piece, because the speakers for this one are separated from the control unit.
3. Trays that hold 3 or more CD's.
4. Twin cassette decks.

In conclusion, if you are choosy on sound quality and compactness, you might want to check this one out first.

The system has very nice sound, but the CD makes an unusually loud hiss, which is especially evident at low volume levels. I'm debating whether to return it.

The FM reception is also very poor -- it only gets a handful of stations with any clarity. My 5-year old boom box does much better.

I bought this system hoping for a simple 'adult' stereo system. However like so many other compact systems the controls are very non intuitive so hang onto your manual, you are gonna need it. I also found that the system looks a little more teeny-bopper than the pictures suggest. However the sound quality is pretty good and it's got full remote access which I like. But why is it so hard to find a good compact system for adults?

There are several advantages to this system over it's competitors, making it a really good small shelf system for a home.

1. It has 30W output - which means it can achieve good high volume.
2. It has an RCA jack on the back, so I can plug in my MP3 player.
3. It's simple. Tape deck, CD player, and sterio.

Is it great? No, the navigation is a little kitchey and the cd tray is a little slow (they should have done slot-loading technology). But it's REALLY good, no where near as bad as the other reviews make it out to be...