There is Better. Review on Sony D-EJ226CK

Sony

When it comes to Portable Audio equipment, Sony has always been my first choice. In the market for Portable CD players, no other companies have been able to compete with Sony's high-end products, so they subsidize by producing cheaper players. The reason Sony products are so far ahead of the competition, is because of a few simple features that they have patented. First, the G-Protection is by far the best anti-skip software on the market. Second, the IC chip that lengthens battery life. And third, the high-end rechargeable batteries that makes the time between charges even less. Of course with many new forms of Portable Audio gaining popularity, Portable CD players are becoming more and more obsolete, but with Sony players there is really no reason to bother with the other technology. Unfortunately the D-E226CK is not one of Sony's newest or best players, but given its price, it is not a bad choice.

Size and Looks

Since Sony is alone in production of high-end Portable CD players, they have had the opportunity to produce players so small and high-tech looking that they almost don't look like conventional Portable CD players at all. One of the reasons new Portable Audio equipment is becoming so popular is because of size. With Portable CD players, the player has to be at least as large as the CD, and then it has to include all the technology, making it rather bulky. The Sony D-E226CK does indeed fall to this dilemma, but it is not bad. At 1 inch thick, it is a little thicker than Sony's elite D-EJ915, but compared to other Portable CD players, it is rather thin. And combined with its 6 by 5 inches around, it is one of the thinnest CD Players on the market. Of course it doesn't compare in size or looks to the elite player I just mentioned, but it holds its own on the market for portable CD players. Unfortunately, with the tiny new MP3 and MD players, it is rather bulky. Given all its other specs compared to these new players, it is only worth it because of the price. The D-E226CK has an oval-cut design that is attractive, but not unique. It looks a lot like the rest of the players on the market, but because of its dimensions, it is a step ahead. The buttons are all located on either side of a display on a panel that juts out from what would otherwise be a very sleek player. The panel adds another inch to the player, but is quite handy as long as you don't mind holding onto it at all times.

Batteries

This player doesn't come with batteries, but uses standard AA batteries. Unfortunately with only approximately 20 hours of battery life, you will be buying batteries very often. When this player originally came out 20 hours, or rather 25 as Sony advertises, was a long time for batteries to last in a Portable Audio player. The player uses what was then a new technology from Sony, but since then has been improved upon. Sony has been working hard in the realm of power usage in their portable electronics, and has managed to extend the battery life much more than other companies. Since this is a rather old player you will only experience the very early stages of this, but for a player under $50 20 hours is great. The best thing about Sony Portable Audio players, is that they have a built in charger. Whenever your player is plugged into an AC adapter, you can charge the batteries without removing them. This is very convenient, as long as you have an outlet nearby. Because of this I would recommend you buy rechargeable batteries for the player. You will save a lot of money and hassle since you can just charge them in the player. One thing to keep in mind is that you should always drain the batteries completely before recharging them. If you constantly charge them to keep them full, or overcharge them, they will slowly lose life, and will drain more quickly. I never charge mine before they are completely drained. Because of this, I like to have an extra pair around. If you have to wait 45+ hours of use between charges, and you are using the player for periods of one or two hours, you will find that the batteries will run out in the middle of a trip, after not charging them for a long time. To avoid having to charge them before long trips if they are not completely drained, I keep a fully charged back up set with me.

Skip Protection

The D-E226CK features ESPMax (Electronic Skip Protection) 25 seconds. It is a standard memory based skip protection. The player basically utilizes a technology that scans ahead on the disk and memorizes 25 seconds ahead of actual playtime. The player then plays off of this memory bank so if the CD skips, the memory bank gets shorter, but actual play does not skip. The problem with this is that if you skip the player for more than 25 seconds, i.e. running or any other active activity, the player will skip. 25 seconds should be more than sufficient for the average person, but if you plan to be active with your player, you are going to need a player with Sony's G-Protection (Sony D-EJ915, Sony D-EJ925, Sony D-SJ01, Sony D-FS18, or Sony D-EJ616CK are your best choice).

Sound

Don't expect to have any quality of sound if you keep the provided headphones. Put simply, they suck. When I tested the player on more expensive headphones, I was rather surprised with the sound. It is nothing compared to more expensive players, but for a player under $50 (INR 2,400) it is quite good. One problem is that it doesn't have a very strong output so if you like to listen to music with varying dynamics, such as classical music, you may be disappointed. Other than that, for the average audio freak, the sound should suffice.

Price At the moment it is going for about $50 (INR 2,400) so it is one of the cheaper players around. It is only a little cheaper than some of Sony's better players, so if you are really worried about the price, I would recommend going with them.

Recommendations

Sony D-EJ915 / D-EJ925

My number one recommendation will always remain the Sony D-EJ915, or the D-EJ925. Not only are they the smallest and coolest looking CD Players on the market, but they come with the best rechargeable batteries which contribute to the longest lasting battery life of any portable audio player. Of course their prices may seem extreme for some, but take a look at my reviews to find out why they may be a more efficient investment.

Sony D-EJ915

https://mouthshut.com/readreview.php?rid=20014&r=1

The Sony D-EJ616CK is a great player if you don't want to spend a huge amount of money. It is the best choice for portable audio under $70 (INR 3,400).

Sony D-EJ616CK

https://mouthshut.com/readreview.php?rid=20111&r=1

The Bottom Line

This player may seem nice for the money, and is definitely so, if you take a look at my suggestions, it may not be the best selection. The Sony D-EJ226CK is only a little more expensive, and features a lot more and better features. If you want a cheap player, I would recommend going with that one instead.

To read about Other Features, please see the comments section. Due to the 8,000 character limit on reviews, I am forced to submit the remainder of the review under the comments section.