Description
All what you need to know about the item here in descriptions.Used: this item has been used previously. This item has some signs of cosmetic wear but is fully operational and functions as intended. When you make a purchase we will contact you to send pictures of the item that we will send, we will need another way to contact you to send a video about the item being tested and serial number. We dont accept returns or refunds, if item get damaged during shipping we will open a claim with the postal service office to try to get a partial or complete refund which will be send to the buyer. Damaged items during shipping is not our responsibility. DesignThe build quality on the Philips MCD908 is mightily impressive. The wooden speakers, for example, are as solid as boulders -- this is a good thing as you dont want the speaker cabinet resonating and spoiling the sound. The two housings for the components themselves are machined from aluminium.Apart from the solidity of the build, the unit is certainly distinctive looking. Turn the Philips on and youd think youve been transported to the set of the latest Fast and the Furious flick. This is a seriously bling-tastic piece of equipment -- from the blue strip lighting to the faint red glow from the valve tubes (more on this later).The remote is also very distinctive, with a real leather finish in the hand and a machine-cut metal keypad reminiscent of the Motorola RAZR V3.FeaturesOn paper, the specs of the Philips MCD908 are also quite remarkable, and speak to an audiophiles wet-dream: a combination of neodymium ribbon and silk dome tweeters; gold-plated speaker binding posts; the aforementioned vacuum tube preamplifier; and a Class D digital amplifier.Vacuum tubes were quite popular up until about the 80s and were the main source of amplification -- before their functions could be duplicated by solid-state electronics. They have enjoyed a resurgence recently, as their proponents will tell you the sound is more natural and less digital. In this particular instance, Philips have used them to counter the effects of the digital amplifier, but does it work? The amplifier itself is rated at 2 x 75W RMS -- so able to drive the speakers very loud!For the videophiles, there is also upscaling to 1080i via HDMI, and compatibility with a wide range of formats, including DiVX. This is a DVD player only, so obviously it lacks support for either Blu-ray or HD DVD.PerformanceGiven the audiophile-like features and treatment of the MCD908, we were a little disappointed with how it actually performed sonically. Despite featuring two different tweeter systems, the sound seemed a little closed-in and nasal. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Get Ready For Love sounded a little boomy, with St Nicks voice sounding much less strident than usual. The system just didnt seem to give the band the room they needed to breathe.While it would be perfect for a party, it wouldnt be suited for critical listening -- a three-piece stereo system at the same price would knock its socks off. It did perform better in this regard, though, than the other Philips at a similar price -- the SoundBar HTS8100.But as the SoundBar was focused on video performance, it naturally outshone this mini-system when playing DVDs. The MCD908 lacks its siblings advanced video processing and it shows -- for example, watching the childrens flick Happy Feet showed that it wasnt able to handle moving, contrasting edges. There were visible interlacing artefacts during movement -- even when employing the upscaling capabilities. Yet, HDMI and upscaling capabilities in a deck this small and this cheap are at least a bonus.ConclusionThe Philips MCD908 is a very likeable beast, and sure looks impressive sitting on your entertainment rack. There are a lot of features crammed into these little boxes for a very small price -- and its a very well built system. Its just a pity that the performance doesnt live up to the promise. Technical SpecificationsPicture/DisplayD/A converter12bit, 108MHzPicture enhancementHigh Def (720p, 1080i)Video upsamplingVideo upscalingSoundOutput Power2x75W RMS / 150W total powerSound EnhancementVacuum Tube PreamplifierClass D Digital AmplifierLoudnessTreble and Bass ControlSound SystemDolby DigitalLoudspeakersMain Speaker3 wayRibbon tweeterDome mid range5 wooferGold-plate speaker connectorsSpeaker grilles detachableVideo PlaybackPlayback MediaDivXDVD+RWDVD-VideoPicture CDVideo CD/SVCDDisc Playback ModesA-B RepeatAnglePBCSlow MotionZoomParental controlDynamic Range CompressionDVD Region.1Video EnhancementProgressive ScanAudio PlaybackPlayback MediaWMA-CDMP3-CDCDCD-RCD-RWDisc Playback Modes20-Track ProgrammableRepeat/one/all/programShuffle PlayLoader TypeMotorisedTrayStill Picture PlaybackPicture Compression FormatJPEGPicture EnhancementSlideshow with MP3 playbackPlayback MediaPicture CDTuner/Reception/TransmissionTuner BandsAMFM StereoAuto digital tuningYesStation presets40ConnectivityVideo Output - AnalogComponent Y Pb Pr (cinch)Composite CVBS (yellow cinch)S-Video (on Hosiden)Aux in1x(L/R)/ RCAOther connectionsActive subwoofer Pre-outDigital audio coaxial outDigital optical outFM AntennaLine outHDMI outAM AntennaConvenienceAlarmsCD AlarmSleep timerClockOn main displayOSD LanguagesEnglishFrenchSpanishDisplay TypeVFD displayIndicationsDIM modeEco Power Standby1 wattAccessoriesIncluded accessoriesComposite video cable (Y)Control cableAM/FM AntennaRemote control49-key with 2xAAA batteriesDimensionsSet Depth280 mmSet Height180 mmSet Width250 mmMain speaker depth240 mmMain Speaker height329 mmMain speaker width205 mmPackaging Depth330 mmPackaging Height417 mmPackaging Width755 mmWeight incl. Packaging23 kgPowerPower supply120V, 60Hz
Live search