Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with 15-Second ASP and Car Kit

Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with 15-Second ASP and Car Kit
Manufacturer: CITIZEN
Product Type: CE

Editorial Review:
Product Description
Citizen's record of achievement is distinguished by many firsts. Today Citizen is successful in many areas of business - information equipment, electronic equipment, industrial machinery and equipment, jewellery and spectacles - and its Research and Development facilities are second to none, resulting in the development of technology that leads quickly to new products.PRODUCT FEATURES: Personal CD Player with 15 Second Anti-Shock Function; 20 Track Programmable; Skip/Search Functions; Battery Recharge Function; Bass Boost System; LCD Display; Operates on 2 "AA" Batteries (Not Included); Includes Stereo Headphone, AC Adapter and Car Kit.
Amazon.com Review
Simplicity, economy and durability--all of these came to mind when we tested the programmable Citizen CD-117 Portable CD Player with Car Kit. While the Citizen CD-117 would not be our first choice for a portable CD player if we needed all the bells and whistles that are on the market today, we did find it to be a nicely designed, well-built player that delivers great sound at an affordable price.

Simplicity
Citizen made the smart choice to keep things simple. A set of standard, conveniently-located skip/search, play/pause, and programming buttons all make for easy operation. Programming functions, clearly laid out in the easy-to-read disc display, allow users to repeat individual tracks, repeat the entire CD from start to finish, or shuffle the tracks randomly. We found the "hold" feature, which prevents users from accidentally pressing the buttons, especially useful during workouts.

Durability
We took the CD-117 anti-skip protection to task, and it took almost everything we dished out. There was nary a skip when we dropped the player from a height of three feet. Under normal walking conditions, and during our strenuous workouts, the player proved to be a stellar performer in the anti-skip department.

Sound
To give the CD-117 its ultimate test, we threw some Miles Davis, Mozart and Bruce Springsteen at it. Granted, we're not talking about a high-end sound system here, but surprisingly, Miles' trumpet held up especially well, from its very lows to its screeching heights. The sound lacks depth, however, so the richly produced symphonic elements of Mozart and some of Springsteen didn't come through, and the "bass boost system" that Citizen boasts about didn't boost much. But the main faults we found with the player had to do with volume and the earphones. We played virtually all of our music with the volume set to maximum, but we still wanted more amplification. And while the earphones delivered crisp, clear sound, they were hard to wear comfortably.

Although Citizen offers no information about battery life in the manual or on its Web site, we found the CD-117 still playing after 6 hours of straight testing with the anti-skip function on.

Overall, the CD-117, with its excellent sound quality and durable design, is a strong option for anyone looking for an economical portable CD player.

Pros