RCA RS2052 Compact Bookshelf System with Lyra 128 MB MP3 Player Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, I bought the unit about a week ago and am still putting it through it's paces...
Audio wise the 2052 is pretty good, delivering crisp treble response and rich bass. Lack of a subwoofer would preclude it from being used as the hub of a home theatre system, but for general listening it is pretty good. The EQ allows five settings; flat, pop, rock, jazz, and custom. Custom merely means you can manually adjust the bass and treble settings.
The tuner is pretty standard for a modern stereo system. 32 presets, FM/AM. The timer record function, not really prominent in any of the literature I had read prior to purchase, is a fairly unique feature. This unit will record either live or at a specified time (much like a vcr) directly to the included personal MP3 player. While the other sources allow bitrates of 128kbps, the stereo only will encode at 96kbps. A wire FM antenna and loop AM antenna are both included.
The CD changer is a fairly unique design. I describe it as a 5-disc accordion. When you press the eject button, all five discs become easily accessable. You can open the "accordion" while one disc is playing and change the other four. The unit will play CD-R and CD-RW encoded with either MP3 files or WMA files. According to the enclosed literature (and I have had no opportunity to test this) the unit correctly handles DRM issues with Windows Media files. It is important to note that the unit will rip CD's directly to MP3 files and store them on the included player, but only does so at single-speed. If you are looking simply to rip CD's to MP3 files, there are much faster computer based solutions than this unit.
Another underreported feature is the SD card slot on the front of the unit. Similar to the CD player, the SD card slot will allow you to play MP3 / WMA files directly from a SD card up to 1GB. (The manual specifies up to 1GB, I have no access to or ability to test a 2GB card.) While playing MP3 / WMA files, the unit scrolls Title and Artist information from the ID3 tag. It is important to note, the unit only records to the MP3 player, and not to the SD card.
The MP3 player is a fairly generic 128MB portable Lyra player. I have been searching for an extra player to use with the unit, it seems it is exclusive to this unit. The MP3 player has a built in USB fold-up connector that docks into the top of the stereo unit. The stereo will play files directly from the MP3 player. As far as my tests can tell, the USB connector on the top of the device will only recognize the included Lyra MP3 player (although the manual hints that a 256MB version of the player might be in development or available as an accessory.) The MP3 player easily connects to your Windows / Mac / Linux based machine for download / upload of files.
Auxillary connections are available for DVD player / any other type of outside device. The unit will record from the auxillary device to the MP3 player at 128kbps. There is also a complex multi-function remote (as a side note, the remote works on the same codes as the Norcent DP300 DVD player... I found this out first hand. If you are intending to use both units together, this would be good to know.)
Overall, good (but not great) sound quality. I tend to use the MP3 player and SD card slot to listen to podcasts in the mornings, but other applications are certainly possible. If you are interested either in being able to play lots of MP3 media, or having a device that will record MP3's without needing a computer, the RCA RS2052 is for you.

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You'll be amazed by the sound and the features that the RCA RS2052 Compact Bookshelf System with Lyra 128 MB MP3 Player offers. In addition to a five-disc changer system that can load and play simultaneously, and that takes up much less space than carousel designs, the RCA RS2052 features a 128 MB Lyra MP3 flash player that uses the unit's docking station to transfer and store up to 4 hours of music. In other words, you don't need a PC to upload your MP3 and WMA digital files. You can simply "rip and go," and you'll have hours of music at your fingertips.With 160 watts of total system power, full-range speakers, and a Dynamic Bass Boost System, the RCA RS2052 ready to fill your space with rich, full music. To round out these outstanding features, the RS2052 also includes a digital AM/FM tuner with 32 presets, a built-in alarm clock, and a single LCD display with orange backlight. So whether you want to crank your old rock CDs, upload your latest MP3 files, or wake up to the soothing sounds of jazz in the morning, the RCA RS2052 has you covered.What's in the Box RS2052 bookshelf system, remote control, AM loop antenna, MP3 player, carrying case, and headphones.

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