Sony D-NE518CK Silver ATRAC/MP3 Car Kit CD Walkman Best Buy

Alright I'm dumb! - 21 Feb 2004

3 out of 3 found this review helpful.

I was initially outraged that other reviewers were disagreeing with me, but I tried again, and I was wrong and they were right. It can produce plenty of noise in my car now. The diagnoses offered were wide of the mark: I knew about the single channel and had tried flipping the autoreverse on my stereo. That just changed it from "off" to "barely audible". I had done all the fiddling I knew how to. The volume was at full on both CD player and car stereo. What seemed to make the difference this time around was the hefty, annoyed yank I gave the cable just as I was feeling vindicated. The Pet Shop Boys deafened me. I suppose what I had done was brought the cassettes mechanism into proper contact with the playback head on the machine. This may say more about the nature of my car stereo's azimuth alignment than the Sony gadget, but I had tried it on two other cars, remember? And my old Goodmans adaptor worked fine with my minidisc player. This product obviously wants a playback head that does all the work i.e. moves towards it: the mechanism inside the cassete itself won't contribute to the marrying of the components the way floppy magnetic tape does. Still, I'm happy to be wrong, I've now got the piece of kit I wanted, even if I do have to publicly admit mild incompetence. So persevere: if you're having the problem I had it's probably mechanical - fiddle until the cassette's metal contact is offered up firmly to the playback head on your machine. I am writing this less than one hour after solving the problem. It remains to be seen whether the marriage of cassette and playback head will stand the rigours of the handbrake turn and farmyard track at 90mph. It's a bit disappointing that the whole thing isn't a bit more robust and forgiving - I wasn't the only person to mention this problem on the reviews page - but I suppose nothing's idiot-proof when you're talking about a really high-quality idiot like me.......

$300 iPod? What iPod? - 15 Jan 2004

3 out of 3 found this review helpful.

First off, as others noted, the volume complaints are false. When I first used the DNE518CK in my car, the output was faintly audible... simply flip the cassette adapter and the problem is solved. It's an occasional idiosyncracy which one runs into with tape deck adapters.
The volume range is one of the shining pros of this player, actually, and I say this as one who is usually dissatisfied by the volume ceiling on most players. This'll blow the orig. speakers in your little Toyota/Honda/Saturn at 80%, so be wise or learn the hard way as i did hehe..
Why is every company trying to carve their own fiefdoms with their exclusive file formats? my old RCA car cd/mp3 player was mp3/.wma compatible, iPod has its file format, now we have the ATRAC3. The ATRAC3 file format seems crystal clear and there seems to be no discrepancy between the original mp3s and the smaller (default 1/20th size) ATRAC3. The included ATRAC SonicStage Simple Burner is a no frills, novice level program lacking common niceties like a drag/drop system, auto alphabetizing, playlist saving features, and any options whatsoever. The program annoys in these respects, but these are petty petty petty when one looks at the high tech fanciness and convenience of it all.

faultless sony performance - 28 Nov 2003

4 out of 4 found this review helpful.

Despite the reviews warning of the problems with the sound when using this in-car kit I trusted Sony and bought it. First time I used it in the car I was horrified when, as warned by some reviewers, there was virually no sound to be heard. However I needn't have worried as reading the fault diagnosis suggested playing the flip side of the 'tape' and hey presto perfect sound. The dial control of the car kit is very easy to use. The file compression software can even be used by a clutz like me and allows for over 100 tracks [dependant on length of track of course] per cd which gives you all the benefit of a cumbersome auto changer without any of the hassle.
Can't fault anti jog or battery consumption.
ps I dont work for Sony

No sound?? - 25 Nov 2003

3 out of 5 found this review helpful.

The cd/mp3 player is great which is why I'm giving it 4 stars. Unfortunately the car kit is completely hopeless. I have tried it in two different car stereos and neither work, if you turn the sound on the player fully up and the sound on the tape deck fully up then you can just about make out what song is playing, but it isn't easy. It's a shame because the sound quality on the player was fantastic using a good pair of headphones, it's just the car kit DOES NOT WORK. Be warned.

Really happy - 12 Nov 2003

8 out of 8 found this review helpful.

I haven't had a portable music device for quite a while now and wanted something that was truly adaptable. Sometimes I'm in the family car, sometimes I'm in my car and sometimes I need to travel by train. I also work away from home pretty regularly. This device is fantastic for all situations.

My previous car had a 10 disc changer in it, my current car has a BOSE tape/radio system in it which is excellent quality and I didn't want to get rid of it. I can fit over 11 hours of MP3's on one CD with the MP3 format @ 128 kbps - Who needs a 10 disc changer!

Other comments about the sound are just plain wrong. As another reviewer says, the volume will reset itself if there are no batteries in it, it's not difficult to turn up and it is more than loud enough for me at 50% volume on the headphones. I even think the standard headphones are ok. Mind you I'm no pretentious muso who can tell if you use gold connectors or not. I'm just normal. When it's played through the car stereo the volume is more than loud enough for anyone. The people who haven't got this working ok must be like the walls of a castle. I didn't do anything special and it worked brilliantly straight away.

I haven't tried the ATRAC thing and I probably won't. I usually rip my mp3's at 128 kbps and they sound fine to me and the format suits my other compatible devices. ATRAC would limit my discs to this portable device or at least playing them through it and I don't see the point. An 11 hours plus cd allows for variety and if you take the time to put compilations of songs you really love on a cd how many could you possibly need?

In short, I'm really pleased I bought it.