Home > Consumer Reviews > Citizen CD-140 Portable CD Player with AM/FM Tuner and 15-Second ASP

I guess this boils down to getting what you really need. I needed something that had a digital tuning radio, and an AC adaptor, and be small enough to fit in my cluttered cubicle.

Ups
You can't find anything else close for this price. I use it at work with the AC Adaptor plugged in so the biggest advantage of this CD player is the fact that you don't have to worry about batteries. The digital tuning is also very convenient. I was considering buying a Mini-Shelf system for work for around $40 dollars, but this does the job nicely at a fraction of the cost. So what if it doesnt play MP3's. Sitting in front of my computer all day, I can just play them in there.

Good job to Amazon and UPS as well. I got this item in two business days! So there's no need to even pay for the rush delivery!

Downs
There's only 15 seconds on Anti-skip. (But who needs it if you are sitting in a cubicle?)
Analog Volume control - I don't change it that much, so I guess I can live with it
No on or off button - There is only a CD mode and a Radio mode -This is a minor inconvenience
Cheap Headphones - Replace these

After my name-brand cd player broke down after just six months of use, I decided that it would probably be best to look for something cheaper so I wouldn't feel bad if it broke down after six months.

I bought this Citizen cd player after I noticed its very low price and many features.

Pros:
*It has a radio in it (with presets). Whenever you're not feeling any of your cds you can always rely on the radio.
*Bass Boost switch. It's always good to have more bass.
*AC Adaptor & built-in charger. If you're out of batteries you get an AC Adaptor which I think is awesome. The built-in charger is for your rechargeable batteries which I think is also awesome.

Cons:
*This thing eats up batteries. I suggest you get some rechargeable batteries or use the AC adaptor when you can.
*The headphones that come with this cd player aren't top-notch. I suggest you get some better ones with this cd player.
*It's kinda big and heavy compared to the other cd players in the market. But I guess it's because of the radio.

Overall, I wouldn't turn this cd player down because of the cons. Even if it might last six months, I think it's worth it if you can find it anywhere brand new for under 13 dollars.

The sound system is very good,bass adds more sonic to the audio, it has nice AM / FM but not good in catching the signals..
CD playing qualitiy is very good.

Wanted something to take to the hospital when I was having some surgery done - but did not want to take anything I would feel bad if lost or stolen. This item fit the bill perfectly. I was very surprised at the quality of the sound and the headphones considering the price.

I have been VERY glad to have it throughout the hospital stay and recovery at home. Use it for listening to commercial free National Public Radio and you have instant entertainment day or night.

Plus no worries about losing an expensive CD player.

Sure, MP3/WMAs are hot these days, and can produce more than satisfactory sound. But a great CD player connected to a hifi can still top them. So what to do for portable music?
The Citizen CD-140 comes the closest to true audiophile sound I have found in a portable. It has a stronger amp than any other portable, too, so you do not need to turn it up to full volume, and shouldn't. But this means you will get the dynamic range from loud transients in the music, and sound without distortion at normal volumes. It also means it can pour out an unusual amount of bass, and can go quite deep.
It also has a line out that bypasses the volume control. Hook it up to a hifi and you will get sound that will beat many DVD players from the analog out for CDs. Frankly, the sound is suprisingly similar to my high end Sony CD players, leading me to wonder if they put the old Sony DAC in this portable.
There is also a surprisingly sensitive, clear AM/FM tuner. And there is a trickle charger circuit for NiMH batteries, but no auto shut off. And the tuner presets lose memory when the batteries run out. Also, there is no hold button. But the buttons are fairly stiff, and I have not had a problem with it turning on or off in my backpack. Oddly, the radio on off switch is on the bottom.
So what's the catch? It is the ESP anti skip circuit. Like many CD players, it adds distortion because of compression. On many players you don't notice it cause the sound is so mediocre to begin with, but on the CD-140 the sound is so clear that the distortion is also clear. On many recordings you might not notice it, but on a trumpet solo it becomes obvious.
The solution is to turn off the ESP, or ASP on the Citizen CD-230. Then you get audiophile sound. You can walk around some without it skipping too bad, but jogging, etc. is out without the ESP. Sorry. But with ESP on, this baby simply does not skip. The nearly identical CD-230 has about 60 sec. memory, in case you exercise on a pogo stick.
It comes with an AC adapter, so add some amplified speakers and you have a desktop stereo.
And yes, it is the same Citizen as the watch company. I checked the website.
I have had mine for more six months, and have not had the slightest problems with them, despite the ocassional short drop. My prefered headphones are the Koss PortaPro, or other Koss with titanium drivers. They give you lots of bass.