Review on 📻 Teac PD 301 CD Player and FM Tuner with USB by Brock Chisholm

(Viewed 19 Jul 2016 edited 27 Jul 2016) I couldn't find any reviews on this unit so I decided to make my own write. The TEAC PD-301 was released in late 2015 as the entry-level CD player in the TEAC reference series (this is their line of compact products). The PD-301 is a compact and versatile CD player. Its case (8.5" x 9.1" x 2.4" H") takes up half the space of its full-size 17" counterparts. With three outputs: coaxial, optical, analog (RCA) and three inputs: CD, FM, USB, this is definitely the most versatile player in its class, making it ideal for desktop/rack component systems; However, this is a kind of universal player, so probably not the HiFi and not the smallest. The design looks a bit dated but with good build quality. The audio is clear from the coaxial output I use. When playing CDs (CD-R/CD-RW I haven't tried yet) the PD-301 produces a faint sound that is imperceptible to normal listening. You can hear the drive spinning if you listen closer than 4 inches, but it should be quiet enough to be part of your desktop system. If you just want to play music without having to search for your CDs, USB playback makes your life easier. Just RANDOM and PLAY! So far the listening experience is great, but there are some minor usability issues: When the PD-301 ejects CDs, it doesn't eject the CD enough. You must handle the CD with extreme care. You cannot dim the operating light so it stays bright no matter how you dim the display. There are no shortcuts available to browse USB drives, so browsing USB content in alphabetical order is tedious. . The display layout only allows a 12-digit name field. Longer names automatically scroll across the screen, but it takes a few seconds to scroll through each file/folder. Special characters are represented as asterisks (*) or, in some cases, as question marks (?). Overall I am happy with my purchase and give the PD-301 a 4 star rating. The PD-301 would be a 5-star purchase if it 1) could eject a half-inch larger CD, 2) display special characters, and 3) support shortcuts in USB browsing mode, such as: 1""5""Enter" on the remote control. PD-301 Quick Review: Pros: Compact and versatile Built with quality. Pure sound. Quiet. Cons: Expensive compared to regular sized players. Can't be placed vertically Poor USB browsing experience If you are considering purchasing the PD-301, as of July 2016 there are other compact players you may be interested in: Olasonic NANO-CD1: THE SMALLEST Pure CD transport with coaxial /optical outputs Can be placed vertically Denon DCD-50: Great design Can be placed vertically Analogue + coaxial (digital) outputs Pro-Ject CD Box S: slim and compact design Analogue + coaxial (digital) outputs Shanling Tempo (EC1B/EC2C): Tray loading USB playback Analog + coaxial (digital outputs) USB input (EC2C only)