Metal chassis.
Nice feeling in hand.
Requires sensitive headphones. Amp output not hot enough for 7506s even at 30/30 setting.
Retro remote backlit aesthetic resembles a 1980s wristwatch. Clip and control layout suggests it was designed for clipping to the right side of a button up shirt/lapel. Remote jack’s location on chassis, cable management, open/close latch all suggest right-front pants pocket is the ideal destination for comfort. Button layout on chassis bottom is oriented similar to the remote layout, with a few key differences. From left to right on chassis: STOP, BACK, PLAY/SKIP, VOL-, VOL+ whereas remote adds a dedicated STOP button and gives the PLAY button a secondary pause function: STOP, PLAY/PAUSE, BACK, SKIP, VOL-, VOL+ (from left to right).
Sonic presentation still leaves much to be desired, for musicality’s sake.
Playback modes and Bass Boost modes are accessible via the MODE button on remote. Corresponding icons do appear on the LCD screen as visual indication, albeit difficult to distinguish from one another.
How does it sound? Toyish. Rolled off and rolled up. Narrow soundstage, very boxy. Unexpectedly ideal for comedy albums, dictation, audiobooks. Not at all recommended for music, although the (slight) Bass Boost mode offers a minor improvement in response. Sonic presentation still leaves much to be desired, for musicality’s sake.
AVJ
