Panasonic SL-SV570 Personal CD / MP3 Player with AM / FM

by Panasonic

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001MKU52
• Item model number: SLSV570
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Enjoy your music with the freedom that comes from MP3 CD playback, extended battery life, a built-in FM/AM radio, and high-powered anti-skip technology. The SL-SV570's onboard digital synthesizer tuner lets you store 30 stations in memory (20 FM and 10 AM) and assures that stations stay put once they're selected.

Panasonic's exclusive No-Skip technology helps prevent interruptions from jostling during active use. No Skip's unique construction uses rubber brushings to absorb shock, while an anti-skip mechanism and an anti-skip digital servo further prevent read errors; a 45-second CD-DA memory reserve (100 seconds with 128 kbps MP3 files) provides added back up.

Panasonic's D-Sound technology enhances digital audio clarity. D-Sound incorporates enhancements such as MP3 Re-Master technology, a digital amplifier, S-XBS bass enhancement, digital auto gain control, and Wrap-It headphones. For clear music from homemade CDs, MP3 Re-Master technology restores music data from MP3 files that may have been lost when compressed from linear PCM tracks. The unit's digital amplifier produces clear, clean sound even at high listening levels, while S-XBS and digital auto gain control (D-AGC) ensure undistorted sound and heightened bass response at high levels. The player's Wrap It headphones feature a digital voice coil and a popular back-band design.

Now, battery changes will be fewer and farther between thanks to Panasonic's PowerLast high-efficiency power system, which combines an efficient motor with low-load circuitry for playback time of up to 75 hours with MP3 playback and 33 hours with standard CDs, using just 2 AA batteries (not included).

Playback abilities include 24-track random-access programming; repeat and resume (which picks up where the unit left off when last stopped); and skip/search. A hold switch prevents accidental starting, stopping, or track skipping during use or transport. The unit boasts an a thin design with operation keys and LCD laid out logically on its top cover.

What's in the Box
CD player, user's manual, and over-ear headphones (AC power adapter not included).

Product Description

Panasonic SL-SV570 Portable CD/MP3 Player - Panasonic introduces D-Sound for superior digital audio performance in this portable CD player. Plays CD, CDR, CDRW, and CDs with MP3 files CD round form design with LCD on top cover Up to 60-hours of playback (in MP3 mode) with two AA alkaline batteries (batteries are not included) No-skip anti-skip system4 [backup memory - 45 sec. for CD-DA and 100 sec. (at 128kbps) for MP3 playback] Heat-resistant polycarbonate body Slide-lock full open top cover

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Value for a Portable MP3 CD Player, August 12, 2004

By 

Thelonious "Jazzman" (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SL-SV570 Personal CD / MP3 Player with AM / FM (Electronics)

I'm a newbie at this MP3 thing, so the fact (apparently) that the SL-SV570 doesn't play WMA files means nothing to me, since all I wanted was an MP3 CD player. This is a basic player, though: it does not have a display that can show song, album, artist, etc. But I didn't want to spend $300 to $500 on an iPod or other MP3/harddrive contraption to do that.

This is what you get: a solid CD player than can play audio CDs, including CD-RW disks, and CDs with MP3 files, also on CD-R or CD-RW disks. What I do is put 12 to 15 audio CDs on one CD-R or CD-RW disk and then create a label that shows the albums (Tracks 1-12, Thelonious Monk - Monk's Dream; Tracks 13-22, John Coltrane - Blue Train, etc.)--I use the Fellowes software and labels, which are the easiet and best to use. There isn't room on a label for the name of the tracks, of course. Then if you want to listen to the tracks sequentially, you can do that (there is a very valuable resume feature that starts up exactly where you shut the disk off previously), you can shuffle and listen to the tracks randomly, or you can use the Program feature and easily create up to a 20-track program. I use that to program a specific album to listen to. It works great, the sound quality is very good (Panasonic has a two-level XBS bass-boost feature which I almost never turn off), the volume is good, and the price is fair.

You can buy CD-Rs for as low as five cents each if you look around (although 40 cents is more typical), and you can put 700 MB on on disk. Even at 40 cents per disk, you will spend less than $23 to get the capacity of a $500 iPod. If you want to create temporary disks, you can use CD-RWs for around $1.50 apiece.

I have over 2,000 audio CDs and this is a great way for me to put 15 or so albums on a cheap CD-R, label it with the albums, and carry 15 hours of music around without worrying about losing the original audio CDs (many of which are out-of-print Jazz disks or otherwise really hard to find items), having to carry multiple disks around and load them with sweaty hands while working out, etc.

The radio, though, is not too good, depending on your location; you can forget FM stereo unless you're standing next to the broadcast tower. BUT, the radio is good enough for AM ballgames when you're at the ballpark, FM stations in mono, in most places, and is great at the gym for the TVs that they put the sound through a low-band FM station so you can listen while you're working out.

I gave the headphones to my daughter. They looked uncomfortable and anyway I only use earbuds, so I don't know about them.

You will probably want to get a CD-jogger belt that will hold the player when you're walking around, running, exercising, etc. Panasonic sells one but there are others for around $20. You really want one so you don't drop the thing. It's plastic and hitting concrete will have the predictable effect.

If you want to have a read-out and pick out specific songs, artists, etc., this is not the player for you. This is a basic model: it will play MP3 files loaded onto a CD-R or CD-RW, but it does have some good features: (i) good sound (bass and volume), (ii) excellent resume feature, and (iii) good program feature. If you need more than that, you will have to spend more money, probably. Panasonic sells basically the same model with a remote (which I wouldn't use) but without the radio for around the same price. I'm still using a cheap Panasonic (10-second skip protection only) that I bought five years ago and use every day, so Panasonic seems to hold up well.

UPDATE (August 23, 2004)

I would add one really significant issue that can cause endless frustration with this player. This model plays MP3s in strict alphabetical/numberic order, and that fouls up the order of the albums that you burn, and really messes up the order of tracks in a multi-disk set.

THE FIX: if you use MusicMatch JukeBox 9.0, specify in the Settings in the Recorder feature to name the tracks in the following order: Artist, Album, Track # (you have to check the appropriate boxes and then use the up/down arrows until you get this order; you must have all three elements--trust me after many hours of monkeying around with this). Note that this is the Recorder feature that copies your audio disk's tracks onto the computer, not the Burner feature, which burns tracks onto a blank CD. You won't see any effect from making this election until the audio files are converted to MP3 files; when the audio files are shown on your MusicMatch playlist, they have the complete information but somehow the files are tagged so that when they are converted to MP3 files, the appropriate naming then takes place. That cost me another few hours to figure out.

In this way when the audio files are converted to MP3 files and are burned onto a CD, they are named, for example, Thelonious Monk - Monk's Dream - 01, etc., and then Monk's Dream (a specific album) will play in the original album order. After those tracks, then Thelonious Monk - Straight, No Chaser - 01, etc. will play in order (the actual MP3 titles look a bit different than that, but that's the effect). If you burn multi-disk sets, you may have to play with the disks' titles a bit to get this to work, because of the way that MusicMatch edits long titles. For example, if you want to burn your Stan Getz's The Bossa Nova Years, which is on four disks, you might want to manually rename each disk Bossa Nova 1, Bossa Nova 2, etc., since Music Match can cut off the "(1 of 4)," etc. in the title and then everything gets mixed up again.

This took me many very frustrating hours to figure out, and MusicMatch--which is a great product and apparently a good company--doesn't explain this in any FAQs or online resources, although they do explain that in the Settings on the Burner you also need to uncheck the box that specifies that tracks should be burned in alphabetical order. This is irrelevant, though, since for whatever reason this Panasonic player only plays in alphabetical/numberic order. (The disk will play in the correct order on your computer using MusicMatch, but in Windows Media player on the same computer or on this player (I haven't tried any others) the tracks revert to alphabetic/numeric order. Causing one to pull one's hair out in frustration. With the fix above, it works fine.)

I've noticed a number of comments about the latch on the player, and I believe that it could cause problems. It looks and feels much flimsier than the latches on the other two non-MP3 Pansonic players that I have. I'm careful with it, since it doesn't look like it would stand up to much banging around. Another reason why the jogger belt is a good idea.

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not quite ..., May 27, 2004

By 

W Herndon "whherndon" (DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SL-SV570 Personal CD / MP3 Player with AM / FM (Electronics)

I bought this a few months ago, but already have a replacement.

The good news is that it's light, has a radio tuner and sounds quite good. The Panasonics tend to be a bit richer and warmer than the Sonys, which are more neutral. The bass is good and the digital sound is clean. The batteries last a long time.

On the downside, I dropped it 2 or 3 times -- the lack of a remote when jogging is a big minus -- and now it skips enough to be annoying. The plastic parts on the outside are somewhat flimsy.

Also, peak volume is noticeably lower compared to other players. Thats fine if you dont like headbanging music, but make sure you have "closed" headphones if you take the player outside within earshot of auto traffic.

Finally, the radio tuner, while better than that of the Sonys I've tried, is just okay. I decided I dont need radio anymore in light of the generally mediocre quality of portable CD tuners.

This player handles mp3, but not WMA, as the back of the package indicates.

I've also tried and returned a Sony "sport" player, but I didnt like the lack of a remote or the idea of using a handstrap instead of a wrap-around pouch. Still, it was well designed for people who dont mind straps. The sound was excellent and it was quite sturdy. I dont think it ever skipped.

Now I am trying another Panny, the SV 430. That one has a nice remote, but no tuner. It apparently also can recharge NI type batteries, but you have to buy a plug to connect to it. It's got a few more features too. I'll write a separate review on that.

While I test this one, I am waiting for a new RCA Lyra, with a tuner, WMA capability and a remote. What I really want are all of those features and a Sport type ruggedness. Are you listening Sony? (Panny has all of that except mp3/WMA in a new Shockwave).

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars decent cd player, mediocre headphones, only fair radio, June 5, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Panasonic SL-SV570 Personal CD / MP3 Player with AM / FM (Electronics)

I generally like Panasonic portable disc players, finding their sound more musical than the typical Sony with construction that seems sturdier. This player is no exception in terms of cd playback. (I'm not interested in mp3 so I have not tested that.)

As is typical the unit ships with only mediocre headphones. While I have heard even worse 'phones, they are definitely dull, lacking in bass, and generally unmusical. If you care about sound quality you really need to spend some money for a different set of 'phones. I am using the Sennheiser HD-280 Pro 'phones with mine.

The FM tuner is the biggest disappointment for me. Perhaps the tuner would work better in a different environment. Radio and TV reception is very spotty in San Francisco because of all of the hills. Even using the "city" function on this unit, some stations have considerable multipath distortion. Switching to mono usually gets rid of the distortion but then, of course, the music is no longer in stereo. This poor radio reception occurs with both the supplied headphones and the Sennheisers. (I mention this because the headphone cord functions as the FM antenna.)

One word of caution to users: I initially thought my unit might be defective because the sound was mono only. After reading the instructions and pressing some buttons, I realized that while my headphone jack was pushed in far enough to make firm contact it was not pushed ALL of the way into the unit. Once I put some more force on the cord, the headphone cable snapped all of the way in and the sound changed to stereo.