Panasonic SLSW505Y Yellow Shockwave Portable CD Player

by Panasonic

Product Details

Product Manual [739kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004S7NR
• Item model number: SLSW505Y
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,215 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Although manufacturers of portable CD players often ignore build quality in favor of pretty colors, Panasonic's SL-SW505 offers an attractive design as well as excellent construction.

The durable SL-SW505 Shock Wave sports bright colors and is made of extremely rigid plastic that isn't prone to breaking. We were impressed with the use of aluminum hinges for the lid, metal springs for the clamps, and metal screws throughout, as well as a plastic gasket for sealing the CD enclosure. The battery compartment is located under the lid, as are the resume play, random play, and antishock switches.

Panasonic touts the SL-SW505 as a water-resistant CD player, but cautions that it's not intended to be submerged in water. Nevertheless, the player is designed to keep moisture out, with a locking lid and rubber plugs for the input and output jacks. The silver, plastic locking clamps are easy to open and close and won't inadvertently jar open.

Ergonomically, we found the SL-SW505 to be a bit wanting, with awkward orange, plastic switches for the extra bass (XBS) and hold functions, and a rotary volume dial inconveniently located underneath the player. In order to adjust the volume we had to lift the player. Considering the SL-SW505's superb build quality, these minor inconveniences are forgivable, particularly since they're part of the water-resistant design. Less forgivable is the LCD display, which rests beneath a tinted, plastic window and is nearly impossible to read indoors.

The play, pause, stop, and track-skip buttons are simple to access, with a nice feel. The SL-SW27C enables users to program up to 24 tracks in any order. Thanks to Panasonic's plainly written, well-illustrated instructions and intuitive user interface, programming is simple.

The matching black-and-yellow headphones are lightweight and durable, if a little uncomfortable. The sound quality is only average, as the SL-SX271C lacks the bass output present in other Panasonic portable CD models we've tested.

As the SL-SW505 includes "Shock Wave" as part of its official name, we'd be remiss not to comment on the 40-second antishock protection (ASP), which is superb. Thanks to Panasonic's proprietary multistage noise-shaping (MASH) 1-bit digital-to-analog converter, as well as the solid construction, the SL-SW505 held up to demanding tests. We pounded on the lid, twisted the player in the air, and dropped it on a hard surface from six inches. None of these actions caused the music to skip. This portable CD player is well designed for rugged outdoor use.

--Eric Gill

Pros:

• Superb build quality
• Impressive 40-second antishock protection
• Audio outputs for hooking up to a standalone system

Cons:

• Display is difficult to read
• Sound quality is just average

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Future is Here .. .. .., March 17, 2000

By 

Peter Edey "Peter M. Edey" (Barbados, West Indies) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Panasonic SLSW505Y Yellow Shockwave Portable CD Player (Electronics)

Here is the diskman for 2000. This CD player will not skip, not even through rugged outdook use. Thanks to the superfuturistic 40 SECONDS ANTI SHOCK MEMORY II technology. The player will scan a whole 40 seconds ahead while you listen to ensure skip free, cd quality music. The Panasonic Shockwave SL-SW505Y Portable CD player is also water resistant and shock resistant. Mine dropped from waist height onto the concrete floor and works great. The unit is built of poly-carbonate so it can withstand great heat: So its okay to take it to the beach. Your favorite music will sound great as Panasonic delivers rich and balanced music with crisp highs and solid bass. Extra bass can be achieved with the added Panasonic XBS system. Super. The stereophones provided sound first class. This is the best CD player I have ever owned. And I have owned QUITE A FEW. Its tough, rugged, looks like something from outer space with its cool design: utilizing intersting materials, sound really great, lots of added features. The unit also has a built in battery charger and AC adapter. It looks so cool man, you have got to own one of these. Keep it up Panasonic.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent cd player with useful features, May 28, 2000

By 

Florentino Perez (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SLSW505Y Yellow Shockwave Portable CD Player (Electronics)

The bottom line is that this cd player is well worth the $130.00 price tag. Runners will certainly find the anti-shock feature to be quite useful. Try as I might, I could not make this cd player skip. I purposely shook it like a martini mixer and I was unsuccessful. I did however, manage to make minor scratches on the cd from all the jostling...but it didn't skip. The sound is also excellent quality with the right mix of bass and treble. I've looked at Sony but it was more expensive but with still the same features. This portable is worth checking out.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dependable and Stylish, July 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Panasonic SLSW505Y Yellow Shockwave Portable CD Player (Electronics)

I got this CD Player 3 years ago and it's still going strong. I've taken it with me on all my trips and it hasn't broken once; despite being thrown around in my backback and in my car. Panasonic means what they say when they advertise the "anit-shock protection." I can shake this CD Player up and down really really fast and it still won't skip. In addition, the Panasonic SL-SW505Y has great staying power...even the cheapest batteries last a long time, and you can listen to CDs for hours before the power gets low. I have to admit, I originally bought this CD Player because of how cool it looked, however, I would recommend this CD Player to anyone because besides its awesome styling this CD player is totally durable and you definitely get a lot of bang for your buck.