Customer Reviews

Sony CFDG700CP CD Boombox Radio Cassette Recorder

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This is by far one of the best sounding CFD-G series boombox from Sony to date. With all those years experimenting with different subwoofer sizes and enclosure volume and bass reflex port lengths, Sony has finally found the right equation in the 700CP. To call this machine a boombox may be a bit of an insult, given the kind of sound it can deliver with its enormous speaker system and a powerful bi-amplifier.

The CFD-G700CP is huge. This is a boombox that requires so much table space it makes your Micro Hi-Fi (if you have one) look really small. I'm sure some will get turned off by its loud and aggresive look, but the teenagers and those young at heart will love it. Especially the sound.

The 700CP can pump out so much bass, if you have not seen the unit yourself, you'd be wondering if you're listening to the bass sounds from a mid-sized bookshelf Hi-Fi. Of course, all that bass is worth nothing if the system can only deliver loud punchy bass with muffled mids and highs. No. The 700CP delivers everything from somewhere around 80Hz all the way to 16KHz, all in great clarity thanks to its Bi-Amplifier. The two full range speakers and metal tweeters are driven by a stereo amplifier used primarily to deliver mids and highs, and the 13cm subwoofer is pumping air through the front dual bass-reflex ports using a dedicated bass amplifier, keeping the mids and highs completely uninterrupted.

Even at high volume, the sound from the subwoofer remains solid and deep, and if you think there is just way too much bass, the subwoofer has two level settings for you to keep all that rumbling under control. You can also turn the bass amplifier off completely to listen exclusively to the sounds from the mid-high speakers.

The impressive sound lies in the fact that each speakers (the two mid-highs and the woofer) are housed in independently sealed sound chambers within the boombox. Sony has done alot of homework over the years in coming up with the best way to make boomboxes sound good, and all that research was thrown into the CFD-G700CP.

The line-in port is neatly tucked away at the lower right hand side of the system with a built-in line in plug and also a jack, so you can either connect a portable music player directly to the device using the built-in line in plug (3.5mm stereo plug) or connect anything else to the device using a cable with a 3.5mm stereo plug on one end.

This boombox is of course missing a back-lit LCD, which is strange considering there was an earlier generation G series model (G55 I think) that came with a red LED backlighting. Also, the cassette deck is a single-direction deck, so if you're still playing alot of cassette tapes, you'll be a little disappointed by the lack of the auto-reverse feature still found on most mid-range to high-end Micro Hi-Fis. The device also supports MP3 playback as well, but does not support Sony's proprietary Atrac3 files.

Hear it to believe it. This machine trumps Sony's CMT-EH10, CMT-NEZ33, CMT-NEZ55, CMT-EH15, CMT-EH20 plus alot of those self-proclaimed micro hi-fi systems out there. You won't be dissapointed. And to top it off, it runs on 8 D-size batteries (even the cheap Manganese ones) when you can't find an AC outlet or when there's a power outage.

The downside to this monstrous boombox is its weight and of course its size. The boombox comes with a thick and robust handle, simply because the weight of the machine is enough to make it a great dumbbell. The machine shapes like a jetpack lied down, and the handle folds up right in the middle of it. Carrying the machine will be quite a chore and you may end up bumping the thing all over the place.

If you're looking for a music system that plays tapes and CDs and runs on cheap batteries and doesn't sound like a tin can, you can't go wrong with the CFD-G700CP, as long as you can live with the weight and the size of it.

Well, it arrived yesterday, in the original packaging with the tape sagging, but the internal fitted-cardboard packaging protected the unit just fine. I lugged (that term used purposefully) the box into the kitchen, unboxed it, and set it on the kitchen table. Most of it (the table, I mean.) This unit is HUGE.

It looks ready to take off, or strap it to your back like the rocket pack from the Rocketeer (and it's about that same size). Pictures on the Amazon site give you the breadth but not the depth of the sizing.

Assuming you can handle the size, the main function of the unit - produce quality sound at high volumes - is worth the entry fee. Classical, simple vocal, pop, rock, country - excellent sound and reasonable tone-shaping controls - presets for rock, salsa, flat, and a couple of others do shape the sound a bit. 3 levels for the bass add, tied to the red rim light on the center bass speaker.

Controls are reasonably intuitive, although the station preset button is strangely hidden on the cassette side. The manual is adequate and provided the answer.

Con 1: wish the red light was not tied to the bass add, so it could be turned off. My intended use for this is to show movies outside while camping, and the red light is going to be annoying.

Con 2: I see no reason why the 3.5mm input jack has to be behind a plastic door - requiring you to open it each time to use it or the provided 6" or so pre-attached cable.

Con 3: Size. And LOUD appearance. Think Flash Gordon and you'll be close.

Pros: great sound, clear controls, good operation, features do what you expect.

Summary: if you can handle the size and appearance, you'll have a great boombox.

this is the boombox that will blow away the competition. i bought it at a sony outlet for more than amazon has it for. compared to the sony cfdg500 and the other xplod the cfdg505(ugly boombox in my opinion and was the twin to the cfdg500 but was no really an xplod boombox) the cfdg700cp has 20 watts of power and can rattle the windows in my room. this boombox can beat some of the shelf systems out there that i have already listened to and even owned one. this boombox is a beast but really thumps out the added bass that you can add with a cd player that you can very easily add with the built in wire. last years xplod(cfd505) could not really handle added bass. it would say help me. this time sony put a bigger and shiny subwoofer that you can see with the red lights around the subwoofer. also you now have mp3 playback capability.(the only thing missing is the backlight display again. i guess sony leaves it out cuz of lights going around the subwoofer other than that, this is a perfect boombox) oh also if you are listening to a cd or an mp3 cd, if you stop playing the cd, the thing wont remember where you left of. i personally don't like that cuz i want to hear an mp3 cd over several days without having to hear the same songs over and over. but i can live with that cuz i have my sony dne330 walkman cd player easily taking care of my mp3 cd's on clearbass level 2 (can go to clearbass level 3 but that is already too much bass and the boombox can take it without distortion) bottom line if only it had that damn backlight display it would be perfect. but who knows, maybe sony will put it in on next years model.

Plenty of power with deep bass. This thing sounds really good -- especially for the price. It is a little on the heavy side at 21 pounds, without batteries. The center has a 5 1/8" subwoofer that's surrounded by a red neon light. Looks very cool and the subwoofer has 2 levels if you don't like your music too bassy. You can plug in just about any sound source you want played through the speakers.

Highly recommended!

I am a 54 y.o white guy who needed a portable stereo system. I really wanted a JVC Kaboom, you could play a guitar through that 40 watt unit, but apparently JVC does not make those systems anymore. And I do not have an IPhone, which most systems seem to be made for these days. So I went with the Sony. And I gave it 5 stars across the board although I have not used all the features yet. But I can tell already, with a few exceptions, this is a great unit. Let me answer back at some of the negatives I read prior to purchasing this Sony.

1. You have to be close or right in front of the unit for the remote to work. I stepped approx. 12 feet away and used the remote at a side angle with no problems. I honestly would not expect more than that. Are you trying to control it from down the block or what?

2. The readout is tough to see. Yes, it is. And??? I mean, what do you expect? A 15 inch LCD? It is a boombox, right? 30 years ago people were happy to be watching a 19 inch TV! Now everyone has a wall in their home just for the TV! Sure, it could be bigger but just put in a CD and let it play, bro!

3. The sound could be better, especially on audio cassetes. Huh??? You bought something like this to listen to books on tape?? That one struck me as really peculiar. Not to sound critical but why would you buy a system thats 20 watts, has a huge subwoofer, is abot 21 inches across by 15 inches deep, to listen to that type of material? That compares to buying a 60 inch Sony LCD and only having basic cable.
Again, it is a portable boombox. Does it sound as good as my Mirage surround sound system powered by a Yamaha 7.1 AV receiver? Not really. One rear Mirage speaker costs more than double what I paid for this unit so I would not have that expectation either.

4. The red light around the woofer was also complained about. Well, I think it looks cool but to each their own.

Now, if I could have asked for one extra addition.........CD recorder instead of cassette recorder. Still in all, my wife drives an older Expedition with a cassette player so now she can make a few new tapes for her vehicle. Silver lining, right?

Lastly, for those of you who have a sense of humor......I bought this for my my second home, where I live during the week since I work out of town. It sits in a 55 and older retirement community (the price was right!!). My RV is in a small park with older people as well. Older than me, anyway! I think it will be hilarious when I go walking down the street at either of those places carrying this monster with Ice T and Body Count blasting away :) Body Count in da house Mutha.....maybe I should just stop there :)

So I got a nice 20 watt radio, cassette, cd, mp3 player that, albeit large, I can tote around from place to place. And, being that I bought a factory sealed, damaged box, unit in the closeout section, along with signing up for the Amazon credit with a 30 dollar discount on your first purchase, I paid about 10 dollars more than I would have on one of those cheap little Sony boomboxes sold at Sears and WalMart for 49.95...plus tax. At Best Buy they carried the next size down, 505?, asking more than Amazon sells this unit for at full price. If you want a portable boombox, this is it. And Amazon is the place to buy it.

I've seen, heard the unit. These are the reasons I did not purchase it:
* They removed the 'Custom' eq setting. That was the mean of obtaining a decent sound quickly without all sorts of experimentation with settings such as 'Reggeton' or 'Rock' or 'Salsa' etc. This is a very important issue.
* Unlighted, small LCD. Self explanatory.
* Extremely unpleasant appearance, made worst by the always-on lights around the woofer, unless you inactivate the woofer.
* Minor issue: cassette deck. Why?

Hopefully Sony will come up with a version of this unit with a civilized appearance, better EQ, no cassette deck, same audio specs, and bigger, lighted, more informative LCD.

It does sound great.

I was looking for a luggable boombox that produced good audio and could be used in the living room for a time (to replace my stereo after my audiophile Dahlquist speakers died), and for my wife to use in the kitchen when she's cooking, and for the occasional barbecue. I was actually prepared to spend up to around $400 to buy a high quality item. But I found out that such a thing does not exist. My laborious "research" settled on this Sony.

The biggest challenge for anything with small speakers is to produce a decent bass note. Bass notes are felt as well as heard, and the speaker has to move a lot of air. Since this boombox made a special point of having a dedicated "power woofer" I thought that this one was my best shot. This turned out to be true. The specifications say 20-20000Hz (+1/-2dB), which at the bottom end is serious subwoofer performance. I just don't believe that. However, it is decent. When you put the power woofer on, a bright red light ring comes on. If anyone has instructions on how to drill a hole in the cover and snip that light source out of the circuit, please tell me in a comment here!

Overall I'm happy with my purchase. It's 5 stars for value, but I docked it a star owing to several utterly stupid design annoyances.

I have put up a picture above, of this thing sitting on a standard 88 key piano keyboard, so that you can get an idea of its size. The left of the player is lined up on middle C. I've added several size referents, including for your amusement what was once the standard but is now politically incorrect -- a packet of c*g*r*tt*s.

I don't know why that other guy put up 19 useless close-up pictures as if this player was some kind of piece of art.

Pros:

1. Very nice sound. I'm listening to Cecilia Bartoli's Mozart arias as I write, and it's good. I tried out a CD of test frequencies of 40Hz to 15000Hz, and they all did well. There was an uneven kind of rattling at 40Hz. It could have been the Sony plastic resonating, or the whole shebang rattling on the table. I didn't pursue the matter, and I did not crank it up to see if it would shake the walls, as on a thing this small you risk blowing the cone out... I'm happy to get some decent bass. When I put rock 'n' roll on, it sounds good. I listened to Bach's Goldberg variations (quite spare solo piano) and it was surprisingly crisp -- I'm completely satisfied.

7. Radio fine on nearby stations. I live near San Jose, CA, and I listen to several weak stations like the UC Berkeley radio station 40 or 50 miles away. It get's them fine also. But I have not done a serious radio test.

3. Many features that you don't need me to list, like mp3 capability, aux-in, etc.

Cons:

1. Hideous, and embarrassing for a grown-up to be seen with. Everyone has a dig at me when they see it, though my son's college friends say it's cool (perhaps with a tinge of irony?).

2. Top slopes downward to the back, and so you cannot rest CD's on the left side, where the cassette tape player is. This might make it look racy, but since this beast takes up a lot of horizontal area, it is quite annoying. You can see this in one of my pics.

3. The LCD display is so ludicrously small (roughly 1" square total) as to beggar belief. And it's not lit. Very hard to make use of.

4. On my first day with it, during silent patches of the Goldberg variations, I could hear the CD spindle squeaking. I could not bear the effort of sending the monster back, but I am avoiding playing that CD until I stop caring about my new purchase! Maybe it's stopped? Maybe it was just my example. You can't hear it with a normal music CD. If you had it by your bed and listened to quiet music as you drifted off, it would drive you mad. The point is that this is not an expensive thing, and it's somewhat cheaply made, so don't expect something fancy.

5. The CD player is top-loading. If you press the pimpled corner while it is playing, it springs open and the spinning CD rattles around furiously. Let's face it, there are oodles of reliable loading mechanisms on $20 CD drives, so there is no justification for this.

6. Infuriatingly, there are no painted marks on the CD buttons -- only an indented triangle or square for example, so it's hard work to see which button you want to press. Now you know why I have thought I'd stopped the thing and opened the top while it's playing... I solved the problem by putting a bit of my wife's (light colored) nail polish into the indentation.


Summary:

Somewhat shoddy finish. But great sound for a boombox, and for that price. If this is the sort of functionality you are looking for, I recommend it. I would buy it again tomorrow.

I'm giving this 5 stars based solely on the sound quality-to-value ratio. I purchased this boom box for my adolescent daughter and she loves it. And I have to say I am impressed with the clarity, detail and (dare I say it) imaging this unit reproduces. It's really quite amazing. I'm not a sound engineer, but I have invested a small fortune in various systems over the years and this Sony is pretty cool. There are other things you should know: 1) this thing is somewhat gi-normous. Make sure you look at all of the photos Amazon has posted to get a sense of the size. If your space will only accommodate a small footprint this unit isn't for you; 2) the styling is way over the top - I can't imagine any decor where this thing wouldn't be conspicuous; 3) the display is small, not backlit, and hard to read (at least for old people); 4) the thing is also pretty heavy, so while it is portable some might consider it a "luggable". Finally, we haven't had this long so I can't comment on reliability.

This product has very nice sound quality for a boombox in this price range... but sadly the CD player stopped working after about 3 months. Now, none of my CDs work in this player (the LCD display says "NO DISC"). All these CDs work fine in other players, and they used to work in this player a week ago. I've tried cleaning the lens but still doesn't work. This unit has been well cared for and only used about once a week.

I always associated Sony with long-lasting products, but I'll be spending my money elsewhere in the future. Products should last more than 3 months. Looks like it will cost me $29 plus shipping to Sony to get the item replaced with a working one.

I started out looking for something portable to play my ipod and the radio. All the ipod/mp3 portable units i looked at have pathetic bass, weak sound overall, and are very expensive for what you get. Then i realized that i'm more interested in decent sound quality than some ultra-portable unit that i'd never use because the the sound was so tinny. So i decided on this. It's pretty straightforward,but works just fine, has plenty of bass and enough power to even sound good outside. It has a permanently attached cable that plugs straight into your mp3 players headphone jack, so you'll never be without a connector. If you are interested in sound quality more than trendy looks, this is a good choice. It is quite big and heavy, so if you plan on moving it around a lot need it in a small space, check the specs carefully as it may not be the best choice.