Sonically this player is very crisp, clear and non-fatiguing. The bass is deep and well-defined, with good separation of the treble.
For reference..
DAC: TC9237
CD-Mechanism: NKSS-210A
Build quality is OK (slightly flimsy and plastic feel).
Aesthetically pleasing, unless you prefer rounded edges (I don't, I think they look boring).
One problem you might have however is media compatibility; the laser is quite old and has trouble reading certain dyes. So your own backups for personal use might not work.
Note: You might be able to play some if you let the laser warm up first by playing other CD's.
The CD-R media that I found would not play was . Signalex (which I think are crap anyway), Polaroid, and Maxell. But note these are the latest versions; there is a lot of variation as regards where they are made and you might find some work and some don't.
Brands that did work were ASDA's own brand, FUJI and TDK but again, this is no guarantee.
Overall verdict:
This is a very nice player that is true to Aiwa's tradition of providing great sound for a very good price. Unlike so many others even today it does what it says on the tin. Indeed, I've had more expensive players and this little gem really does run with the big boys especially with more vocal tracks. Even with the compatibility issues (which I don't blame Aiwa for), this is still a nice unit to source. Hope this helps :)
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![[Thumbnail]](https://www.hifidatabase.com/static/gallery/6/12096-Aiwa_XC-300_wm.jpg)
