Portable CD Players

We found the best reviews overall for the Sony D-NF430 (*est. $60) portable CD player. This model lets you listen to CDs and CD-R/RW discs containing MP3 files, as well as FM and AM radio stations. The Sony D-NF430 is also compatible with Sony's proprietary digital music format (ATRAC). Included software lets you convert music on your computer into ATRAC files. While experts say there's not much of a sonic advantage to ATRAC, it does allow you to fit a huge number of songs on a single CD (almost 20 hours of music). So if you don't want to carry around a bunch of discs and don't mind converting all your CDs to ATRAC files, this could be seen as an advantage. However, if you're willing to sit around and burn your CD collection to your computer's hard drive, you might well consider an MP3 player instead.

ATRAC aside, reviews say the Sony D-NF430 is reliable and skip-free -- due to Sony's G-Protection, which gets raves from nearly every reviewer we found. It has a three-line display, so you can view song and track information. Extended battery life technology lets a single AA battery last for 41 hours. When it comes to playback, there are 18 options, including repeat and random shuffle. The digital tuner lets you listen to radio and weather stations.

Other features of the D-NF430 include an automatic shut-off to save battery life and an automatic volume limiter that plays music below distortion levels. This model comes with a remote control and earbuds. Owners at Amazon.com, Circuit City and Epinions rave about the D-NF430. Owners love the excellent sound quality and large feature set. People also praise the long battery life and ease of use. The one area in which many owners quibble is the size and location of the buttons. A handful of people who gave the Sony D-NF430 negative reviews seem to have gotten defective units; the replacements worked fine.

If $60 is more than you want to spend, another Sony portable CD player, the D-NE050PSBLK (*est. $40) is also a good choice according to owners. This model doesn't have a remote control or digital tuner for FM/AM radio and weather signals, but it does have G-Protection and a LCD display. It also plays both CD-R/RW and burned MP3 files. The Sony D-NE050PSBLK uses two AA batteries for up to 23 hours of playing time (considerably less than the D-NF430). This unit doesn't get many reviews, but owners at Amazon.com and BestBuy.com like it. They feel the sound quality is good, though one did suggest buying a better pair of headphones.

If you're not interested in playing MP3-encoded discs, the Sony D-EJ011 (*est. $30) still includes the vaunted G-Protection. A handful of owners posting on retailers' sites consider this portable CD player a good value. The Sony D-EJ011 offers eight playback modes, a programmable playback feature and Sony's automatic volume limiter system. It also supports CD-R and CD-RW discs. This portable CD player uses two AA batteries with projected life of up to 16 hours. This means that for heavy users, the initial savings may be eroded by battery cost. The Sony D-EJ001 (*est. $25) is a previous model that is similar to the D-EJ011. This CD player comes in several bright colors and has G-Protection, though it gets only fair reviews from dozens of owners at Amazon.com and Epinions.

The Coby MP-CD521 (*est. $20) is a low-priced alternative that plays MP3 encoded CDs, as well as regular commercial discs. It has an anti-skip system and memory buffers of 45 seconds in CD mode and 120 seconds in MP3 mode. This portable CD player can be used with two AA batteries or the included AC adapter. Owner reviews of the Coby MP-CD521 are split. Some think it is a good value, while others are disappointed with its performance and reliability. The consensus is that the anti-skip system is not very effective, although some owners find this Coby works well in their cars. It doesn't include a radio tuner.

Important Features: Portable CD players

Experts say to look for these advanced features in portable CD players:

• Anti-shock technology keeps CDs spinning smoothly during constant motion. Portable CD players with strong anti-shock systems (like Sony's G-Protection) deliver reliable sound, regardless of where you use them.

• The newest portable CD players boast battery lengths of 40 hours and up. Most use AA batteries. You can use AA rechargeable batteries as well.

• The quality of your headphones determines the quality of what you hear. Most experts agree that the headphones included with portable music devices don't sound great and aren't particularly comfortable. See our report on headphones .

• The best portable CD players have nifty features such as shuffle and repeat track. Many players sport "resume" technology, which allows you to start listening to a CD right where you left off. Other features include FM and/or AM radio.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Sony portable CD players are the clear winners amongst experts, who say their "G-Protection" anti-shock technology makes them virtually impervious to skips. The Sony D-NF430 is included in Fast Answers.