Harman Kardon CDR 2 CD Player/Recorder

by Harman Kardon

Product Details

Product Manual [347kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 14.5 x 17.5 x 4.5 inches ; 12.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 18 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0000300GE
• Item model number: CDR 2
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #159,610 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

With the CDR 2, Harman Kardon has brought to the home audio market what users of computer CD writers have been enjoying for quite some time: 4x write capability. That is, with the CDR 2 you can burn an hour-long disc in 15 minutes. Further, the CDR 2 offers dual decks capable of simultaneous playback (for listening to different sources in different rooms), CD-RW (rewriteable CD) compatibility in both decks, a front-panel digital input for use with portable devices, and outstanding sound quality from high-resolution AKM 96-kHz, 24-bit digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters.

There are two record modes here: digital and analog. Digital recording, which lets you make near-perfect copies of discs or parts of discs, is a snap, and the CDR 2 gives you several ways to do it. The simplest method is internal dubbing, which can happen at normal speed, double speed, or quadruple speed. (Multispeed recording won't work if you're copying from a copy or if you're using an external source.) Alternately, you can feed your CDR 2 from an external device through either an optical digital input or a coaxial digital input.

The CDR 2 offers two coaxial inputs: one on the back panel and one on the front to facilitate hookups with portable devices such as minidisc or portable CD players. Using an external source and a feature called CD Sync, you can tell the CDR 2 to record the entire disc or merely a single track, simplifying the process of making compilation discs.

Analog recording on the CDR 2 are also a cinch, and we're pleased to report that the quality of the analog recordings--even from converted digital sources--is very high. In fact, some poorly recorded music sounded warmer and less harsh when recorded through the analog rather than the digital inputs.

The trickiest aspect of analog recording comes when you attempt to make a digital copy of a copy. The serial-copy management (antipiracy) system prevents you from making another digital copy from a copied disc. But the CDR 2 lets you make a copy anyway, through a process of digital-to-analog and subsequent analog-to-digital conversion. Even through this method, however, the new disc is nearly indistinguishable from its source, and the CDR 2 does a good (though not perfect) job of automatically assigning IDs to each track and a wonderful job of estimating the proper record level.

We think that Harman Kardon takes a conservative and healthy approach to digital level setting from analog sources. With cassette recording, you can hit the tape pretty hard without having the distortion get in the way of the music. Not so with digital recording. With digital, if you go over 0 dBfs, you get crackle--not merely a slight reduction of the dynamic range.

Nevertheless, the inclination to maximize the resolution--that is, to record as loudly as possible--is strong. But, Harman doesn't show you the 0 dBfs peak-level point and challenge you to bring your analog sources as close to this point as you can without going over. Instead, the company has made the top four lights of the CDR 2's meter red and suggests that the audio signal flicker into the red without lingering there. If you adhere to this suggestion, you'll get clear, clean, distortion-free digital recording from analog sources.

Unfortunately, the level meters flash outward, 180 degrees from each other, rather than parallel to each other, making it tricky to discern how close in value the left- and right-channel signals are. One last drawback is that the recorder's fader lacks sufficient turning radius to allow a smooth fade-out.

Stellar onboard features include internal sample-rate conversion for use with sources such as DAT (digital audio tape) and DSS (digital satellite system), which have sampling rates ranging from 32 to 96 kHz, as well as consecutive playback from the two decks.

Harman has endowed the CDR 2 with separate outputs, labeled "CDP" for the playback deck and "CDR" for the record deck. By routing these outputs to separate amplifiers, you can listen to each independently to hear different source material in different rooms. When the decks are not in Dual mode, however, you can hear either output through either output. That is, the record deck plays through the playback outputs and vice-versa. For consecutive playback, load a disc into each deck, hit play on one of them, and when one disc concludes the other will automatically engage.

Obviously, this is no slouch of a recorder. The build quality on the chassis and transport trays is not as sturdy as one might expect from Harman Kardon, but the unit is by no means flimsy. In fact, that the CDR 2 offers everything it does at such a reasonable price is nothing short of amazing.--Michael Mikesell

Pros:

• Tons of features
• Great sound from playback and recording
• High-speed recording convenience
• Internal level-setting of analog disc-to-disc dubs
• Great sounding headphone jack

Cons:

• Left- and right-channel level meters extend in different directions
• No "over" light for analog recordings
• Recording fader fades too quickly at low levels

Amazon.com Product Description

Harman Kardon's CDR 2 is the world's first dual-deck, CD-R/RW audio recorder to feature 4x dub speed, no matter what the source. The CDR 2 brings your library of tapes and vinyl into the digital age--there is even a front-panel digital connection for use with portable digital products. Adept at playback as well as recording, the CDR 2 can function as a two-disc changer or play two discs simultaneously, all with 96 kHz, 24-bit capability and audiophile-grade AKM digital-to-analog converters.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So far, so....PERFECT!, February 12, 2000

By 

"gkj88" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harman Kardon CDR 2 CD Player/Recorder (Electronics)

First of all, with Harmon/Kardon how can you go wrong! When I first pulled this sturdy unit out of the box, plugged it in, and watched as the CDR-2's classy display light up I knew I had purchased a beautiful, higher-end piece of equipment! The users-manual is easy to read and understand, with several different recording scenarios explained. For my first recording I copied an entire CD in DIGITAL, using the 2X DUB feature. The CDR-2 performed flawlessly and made a perfect copy, keeping in mind that the CD I copied was somewhat new and scratch/dirt free. I have yet to explore it's other features, such as it's DUAL-PLAY mode; playing 2 CD's simultaneously, which will be helpful to me as a recording musician. It has many options for recording outside sources digitally (and analog) with it's COAXIAL and OPTICAL in/out ports. I've purchased and returned a "lower-end" recorder before and was extremely disappointed. The Harmon/Kardon CDR-2 is one solid piece of technology in my book.

73 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome sound, ease of use, February 10, 2000

By 

Tim (Lakewood, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harman Kardon CDR 2 CD Player/Recorder (Electronics)

This is truly a wonderful CD recorder. It is very easy to use, and it produces awesome sound. I have had 2 discs get messed up; I'm not sure if that is the CDR-2's fault, or the disc. Anyway, it was just one song-and the original was old. Beware though, if you want to mix and match songs, it takes as long as all the songs put together. Just because it can record at 4x doesn't mean it will record everything at 4x. Only if you are recording a whole cd (say to give to somebody, or copying theirs) will it dub at 4x. When mixing, it goes at 1x, the speed of the song. This isn't a bad thing, no other recorder lets you go any faster. It's a good recorder and one that will do almost anything you ask it to. Enjoy.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable!, March 11, 2000

By 

Ron Dixon (Springfield, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harman Kardon CDR 2 CD Player/Recorder (Electronics)

I've been in the market for a digital recorder, specifically a CD recorder for over a year. I initially was set to buy a Philips dual deck recorder, but luckily I didn't have the money together yet. Also, I wasn't too hot about it not having a traditional input level knob (instead it has "incremental"-type buttons). So when I heard by chance about the Harman Kardon, I was intrigued. 24-bit, 96khz convertors, 4x dub speed, great sound, ease of use. The only thing I don't like about it is the fact that it has no overload indicator (I, too, use it for my own, and client, recordings). This thing is a god send, and is one of the best investments I've ever made.