Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony CMT-SPZ90DB Micro Hifi System - With DAB Radio and Cassette Deck

I have just spent a few hours tinkering with this and I must say that overall I am pretty impressed. At first I couldn't pick up any DAB stations but once I re scan I got a few but not as many as I should. This was rectified by switching off the automatic power to the CD - this doesnt' have any adverse affects it just takes a few seconds longer for the CD player to read the discs. I must add though that I live in an area where it is very difficult to get good reception anyway and if the weather is bad I sometimes can't get any without hiss or get any tv stations without interference. I went for a DAB radio because I couldn't pick up Radio 3 and 4 properly. With this system I get perfect reception and couldn't be happier. I can now get all the stations I should. I need to move the aerial a bit to listen to a few of the commercial stations but as I never listen to them anyway I don't mind. The sound is much crisper and richer than my old system. The cd player is great, I particularly like the fact that you can change a cd whilst still listening to one of the other discs. A slightly longer aerial would have been appreciated, or a way of putting in a digital aerial. Overall for the money I am really pleased; it does exactly what I wanted - which was to be able to listen to more than one CD (this one has a 3 CD multi changer)and to be able to pick up Radio 3 crisply. I would give this 4.5 stars but as there isn't that option 4 will have to do. A better aerial would have given it 5 stars though.

A superb hi fi for such a cheap price. The sound (which is perhaps the most important thing) is excellent. It has clarity and substance. I cannot get DAB so I wasn't concerned about that facility, otherwise the FM is very good.

Only one small negative point - WHY OH WHY do manufacturers like Sony create such an excellent system then supply the speakers with paltry lengths of speaker wire. I know you can get improved speaker wire etc but really, Sony if you are supplying the wire then don't be such a cheapskate on such a trivial thing like the length of the speaker wire...GRRRRRRRR!

Don't buy this unit unless you are in a VERY good DAB reception area. The aerial consists of a 2m length of wire and there is no facility to use an external aerial. I have lost most of my FM stations and can receive only 6 DAB frequencies. Total waste of money.

I have just purchased this marvellous piece of kit from Sony via Amazon, having got totally brassed off trailing around my local shops and getting nowhere in trying to get a decent sound system at a reasonable price.
The sound that issues from the speakers (surely the reason for its existence)is nothing short of amazing. It has made me realise just how 'thin' the reproduction of previous systems we have owned has been. When playing favourite Cd's and tapes I am now hearing notes I have not heard before. All my family has been suprised and commented at the quality of the deep and rich tones that it produces. I have not noticed any problems with 'buzzing' on low sound levels when playing the CD.
I also had no problems at all with the Dab setup. I live in a realy rural location in West Wales and the radio reception is excellent. Add that to the tape deck and the 3CD changer (which I did'nt originally want but now find very convenient) it makes for a superb product. I would say that it is one of the best systems I have ever owned.

Repeating the warning about the poor aerial. All my attempts to get reliable reception have failed in this fairly poor reception area, whereas my other portable DAB radio does OK. Since there is no proper socket to insert a dipole, and wire lengthening has so far been unsuccessful I seem to be stuck. The FM stations that are sometimes weak, e.g. Radio 4, cannot be turned from stereo to mono, either, so it is not viable to abandon DAB for FM. Unless you live in a GOOD area, don't risk it. If Ihad not destroyed the box, I would have sent it back.